- Dozens of people have reportedly been killed in a violent tribal feud in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
- The incident occurred in Enga province, more than 580 kilometers northwest of the capital Port Moresby.
- 49 people were reportedly killed in the fighting.
Up to 17 different tribes were involved in the recent violent clashes, ABC reported. “Many people were killed,” said local police chief George Kakas. “It is the largest number that has occurred in a massacre in a long time.” Local police suspect there are more bodies in the bush.
Authorities said members of one of the tribes, supported by allies and mercenaries, were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe over the weekend. They were apparently ambushed. SRF Oceania employee Urs Wälterlin suspects that the escalation is about access to land or resources. But mistrust and deep-rooted superstition could also play a role.
Legend: The tropical island of Papua New Guinea is located north of Australia. It is wild and partly unexplored. Ten million people live in the Commonwealth country, most of them in abject poverty – despite rich reserves of raw materials such as oil, gas and gold. Keystone/EPA Global Witness
Tribal wars between indigenous groups in Papua New Guinea have been going on for a long time, especially in the highlands. Mutual accusations are followed by attacks, which are then met with retaliatory strikes. Urs Wälterlin describes Papua New Guinea as an “extremely decentralized and ethnically complex country”.
There are at least 800 languages spoken with even more dialects. Added to this is the geography with mountains, deep valleys and isolated villages. “In some places, people barely or not at all understand the language of their neighbors in the next valley. So conflicts are almost inevitable. They have been happening again and again for centuries.” Where machetes, knives and clubs were once used, many tribes now have rifles at their disposal. This leads to even more deaths.
Prime Minister James Marape’s central government has already deployed additional security forces to the region to bring the situation under control. But the government itself has big problems, explains Wälterlin. In January there was looting in the capital, among other places. Marape had to declare a state of emergency. 15 people died. «Marape’s political future is considered by analysts to be less than certain. The opposition is sawing at his chair.”
Unfair distribution of wealth
What would help Papua New Guinea in the long term would be a more equitable distribution of wealth. «Papua New Guinea is one of the richest countries in this region in minerals, tropical timber and seafood. But the money flows into the pockets of a small elite and foreign companies,” says Urs Wälterlin.
Political instability is increasing. “The government of Papua New Guinea is looking for a kind of white knight. It could soon be China,” says Wälterlin. Beijing had already offered its support during the conflicts in January. Critics now fear that this could be China’s first step towards gaining a foothold in this country. As has happened in many other small countries in the Pacific region in recent years.