Police in Papua New Guinea's Hela province say deaths continue as warring tribesmen defy attempts to forge a truce between their clans.
Tribal divisions are entrenched in Hela Province, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
Hela's capital Tari has been the focal point for a surge of tribal violence in recent months.
Conflict between tribes was exacerbated by mass displacement of Hela communities caused by the magnitude 7.5 earthquake in the province two months ago.
The sergeant in charge of Tari police station, Thomas Levongo, said five people have been killed in the past week, scuppering an attempt at peace talks.
"While we were bringing all the leaders together and we were discussing about how to resolve the matter, how to solve the problem, while we were talking, some of these men, they went back of us, and they killed five of the enemy tribes," said Thomas Levongo.
He said as a result the situation around Tari remained tense.
Tari, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
According to Mr Levongo, while local services were slowly becoming operational again after disruptions due to the quakes, many people were afraid to remain living in and around Tari town, due to the fighting.
"We leaders are trying to resolve the problem. But some of the men... it's too hard for the leaders to control their men."
With over a dozen tribal killings reported in and around Tari since February, Mr Levongo confirmed that Hela police had recently received reinforcements from other provinces.
The spectre of tribal fighting is a constant in Papua New Guinea's Hela province where villages are typically protected by trenches and tightly guarded gates. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
But he said the fighting tribesmen were playing a 'seek and hide' game which was also very difficult for police to control.
"They're not coming straight to the fighting ground but they are hiding and once they're shown their enemy , they went and (make a) strike."
