Tribal clash over Gumanch resumes
MORE than 500 houses, including trade stores, a tavern, and thousands of kina worth of domesticated animals were reportedly destroyed in a tribal attack during the early hours of last Friday.
The attack was related to the ongoing Gumanch coffee plantation controversy in the Dei district of Western Highlands province.
Former Dei MP Puri Ruing’s home was reportedly burnt down after the Kimka tribe allegedly attacked the Rologkas who are fighting over the ownership of the plantation.
A man from the Rologka tribe was allegedly shot dead by the Kimka tribe in Mun Village on Thursday afternoon.
The entire Rologka community including houses, trade stores, small scale poultry and piggery farms, garden foods and other properties were destroyed and burnt to the ground on Friday.
Reports received said a raid on the Rologka community began early as 5am on Friday, where villagers were forced to flee for their lives.
Mr Ruing condemned the attack and said he had advised his Rologka tribe not to retaliate after the man was killed. “I am a leader and it is a disgraceful thing to do when they resort to violence,” Mr Ruing said.
“The Gumanch coffee plantation as we all know, the agriculture lease of the land had expired in 2008 and it was renewed by the National Lands Board in November 2018.
“Bank of South Pacific is the mortgagee to the coffee plantation and the decision is now with the bank to decide for the betterment of the 15,000 landowner people of Kimka, Rologka, Ramdi, Kilgepela and Delka,” he said.
“The loss of lives, destruction to properties and displacement of women and children would not have happened if owners of Macoes Company and Norum Lawyers Simon Norum had bought off the plantation when BSP first offered the land to him in 2003.”
Mr Ruing claimed the Kimka tribe had previously mobilised and fought with the Rambi tribe in 2003, killing 34 people.
He said the Rambi tribe were chased away from their land the last 15 years.
Mr Ruing said despite having made millions of kina from the plantation during that time, the repayment of the BSP loan had never been honoured until the lease expired.
He said this is the second tribal fight over the plantation.
He condemned the act calling on the police in Western Highlands to quickly investigate the matter.
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