PNG NATIONAL GENERAL ELECTIONS: ENGA TROUBLES

 

A police car set on fire by armed criminals in Lagaip, Enga.

ENGA's TROUBLED ELECTIONS

ENGA has become a troubled hotspot in National General Elections 2022 as security personnel came under heavy fire by armed tribal gangs.

Throughout a troubling campaign period in which candidates and their supporters and tribesmen have been at each other’s throats, the polling period has become even worse with armed criminals attacking voters and polling teams, stealing and destroying polling boxes and engaging security personnel in ambushes and firefights.
In the latest incidences, a chopper was attacked, a fuel tanker was ambushed, and a bridge destroyed by the bandits.

In the ambush in the early hours of last Wednesday’s morning, security personnel shot dead three men and injured several other tribesmen who set up a roadblock and ambushed a fuel convoy.

The incidence happened last Wednesday morning outside Laiagam Station at 2.30am, police chief David Manning (left) said.

Heavily armed tribesmen had set up a roadblock to stop a fuel tanker escorted by security personnel.

Meanwhile, a helicopter involved in moving election material in Kompiam in Enga Province has been stood down after unknown assailants tried to wreck it by throwing an unknown missile at its rotors on Tuesday as it was attempting to extract ballot boxes at Kompiam.

Police Commissioner Manning said that the actions of a few may now push back counting for Kompiam-Ambum.

“We have now decided to abandon extraction by air and will now move to extracting the ballot boxes by road.

“The chopper was not shot. An unknown projectile was thrown at the blades whilst it was doing pick up of ballot boxes from Kompiam,” Commissioner Manning said.

Last Wednesday morning, at about 2:30 am near Laiagiam Station and 500 meters before Laiagaim Station,  security personnel were doing fuel insertion into Porgera when they ran into an ambush. 

Security personnel counted at least 60 assailants. In the dark, they also managed to spot and identify the criminal elements carrying 4 SLR, 6 Carbine M4, and 8 M16 A2 possibly including a Spotter rifles and  many shot guns.

A heavy gun battle ensued with the truck carrying  fuel sustaining shots from the criminals but security personnel were unharmed.

Casualties at the scene included the death of three armed men and several minor and major injuries sustained by the criminals.

The security personnel had to return to Mt Hagen.

In another incident a bridge near the Mulitaka Station, also in Laiagam was damaged by villagers.

The structure to the bridge was cut out using a hand grinder thus making the bridge impossible for trucks and PMVs to use.

Again another road block was set up past the bridge security personnel who drove past the road block engaged the gunmen and a couple of shots were fired which resulted in two men shot.

The incident in Laiagam and Kompiam comes after a ditch was dug at Surinki by unknown men blocking of the highway and leaving passengers stranded on either side of the highway in Laiagam.

Porgera Paiela LLG councillors in Wabag. They have vowed to do their best to end violence in their troubled communities.

Enga police commander Acting Superintendent George Kakas said that he had called on both candidates whose supporters are said to have dug the ditch to find the culprits and bring them in or both candidates will be arrested and charged. 

Porgera-Paiela, the new electorate went to the polls with a few hiccups however that ended on Monday night as armed men attacked the police station.

At around 2am and 3am in the early hours of  last Tuesday morning it is alleged supporters of the candidates attacked and destroyed three vehicles belonging to the District Administrator and the destruction included his house and even the Health Center was destroyed. The Police Station Commander’s vehicle was also attacked.

Police in Porgera are now calling on the candidates to identify their supporters.

“We have so far not suffered any casualties from government security forces. We have taken the responsibility of air insertion / extractions because EC contractors are unable to deliver and Enga Election management are disorganised. 

We are progressing well at the moment, but with this latest incident involving a chopper all air insertions are stopped,” Commissioner Manning said.

“Several individuals have also decided to disrupt our operations in Wapenamanda. We will not be deterred from delivering the elections for the province and other provinces despite this criminal activities,” he added.

Video footage of a shootout in Laiagam station has gone viral on social media with police continuing to be vigilant in the district.

As of last Saturday evening unconfirmed reports of the death of a man in Kompiam-Ambum has again now put security forces on the back foot trying to provide security for a volatile province.

Surinki strawberry fields, one of Enga's best cottage industries, which has reached international appeal. However, violence has curtailed its progress.