THE Highlands Highway, the economic lifeline of the Highlands Provinces, has been closed by villagers at Barola Valley in Eastern Highlands Province following the brutal killing of a teacher from the area.Hundred of vehicles and passengers are stranded on both sides of the highway, in Goroka and Lae, since last Saturday as provincial leaders and police try to negotiate with the villagers.
The grieving Barola and Kompri Valley people are holding highways trucks belonging Mapai Group of Companies and Michaels & Michaels, after the teacher was kidnapped and tortured to death, allegedly by a group of men from Mt Hagen, Western Highland Province. Eastern Highlands police yesterday confirmed the death, saying that a PMV bus, owned by a Mt Hagen man, sustained a shattered windscreen last week after it was stoned at Barola. According to police, the victim had boarded a PMV bus to go to Kassam Pass to visit his wife, a nursing sister at the local health centre, when he met his fate outside Lae. The driver and crew of the PMV are on the run, they added. Police said not a single vehicle has passed through Barola since Saturday morning as angry relatives set up road blocks and commandeered many PMV buses and other vehicles owned by Western Highlanders. Provincial police commander John Kale said the situation was tense as attempts yesterday to lift the blockade failed. Governor Julie Soso, Police Minister Robert Atiyafa, Lands and Physical Planning Minister Benny Allan and Chuave MP Wera Mori were involved in the talks. The locals maintain the highway would be open to all traffic, except Western Highlanders, after they petition the National Government tomorrow. Mapai Group of Companies managing director Jacob Luke is appealing to the Barola and Kompri people to re-open the highway and to release his truck because he and his company are in no way related to the incident. Mr Luke, who is the president of PNG Road Transport Association, also appealed to the national Government and law enforcing agencies to step up security to curb lawlessness on the highway. He condemned the actions of the perpetrators and asked police to deal with the situation decisively and swiftly, saying the block is detrimental for all stakeholders. PNG Facts/ Post Courier Comments are closed.
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