Community-led efforts to resolve disputes and prevent crime and intergroup violence in Southern Highlands were bolstered recently as local leaders came together for annual discussions and training as part of the province’s Peace and Good Order Committee (PGOC).
Twenty-three PGOC representatives from all five SHP districts met in Mendi to learn new dispute resolution and peace management techniques. The workshop, supported by the Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership, allowed local leaders to share ideas to tackle local safety and security concerns including intergroup conflict, sorcery accusation related violence, and serious crimes such as murder and rape. This builds on recent successes of the PGOC in averting armed conflict and reducing criminal behaviour.
Deputy Provincial Administrator Henry Hapen, who hosted the workshop, said the PGOC in each district were important partners of the Provincial Administration and national law and justice agencies as they raised awareness of the law and improved community safety.
“Our aim is to promote peace and unity in the community but the biggest challenge is ensuring all members of the community respect the rule of law,” Mr Hapen said.
Following an outbreak of violence in Mendi in 2018 when an Air Nuigini aircraft, the District Court and the Governor’s Residence were burnt down, Mr Hapen and the PGOC led a series of peace management consultations and awareness sessions with affected communities.
The PGOC has continued to help build community cohesion in SHP, and in 2020 supported the peaceful resolution of several potentially serious incidents at Tulum and Nol in Mendi, Mendi town, Munihu in Nipa Kutubu and in Sugu Valley in Kagua Erave district.
Among the successes was an agreement between the Sonk Soka and Larop Peih tribes to renounce violence and compensation claims, ending four years of conflict that had claimed seven lives.
Mr Hapen said involving communities through PGOC is having a significant impact on the level of armed conflict and crime in the province.
“We have noticed a lot of positive changes. Young people have become an increasing focus of peacemaking efforts,’” he said.
In 2020, the PGOC launched a rugby league competition in Kagua Erave District to attract young men who might otherwise become involved in tribal fighting.
This initiative provided rugby jerseys to the players with support from the Australian Government.
Mr Hapen and the PGOC have been particularly encouraged by changes in the behaviour of young people following this and other initiatives. “Youths are voluntarily coming out to be vocal on youth issues in the community,” he said, adding that there had also been a marked reduction in the number of tribal fights and serious crimes.
Another significant improvement of the PGOC is the organisation’s commitment to helping ensure women and girls move around safely.
“After awareness raising activities conducted by the PGOC, we are seeing young girls move more freely in the evenings to fetch water, buy food, and have more freedom to do other things,” Mr Hapen said.
This year’s PGOC workshop, the third of its kind organised by the Provincial Administration, also heard presentations from representatives of the RPNGC, District Courts and the Catholic Church.
The Papua New Guinea-Australia Partnership also supports other law and justice initiatives in Southern Highlands including training for village courts and land mediation services and strengthening referral pathways for survivors of family and sexual violence.
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