Morobe wants Sepik row settled

THE Morobe provincial government says it will welcome the help of its partner provincial governments and administrations of East and West Sepik to join in finding a solution for the repatriation of displaced Sepiks in Bulolo, The National reports.

Speaking in Lae last week, deputy governor, Morokoi Gaiwata, chairman of the recently formed Sepik repatriation coordinating committee, Benson Suang and his deputy Peter Namus said they welcomed input from their political and administrative counterparts in the two provinces.

“The coordinating committee is asking them and genuine people with good ideas to come and see us so that together we can negotiate and assist to quell the problem because we want lasting solutions that will appease both parties,” Suang said.

The committee agreed that the Bulolo crisis escalated due to non-action by police in the first place resulting in the fed-up locals taking the law into their own hands, destroying all houses belonging to about 3, 000 Sepiks, most of whom are now in care centres in Bulolo.

“Both the locals and displaced people agree that Sepiks have to leave Bulolo and this is the most urgent task for us now and we want to re-settle our fellow citizens without causing further loss to lives and properties,” Suang said.

“The situation is being handled very carefully with recognition of the rights of the affected citizens.”

Gaiwata thanked the government for allocating K3 million for management of the crisis and said the provincial committee was also willing to work with any formed at national level to try to settle the issue.