At least 26 individuals have been brutally murdered in three remote villages of Papua New Guinea, sparking alarm over escalating tribal conflicts and land disputes. The violence highlights the deep-seated problems in the South Pacific nation, where land ownership and sorcery allegations fuel deadly clashes.
Papua New Guinea, a nation teeming with diverse cultures and languages, has been grappling with a surge in tribal violence in recent years. The latest incident has left a trail of bloodshed in three villages of East Sepik province, where a gang of armed men unleashed a reign of terror, killing 26 people, including 16 children.
The gruesome attacks, which took place on July 16 and 18, have left eight villagers missing and displaced 51 families from their homes. The victims were mercilessly slaughtered, their bodies left to be ravaged by crocodiles in the surrounding swamps.
Papua New Guinea Gang Violence Claims Lives, Ignites Concerns About Land Ownership and Sorcery
Police have launched an investigation but face challenges due to the remote location and underfunding. Acting Police Commander James Baugen described the scene as "very terrible," with houses burned to the ground and villagers too terrified to name the perpetrators.
According to Chris Jensen, Country Director for World Vision, land ownership and accusations of sorcery appear to have triggered the violence. In Papua New Guinea, land is often held collectively by tribes, but disputes over boundaries and ownership can lead to deadly confrontations.
Papua New Guinea Gang Violence Claims Lives, Ignites Concerns About Land Ownership and Sorcery
United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed horror over the eruption of violence, calling it the result of a dispute over land and lake rights. Turk confirmed that the dead include 16 children and raised concerns that the death toll could exceed 50.
East Sepik Governor Allan Bird blamed the escalation of violence on the lack of resources and intervention by police. "Police are under-resourced and rarely intervene," he said.
Papua New Guinea has a long history of tribal conflicts, but the use of firearms has increased the lethality of these disputes. The nation's diverse Indigenous population speaks over 800 languages and often has vague borders between tribal lands.
Blake Johnson, an analyst at the Australian Security Policy Institute, said that while the East Sepik slayings are a particularly gruesome event, they are not isolated incidents. "Escalation of violence between groups, often leading to retaliatory murder, is culturally accepted," Johnson said.
Law enforcement agencies in Papua New Guinea lack the capacity and training to effectively police the vast and rugged terrain. Johnson noted that the country's size and remoteness make it difficult to maintain law and order.
The ongoing conflict has complicated emergency responses, such as the landslide that devastated a village in May. The government estimated over 2,000 people were killed, while the United Nations put the death toll at 670.
Papua New Guinea's internal security challenges have become a point of contention in the region's geopolitical struggle. Australia, the nation's former colonial power, has signed a bilateral security pact to address its security concerns. Beijing is also reportedly seeking to ink a policing agreement with Papua New Guinea.
In 2022, China struck a security pact with Papua New Guinea's neighbor, Solomon Islands, which included police aid. This move has raised concerns about the potential establishment of a Chinese naval base in the South Pacific.
