Photo: AFP
Political leaders in a Papua New Guinea province plagued by gun violence are making a collective stand to stop it.
There's a new sense of political will among Enga Province's political leaders and police to come down hard on the use of illegal weapons. But they are confronted by a daunting task.
Recent research by Joe Barak of PNG's National Research Institute has tracked the escalation of tribal and election-relate violence in PNG, particularly in the Highlands where the most frequent violent attacks are recorded.
The research shows that Enga Province had the highest number of incidents, 79 between the years 2018 and 2022, or 27.8 percent of the overall number of incidents in the Highlands region during that period.
Prime Minister James Marape this month laid out a 'war on guns'-type plan to crack down on lawlessness in PNG by asserting the authority of the state. But all too often in Enga the authorities have been part of the problem.
Each of the past few general elections have sparked deadl
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