This picture shared on Facebook shows discussions including the PNG police commissioner, deputy commissioner, Chief Magistrate Mark Pupaka, among others during the peace talks on 9 March. Photo: Facebook / William Kipongi
A ceasefire is expected on the battle fields of Wapenamanda in Enga Province in Papua New Guinea after three years of tribal violence.
The Post-Courier reports the lead peace negotiator and Enga Provincial administrator, Sandis Tsaka, saying a ceasefire agreement is anticipated to be signed this week.
The leaders of both warring factions are speaking with the State Conflict Resolution team led by chief magistrate Mark Pupaka in Port Moresby.
According to the State team, the negotiations were brought to the capital because a ceasefire agreement and subsequent Preventive Order issued in September last year failed.
The Yopo tribe's leader Roy Opone Andoi of Tsaka valley, said it's regrettable that what was a trivial tribal conflict, starting with his tribe and the neighbouring Palinau tribe, escalated to unimaginable proportions with hundreds of people killed and more than 40,000 displaced.
"I want to apologise to the State, rival tribes and neighbouring communities and the country for all the damage, including negative images portrayed through the media during the course of the conflict," he was quoted by the newspaper.
Andoi said he would like to take the opportunity to thank the government for appointing the State team comprising Police Commissioner David Manning, Tsaka and Pupaka to conduct roundtable discussions towards restoring peace and normalcy.
He said the government's intervention came in following the latest casualties, including massacre of more than 50 men from the Palinau allies by Yopo allies during an intensified battle on 28 February near Birip and Hela Opone Technical College on the border of Wapenamanda and Wabag districts.
Andoi said with the help of the State team, he was hoping for a better outcome to bring back normalcy in the district and the province.