6 KILLED & 20 CRITICALLY INJURED IN ENGA ROADBLOCK MASSACRE

Six people were instantly killed and dozens critically injured after gun men open fired on a travelling 25 seater Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) bus at Tambitanis village near Surinki along the electoral border of the Wabag and Lagaip districts yesterday afternoon.

A local councillor who wished to remain anonymous said the gunmen were relatives of two deceased who were killed last week in Laiagam.

He said the gunmen who blocked the main Highlands Highway signalled the driver to stop but the driver refused and kept on driving. This resulted in the gunmen shooting the driver who died after excessive loss of blood.

He added that after the driver was shot, gunmen indiscriminately open fired on the passengers resulting in the death of the other five passengers as they alleged that these passengers were their enemies trying to escape when the driver did not stop the bus when they were signalled to stop.
According to the village leader who was an eyewitness at the scene, he mentioned that a man from the local area drove the bus with the dead bodies and injured into Wabag General Hospital in the evening which is approximately an hour drive from the scene.

The dead bodies were lined up outside the outpatient area of the Wabag General Hospital to be identified while the critically injured were attended to by health workers on night shift.

Attempts to get comments from the recently appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Wabag General Hospital Ben Nema was unsuccessful as he was appointed on Monday by the National Executive Council after the suspension of Dr.Vincent Pyakikali.

A media brief from the Provincial Police Commanders Chief Superintendent Fred Yakasa and State of Emergency Controller Acting ACP Joseph Tondop will be made available soon.

In the meantime, Leader of the Opposition Douglas Tomuriesa has condemned the continued lawlessness in Enga Province, following this incident yesterday.
Mr Tomuriesa has described the incident as “sickening and devastating”, and expressed his continued frustration that lawlessness continues to prevail a year after supposed government interventions.

Mr Tomuriesa also called onthe Prime Minister James Marape for his lack of seriousness and attention to solving this stain on the country’s peace and harmony.

“As the Opposition always says, the reality does not match the rhetoric.
For over a year now, Mr Marape has been handling the lawlessness in Enga without any seriousness or due consideration.

“When it comes to negotiations for Porgera, he’s more than happy to fly around the world, meet executives here and there, fly into Enga for grand announcements, but when it comes to women and children being killed, he doesn’t seem to care one bit,” Mr Tomuriesa said.