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Passengers stranded in Mt Hagen
By
PAULUS KOMBEA
PASSENGERS bound for Southern Highlands Province were stranded yesterday in Mt.Hagen because no PMVs were travelling their way. Villagers set up a road block at the notorious Nebiliyer Valley. It was reported that the locals blocked off the highway to hold any Southern Highlands PMV after a brand new Toyota Coaster bus owned by a Nebiliyer man was allegedly damaged at Ialibu station on Friday. The bus, on a hire by mobile phone company Digicel for a promotion of its phone brands at the Ialibu station was attacked by a mob of youths. A police source from Ialibu who did not want to be named confirmed the incident on Friday. He reported that the mob in Ialibu were trying to purchase a Digicel phone from the sellers in the bus when a misunderstanding between the parties ended in a fist fight. The policeman said following the punch ups a barrage of stones was hurled at the bus. The back windscreen and windows of the bus were shattered. Yesterday at the Southern Highlands PMV stop in Mt. Hagen town, the relatives of the owner of the bus were searching out Southern Highlanders while opportunities snatched personal items from people especially helpless school children. However, quick action by older men at the bus stop dispersed the unruly mob from further stealing from Southern Highlanders. Southern Highlanders decried the actions of the Nebiliyer mob saying that they were being victimized for the actions of a few people. The said some Western Highlanders were taking advantage of the fact their city was the centre of Highlands business and preyed on innocent people from other provinces of the region. People from Hela, Mendi Central and the Eastern end of SHP were searched on Saturday morning while at the bus It has been reported that two SHP buses were taken at the Nebliyer road block. Police have pledged to bring the situation under open up that section of the Highlands highway again in time for business and school children to travel freely this week. |
NEWS
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