Papua New Guinea’s Chuave District Development Authority is condemning an attack on a priest and his team in Chimbu province.
Father Ryszard Wajda (SVD), three nurses, two doctors from Mingende hospital, and two Catholic education officers returned on a four-day foot patrol to Kiari in Nomane sub-district when they were attacked at Dulai village by villagers from Nomane.
The few villagers who fixed a damaged section of the Nomane feeder road demanded K1000 (NZ$425) from Father Wajda and his team and attacked them after alleging that they had missed out on disaster money given by Prime Minister James Marape to the province.
Father Wajda, who is the parish priest of Wangoi in Chuave district, said that his team gave K200 (NZ$85) but the Dulai villagers refused this.
“The villagers directed violent abusive language to me and more to my team members,” he said.
He said that one of the education officers was punched several times, and others were violently pulled out of my parish vehicle.
“I stayed in the car, and nobody touched me physically,” he said.
Teacher intervened
Father Wajda said that they were allowed to travel after a teacher from the area intervened and assured the villagers that he would pay K1000 when he received his fortnightly pay.
He said that he had helped the local teacher last Friday to pay K1000 demanded by the villagers.
“It took us one day to walk and cross Waghi to visit my new Catholic community in remote Kiari at their request and spend four days with them addressing different issues,” he said.
Father Wajda said the nurses and doctors treated 200 patients during the three days working from 8am-11am every morning. He said the two education officers inspected the education institution.
“It took us 12 hours to walk back to Dulai and another village a few kilometres further up when my parish vehicle waited and picked us up,” he said.
He said that that the attack was unfortunate and local community leaders were negotiated fr a peace reconciliation.
Chief executive officer Francis Aiwa of Chuave District Development Authority (CDDA) said the attack on Father Wajda’s group was “uncalled for”.
He said that the perpetrators must be arrested and put behind bars.
The Catholic Church played an important role in the lives of everyone and such attack and killing of a priest are uncalled for and must not be repeated, Aiwa said.
Republished from the Post-Courier with permission.
This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.