28 Nov 2006

Bougainville government denies backing gunfight at Musingku's

11:59 am on 28 November 2006

The Autonomous Bougainville Government in Papua New Guinea has denied sanctioning last Tuesday's dawn raid on the U-Vistract base near Tonu.

The National newspaper reports that both the acting President Joseph Watawi and administrator Peter Tsiamalili have denied that the ABG funded the operation.

The Tonu fight, spearheaded by the Buin Freedom fighters, saw money scam operator Noah Musingku's U-Vistract base attacked, leaving four of his bodyguards as well as one of the attackers dead.

Musingku and several of his supporters, including three of a group of five Fijians mercenaries illegally in the province, were wounded.

Meanwhile, the latest attempts by the Fiji High Commission in PNG to get the Fijians repatriated have fallen short.

The Post Courier reports that the five Fijians are desperate to get out of Bougainville but fear for their lives if they leave.

They are reportedly back in Tonu with Musingku and Fiji's High Commissioner Ratu Isoa Tikoca returned to Port Moresby from Bougainville without them over the weekend.