The past month or so there has been a bit of tension in the Mt Hagen area, as there have been local council elections. The town of Mt Hagen has 17 or 18 different clans (tribes) which are normally without any dramas with each other. And at Kagamuga (Mt Hagen airport) 12 km’s out of town, there are another two clans. Who are normally the ones who are fighting with one another. As one is at the airport and owns most businesses there, and the other is down the road.
There has been some fighting the past weeks, but nothing on the scale to what has happened in the past. But last Wednesday, would be a big day, as the already elected council would elect seven council presidents for the seven districts made up by the council. Leading up to Wednesday there was a lot of talk about what was going to happen and civil unrest was a real possibility and always is come election time in the highlands, whether local or federal. The whole town would shut town for Wednesday, in case things got out of control. The market, shops, businesses and schools would shut down.
Last Tuesday the MAF leadership team decided to keep staff at home for the Wednesday and that would involve a lock down. Everyone would stay in their compounds until further notice. For the engineering team, this was a frustration change of events. As we had worked so hard to get the C check done as soon as possible and were so close to finishing. But with this lock down, it would delay the release time of the aircraft back into service. But for staff who are living at the airport compound’s would be able to come to work on the Wednesday, as it seemed that the trouble would be in town. And would not be safe to travel from town or into town. Only a few living in town were asked to go into work on the Wednesday, which was optional. Two pilots, the program manager and two engineers, one being myself.
So come Wednesday morning, expecting that we could get stuck out at the airport compound. We left 30 mins earlier than normal and the town was very quiet. We continued our work on the C check and the pilots continued their flying program. After morning smoko break at 1015, a meeting was called. Where we were informed that the neighbouring clan with a 1000 men were going to trash and destroy the airport once the election results were announced. Even though we were aware of the possibility of civil unrest and praying against it, I wasn’t fearful. But it was a surprise, as it was expected in town if there would be trouble. The decision was made to fly all our serviceable aircraft to neighbouring airstrips, to secure the unserviceable aircraft in the hanger and to return to our compounds. We only had 30 mins to prepare all these aircraft for flight and to secure the hanger, especially finishing our C check on the Twin Otter. It was like scrambling aircraft in a time of war.
About fifteen minutes later, an update came through and our plans were changed. The decision was made to secure as many aircraft into our hanger and to return to our compounds. So we managed to squeeze in five aircraft. The Twin Otter, the C172, two C206’s and one GA8. Part of me wanted to stay and defend our aircraft and hanger. But that would not of achieved anything at all and most of all wouldn’t be right.
We all returned safely to our compounds, where we were locked down until Thursday afternoon. Some people did get stuck at other compounds and had to spend the time in other compounds until the lock down was cleared. I was just grateful to be able to get back to my place and spend the time there, to have electricity and running water. During this time of lock down, things were VERY quite around town and out at Kagamuga, which was very eerie and normally when fighting or civil unrest breaks out. Throughout the night there were a few things that happened. But nothing on the scale of what was predicted and has happened in the past. So we are really praising and thanking God for the peace that has been here amongst the clans here. And recognise that it is Him alone that has done this.
Looking back and seeing the possibilities of what could have happened, it is amazing the outcome that has taken place. Especially with all the sources that there are on the decision making the leadership team have to work with. It is a complicated issue and precautions are taken as needed. Come Friday morning all had returned back to normal. There are a lot of storeis just from this event alone. I have been in quite a few dangerous and tricky situations in my life. But I would say that this would be the time that I have felt the most at risk before and added some action to our week.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Matt, did u take that photo?
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