ConflictBarometer_2015

ASIA AND OCEANIA
over the mine's reopening and to focus on alternative means
to achieve economic growth.
Tensions continued in the second half of the year, with the
ABG's planned ''Bel Kol'' ceremony between the PMALA and
BCL scheduled for September 30. On August 13, a new
group named ''Bougainville Hardliners'' launched an islandwide
campaign, announcing to stop the ceremony by any
means. Following the threats, the ABG deferred the ''Bel
Kol'' ceremony for an indefinite time. In November, the
Bougainville Referendum Committee suggested a reconciliation
between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)
and the BRA. In early December, Momis voiced concerns over
the national government's reported plans to become the major
shareholder of BCL, stating that it would be completely
unacceptable and a possible source of conflict. mrl
PAPUA NEW GUINEA (TRIBAL VIOLENCE)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1975
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
Kukurin vs. Yapetalin; Wapiago vs.
Tapamu; et al.
subnational predominance, re-
sources
The conflict between clans and tribes over subnational predominance
and resources remained violent, resulting in more
than 50 fatalities throughout the year. Heavy fighting occurred
in the highland provinces of Enga, Hela, Eastern Highlands,
Western Highlands and Southern Highlands, as well as
in the coastal province of Morobe. With the continuing trend
of migration from the highlands into the cities, outbreaks
of violence between clansmen were also observed in the
suburbs of the country's two biggest cities, the capital Port
Moresby and Lae, provincial capital of Morobe. In the highlands,
several tribal clashes broke out in the surroundings of
large-scale mining and drilling projects. As in previous years,
local communities around these projects had often seen
tensions over profit sharing, compensation schemes, and
environmental destruction [→ Papua New Guinea (socioeconomic
protests)]. Other common triggers of tribal fights
were accusations of sorcery, adultery, and the theft of pigs.
In many cases, local police explained attacks as payback for
past incidents, often dating several years back.
In early April, violence erupted over sorcery accusations between
different clans of the Kintex tribe in Kenemote village,
Eastern Highlands. Continuing over four months, the fighting
involved both bows and guns and resulted in nine fatalities,
1,500 displaced people, and most of the village burnt to the
ground. In mid-May, fighting erupted between clansmen from
the highland provinces of Simbu and Eastern Highlands in
Port Moresby's suburb Six Mile. Involving the use machetes
and bow and arrows, the confrontation left twelve people
injured, among them one severely. Between June and July,
eleven people were killed in the course of attacks and retaliation
attacks between the Kukurin and the Yapetalin tribes
in the border areas between Enga and Western Highlands.
On July 17, tribal fighting broke out around the Porgera
Mine area in Enga, involving several tribes after six people
reportedly had been killed in a case of mistaken identity.
After clashes had resulted in 15 fatalities within two weeks,
the government declared the area a tribal fighting zone and
deployed additional security personnel. On November 24,
armed confrontations erupted between the Sialum and Kabwum
tribes in a suburb of Lae, leaving two people dead and
at least 17 injured. Several houses were destroyed. Local
officials called for additional police reinforcements and
considered the eviction of illegal highlander settlements [→
Papua New Guinea (urban tensions)]. In late December, two
Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) soldiers and a
former policemen were killed in areas around the PNG Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) project in Hela Province. In the
previous months, the project had seen tensions rising over
outstanding payments with local landowners. Reportedly, the
soldiers were killed while attending a funeral of two fatalities
in an ongoing tribal war between the Tomburuma-Hura-Maya
and Tobe clans of the Komo tribe. The local government had
deployed security personnel to stop the fighting, which had
also affected the operation of the project. jfr
PHILIPPINES (BIFM, BIFF MILF, GOVERNMENT)
Intensity: 5 | Change: | Start: 2008
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
BIFF, BIFM vs. government, MILF
secession, subnational predominance
The conflict over secession and subnational predominance
between the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Movement (BIFM)
and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), on the
one hand, and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the
government, on the other hand, escalated to a war. The
conflict concentrated on the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) and South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan
Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos (SOCCSKSARGEN)
region.
BIFF and government forces clashed throughout the year,
resulting in at least 250 deaths and 129 injured people. Violence
escalated particularly during February and March. For
instance, on January 5, the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) seized a BIFF camp in Sultan Kudarat in a coordinated
attack with MILF forces, killing five and injuring eight
BIFF members. On January 14, BIFF members bombed two
power relay pylons in Cotabato City, SOCCSKSARGEN, leaving
the surrounding region without power for three hours.
Members of the police Special Action Force (SAF) killed
Malaysian BIFF-affiliated militant Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan
in BIFF-controlled territory near Mamasapano, Maguindanao
province, ARMM, on January 25. Subsequently, SAF forces
withdrew into territory controlled by MILF without notifying
the group beforehand, disregarding an existing agreement
between the two [ → Philippines (MILF)]. On February 9, MILF
members killed one BIFF member in a clash in Maguindanao.
Two days later, MILF and BIFF clashed in Barangay Kalbugan,
Maguindanao, leaving no casualties. On February 14, 10,000
people fled their homes when the same MILF and BIFF members
clashed anew, killing seven BIFF members.
On February 21, government troops started a large-scale offensive
against the BIFF, the most extensive since the group's
foundation in 2008. It lasted until March 30, involving
more than 3,000 government troops and targeting the same
number of BIFF militants. The fighting included the use of
heavy weapons such as howitzer, MG-520 attack helicopters,
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