I have a story for you. As far as I am aware this is a close a rendition of the truth.
Our Chief Administrator, the bureaucratic head of the public service, was recently accosted in Southern Bougainville. Six thugs, or raskols, decided they wanted his government vehicle and used an M16, a .303, a shotgun, a hand made gun and a grass knife (a grass knife is a very long machete) to try and persuade him to hand it over. He refused, explaining that his driver had the keys, which was a good idea since the driver wasn't there at the time. The raskols left and promised to come back for the car later.
The Chief Administrator then collected his driver and went and complained to the local chiefs. The chiefs in turn called on the local ex-combatants to round up the raskols.
I should note at this point that ex-combatants are still relied on as an alternative to responding to crime through the police. Their 'bush justice' essentially involves finding those who are allegedly guilty, taking them into the bush and applying brute force. Sometimes only the ex-combatants return.
And so the raskols were rounded up. As soon as the Chief Administrator heard he rushed down to intervene, fearing of course that they wouldn't survive the encounter….but they did, although one had a few chunks taken out of him with a machete. They are all in custody in Buin, apart from Mr Chunks, who is in Buka General Hospital. Reconciliation between the raskols, their people and the Chief Administrator is currently being planned and the Chief Administrator is in good spirits.
End of story time. You can now return to your completely different world.
