Pema, last of the villages situated upriver along the Waria river in Morobe Local Level Government area, Huon Gulf District in Morobe Province and bordering with Sohe district in Northern province is currently under siege by a group of local men. The group is alleged to have committed killings, sexual harassment against women, violent physical attacks against men, burning and looting of family houses, and destroying government properties worth thousands of kina. Nelson Zatura, a local from the area who resides in Lae just returned from a holiday from the village said situation has gone to worse since last Christmas causing locals to flee for their safeties in the upper river towards Northern province. Zatura laid formal complaints with Huon Gulf District Administration and Lae Metropolitan police for immediate intervention. He described the group's act as terrorist who have displaced traumatized locals to flee for their safeties. "The group led by an escapee of Buimo Correctional Centre destroyed 18 outrigger canoes which the locals use as means to cross the notorious Waria river and also attack passengers and dinghy operators shooting them with wire - catapults from the river banks which has forced the dinghy operators to halt the important service along the river." Zatura who went to the village recently with materials to build his late father's headstone was surprised to see the plight of his families and relatives and after managing to make it back downstream by canoe made sure to report to authorities responsible. "It's a big problem in my village of Pema. I am coming out to the media so everyone knows what is happening there. My village is burnt down, my people are afraid and are living in the forests, and we need the authorities to go down there and arrest the perpetrators, " He said. "These men have threatened against the movement of passengers up and down the Waria river and the people are afraid there's no access and freedom of movement and this actions shows that we have terrorists living with us and they must be locked up, we need the assistance of the police to go down there," "For transportation along the Waria, it is hard coming down the river and crossing over to Lae. If you are lucky and have access, you travel out, otherwise its hard to move around as they have blocked every access route, " "Waria river is the only access to the most people. Up to Tube down to Gobe and down to coastal areas we all travel on dinghies, " Reflecting on the past and notable differences, especially social behavior, he said lawlessness has increased to stage where there is increasing wilful murder cases being committed and accepted as a "new normal" but not reported because of the remoteness and the lack of the presence of police. Zatura stated that the current two biggest needs that would help to curb down the lawlessness are the need for communication towers for mobile phones and the permanent setup of police mobile squad at Morobe LLG station. "There is no sign of Bmobile and Digicel communication signals and it's very hard with basic government services and we think government really seriously need to address our plight." "We are at the border and we are suffering, we need government help," he said.