TWO landowning groups took on each other on the streets of Auki, Malaita, Tuesday afternoon after the Customary Land Appeals Court (CLAC) delivered its ruling on a land dispute case.
They attacked and assaulted each other, sending shock waves through the township and forcing business houses to close as early as 3pm.
The two groups were from east Fataleka.
It started when they came out from court house and one person was heard mocking another person from the other party.
From there on, exchanges of swearing started, leading to members of both groups attacking and assaulting each other.
Stones and rocks were also thrown at each other.
The incident lasted for almost two hours, putting lives of innocent people on the streets at risk.
When Auki police stepped in to calm the situation, some members of the two opposing groups fought against the police.
But the brave officers stood their ground, organised themselves in riot gears and arrested the aggressive ones.
“The situation could have gone worse had it not been for the brave intervention by the police,” one eye-witness said.
“The police must be commended for doing a job well done,” he added.
There were no reports of any major injuries.
By BIRIAU W. SAENI
in Auki
