Monday, 01 Dec, 2008 Offbeat

In order to end the tribal war that has been lasting for over 20 years, the angered women of a Highland region in Papua New Guinea decided to kill their male newborns.

During a period of peace, which lasted for three days in the capital of Eastern Highlands, Goroka, two women told the Papua New Guinea National newspaper about killing their male babies. Both Rona Luke and Kipiyona Belas, representing the warring tribes, believe that male infanticide lowers the pay back violence that repeatedly takes place during tribal struggle in Highlands.

Women in the region say that if they stop giving birth to males, the tribe's stock would fall, forcing men to stop the war.

"All the women folk agreed to have all babies born killed because they have had enough of men engaging in tribal conflicts and bringing misery to them," said one of the women.

None of the women could give a clear answer on the number of killed male babies. According to Belas, it is very difficult to get food due to the fact that men are always engaged in the fight, while women and their children are left unprotected and have to somehow defend themselves, reports Stuff.co.nz.

Different tribes receive help from the Salvation Army, whose goal is to bring peace in the region. The Salvation Army outlined that women in the warring tribes are so frustrated with the fights that they started taking extreme steps to stop them.

"This situation shows the extreme frustration the women have with the men in these areas," a spokesman said.