Arabic version: قادة واديي يدعون إلى تحرك لمنع مزيد من العنف

According to ABC News, elders and police in Wadeye fear ongoing clan fighting could lead to a death unless large armed groups are stopped. The remote Northern Territory community has seen groups of up to 150 people carrying crossbows, machetes and spears fight over the past two weeks, with homes and police attacked, cars burned and one man seriously injured.

Leaders say the violence is linked to a decades-old feud involving some of Wadeye’s 24 clans, whose members live in overcrowded housing on Kardu Diminin clan land. Wadeye has a population of 2,500, and previous violence included the death of a man and damage to 125 houses in 2022. Mathawurr clan leader Desmond Longmair said an armed mob recently attacked his home and burned his car. He and other elders arranged an apology meeting and truce, but fighting resumed and two police vehicles were smashed on Monday.

NT Police Central Division Superintendent Virginia Read said officers had made dozens of arrests, seized dozens of weapons and intercepted some black-market alcohol. She said the weapons being used had the potential to kill people. Police are recruiting to fill Wadeye’s 17 positions, which are set to increase to 19. Thamarrurr Development Corporation deputy chief executive Tracey Leo said the organisation understood only two active officers were on shift at a time, while Superintendent Read said she was not aware of slow response times.

Community representatives are calling for housing repairs, more public housing and greater investment in surrounding homeland communities so families can leave what they describe as a pressure-cooker environment. They also want support for rehabilitation, counselling, alcohol treatment, youth diversion and cultural programs. NT Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington said the Territory government had built five new houses in Wadeye and promised 36 more within a year, while seeking federal support for homeland housing.