Womenin Madang held a protest and petitionedthe government on Monday to tighten laws on rape and ther forms of violence against women.
Their call comes after a female American Scientist was pack raped on Karkar Island in front of her colleagues.
The women gave a brief ofthe ordeal and condemned it. They also called for tougher penalties to be imposed on rapists.
Finance Minister and Leader of government business James Marape who accompanliedthe Sumkar MP, Ken Fair-wether to his electorate assuredthem that he would take this matter up seriously.
Minister Marape assured women in Madang that he will welcome any mover to change existing laws against rapist.
Mr Marape also express concerns that wantok system is a catalyst to crime providing safe havens for criminals harboured by relatives to avoid penalties.
He said that death penalty befit rapist and also called on tribes and clan not to provide safe nets for such criminals.
To prevent this, he said it was time laws were changed to give back more powers to police to conduct raids and force people to release criminals.
Minister Marape and Public Service Minister Sir Puka temu also apologised tothe international community for the rape of an American women in Madang andthe rape of anther women in Mt Hagen where her husband was also killed.
Ruth Rungula, National EMTV News
https://youtube.com/watch?v=s7y-q_yWUyA%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
