Citizens in East New Britain are concerned about young people in Warangoi surrendering without any arrests being made by the police.
Representing the people Michael Tovilau said, they believe that this approach does not provide justice for the victims and families affected by the crimes.
“These criminals are not accountable to you, but to the people of East New Britain and this approach reflects a common feeling in the community that their safety is being compromised. Government leaders should serve everyone and not just a few,” stated Mr Tovilau.
He added that negotiating with those who break the law sends a message that the law is weak, which could lead to more crime.
The citizens were also warned that the reconciliation ceremony could create more law-and-order problems in the future.
East New Britain Police Commander Chief Inspector Felix Nebanat, made it clear that the weapon surrendering was not driven by the police, but rather by the individuals’ own political decisions.
He stressed the need for a balanced approach to address both the victims and the perpetrators.
“There are people who have been affected, who were raped, who were killed, who were murdered, whose goods were stolen, and these are the other people that we have to address,” PPC said.
“Addressing one side of the story or these people does not bring justice for the others.” PPC Nebanat said.
The concerns were shared in a voxpop conducted at a recent reconciliation ceremony.
