by Rachael Shisei – EM TV, Madang
The three pastors detained at Madang’s Jomba police station cells may be charged with murder, following the two deaths caused by the riot on Tuesday.
The Provincial Police Commander, Sylvestor Kalaut, said this is because he has not approved their protest, which had the theme ‘Capitalism versus Communism’, but the Pastors went ahead with protest.
It is believed the protest instigated the riot and looting, which resulted in these deaths.
The pastors have been charged with unlawful assembly, and are refused bail.
They are currently remanded at the Jomba police station cells, and will be appearing before the Madang Committal Court Magistrate on Friday 3rd of July.
Meanwhile, police investigations have revealed that the three pastors are part of a group of street preachers, who have travelled nationwide and are now in Madang, preaching about how the Papua New Guinean government has used and using the country’s resources, to benefit certain people and Multimillion Dollar companies, with less or nothing given back to the landowners.
The group of street preachers’ movement is called the ‘Voice of Melanesia, The Voice Of Pacific, The Risen Christ’.
They have patrolled all six districts in Madang and have petitioned all Madang MP’s, and were about to petition the Madang Governor, Jim Kas, on Tuesday, but that didn’t eventuate.
The Madang public have reacted with uncertainty, two main areas they would like to be clarified are if the group is a cult or an activist group.
The Madang police have responded with an intense investigation.
In an interview with one of the street preachers, Pr David Navu, before he was arrested and placed behind bars, said alot of outsiders are running the show behind the scenes in the country, and this has resulted in a lot of land grabs.
This, he says, is the reason why the group was formed and is attempting to wake the people and leaders of Papua New Guinea, to realise where the country is heading to after 39 years.
The followers that EM TV News spoke to are not just from Madang province, but also from other provinces of the country, who joined the protest on Tuesday.
