RPNGC RE-INTRODUCED INTO HANUABADA FOLLOWING AN EMOTIONAL RECONCILIATION CEREMONY
Ten years ago, in 2014 an incident occurred between Police personnel and locals in Poreporena, Hanubada village that claimed the lives of two locals and left one badly injured.
This had forced the locals to establish an ungazetted rule that prohibited police personnel from entering the village at any time under any circumstances.
This came to an end yesterday where a reconciliation ceremony spearhead by Motu Koita Assembly Chairman (MKA) Russel Wavik, Port Moresby North West member, Lohia Boe Samuel, National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop and Acting Police commissioner Ben Turi.
Representing Poreporena and the whole of Hanuabada village, Wavik welcomed RPNGC into the area saying law and order had been a problem in the last 10 years.
“A simple definition of lawlessness is when a human being does not know the difference between what is wrong and what is right and that was happening in the middle of our village, this big village,” Wavik said.
He said this is the evidence of a partnership between MKA and the local churches that have been the main institution that maintained law and order in the area in the absence of RPNGC.
“This very program that we are now conducting is to support the social concerns of the church volunteers who have been looking after this village. We are here to support the community let the Motu-Koita police move on. Full support.”
ACP Turi the then Metropolitan Superintendent recalled the incident that occurred back in 2014. He said the incident even involved his family.
“The case involved two deaths here. The incident also steered a lot of infighting inside the constabulary,” Turi said.
“It was not just you people that felt the pain, I personally felt it with my family because of the investigation I instigated. Those involved even put a bomb in my house to kill my family.”
He said the occasion yesterday was for all parties to forgive, forget and let go, “what happened is now history.”
“Four people who were involved in this case died a terrible death. For police officers, others were dismissed and demoted,” Turi said.
He said the manufacturing of homebrew has been a concern in the area.
“This place became a no-go zone. It was ungazetted but we created it ourself. Here we are at the reconciliation. On behalf of the police, we will be coming back.”
He further called on the local leaders and the MKA to allocate a land in the village for a police post to be built going forward.
“Police service is already linked to the district and that is now officially open. You will have to give a land to have a permanent post where Port Moresby police station members regular will be with you with all the reservist auxiliaries and elders of the village so we can work together. Whatever happens within the village, we’ll solve it in a true Papuan way.”
Moreover, the Poreporena and Hanuabada village elders urged RPNG to make sure the officers provide safe policing in a lawfully manner.
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