By EMTV Online
Apart from her family, friends, workmates and neighbors, not many people knew who Grace Gavera was until this week.
For those who have not been on social media, the picture shocked many people.
It’s the picture of a Papua New Guinean woman, stripped, humiliated and tortured before she was killed. There’s blood all over her body and she died a horrible, painful death.
On Saturday (24 November, 2018), evening her dad spent the early part of the night at her residence at Erima. They chatted for a while, then he went home. In the morning they told her, his daughter was dead – killed by her abusive boyfriend.
Why was she killed? I don’t know. But why should any Papua New Guinean women be killed? And why should there even be any attempt to justify the killing of any woman by an abusive boyfriend or partner or husband?
The Health Minister, Dr. Puka Temu, has come out to condemn the killing.
Powes Parkop and Robert Agarobe have both issued similar statements.
But you know what? Every killing of PNG women at the hands of abusive partners should be condemned in the same manner. This forum should be bigger.
It should be discussed in our all male parliament with the same passion and determination as the DSIP funding, corruption and expensive sports cars.
Grace Gavera isn’t just another static added to the long list of victims of women killed by their partners.
Yesterday (29 November, 2018), I learned that Grace died at the age of 26. She was a administrative clerk at the National Department of Education. She was raised by her grandparents and then by her aunt and uncle.
Yep… she’s not a statistic. She is a real person.
At least two days after the killing, the alleged murderer was caught by police in Port Moresby. He is now in custody. These pictures were taken and shared on social media by members of the police.
Yesterday, I asked Grace Gavera’s dad if he was going to call for the death penalty. He said NO. He doesn’t want the burden of another person’s death placed on him. But he wants suspect to face the full force of the law.
He also said… there will be no compensation for the death of his daughter.
He wants justice served.
