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By ALISON ANIS
COALITION partners against gun-violence met in Port Moresby yesterday
and called on the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet to
‘act quickly’ on the recommendations submitted by the Guns Control
Committee to curb the rise in gun violence.
Coalition Group to Stop Gun Violence in Papua New Guinea, which is made
up of women groups, NGOs, human rights advocate, civil societies,
churches and development agencies, made the call following escalating
law and order problems associated with gun violence in most societies
today.
They said the increase in violence associated with use of firearms was
slowly consuming the societies and the Prime Minister and his cabinet
cannot sit back on the recommendations that would help bring the gun
activities under control.
“Guns are hurting our society right now. Our mothers, our sisters and
our children are suffering right now from ongoing gun violence because
of our indecisiveness as decision makers to act on these recommendations
to protect them,” chairman of the Guns Committee and former army
commander Brig Gen (rtd) Jerry Singirok said.
“I am appealing to the Government to do something about the guns issue.
What are we waiting for?” he asked.
“If we do not act quickly, more of our women and girls will suffer
tomorrow because we are not able to protect them.”
Assistant bishop to the archdiocese of Port Moresby Cherubim Dambui also
joined Gen Singirok in making the calls to take the gun issue seriously.
“We have become handicapped because of this gun culture. Everyone is
affected one way or another. Even our missionaries are often harassed by
those with guns,” Bishop Dambui said.
He said there was a need of proper analysis of society and what the
underlying factors were contributing this type of violence.
Minister for Community Development Dame Carol also joined the men is
calling on tougher measures to be taken to deal with the problem.
The Guns Control Committee was established by then minister for internal
security Bire Kimisopa to gauge public opinion on the issue and
presented their findings at the Guns Control Summit in Goroka in 2005.
 
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