By JAMES APA GUMUNO and SENT TIMBI
The Government will not allow armed criminals to help the police maintain law and order in Western Highlands, Internal Security Minister Sani Rambi said.
“We can’t allow this,” he said in response to an offer by a man who says that he heads a group of villagers and criminals from seven districts.
Dokta Puk said in a statement that law and order problems in the province were escalating.
He said his group, called SAFE, comprised about 100 armed men who “are eager to use their weapons to help the police” and wanted an answer from Mr Rambi.
He said they were also prepared to meet with the minister to discuss the proposal.
The group went to the community policing office on Tuesday in the hope of meeting a police officer but none turned up.
Mr Rambi, who is also the member for Mul-Baiyer, said that he would not agree to any such arrangement.
He warned that the criminals would instead be arrested if sighted by the police.
“We have a police force to address law and order problems,” he said.
Mr Puk said Western Highlands was located in the centre of the highlands and attracted people from all over the region.
He said Parliament should impose the death penalty for serious crimes as the law and order situation “is getting out of hand”.
“We need to make the people afraid of the law and refrain from engaging in criminal activities,” he said.