Beon jail’s 49 want grievances addressed-Escapees set terms

 By DOROTHY MARK 

and JAYNE SAFIHAO

THE 49 escapees from the Beon jail in Madang want their grievances addressed before giving themselves up, it has been revealed.

One of the escapees called a reporter from The National on Sunday night to say the escape was planned because it was the only way they could draw attention to their needs.

“We have no welfare officer to deal with issues affecting our families and this has been affecting us mentally,” he told the reporter.

Madang Governor Jim Kas, provincial government administration and responsible authorities met yesterday to discuss the Beon issue.

Beon jail commander Tita Wada welcomed the news of their willingness to return.

“They may have human rights issues which we are dealing with at the moment,” he said.

“But there is an underlying reason fired up by officers from within who are disgruntled over the office I hold.”

Wada claimed administrative issues that could be solved in-house had now become a circus for someone trying to score points.

Acting provincial police commander Jacob Bando also supported the initiative to surrender.

“We have no reason to have grudges against them. They did this of their own will and we will only be too happy to facilitate their return,” he said.

The escapees said some of them had children in school and they needed assistance to go into town for banking and sort out school fees problems.

But he said they were either not assisted or help came very late.

He also said prisoners seriously sick were not taken seriously. As a result, two prisoners had died.

“Prisoners are just given Panadol and other medicines with no proper checks done. Our bosses wait until our sicknesses get worse then take us to Modilon,” the prisoner claimed.

“Anyone could have escaped easily. Every government fortnight (payday) there is no one on duty. We choose this time to do this (escape) because we want our concerns to be heard.”

The escapee said they were currently being taken care of in a community while making contact with responsible authorities to facilitate their surrender.

“Police, the public and business hou­ses must be aware that we are changed men, we are not dangerous to them, we came out for a purpose and will go back to serve our terms in jail.”

Meanwhile, one of the four captured prisoners has escaped again from the Jomba cells.

He is Petrus Koma, from Nandora village in Ramu. He was serving one year for possession of an offensive weapon.

The others captured are Ralph Dusal Rimba, Bobby Francis and Atu Mathew Steven.