Bringing peace to Mendi demands teamwork

LAST Thursday was an emotional day for Papua New Guineans as news of the burning down of an Link PNG Dash 8 spread like wild fire.
The feeling of anger, confusion and sadness were expressed freely on social media and in general discussions.
It was indeed a sad and embarrassing day as news got of what had transpired in Mendi.
As local media houses raced to get details of the chaos in Mendi, the international media jumped on the bandwagon and highlighted the actions of disgruntled protestors.
Civil Aviation Minister Alfred Manase has confirmed that the penalty for a person who, whether in or outside of PNG, destroys an aircraft in service, is imprisonment for a term of up to14 years.
The minister said that in addition to the burning of the aircraft, there were acts of unlawful trespass, security breaches, forcing the crew to disembark the aircraft, attacking the aircraft and destruction and theft of airport property.
Each of these acts is against the law and all perpetrators will be prosecuted.
Other areas caught in the mayhem was the governor’s residence, the national court complex and the Air Niugini office
The actions of those involved point towards arson, which is a crime that involves someone intentionally burning and damaging property.
It a serious crime because of the devastation fires can cause.
While many define the offence somewhat differently, arson is generally the intentional and malicious act of burning or setting fire to another person’s property.
Some might think arson only involves the burning of a house or some kind of building.
Someone can also commit arson by setting fire to land.
An essential element of the crime of arson is intent.
In general, to commit arson, someone starting a fire must mean to start it with the knowledge that property damage is likely to result.
Apparently, rumours on the streets prior to what happened on Thursday indicated it was premeditated.
So who will be held responsible for the chaos now in the provincial capital of Southern Highlands?
The province is still recovering from the effects of the February earthquake and its aftermath. Now a man-made disaster has struck.
With the curfew already in place, movement is restricted and health service providers like the PNG Family Health Association have closed their programmes and is flying their officers out of Mendi.
The officers came from outside who were brought in to assist the health workers of the local health facilities provide services to the people who were affected by the February earthquake.
PNGFHA said there was no guarantee its officers would stay when the government properties were going down in flames. A repercussion of the burning of the Mendi National and District courthouse forced the Buiebi Correctional Services in Southern Highlands to transfer 59 of its prisoners to Baisu in Western Highlands. If relatives of the prisoners want to visit them, they would have to go to Baisu.
In any organisation, the most effective teamwork can only be fully realised when individual team members harmonise their efforts and aim at achieving their goal.
And that is what all leaders from Southern Highlands – be it political, business or bureaucratic – should do. But when there is discord among them, improving people’s lives become something very difficult to attain.
We urge all well-meaning politicians, including MPs from both the ruling party and opposition, to harness the power of effective teamwork and synergy in unity and focus on improving people’s wellbeing for Southern Highlands and other provinces too.