Call for tougher measures

By JAYNE SAFIHAO
SEPIK community leaders in Madang want a tougher stance against home brewers and drug abusers, saying they are the root of escalating law and order problems in the province.
Three vocal ward councillors representing groups known for their notoriety, including the settlements of Mero, Public Tank, Gav Stoa, Lavunge block, DCA line and Banana block, told The National that they needed “cleaning up”.
The call for tough lines follows last Thursday’s fight after a group of youths held up a Popondetta male walking past the DCA Line Banana settlement.
Ward 8 councillor from the Biwat settlement Samson Gan said the visitor was married to a Biwat woman and was returning home when attacked. The attackers had demanded money from him.
Ward council leader from Mero, Theodore Manduma said the victim eventually arrived and recounted his ordeal and a group of Biwats from Mero set out armed to retaliate.
“The five troublemakers were told to surrender that day. They refused and we waited until Sunday and that was when we moved in,” he said.
The Mero group converged onto the DCA Line Banana settlement adjacent to the Kerema compound and set alight four permanent houses.
In a spill-over incident, two visitors from Biwat in Wewak with buai bags were also attacked over the weekend in the same area with one youth sustaining knife wounds.
With the situation tense on the day, many women and children fled in fear.
Manduma, who attended a meeting with community  police yesterday, said a total clean-up was needed.
“We need a concerted effort by police and the community starting at the national level to start eradicating these evil nationwide. Genuine settlers have to be identified and those breaking the laws should be removed. There should be heavy penalties for those doing drugs and homebrew,” he said.
Toby Tambuka from the Yenchen block at Gav Stoa said a community leader shouldered huge responsibility.
“If you tell them to stop, you must be ready to fight. It is their means of survival. You have to give them something in order to take these away. We need more police presence in the community to seriously do awareness and get rid of these problems,”
he said.

“I understand the police manpower is lacking but the community policing section should do more with the recent K200,000 funding given by our open MP and Police Minister Nixon Duban.”