Children need better examples

 THE chaos that engulfed parts of Port Moresby over the weekend because of a standoff between Police and Defence Force personnel was completely unnecessary and avoidable.

Because of the actions of a few callous individuals in carrying out their duties and keeping the peace shops in Boroko and 3-Mile ended up losing thousands of kina in looted goods.

This episode was another black eye for the standing and integrity these two disciplined forces have in the public’s eye and more importantly how young people in the city and around the country view them.

At the moment both forces are nothing more than mobs of unruly men, prone to use violence as their mechanism default to address their issues.

There is no point criticising them as there is obviously no control over the troops and the word “disciplined” is used in its loosest possible terms.

With students starting their holidays this Christmas in the nation’s capital, the last thing they needed was a show of extremely poor form by law enforcement and the country’s armed forces.

What kind of opinion will these children from primary and secondary schools form of the police and the army?

It is bad enough that Papua New Guinea has a negative image overseas as an unsafe place, and a nation struggling with corruption and a lack of services reaching the rural majority, now the people have to contend with the fact that the state agencies that are supposed to maintain order, keep the peace and defend the country are themselves poorly managed and lacking in discipline.

This has been an ongoing concern and it seems the hierarchies of both forces are only keen on paying lip service when trouble arises.

The question the people should be asking is why is there a distinct lack of control exhibited by these so-called disciplined forces whenever a serious case of violence takes place and will the perpetrators, instigators and enablers be punished for their actions?

Surely there are some procedures and protocols to follow to resolve whatever enmity may arise? 

The abhorrent means of dealing with a tense situation shows that we, as a people, have poor attitudes when it comes to conflict resolution. There are too many people inclined to be hot-headed and weak-minded when mature and rational thinking is needed.

The danger may have passed, and a tense situation may have run its course but the memories and ideas expressed will not be easily erased from the conscience.

The youth of today – from the elementary to the tertiary level – cannot have positive ideas about the police or the defence force. Neither institution has handled itself well in this case or in other past flare ups. There seems to be too many occurrences; too many volatile situations that arise from the most trivial circumstances.   

Ask any young person on the street what they think of the clash between the two forces and the immediate reaction would be one of mockery and fun, tinged with fear and anarchy.

Is that the kind of attitudes to be cultivating in young people about PNG society? Should the youth be lead to believe that a little looting, plundering, mayhem, destruction and unashamed law-breaking once in a while is all right?

Parents, teachers, pastors, priests and leaders must do more to turn their communities, families and pupils to better attitudes. Wholesome, altruistic, morally upright and ethical behaviour is what is missing when it is needed the most. 

The example to the children and youth that mob rule is right. It is condoned because the group is acting on a whim and no matter how destructive the force is, no one is accountable in the aftermath.

People then think corruption is okay because the money that is misused, mismanaged, bilked or stolen straight out is the public’s therefore it is fair game. 

If there is no accounting for what took place over the weekend in Port Moresby and Mt Hagen, here sadly an officer of the law lost his life in a seemingly random act of violence then we must ask ourselves, what kind of a society are we living in when we allow the law to be broken in such a brazen manner?