Death penalty not in best interest of PNG

 THE death penalty will not curb major crimes in our beautiful country. 

Instead it would escalate major crimes.

In reality, we have more than 800 cultures which make our country unique to the world. 

Our attachment to our diverse cultures is very strong that you would never find elsewhere in the world. 

I wonder, would death penalty bring peace and harmony to our society?  

What could we say to our Melanesians brothers and sisters? Are we truly a developed country? Is our law and order enforcement agencies are effective, tougher and are protecting our ordinary citizens? Are we targeting the very poor who know nothing about the law? 

Where in the world a developing nation like us has a death penalty?      

Our very own members of parliament should be sharp thinkers. They should have debated sensitive issues profoundly. 

In my opinion they have passed this “death penalty bill” in the floor of parliament through frustration and not with wisdom. When you do things out of frustration you are making a mess.  Leaders need to have necessary wisdom before passing any sensitive bills that comes before them in the floor of parliament.  

There would be civil wars. 

If for instance your brother has been executed what would your family, tribe and the community at large think? They would be very angry and upset. 

Someone maybe his brothers would suicide and retaliate with police. 

There would be hatred amongst its citizens. Thus illegal weapons are in the hands of ordinary citizen right throughout the country.  

If we could not manage little crimes how on earth are we to contain serious crimes with the death penalty. 

The idea of capital punishment through death is a disaster to the nation. An eye for eye is not a better solution.

One of the greatest leaders of all time who ever lived has said “Father please forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”.

For that reason death penalty must be replaced with a maximum of 70 years imprisonment that would give amble time to the prisoner to repent from his guilty and would be a changed person whilst in prison.

Therefore, the death penalty is not in the best interest of this Christian nation.

Jonah Dom

Port Moresby