Hela people urged to give up firearms

THE people of Hela need to surrender their firearms under the initiative of Governor Philip Undialu to restore peace and order in the province, says a peace committee member.
Timothy Hayara, a member of the firearm surrender committee from Hulia local level government, made this comment following the killing of a police officer, injuring of two others and the burning down of three homes at Pai police barracks in Hela on Tuesday.
Hayara said Hela people should repent, change their ways and look at a new future instead of maintaining their primitive culture.
He said the firearm surrender programme by Undialu had covered most parts of Hela and there were only a few places left to be reached.
Hayara said people should take such programmes seriously and abort their bad and sinful habits.
“We are seeing changes,” he said.
“Tari town is experiencing couple of infrastructure developments.
“We have to ensure the safety of our province.”
Hayara said the community at Kupari had yet to be reached for the gun surrender programme.
He said the fight had been going on for some time and it now involved police.