People give up illicit items

By BEVERLY PETER
SIX communities in Kudjip, Jiwaka gave up thousands of marijuana plants and more than 100 gas bottles used in processing homebrew to police on Friday.
Community leaders Tumbe Jaika, Tumbe Sika, Bari Aimbel, Davidson Ikuwa, Jeff Mur and others presented the items to Kudjip highway patrol’s officer-in-charge Sgt Rex Liali and other officers.
Jaika said this was to ensure peace and order prevailed in the communities.
“Homebrew and marijuana have spoiled many people and the future of our young people,”he said.
The surrendering of marijuana and gas bottles followed a launching of bylaws by the Jiwaka Voice of Change to address issues in Kudjip and other communities, which were mostly caused by drug and alcohol.
Liali said it was the first time for a community in Jiwaka to surrender such illegal items.
“More than 100 gas bottles that were used for homemade alcohol (homebrew) and truck-loads of marijuana plants were escorted to the police station,” he said.
“We did not go into their gardens or houses to remove those item, the community members with their leaders did it themselves and asked us to escort them.”

Liali said most of the people who had suffered from marijuana and homebrew came forward.
“They said they earned their living by selling marijuana and homebrew but are now willing to find other means,” he said. The community leaders said they wanted their communities to be peaceful and their women to move around freely, without fearing drunkards and drug bodies. Sekeing Kondikanem village also in Kudjip surrendered four truckloads of marijuana and gas bottles.
The items were burned on Friday.