Relatives of missing scientists want search stepped up

By ZACHERY PER
RELATIVES of the five Institute of Medical Research scientists who went missing last August want the search efforts stepped up.
The relatives want authorities to tell them whether the scientists – who were on official government business – are alive or dead.
 “If they are alive please bring them home alive.
“If they are killed and buried we at least want to see their remains. And if they are killed and thrown into the open sea, please let us know so we will at least be at peace to know where they are,” one of the relatives told a media conference yesterday at the institute in Goroka, Eastern Highlands.
George Dagoya, from Lufa in Eastern Highlands, Gibson Gideon, from  Enga, Leonard Vavana from East New Britain, Lydia Petrus from Ialibu in Pangia, Southern Highlands  and Tania Oakiva from Kerema in Gulf, were last seen on Aug 1 when they departed Milimata in West New Britain by boat for the island of Bali – Vitu group of Islands – on a research trip.
Three locals from WNB, including an experienced boat skipper, accompanied them.
They went missing and have not been found despite an extensive search and rescue effort.
The search concentrated on the coast and territorial waters of WNB, Morobe and Madang by air and sea.
The WNB provincial government trawler mv Artemis helped in the search.
Police and disaster office search teams are also continuing the search – though scaled down.
Relatives and institute management, who had spent their own money on the search, called on the government to inject K1 million to continue the search.
“If Prime Minister Peter O’Neill can give K500,000 to the Airlines PNG crash victims who are on private runs, why can’t he do the same to help locate the missing scientists because they were on government sanctioned business?” Maso Oakiva, elder sister of missing Tania, asked.
She said they were giving a 21-day ultimatum for the government to support them in locating the missing people. They will come knocking on doors at Vulupindi House in Port Moresby if they do not receive any response.
Mike Yoka and Peter Guna, uncles of missing Lydia Petrus, said the government must do everything to locate the scientists.
They said Lydia’s mother comes from O’Neill’s Koya Leka village in Ialibu, Pangia district, Southern Highlands.
“We are confident that he will come quickly to assist in the search efforts because we are determined to know where they are now – whether dead or alive,” Yoka said.
Reuben Yaoma, elder brother of George Dagoya, agreed that the government must help with K1 million.
He said K500,000 should go towards search efforts and the other K500,000 for other related purposes.
The institute management cannot make any assumption on whether they are dead or alive.