Saying sorry on bended knees

By DOROTHY MARK
THE people of Raicoast in Madang have publicly apologised on behalf of their ancestors who killed Lutheran church missionaries there in the 1800s.
Members of the church, led by Raicoast MP Peter Sapia, met at Bom village and performed religious ceremonies and church services to reconcile and seek forgiveness for what their ancestors did years ago.
Men painted their faces with mud and carried bilum of rocks and unloaded them at the feet of the Lutheran church pastors to show that they had been carrying the burden of the killing and wanted the church to accept their apology.
Leaders from other Christian denominations were there.
Markus Onga, of the Saranga Baptist Church, said the killing of the missionaries had put a curse on them which showed in the lack of development in the district despite the millions of kina poured into the area by the government over the years.
He hoped that now people would see development happening.
Sapia was accompanied by Bulolo MP Sam Basil who assured the people of Raicoast that power would be connected from Bom village to Gogol Bridge and the Yowor Bridge would be completed.