Senseless killings wake-up call

THE world is again mourning the senseless loss of innocent lives through a terrorist act – this time involving a Pacific neighbour and friend.
The fact that these blatant acts of terrorism are getting closer to home serves as a wake-up call to all of us that we are no longer immune to such acts of evil borne of hatred, intolerance and bigotry. No one seriously thought that the next target would be people attending Friday prayers at two mosques in, of all places, Christchurch, New Zealand.
The killing sent shockwaves worldwide, with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden calling it one of the darkest days in her nation’s history, a nation known as safe, peaceful and welcoming to all. She and other world leaders have denounced the acts of individuals with extremist views, saying they have no place in a civilised and democratic world.
Like in PNG, New Zealand has a small minority – about one per cent – who are Muslims. But the event last Friday tells the world that no matter how insignificant the number in any community, it will not stop those perpetrating evil.
Arden’s reassurance to the Muslim community in New Zealand of their safety in Aoteroa may be comforting to some extent but the fact that one can be safe from acts of terrorism no matter where we live, including our very own paradise here, is clear to see.
The other important lesson to be learned from this unfortunate event is the need to tighten gun laws. Arden wants that done immediately. We understand only too well how Australia under then Prime Minister John Howard, reacted in a similar way after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. Australia quickly amended its gun laws to restrict the issuing of licences. It is illegal to have an unregistered firearm, and the government severely restricts automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
The gunman in Christchurch, ironically born in Australia, had licences for the two semi-automatic weapons, two shotguns and a lever-action firearm. And he is not even a NZ citizen.
Arden has flagged immediate changes to the nation’s firearms laws. In New Zealand, one can apply for a firearms licence at 16 years or older, to use shotguns and rifles for sports and hunting. NZ as yet does not ban semi-automatic military-style weapons.
Security expert John Battersby of the Massey University in Wellington says NZ has a tough licensing system, but lacks the register that Australia has. He doubts that authorities know exactly how many legal firearms are in NZ and how many illegal firearms there are.
In PNG, Parliament has passed tough gun laws to address the widespread use of such weapons in crimes and in tribal fights.
Last April, Parliament unanimously passed the amended bill to regulate and control the licensing and use of firearms, with fines ranging between K10,000 and K20,000 and a prison term of 10 years.
We certainly hope there is a register to know exactly how many legal firearms are out there in the public and their type. For the sake of public safety and to guard against any such acts of terrorism as witnessed in Christchurch, we just have to take precautions.
We have been warned. We cannot afford to be lax and relaxed anymore – even in the safety and tranquility of our own paradise.