Take gun action now: Minister

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko wants to see immediate outcomes and action on the growing issue of gun-related violence.
Tkatchenko made the call in his remarks on behalf of Prime Minister James Marape at the opening of a national workshop on coordination mechanisms and comprehensive national strategy on small arms control at Apec Haus in Port Moresby yesterday
Tkatchenko affirmed that there was political will from the Government for action as a result of assertions of instances of political sponsorship of weapons.
“It is the big issue that we must all address together, these political issues must come to a compromise,” Tkatchenko said.
“From these discussions and data collected on the ground, the United Nations (UN) will give us a full-detailed report of their findings as well as recommendations for how we can best achieve effective reduction of gun violence.
“It’s not hard, we do not need to be rocket scientist to work out how to remove guns from the provinces.” Tkatchenko noted an extensive report which was put together by retired Major-General Jerry Singirok in 2005.
“If you read through it, it’s only for our government to implement a lot of those recommendations which will help our police implement the removal of small arms and firearms throughout Papua New Guinea.
“Personally, in my electorate in Moresby South, we do have minor gun issues but mostly from home-made guns, not factory-made guns.
“But we need to make a decision, we need to get an outcome and not talk about it anymore.”
Tkatchenko expressed gratitude to the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, the UN Country Team in the country and the European Union for its support of the Government for the workshop.
The workshop was organised under the Saving Lives Entity initiative, jointly implemented in PNG by the UN resident coordinator’s office, UN Development Programme and the UN Fund for Population Activities in PNG.