Two communities reconcile 16 years after houses burnt

Communities in Kalapa and Gavuone villages in Central came together for their reconciliation programmes recently.
Constable Francis Kauga, a police personnel from Kupiano in Abau district, when addressing more than 1000 people, said Aug 27 marked an historic day for the two villages.
He said the long-outstanding peace process had taken 16 years. Back on Jan 2, 2002, he had witnessed smoke and flames from Kalapa houses set on fire because of the misbehaviour of young people in the two villages during social activities at the Christmas period.
He thanked Gavuone SDA church Pastor Tau Bune and two churches in Lako and Apolo for the initiative to settle and witness such a significant event.
A retired SDA president of PNG Union mission was the guest speaker at the event. Household items, rice, cooked food and bales of secondhand clothing were donated by church members of Gavuone, Lako and the Apolo SDA churches .