Yama consults community in effort to stop ‘barbaric killings’

By DOROTHY MARK
MADANG Governor Peter Yama has stepped in to help stop to “barbaric killings” in the remote parts of the province.
Yama called for a meeting yesterday with community leaders and relatives of the victims to gauge their views on how the killings could be stopped.
He also asked police commander Chief Insp Ben Neneo to submit a report on what police had done on the killing of the three members of a family in Transgogol.
“I also want community leaders from South Ambenob and Transgogol to come and brainstorm information on how we can stop the barbaric killings,” he said.
“The murderers are satanic, they don’t have the heart to listen to the cries and pleas of their victims.”
Yama asked people at the meeting for information that could lead to arrests.
He said the provincial government would provide resources to address the Transgogol killings and others in the district.
“The murder of the Kori family members has now got the attention of the governor (and) I can’t sit and do nothing while the people are brutally attacked and killed,” he said.
Neneo said investigations had started and police were doing all they could to capture the killers.
Yama said mobile units from outside should be brought in to help “if and when necessary”.
A family member of the victims, Awakun Kori, said the killings had been happening since 2014.
“If Madang and PNG police cannot put a stop to the killings, perhaps we should seek the help of the United Nations,” he said.
The father of the woman who was killed, Mondox Lolog, called Transgogol “an outlaw area with no police patrols”.
“I don’t know whether the police are scared or are just fed up with the killings,” he said. “MP Bryan Kramer and Yama should work together to set up a police mobile squad barracks here.”