Youths launch canoe to carry out awareness

EVANGELICAL Lutheran church of PNG (ELCPNG) youths have launched a traditional canoe to carry out awareness against deep-sea tailing and dumping of mine waste in the sea.
Lae circuit youth from Yabem district in Labu Butu 1, St Kelamu parish have taken the stand against a proposed pipeline from Wafi-Golpu in Huon Gulf to the sea to transfer waste.
Labu ward councillor Kipu Anonga and Evangelical Lutheran church Yabem youth coordinator Awanganu Geamukwi said the canoe showed the church’s stand against deep-sea tailing in Morobe.
“As concerned future leaders, we need to make this known to the government and the developer before our environment is destroyed,” Geamukwi said.
“We are not saying no to mine, but we want the developer to look for other alternatives or options to dispose its waste.”
Geamukwi said the church had the responsibility to protect, educate and inform its people and the country about such issues and the canoe awareness was a start.
A team of youths from Madang’s Karkar Island – have also carried out awareness along the Madang coastline and will be meeting up with the Lae youths next week for a combined awareness programme over the Wafi-Golpu and Basamuk mine waste disposal.
The team will then attend the National Youth Conference in Lababia village in Huon Gulf from Sept 23 to 29.
The awareness theme – Creation not for sale, human beings not for sale and salvation not for sale – was launched last Sunday.
It was titled “Mete Pana” which in local Labu language means “the way of the gospel”.