Prime Minister, James Marape has issued a blunt ultimatum to communities across the country to stop protecting criminals or face the full weight of the law.

As police intensify “Operation Kumul 23” to scrub illegal firearms from the country’s most volatile regions, the Prime Minister made it clear that the era of hiding hired gunmen behind village walls must end. The government’s stance, he says, is now one of absolute zero tolerance.

The recent surge in police activity, specifically in the Tsak Valley of Wapenamenda in Enga Province, isn’t a random sweep.

According to Marape, it is a surgical strike based on deep intelligence that follows not just the gunmen, but the money.

“The operation at Tsak Valley, Wapenamenda, was a targeted operation,” Prime Minister Marape said.

“Police were acting on intelligence relating to known hired gunmen operating within the province.”

The Prime Minister revealed that authorities have successfully mapped out the networks fueling tribal warfare, including those who bankroll the violence from the shadows.

“I want to inform Enga Province, Southern Highlands, Hela and communities right across the country that police have assembled sufficient intelligence, including financial trails, on gunmen and those sponsoring these fights,” he warned.

“Police will not be recalled. Police will remain at work.”

A central theme of the Prime Minister’s address was the protection of the innocent. He expressed frustration with criminals who use their own families and neighbours as “human shields” to evade capture, often leading to tragic outcomes during confrontations.

“If you are a criminal and police come for you, surrender,” Marape urged.

“Do not fight back. Do not use innocent people as shields, because when that happens, innocent lives are put at risk.”

To the law-abiding citizens in these “hotspot” areas, the Prime Minister’s message was one of both reassurance and a plea for calm:

“If police come to your community, do not be hostile. Do not fight back. Cooperate. If you are innocent, show that you are unarmed and pose no threat. Police are not there to target innocent people.”

For those who continue to harbor fugitives or maintain illegal arsenals, the consequences are now permanent. Under current laws, the illegal possession of a firearm carries a sentence of life imprisonment.

Marape emphasized that the burden of safety rests on the community’s willingness to reject the culture of violence. He pledged that while the State would take responsibility if innocent people were harmed during operations, the “firm, relentless enforcement” would not waver.

“Our country is tired of criminals hiding behind communities and emerging to cause violence,” the Prime Minister concluded.

“Supporting the police means safer families, safer communities, safer districts and safer provinces.”