Community leaders in Taskul Station in New Ireland are calling on State agencies to intervene and arrest suspects involved in the killing of two teenagers over the weekend.
A police officer based in Taskul said they remain helpless due to the limited number of police personnel.
Senior Sergeant, Andrew Koma said Taskul needs urgent manpower as law and order issues spiral out of control.
“About two of us are working and it’s very difficult to address such cases. We can’t do much and we remain helpless,” said Sergeant Koma.
According to a local source, the killing is a retaliation of a double murder case that happened last month and was not addressed by the rural police command.
One of the deceased, a fifth grade student at Taskul Primary School had his arms chopped off at the elbows and his stomach gruesomely slashed.
The barbaric killing took place at 7am on Sunday (June 12) at the Taskul Government Station in front of helpless public servants, a regular police officer and families of Government workers based there.
Lavongai LLG Manager, Renson Warakurai said countless ethnic clashes continue to cause unnecessary deaths in this part of New Ireland. He said people are now living in fear. As an eye witness to the killings, Warakurai appealed to levels of Government to work with locals to fix the problem urgently.
“Our leaders including police must take drastic action to enforce law and order and bring peace to communities,” said the LLG Manager.
He also urged New Ireland Police to engage more police personal to Taskul Station since it’s a Government established area.
“The islanders are living in fear following the rise in clashes,” said Warakurai.
The Lavongai LLG Manager said many villagers remain wounded following ethnic clashes; and there is fear of more acts of retaliation among the islanders to come.
“I call on Sir Julius Chan, Ian Ling-Stuckey, the Provincial Administrator and Police to intervene urgently and do something.”
He said this may also affect communities as polling nears.
Taskul Ward 1 Councillor, Julie Kuama appealed for swift intervention by sending additional police to make arrest and monitor the situation. She said a number of customary obligation have not been helpful as a resolve to address clashes.
“We need police to walk this island and if need be use force to apprehend suspects and maintain order in the Community, said Kuama.
New Ireland PPC, Felix Nebanat
Meanwhile New Ireland Provincial Police Commander, Senior Inspector Felix Nebanat has issued a 7 day ultimatum to over 40 accomplices involved in the killing of the two youth.
PPC Nebanat said if no one surrenders, police will launch an operation into the Taskul area. He warned those involved to voluntarily surrender to authorities.
Nebanat assured islanders in Taskul that police will re-organize with the limited resources and make an insertion into Taskul to address the issue.
The New Ireland PPC said a meeting will be held later this week with the Provincial Law and Order Committee to purposely work out a plan to address this matter going forward.
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