The atmosphere was one of anguish and sobriety as the four caskets were brought into the Sione Kami Memorial Church in Port Moresby.
The late Silingo Lamu, her two daughters and cousin Magi Molo were farewelled today by heartbroken loved ones and friends.
The four lives who lay forever still in these caskets, were ruthlessly and senselessly taken away in a violent act perpetrated by one man on the 6th of May, 2019, in Western Highlands Province.
Whilst justice is yet to be served, Late Silingo Glorissa Lamu, her daughters 7-year-old Irene Narakou and 6-year-old Janellyn Narakou and her cousin Magi Molo, were farewelled today.
Their bodies will be taken to Lae this Friday 17th May, to be laid to rest at Bukawa village.
In late Silingo’s eulogy, sister Anna Aigilo said the 30-year-old spent most of her childhood days in Lae, Morobe Province.
“Her family then moved to Port Moresby in 1999, where she attended Bavaroko Primary School,” said Aigilo. “After completing her primary education, she pursued her high school education at Caritas Technical Secondary School. In 2006 she moved to Lae, where she attended the Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School and completed her Grade 12 in 2007.”
Immediately after Grade 12, the late Lamu was accepted into the University of Technology to study for a degree in communication for development.
“The late Silingo Glorissa Lamu successfully attained her bachelor’s degree in 2012, on the 13th of April, which coincided with the birth of her firstborn daughter, Irene, at the ANGAU General Hospital in Lae.”
In what was described as a “horrific and ruthless crime against the nation, its constitution and a crime against the sanctity of family and humanity”, a mother’s life and the lives of her two daughters and their babysitter were ended.
“Your loss will be keenly felt, our sorrow cannot be expressed in words, and all we can say is that your farewell has created a huge void,” expressed Aigilo.
Meantime, the horrific killing in Mt Hagen has been condemned by the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee of the Consultative Implementation and Monitoring Council.
Coordinator Marcia Kalinoe said there is an increasing trend in reported cases of domestic violence-related deaths in PNG and the perpetrators must be penalized fully.
“Women victims who have lost their lives in their homes at the hands of abusive partners or boyfriends, and the recent murder of women and children are unthinkable acts of manslaughter.
“The recent killing of an entire family is uncalled for and must be condemned at the highest level.”
She further called on every thinking PNG citizen – from our leaders at the highest offices to all community and Christian leaders – to be more strategic and take bold action towards collectively addressing domestic violence.
