From their own pockets, the Prime Minister, NCD Governor and the Moresby South MP have contributed K40,000 to the haus krai of the two men who were killed during the Erima confrontation.
Prime Minister James Marape and NCD Governor Powes Parkop visited the Erima settlement today to address settlers there.
Prime Minister James Marape was accompanied by NCD Governor Powes Parkop, Moresby South MP Justin Tkatchenko and Moresby-Northeast MP, John Kaupa, whose electorate was site of the September 28th confrontation between members of the Royal PNG Constabulary and settlers.
Speaking at the gathering this afternoon, Governor Parkop said he along with the Prime Minister and Tkatchenko have contributed a total of K40,000 to assist with funeral arrangements for the deceased, which includes repatriation to their home province of Hela.
“Lo sait blo kisim pikinini go long ples, em sait blo mi gavana, mi bai skelim na toksave lo yupla,” he said. “Mi ba halpim yupla ya. Polis em gat mani? Polis nogat mani so mi ba helpim yupla lo repatrietim bodi go lo ples.” (For repatriation, I as the governor will have a look then let you know. I will help you. Do the police have money? They have no money so I will help you repatriate the bodies back to the village.)
Parkop further urged the settlers to help maintain peace.
“Siti ya, siti blo yumi olgeta. Na mi tok planti taim pinis, yumi mas kamap piksa blo Papua Niu Gini.” (This city belongs to all of us. That’s why I keep saying, we must be an embodiment of Papua New Guinea.”
Prime Minister Marape addressed the ‘Take Back Tari’ phrase, which is a variation of his slogan ‘Take Back PNG’.
“Yu ken tok ‘Take Back Tari’ pastaim tasol mipla no ol nogut lain na fokas na gridi lo Tari tasol,” he said. (You can say ‘Take Back Tari’ first but we are not bad people who will only focus and be greedy about Tari.)
“Mipla ol Hela na Huli lain blo skelim kaikai gut. Bikos pastaim ol lidaship i no skelim kaikai gut, na givim lo wanpla hap tasol, yu ba lukim olgeta kam bung lo Pot Mosbi na ol stap. (Us Hela and Huli people we share. In the previous government, resources were not evenly distributed, that is why you see everyone congregating in Port Moresby.)
“So andanit lo lidaship taim Huli holim naif blong katim pik blong kantri, bai mipla katim pik gut na skelim so that olgeta hap lo kantri ol bel pulap na stap. I no wanpla hap tasol.” (So under the Huli leadership where we have the knife, we will evenly cut the pig and distribute it to every part of this country where everyone will eat and be satisfied. Not just one area.)
Marape further apologised on behalf of the people of Hela, to Papua New Guineans who have been harassed, intimidated or generally wronged by his people.
(The people of Hela raising their hands in apology to those they, or their tribesmen, have wronged)
