The Papua New Guinea Law Society has condemned the barbaric killing in Enga recently and demanded for justice to prevail for the innocent lives lost.
Society president Hubert Namani said this during the post-march of the ‘Rule of Law’ yesterday in Port Moresby.
He said horrific acts captured in the videos shared via social media during the conflict, serves as a stark reminder of the need for swift and resolute legal action to deliver justice to the victims and their families.
“Disturbing videos circulating on social media, depicting the killers flouting their brutality with impunity, underscores the urgency of accountability,” he said.
Namani said the perpetrators behind these dreadful crimes must be swiftly apprehended and brought to justice to restore faith in the rule of law.
“It is imperative that state authorities act decisively to track down these criminals, ensuring they face the full consequences of their actions,” he said.
He said it is sickening to witness the build-up of firearms in the upper highlands, fueling tribal conflicts that threaten the safety and security of the entire nation.
“Drawing from the wisdom of Martin Luther King Jr., we must recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice. Within this context, it becomes evident that allowing injustice to persist in the highlands not only jeopardizes the safety and well-being of those communities but also undermines the fabric of justice and security for the entire nation,” he said.
Namani said it is no longer an option but a critical necessity for the government to prioritize the disarming of the highlands and take immediate action to address this escalating crisis.
“We call on the Government to allocate sufficient resources and manpower to enforce the disarmament process effectively. This initiative should involve a multi-faceted approach, combining community engagement, law enforcement efforts, and intelligence gathering to identity and neutralized the sources of these illegal arms,” the President added.