Alarming reports of fights resulting in deaths in Morobe Province is a major concern for the wider community and stakeholders and is a wake up call for authorities to intervene and look into possible ways to address.
Fighting and deaths have been reported since 2022 after the National General Election and is reportedly ongoing and is rising in different electorates.
Police alone cannot address these issues. They need support from communities, the local leaders and the government to step in and address.
Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Jacob Singura said police cannot be everywhere to attend to such cases. He said the eye and mouthpiece of the police are local leaders at community level and members of communities must respect and cooperate with them to address matters.
Singura said what is happening is a reflection that there was no respect for each other at the community level, resulting in simple issues getting complicated.
He is urging communities to maintain church programmes by engaging youths in the key roles to occupy them so that they can have positive mindsets to make good decisions in communities.
Singura said church activities would only be the way to transform communities.