Police Minister Sir John Pundari has recounted an emotional testimony of how illegal guns destroyed his Meriamanda home village in Kompiam of Enga Province, wiping out government establishments, churches and displacing his people.
Speaking during a media conference in Port Moresby today, the local Kompiam-Ambum MP, who held back his tears, associated this destruction to ‘jealousy’ by losing rival candidates over his re-election victory in 2022 General Elections.
However, the rivals alleged that his re-election was facilitated through electoral fraud. These facts were being contested in an election petition this term of Parliament.
The new police minister was hosting a media conference at the Stanley Hotel with Police Commissioner David Manning, witnessed by executives and senior police personnel, supporters and media representatives.
Sir John said rival candidates and their supporters were behind the violence, using high-powered illegal firearms to terrorise innocent communities.
He described the experience as one of the darkest periods of his life.
“Guns destroyed my village. Everything was gone-government buildings, churches, and homes; simply because of jealousy after elections,” Sir John told media.
He revealed that police and soldiers only went to the area twice, despite repeated pleas for protection.
On the second visit, the message delivered to his people left him devastated.
“The police officers told my clansmen: “We can’t help you. Baim gun na bullet blo yupla yet na protectim ples blo yupla (translation in English: Buy your own guns and bullets to protect yourselves,” Sir John recalled. “That broke me.”
Sir John said he cried as he appealed directly to Prime Minister James Marape and the Police Commissioner to intervene, warning that lives and government services worth millions of Kina would be lost if the violence continued unchecked.
“The best I could do was to tell my people to save their lives and run,” he said. “If I had told them to fight back, many of my own brothers and cousins would not be alive today.”
He recalled 10 of his elders stressing him to buy ‘30 machines’ at the same place on the 19th floor but his response was otherwise.
“I told them God will protect us. Just run for your lives.”
He spoke of families scattered across provinces, elders traumatised, and his own mother deeply affected until her death.
Public servants fled, and communities were left without protection as armed groups took control, he said.
Now as Police Minister, Sir John says that painful experience drives his firm stance against illegal firearms.
“There is no tolerance anymore,” he declared.
“Illegal guns are toxic. They destroy families, communities and the future of our nation.”
He has directed police to be relentless, warning gunmen and warlords to surrender weapons during the amnesty period or face arrest.
“Enough is enough,” Sir John said.
“This must stop now!”