PORT MORESBY, 10 DECEMBER 2018 (THE NATIONAL) – Papua New Guinea soldiers and Hela, Enga, and Southern Highlands policemen received training on international policing standards last week.
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) conducted two days of training in Tari last Monday and Tuesday.
Training was designed to help the disciplined forces understand the international humanitarian laws and other relevant international regulations when engaged in an armed conflict or carrying out their policing work.
Sylvain Gainon, the course facilitator and the ICRC’s regional delegate for police and armed forces based in Manila, Philippines, told the 76 participants that excessive use of force could create enemies.
Gainon said that they too could become victims and encouraged them to focus on their core duties which was to protect lives and properties of the people.
He said that International Committee of the Red Cross worked with security forces around the world to ensure they understood and applied international humanitarian laws.
He said that ICRC was working in the Highlands region to protect and assist people affected by tribal fighting and other types of violence in Enga, Southern Highlands and Hela.
The ICRC conducted back-to-back training in each of the provinces from Nov 27 to Dec 4 and trained 76 military and police officers who came from different stations and camps in the Highlands.
Hela police commander Chief Superintendent Martin Lakari commended the ICRC for delivering an international-standard course on human rights issues in his province.
Lakari, who is also a participant in the workshop, said training broadened his knowledge on human rights and how to go about dealing with them.
He said such training was normally conducted at the Bomana Police College but this was more detailed and would greatly help minimise police brutality in the three provinces.
“I want to appeal to the participants to implement and also pass the same knowledge to your other comrades,” Lakari said.
