PORT MORESBY – Gordon market gang members, known as raskols in Papua New Guinea have disarmed themselves and vowed to help police clean up one of the city’s worst crime-infested hotspots.
About 120 youths from Moresby Northeast handed in an assortment of weapons on Thursday at Gordon witnessed by Moresby Northeast MP Labi Amaiu, NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Andy Bawa and Gordon police station commander Inspector Mark Mosinakave.
In turn they asked Mr Amaiu to fund projects that would turn them into useful members of the community.
The MP welcomed their decision to turn a new leaf in their lives, adding he wanted to see their project proposals before he gives them a positive response within two weeks.
Gordon bus stops and market are notorious for petty crimes such as bilum and handbag snatching, thefts of valuables in locked vehicles, harassing of the elderly and women, sale of stolen goods, rugs, disorderly behaviour, stabbings and even daylight rape attempts.
There had been fatal stabbings at bus stops when victims tried to challenge their attackers who work in groups.
At Thursday’s meeting, also attended by NCDC commissioner Janet Sape, the young men announced that they had formed the Moresby Northeast Reformed Youths Association. They said they had made the commitment to change their evil ways after realising the negative impact it had on their lives and the lives of innocent city residents, vendors and buyers of Gordon market.
“The youths engage in crime only to sustain their lives but they are fed up with that and we want to change, starting from this gathering onwards,” association president Mark Kelle said.
He said the youths were willing to co-operate with police to achieve peace and order in their communities but the government and local MP must initiate programs that would pre-occupy them.
“The more you help us, the more they are willing to change but the longer it takes, the higher the chances they might return to crime,” Mr Kelle said.
