Every street lad wants to own one and most village folks have one hidden or buried away some place. Those that are desperate enough and just don’t have the bucks will build a “Pop Gun” or what is commonly known as a “Home made”.
The fact is that the gun culture is very much a part of the tribal culture in this country. Conflict and fighting is a part of everyday life – especially in the Highland’s of Papua New Guinea – and I suppose at the end of the day it’s the bloke with the most powerful weapon that ends up giving the enemy a serving – rather than vice-versa … to be “served” or to do the “serving” is the dilemma.
Here’s a photo I took just over a week ago in the local SVS Store (our equivalent of Coles or Woolworths) of a young kid wandering around the store with a plastic pistol – why Security never told him to piss off and take his toy gun elsewhere is something that I failed to grasp…
Kid at the local SVS store holding a toy pistol whilst eyeing the cake fridge
For many young men the the toy gun ends up being replaced with something a little more realistic and a little more powerful…
Security at the one of the local Gold Buyers in West Goroka
Security at the one of the local Gold Buyers in West Goroka
Yep… guns are very much a part of life in the PNG Highland’s. Although I have never owned gun, pistol, piece, pop gun, rifle – call it what you wish – I have certainly been approached on several occasions and offered that little “friend” at a decent price.
They keep talking about it and have Gun Summits from time to time to come up with ways of curbing this growing issue. Here’s an article that appeared a few months back on the ABC News website based on a report by Steve Marshall for Correspondents Report October 12, 2008…
PNG Govt set to toughen gun laws
Posted Sun Oct 12, 2008 12:46pm AEDT
Updated Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:04pm AEDT
PNG authorities plan to confiscate more weapons stolen by criminals.
PNG authorities plan to confiscate more weapons stolen by criminals. (Torsten Blackwood: AFP)
The Papua New Guinea Government is set to make sweeping changes to the country’s guns laws to curb violent crime.
For many years, criminals have had easy access to factory-made weapons to commit crimes.
They are the weapons of choice for Papua New Guinea criminals – standard police and army issue high-powered rifles.
Over the years, PNG’s armoury has been plundered to such an extent, no one really knows how many guns are in criminal hands.
This is how former internal security minister Bire Kimisopa summed up the problem last year:
“We have a multiplicity of problems, but firearms remain the greatest challenge in PNG. And for a long time now we know that PNG has been developing a gun culture in our urban communities,” he said.
Three years ago a guns control committee undertook the most in-depth study into PNG’s problem gun culture.
It put forward a number of wide sweeping changes to the country’s gun laws. However three years on, the Government has yet to act on those recommendations.
Former defence force commander Jerry Singirok now heads up that guns control committee. He is confident the Government will introduce those recommendations when parliament sits next month.
“There has to be ownership of the problem, which is political ownership,” he said.
” … Since the gun report was given to the Government in October of 2005, it has not been implemented.
“Let me assure the people of the region of Papua New Guinea that in the past four weeks, I have worked hard to draft the statement for the Prime Minister to table it on the floor of Parliament.
“It is anticipated that gun report will be presented in the November session and there’s a white report from the Police Minister and the Minister for Justice, Allan Marat. And we hope that both ministers will assist the Prime Minister.”
Laws relating to the management of the police armoury and the private fire arms registry, where the Police Commissioner has sole charge, are in for a shake up.
PNG Police Commissioner Sani Rambi told the ABC the country’s gun laws will be high on the agenda when Parliament meets.
“About 60 per cent of the problems in the country are gun-related and my view as the Minister, and the Government’s view, is that we must address the law and order situation,” he said.
“And to address the law and order situation in a country, we’ve got to address the gun culture. It is a very big problem in this country.”
The revived attempt to curb gun crime comes at a time when the Australian Federal Police is increasing its presence in Papua New Guinea after issues over immunity forced more than 150 AFP officers to leave PNG three years ago.
Under a revised policing aid program, three AFP officers recently arrived in Port Moresby. They are the first of an 11-person team, but the immunity issue still stands so they will not be on the beat with their PNG counterparts and instead will be working in advisory roles.
Believe it or not Rob, but I know a certain somebody from NZ who was willing to give up his day job in NZ to enter into the gun trade of PNG.
Its become that prominent that we now have people from Australasia who are willing to put their careers on the line to make a quick buck.
Gold and Guns.
Tavurvur.
What is it with the “buck”?
It’s only a piece of paper(s)!!
R
Guns are prevalent in this country and I’m now beginning to feel a real sense of insecurity.
The churches should be strong in spreading Christianity, but alas, in this country pastors are becoming just as corrupt as politicians.
I say: Bring the Australians back!
Malum…
The aussies never left mate!!
Kiaps are now called advisors!!!
R
It is for sure the politicians will take forever to to respond to the findings of the Guns Control Committee because they themselves are the biggest culprits. Go to the highlands during election period and be assured that almost every men will have some kind of weapon with them, including guns. How do you thing the majority of our highlands politicians came into power? Yep, GUNS. It not about having the most votes, it about having the most guns…
Thanks for your comment…
Trupela tok!!
R
The Gun,
culture is in PNG, but comparing a child in a food mart with a toy and 2 men with deer rifles is stupid!!!
Surely the gun culture starts from an early age and a kid with a plastic gun in the supermarket is a precursor to bigger and more powerful?
When did all you sort get so pussified?
In America, that’s perfectly normal and has been for well over a century. It’s a TOY. It’s PLAYING.
Don’t come here, please! You act like a gun, even a toy one, is an evil talisman. Would you handwring and cry about a picture of a gun, too?
hey there guys! it is sad to hear that the gun culture has become as prdominant as it has. i was born in Moresby in 67, lived at TarramaBarracks, and left in 78, and the violence was just starting to really be an everyday occurance.
the young lad with the plastic pistol in the store just goes to show (unforetunately) just where his mind set is at that point in his life..he’s just casually holding it behind his back in a “none threatening” manner, yet, its in his hands, ready to be deployed. it is heart breaking to see that my home land appears to be tearing itself apart so violently and tarting from such a very young age.
I was born and raised in Manus the quietest most peaceful area in PNG. we now have holdups, murders and assasinations over the recent years by unemployed youths and crims. this has bought a arms race here flourishing as people scramble to aquire ex bougainville and ww2 weapons. though now most families have guns and the crims are wary of trying anything against superior odds. Guns dont kill people, people kill people. the most people killed in an incident was a sikh in india who took a machete to the market and killed 89 people who will ban bush knives? there are more people killed monthly in PNG by bush knives then all year by guns. what if someone stabs someone in the ear with a bic? would we ban biros or issue licenses to responsible people to use them? sad fact is banning guns just thwarts law abiding citizens owning a weapon to protect their families against people who do not need a license and have plenty of acess while the cops will arrive to take statistics. I say follow the yanks and give us all the right to bear arms. this will at least give us a fighting chance of survival. kaikai bl ting ting.