PRODUCING and consuming of home brews is on the rise posing a major threat for law and order problems in Lae City.

By FRANCO NEBAS

PRODUCING and consuming of home brews is on the rise posing a major threat for law and order problems in Lae City.
Community leader Mr John James issued the warning following the torching down of more than 16 houses at Samuel Block, Kamkumung settlement.
He said the torching of the houses and raping of a woman was related to home brew consumption by youths.
He said youths alleged to be from East Sepik Province went out terrorizing innocent people i the community.
He said that more than 300 plus people - woman, children and men were now homeless and taking refuge at a fuel service station in Kamkumung.
Mr James claimed that the youths invloved were evicted Sepik’s from Bulolo who are now residing at Samuel and Masawa Block.
He said the torching down of the houses started late last month after people from Simbu torched down houses belonging to Sepiks.
“This was a retailiation to a murder of a Simbu woman who was raped and killed by Sepik youths who were alleged to be under the influence of home brew.
The incident happen on July 28, where Sepik youths held up a couple in gun point where they dragged the woman to a nearby garden and packed – raped her from 1 am – 5 am in the morning,” he said.
He said the woman was then murdered and her body slashes into pieces and left at the garden.
“She was cut into pieces including her private part cut open and an object (tapioca) was pushed into it,” he said.
Mr James said the woman’s relative’s retailiated and torched down two semi-permanent houses belonging to the suspect’s families and relatives.
However he said the issue was solved with both parties coming together for peace agreement before the police.
“Peace process has taken place with compensation demand put were agreed by both parties,” he said.
However despite the peace agreement the Sepik’s youth while under the inflence of home brew created another problem last weekend where 16 houses were torched down.
“It was a total act of terrorism, it was between 1 – 3am while everyone was fast asleep, the Sepik youths alleged to be from Wosera under the influence of home brew armed with stones, knives and sticks attacked the Simbus where all their properties were destroyed in the fire,” he said.
He said the Simbu people were now taking refuges at a fuel service station in Kamkumung.
“I am appealing to citizens of Lae for donation of kind to the victims,” he said.
Meanwhile investigation has been carried out by police to arrest the ring leader and this group.