Tondop's 13, the original platoon he took to Hela. |
THE RE-BIRTH OF HELA
POLICING is such a tough ask in PNG that
many officers rarely take monumental risks and challenges.
Mention Tari or Hela and many officers will
squirm at the thought.
We all know restive Tari. We all know the
violence that has torn apart Hela in the recent past.
Special callouts of police supported by
army and warders, state of emergencies, even heavily armed mobile squad units
supported by special army rangers and CIS units have had limited success.
Then along comes a seasoned veteran with an
initial detachment of 13 policemen and a support team of an admin officer, a
driver, a mechanic and the man with a pot and a ladle who keeps them happy – a
seasoned spicy hot chef.
Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop, (QPM,
DPS) took formal command of police in Hela as Provincial Police Commander in a
ceremony in Tari town in November 2022, taking over from fellow squad mate
Chief Inspector Teddy Agwi.
Among rising concerns, frustrations, anger
and worry not to mention the clamoring in parliament about the law-and-order
situation in Hela and the demands for an immediate State of Emergency there,
Tondop and his men sat down to a well-earned stew and worked out an unlikely
plan.
A God-fearing foot soldier, Tondop sent his
driver and mechanic to round up all the pastors in Tari Town.
They would be the key in restoring peace in
Hela. Tari and Mendi are strategic to PNG’s oil and gas developments in Hela
Province.
The economy of PNG is driven by the
receipts from Hela. The well keeper and Prime Minister James Marape is from
Hela. What better man than a God-fearing man like Tondop to take the helm of
law and order.
Police Commissioner David Manning called up
Tondop and PM Marape gave him his blessings.
Law and order are insurmountable in Hela
and nearby Southern highlands. But Tondop and his 14 men crew with their trusty
cook thrive on the biblical belief that ‘With God on your side, who can be
against you!’
They also have the support of mobile, army
and CIS units in the province, who are tried, tested and battle eager.
Needless to say, the number of minor
offences occurring throughout the province are too numerous to record but
drunkenness, public fights and disturbances in the market, drug production and
consumption were taken as normal and routine happening openly in Tari town and
outside.
Tondop addressing locals. |
It was not a safe place to be and shops shut down at 3pm with the main market 30 minutes later. By 5pm, the town is deserted.
Fast forward four weeks later to today and
Tari town is a model of cleanliness with hardly any rubbish on the streets. The
usual pedestrian congestion on the streets is noticeably lesser and there is
hardly a drunk or “drug body” to be seen in town or in the market.
The main market and second-hand sales areas
have been moved and relocated to behind the shopping centre now. The main
highway and roads into town all report the same. Where has the lawlessness gone
to?
At the police station, you will hear noises
coming from the cell blocks where once there was silence. Across the fence in
the court house, the Senior Provincial Magistrate has found there is work for
him after all with the start of the 2023 work year, he suddenly has close to
100 cases to hear – all police matters.
And the warders from Hawa prison have been
told to expect their first inmates for 2023 of 16 prisoners convicted for
various offences after they had been monitoring an empty prison since 2018 with
more to follow within this week.
It appears that these changes truly do stem
from divine intervention and the prayers and cries of the people of Hela have
finally been answered from above.
Police Commissioner David Manning should
rightly be commended for making a very astute decision to send one of God’s own
servants Joseph Tondop to be PPC Hela despite criticism that he was too senior
for the role. Tondop’s initial actions upon arrival speak volumes about how he
sees his role as a police officer.
Immediately after taking formal command,
PPC Tondop wasted no time in reaching out to the churches through the Hela
Council of Churches for them to partner with him in mobilising the Body of
Christ to commence an awareness crusade through the churches for change and
against lawlessness.
The churches of Hela had long prayed for
this and they needed no further bidding. They mobilised all churches in the
province and commenced a crusade for change, peace, forgiveness and
reconciliation throughout Hela with policemen including the PPC at some areas
and by themselves in others.
With the churches already in support, the
new PPC next reached out to all the leaders of the community, businesses,
government agencies, women and youths to support him in this crusade for change
in Hela from lawless to law abiding.
And the support and response was
overwhelmingly positive. A clear sign that the people of Hela truly did want
peace but their wishes had been trampled on and suppressed by a handful of
lawless criminals through the barrel of a gun.
As many leaders professed at public
meetings with the PPC, they had truly had enough of guns, fighting, wars and
killings, living in fear and being refugees. They wanted a return to a life of
peace and normalcy.
With the forces of the Church, the
Community Leaders and the State solidly aligned against the forces of
lawlessness the campaign and crusade spread throughout the province to all
corners spreading the message that Hela wanted a return to the path of the law.
They wanted peace, righteousness and
prosperity. They were done with chaos and anarchy.
On December 29, 2022, a few days after a
peaceful Christmas in Tari town, the awareness campaigns and crusades for peace
culminated in the launching of the Hela Forgiveness, Peace, Repentance and
Reconciliation Day.
Tondo (right) in a law and order meeting. |
The day was marked by the presence of all
Hela MPs including the Prime Minister James Marape who was accompanied by his
wife and children as well as Minister Joe Sungi and Vice Minister Kessy Sawang,
the President of the PNG Council of Churches, Deputy Police Commissioner Anton
Billie, all Hela LLG Presidents, church, women and youth leaders.
If you believe in miracles and divine intervention,
then a miracle happened on the day too when twice rain threatened to disrupt
the event with drops actually falling but both times, it stopped and did not
fall until well after the Prime Minister had delivered his keynote address and
the interdenominational prayers were said by the pastors on the grandstand.
Police, CS and DF vehicles were sent up and
down the main roads and highways to maintain visibility and ensure the roads
were kept open and free. The PPC ensured that he was physically present and
available and attended or sent a senior officer to attend all reports from
community leaders of any incident that threatened the peace in all parts of the
province. In fact on New Year Day, he travelled to Koroba at 2am in the morning
to attend to a report received about a serious disturbance there.
Tari and Hela locals concerns about the
arrests made not being effective because of the ATM in the police station where
those arrested miraculously disappeared from the police cells and appeared on
the streets a few hours later continuing to cause trouble.
This time they were pleasantly surprised to
see that they remained behind bars with only a few released after BSP opened from
Christmas to take bail deposits. To further reinforce his commitment to
returning professionalism to policing in Hela, PPC Tondop has already suspended
on senior police sergeant for allowing a prisoner arrested on drugs related
charges to be released on bail.
According to the PPC, criminal charges will
also be laid against this sergeant under the Criminal Code Act for various
crimes. The message has been sent loud and clear – Shape up, do your duty or
ship out. No second chances.
And so, for the first time since Hela was
declared a province over 10 years ago, the entire province witnessed a
Christmas and New Year period that was totally peaceful and event free except
for one payback killing – one only in a province where this was a daily event
and the period experienced at least 5 or more.
To put it mildly, this achievement within 3
weeks of taking office is an outstanding effort and you would think the PPC
would be entitled to take some time off and relax a bit but you would be wrong.
According to Tondop, “I made a commitment and promise to my God, my
Commissioner, the people of Hela and myself that I would do everything possible
to restore law and order to Hela within 6 months. I still have 5 months to go
and that is not a long time. There is no time to rest.”
And to reinforce this, he has initiated “Operation Secure Tari Township” where
the security forces have been mobilised to secure and control all main
vehicular entry/exit points for Tari Township.
As of Thursday, January 6, three roadblocks
have been established at check points where all persons and vehicles seeking
entry into town may be subject to search. “We
intend to ensure that there are no more fights, killings, disorderliness and
lawlessness within the town and its vicinity. All persons and vehicle entering
town will be subject to random searches and resistance will not be tolerated.
“All
members of the police force have been placed on notice including regulars,
reservists and auxiliaries. I have already commenced disciplinary proceedings
against 13 officers who failed to turn up for the Christmas New Year Operation
and will do the same for anyone who chooses not to take part in this exercise.
We will enforce the law as mandated by the Constitution – nothing more, nothing
less. Anyone who chooses not to be a part of this is choosing not to be a part
of the Police Force”, he said.
“This
operation is also geared towards enforcing the recent liquor ban imposed in
Hela province.”
Tondop intends to restore peace to the
provincial capital first and then move outwards throughout the province to all
hotspot areas and fighting zones with his message for enemies to lay down their
arms and return to peace for prosperity and a better life. Perhaps most
important of all is the conviction that he is moving in accordance with Gods
plan for Hela.
Tondop started on his mission with 13
uniformed policemen from Simbu, Jiwaka and Enga – all volunteers with the
blessing of Deputy Commissioner Billie. Of these one is a sergeant who is a
specialist PR officer, the other sergeant is a specialist investigator, one
driver / mechanic and 10 operations support men.
And from there, with the support of those
already in Hela including the Mobile Squads, Defence Force troops and CS
officers, he has so far achieved what so many special operations, call outs and
state of emergencies have failed to achieve – bring a semblance of peace and
normalcy to Tari town.
Prime Minister James Marape addressing his people of Hela. |
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