First Western Highlander surrender illegal firearm

A Western Highlander has made the decision to give up the firearm he kept for his own protection for the past three years.

Jason Yaim, a local SME owner from the Jika tribe in Hagen Central, today (071026) became the first person in Western Highlands to formally surrender an illegal firearm under the current gun amnesty program.

Yaim handed over one pistol, several rounds of ammunition, an M16 magazine and 5.56 ammunition to police at the Mt Hagen Police Station.

The handover was witnessed and received by Acting Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander Senior Inspector Steven Philipo, Eastern End Command Gun Amnesty Coordinator Inspector Maureen Undaba and other senior police officers.

"Today (071026) Jason is the first Western Highlands man to surrender his illegal firearm to the police. He made the decision yesterday at his residence at Gomis but today he brought it formally to the police station and surrendered his one pistol and several ammunitions including a m16 magazine," Philipo said.

Philipo thanked Yaim for taking the initiative, saying his decision should encourage other people who are keeping illegal firearms to come forward.

He said the gun amnesty program has already been launched across Western Highlands in partnership with the provincial government and the province's 316 ward councilors.

Philipo is also thanking the National Government for extending the deadline for people to surrender illegal firearms until December.

He elaborated the final stage of the surrender and awareness program will be held at Queen’s Park from November 25th to 26th.

" While the deadline for the gun amnesty program for Western Highlands is being extended, police will continue to carry put the gum amnesty awareness and surrender in the 11 LLGs of Western Highlands and will wrap up the final lag of the program at the Queens Park".

For Yaim, the decision was not easy.

He says he kept the firearm because he believed it would protect him, his family and his property.

But after being convinced by a police officer, he decided it was time to surrender the weapon.

" Officer Felix came and talked me into surrendering my firearm and ammuninations. I made the decision and I am happy that at least my actions can serve as an encouragement to other Western Highlanders," Jason Yaim stressed.

Yaim's name will now be recorded as the first Western Highlander to surrender an illegal firearm under the current amnesty program.

But after giving up what he considered his means of protection, Yaim has one important question for police.

He wants to know whether police can now guarantee the safety of people who surrender their firearms and leave themselves without a weapon for protection.

" Now I want to put an appeal forward to the police and the government to guarantee the safety of those of us who have surrendered our firearms and ammunition which we have held in our procession as our guarantee of safety of our lived and properties," Yaim appealed.

Yaim's decision is now being used by police as an example for other firearm holders in Western Highlands that illegal guns can be surrendered without waiting for the amnesty period to end.

Police are urging people who are still holding illegal firearms and ammunition to follow Yaim's example and hand them over to authorities.