It took 4 attempts, but the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier finally published one of Ian's letters to the editor today. (He says the other ones didn't get in because they were too impassioned! Now that's hard to believe coming from Ian, eh?!)
They did cut some parts out, but the gist is there. Here it is as it appeared in the paper:
"I read with sadness and anger yesterday in the Post-Courier about the man who has been jailed for murder in Wabag after kicking his pregnant wife, bursting her spleen and causing her death.
What tragedy and I am glad justice prevailed. We know this type of abuse happens almost ever night for hundreds of women in PNG, although not every act ends in death. Just last week, I witnessed a man trying to throw a rock the size of a brick at his wife and if that hit her spleen, what then? My question to these men is: will you repent and show true remorse for your actions? And more than that, will this remorse turn into a positive action? I often wonder, will such men after realizing the pain and loss ever change?
I pray they will because men must stop violence against women. Men have to raise their voices in solidarity and denounce such acts."
So there you have it. Woman abuse in this country is rampant and often goes unpunished, but thankfully not always. Slowly, ever so slowly, the message is getting through that the abuse has to stop.
But what will make these men change? Stricter laws may help, but God alone can change their hearts and we pray He will!
2 comments:
Wow - just so sad, gives you goosebumps. We too pray that the violence and unjust treatment of women will change, may the Lord continue to work powerfully in PNG.
What a horrible thing...so glad your attempts at getting your letter published were finally successful! Sometimes it takes a few voices raised in objection to something to make a difference.We continue to pray for this to happen..
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