Church runs awareness on free, fair and safe elections

THE Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) National Youth Office is running a awareness workshop on Free, Fair and Independent election for community leaders to understand democracy, their roles and responsibilities and how best they can work on addressing problems relating to running elections. National Youth director, who is also co-ordinating the program, Tony Kundang said they have teams already running this program in Mumeng, Upper Watut and Boana in Morobe and Kainantu in Eastern Highlands Province. He said for Boana, because of no road connecting the district church, they have run the program with Baquaya congregation, Surumum village in Wain Erap, which is near the road.

“This is the latest program we have for this month to educate youths and community leaders at the community level using church network,” he said. “This program is very important that should be run at the community level for a duration of one or two weeks. “People need to better understand their democratic rights to cast votes, their roles and responsibilities and how to deal with stakeholders whenever issues may rise during election periods.



Most times, people with special needs and elderly people are denied to cast their votes freely. “With this awareness workshop, community leaders and youths will better understand democracy at village level and know what to do when responsible people attempt to deny their rights on casting votes.” Surumum village law and order community leader Moses Bob said with this two-day awareness workshop, they can now better understand their roles and responsibilities to fully work with communities and stakeholders whenever needed.

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