THE problem of junkies (young men high on drugs and fomenting terror) has now reached an alarming level and calls for decisive action before it is too late.
Unfortunately, it is too late for Idess Mulwe, the 15-year-old Grade 11 pupil, whose promising life was ended in the most brutal and senseless manner by a bunch of hoodlums who broke into her mother’s house in Chilanga on New Year’s Day, while she slept.
She was beaten, stripped and possibly raped by the ruthless gang of young men, leaving her for dead.
And, yes, she died hours later – stripped of her humanity and robbed of her future.
Yesterday, police announced the arrest of suspects linked to the crime, while the manhunt for the fourth suspect continues.
But what really makes this incident sadder and more worrisome is that it is not isolated, but just one of many that we have now reported on as a newspaper over the years.
In fact, we have also reported on an incident in Livingstone where police are said to have arrested two people after stopping a possible torching of Dambwa Police Post by angry and unruly junkies of Dambwa Site and Service Township, following the arrest of one of their members for assault.
The thing is, in every situation or problem we face as society, there must always be a turning point – a place where we say “enough is enough”. And the death of Idess, to us, marks that turning point.
It is time to put an end to these marauding gangs of junkies and make our communities safe for girls like Idess and other people who have suffered at the hand of the so-called junkies.
We commend the police for arresting the suspected criminals, and we hope that justice will be served on the Mulwe family, even though it definitely may not fill the void caused by the killing of their daughter.
But we also know that arresting these hoodlums in itself is not enough, unless we also deal with the root cause of the problem.
And what is the root cause? The problem of drug abuse among our young citizens is a long-standing one which calls for attention.
Junkies do not become criminals overnight, and this problem has grown over the years as a ticking time bomb.
But we are no longer sitting on a ticking time bomb; this bomb has already detonated and claiming lives.
We also understand the complexity of this problem, and the many facets it presents, and, therefore, call on authorities – Police, Department of Social Welfare, the Church, Drug Enforcement Commission and other relevant entities – to work together in dealing with this scourge.
We need strong rehab centres where these young people can be helped to reform and regain their humanness and stop running wild like a pack of wild dogs.
But we also need to increase our drive against the sale of illicit drugs; our local authorities need to be tougher in regulating the sale of alcohol in order to stop abuse, especially by underage people.
Yes, a social problem of this nature cannot be dealt with by Government alone, but needs concerted efforts from all citizens.
We must remember that on the other hand, this problem is also a reflection of a broken family system – a system where it was the responsibility of the whole village to raise a child.
By all means, the criminality being exhibited by these junkies must be stopped sooner, rather than later.
What happened to Idess is utterly despicable and disgusting, and should not happen again.
Utterly despicable and disgusting
THE problem of junkies (young men high on drugs and fomenting terror) has now reached an alarming level and calls for decisive action before it is too late.
Unfortunately, it is too late for Idess Mulwe, the 15-year-old Grade 11 pupil, whose promising life was ended in the most brutal and senseless manner by a bunch of hoodlums who broke into her mother’s house in Chilanga on New Year’s Day, while she slept.
She was beaten, stripped and possibly raped by the ruthless gang of young men, leaving her for dead.
And, yes, she died hours later – stripped of her humanity and robbed of her future.
Yesterday, police announced the arrest of suspects linked to the crime, while the manhunt for the fourth suspect continues.
But what really makes this incident sadder and more worrisome is that it is not isolated, but just one of many that we have now reported on as a newspaper over the years.
In fact, we have also reported on an incident in Livingstone where police are said to have arrested two people after stopping a possible torching of Dambwa Police Post by angry and unruly junkies of Dambwa Site and Service Township, following the arrest of one of their members for assault.
The thing is, in every situation or problem we face as society, there must always be a turning point – a place where we say “enough is enough”. And the death of Idess, to us, marks that turning point.
It is time to put an end to these marauding gangs of junkies and make our communities safe for girls like Idess and other people who have suffered at the hand of the so-called junkies.
We commend the police for arresting the suspected criminals, and we hope that justice will be served on the Mulwe family, even though it definitely may not fill the void caused by the killing of their daughter.
But we also know that arresting these hoodlums in itself is not enough, unless we also deal with the root cause of the problem.
And what is the root cause? The problem of drug abuse among our young citizens is a long-standing one which calls for attention.
Junkies do not become criminals overnight, and this problem has grown over the years as a ticking time bomb.
But we are no longer sitting on a ticking time bomb; this bomb has already detonated and claiming lives.
We also understand the complexity of this problem, and the many facets it presents, and, therefore, call on authorities – Police, Department of Social Welfare, the Church, Drug Enforcement Commission and other relevant entities – to work together in dealing with this scourge.
We need strong rehab centres where these young people can be helped to reform and regain their humanness and stop running wild like a pack of wild dogs.
But we also need to increase our drive against the sale of illicit drugs; our local authorities need to be tougher in regulating the sale of alcohol in order to stop abuse, especially by underage people.
Yes, a social problem of this nature cannot be dealt with by Government alone, but needs concerted efforts from all citizens.
We must remember that on the other hand, this problem is also a reflection of a broken family system – a system where it was the responsibility of the whole village to raise a child.
By all means, the criminality being exhibited by these junkies must be stopped sooner, rather than later.
What happened to Idess is utterly despicable and disgusting, and should not happen again.