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Solomon villagers, former militants reconcile
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Posted on Apr 06 2001
HONIARA, Solomons (PINA Nius) — A reconciliation service, in which some 800 people participated, took place at Gwou’ulu village, North Malaita.
It involved villagers in Gwou’ulu and other parts of North Malaita and ex-militants living in the area and follows the killing of a villager and the bashing of two others by former militants. Representatives of the Peace Monitoring Council, the Solomon Islands Police and the International Peace Monitoring Team also participated.
The ceremony was organized by the Northern Region of the Church of Melanesia Diocese of Malaita
A few days earlier, ex-militants handed in weapons to the Peace Monitoring Council. A large group of ex-militants then attended the service.
The Senior Priest of the Northern Region, Father Stephen Kete, presided and Father Stephen Memea, Parish Priest of Gwou’ulu Parish, preached.
Fr. Stephen’s sermon emphasized repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus Christ.
All parties involved in the reconciliation expressed their sorrow as well as their commitment to peace and disarmament following the national peace agreements and the ending of two years of ethnic conflict.
Exchanges were made among the reconciliation parties.
At the feast after the service, all eight speakers emphasized their commitment to peace and disarmament.
William Saeni spoke on behalf of the ex-militants, emphasizing their commitment.
All participants expressed the feeling that the Gwou’ulu reconciliation would greatly help the disarmament and peace process in North Malaita, including the restoration of law and order.
The people of a town whose council has no money are today cleaning up the town themselves.
The clean-up campaign is in Gizo, the main center in Western Province, and the people are working together to pick up rubbish, cut grass, and clean drains.
The project was organized by the Gizo Model Town Committee, because Gizo Town Council is suffering from the financial crisis following major ethnic conflict that lasted two years.
Gizo has been divided into five zones, with local leaders in each zone coordinating the cleanup.
