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By Duran Angiki USP Journalism Graduate
GIZO, Solomon Islands (WP): A church pastor yesterday publicly challenged ethnic Guadalcanal people in Gizo, saying
Western Solomons' people will take revenge if Guadalcanal militants fail to release Captain Eric Rove.
Captain Eric Rove is ethnically from Roviana area in the Western Solomons, which shares a maritime border with the Papua
New Guinea island of Bougainville.
"You fala man long Gwalekana must harem that if pilot blong mefala hem no release by tomorrow (Wednesday) 5pm - babae
mefala kam and tekem head blong you fala off." ("Guadalcanal people should understand that if the pilot is not release
by tomorrow 5pm, we will come and take all your heads off").
Pastor Joseph Douglas Alamu made the bold challenge in front of a large crowd yesterday afternoon at the entrance of the
Gizo Hotel, opposite the often-busy town market.
Gizo town has fast becoming a safe heaven for displaced Solomon Islanders who fled the national capital, Honiara, after
the Malaita Eagle Force coup on June 5 that caused a total breakdown in law and order.
The increasing population of the town, which now about 15,000 from the mass exodus of working class nationals from
Honiara, included a big number of
ethnic Guadalcanal people.
Since the militants' hijacking of the nine-seater Norman Islander with its pilot on Saturday, it became a great concern
to the ethnic Guadalcanal community in the Western Solomons.
While the pastor stood around, another middle-aged man screamed around: "you fala long Gwale should respectim people
blong Western." (Guadalcanal people should respect people from the Western Solomons).
The open challenge attracted the crowd in front of the hotel, which located at about 50 meters away from the western end
of the state Police
headquarters.
Several police officers with a number of European tourists and few executive members of the Western Solomons government
administration were among the
onlookers.
A breakaway faction of the Guadalcanal militants group, Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM), since Saturday has held captive
a Solomon Airlines aircraft and its pilot.
The Solomon Islands National Security Council, which had been given the task of negotiating the release of the aircraft
and the pilot failed to settle the matter at the 11am deadline yesterday.
Government Information Unit Director Alfred Maesulia, said the government yesterday sent members of the Melanesian
Brotherhood to negotiate with the militants.
This was because the militants' commander, Harold Keke, made it clear from the start that he would only negotiate with
members of the Melanesian Church Brotherhood on the issue.
He said the letter that contained the militants' compensation demand of SBD$2 did not mention anything that implied
their interest on the pilot.
A spokesman for the Guadalcanal militants who spoke on a two-way radio on Monday claimed that the militiamen were not
interested in holding on to the pilot.
He said Keke had already arranged transportation to take Captain Rove to a destination where the Melanesian Brotherhoods
would pick him up to return home.
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