The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has apologized to the people in the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal for the RSIPF
Joint Operation carried out in their communities in 2002 and called for forgiveness and cooperation from the chiefs and
people in the area.
The apology was delivered by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Walter Kola during a traditional solovisu or calling back ceremony held at Ngalito village on 4 February. It was attended by several hundred people from the
villages from Pite to Savuna.
The solovisu at Ngalito village, the second one this week, with the first one held at Duidui village on 3 February, was also attended
by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Lennis Rukale, the Deputy
Special Coordinator of RAMSI, Richard Griffith and RAMSI Participating Police Force representative, Superintendent, Ged
Byers.
“The operation by the Police at the time was not intended to affect the people in the area. The operation was intended
to arrest the fugitive Harold Keke. The Police is sorry for what had happened. We want to ask for your forgiveness. Let
us forget what had happened and work together,” said Mr Kola.
“I want to thank the chiefs in this area for their cooperation that led to the recent arrest of two prison escapees.
There are some prison escapees still at large. I want to salute the chiefs and elders of communities in the Weathercoast
of Guadalcanal for working with the Police. Police can only work better with the community.
Deputy Police Commissioner, Mr Kola revealed during the ceremony that the RSIPF is planning to build a police post at
the nearby Komate Village.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Permanent Secretary Rukale told the gathering that the solovisu was only the beginning of the reconciliation process.
“After the solovisu the Government will organize trauma counseling for the communities on the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal. Already we have
trained 200 people in trauma counseling support work and we want people to respect and cooperate with the trauma
counselors when they come down to your villages,” said Mr Rukale.
Mr Rukale said the Solomon Islands Government has not forgotten its people in the Weathercoast of Guadalcanal “that is
why we want to continue with the process of reconciliation and peace in the area.”
“Enough is enough. Let us put aside hostility and conflict. The future of our children are in our hands. If we choose
conflict, what will happen to our children?, Mr Rukale said.
During the ceremony at Ngalito village representatives of the chiefs, youth, women and church leaders thanked the
Government, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and the Royal Solomon Islands Police for facilitating the
reconciliation process.
The representatives also spoke of their experiences during the RSIPF Joint Operation on the Weathercoast and called on
the Government to address the Bona-fide demands of the Guadalcanal people
“We understand and fully acknowledge that the solovisu program has a lot of challenges and cost the Government and our communities time and money. But it must be done in order
to mend our broken relationship which were broken by the RSIPF Joint Military Operation in November 2002,” said Mrs
Beverlyn Israel, who spoke on behalf of the women in the area.
“This solovisu program is a new chapter in the rural life of women within the communities of Duidui Ward. The women and children of our
communities have been displaced in many ways in the last 12 years. We thank the Government of Prime Minister Gordon
Darcy Lilo for this ceremony,” said Mrs Israel.
Youth representative, Joseph Piriniu told the ceremony that the rights of the young people in the area were denied
during the social unrest.
“We were mentally, physically, socially and spiritually affected. Remember, we are the future leaders of Guadalcanal.
Please do not forget us,” Mr Piriniu said. He thanked the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI for making it possible
for the reconciliation process to take place.
As part of the solovisu, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Kola presented a string of traditional shell money and both local and imported
food stuff to each of the chiefs
representing villages from Pite to Savuna. In return a representative of the chiefs presented Mr Kola with local and
imported food. There will be two more solovisu’s in the Wanderer Bay area.
ENDS