Malaita for Democracy (M4D) speaks out against irritating words used by the Government Communication Unit (GCU) to describe the behavior of Malaitans shown during the recent DCGA government policy awareness campaign in Auki as uncivilized.
Speaking to Solomon Star Auki yesterday M4D Chairman Knoxly Atu said using words like brain washed and uncivilized to describe Malaitan is wrong and unacceptable.
Mr.Atu said it is sad to see GCU used such words to describe the indigenous people of Malaita who are just exercising their democratic rights.
He said the way GCU attempts to paint the unfriendly reception by Malaita public towards the government delegation as individuals who were frustrated over recent election results and were using the event to express their anger on the Malaita MPs is crossly misleading.
“Members of the public reacted the way they did because they don’t like the decision taken by the MPs to support the China switch and it has nothing to do with the election results as claimed by GCU.
“The reaction of the public shows Malaitans will always stand for what we believe in.
“To say that our reaction is an uncivilized act and has no place is Malaita is wrong.
“Actually Malaita has no place for misinformation and sweet propaganda,” he said.
M4D said it also sees GCU labeling of news items coming from journalists in Auki as a “highly fibrigated” as an desperate attempt by GCU to misinform Malaita public.
He said in North West Mbaelelea, the awareness talk was unsuccessful after rocks were thrown onto a market building while the government delegation was doing an awareness talk.
In Central Kwara’ae, an elderly man Kenneth Buari’i was quoted by GCU as saying Central Kwara’ea welcomed China assistance. However, Mr.Buari’i strongly denied that in the media recently.
M4D thanked Solomon Star and Island Sun for reporting the truth about what is happening on the ground in Auki for Malaitan elsewhere to know.
Mr.Atu said information is power and if used wrongly can cause bigger issues for the mass where he calls on the GCU reporters to report responsibly and use right words when referring to Malaitans.
Meanwhile, Mr.Atu is calling on GCU to issue an apology to the people of Malaita for labeling them as uncivilized and brainwashed.
He said Malaitans are civilized people and how the reporter decided to use the words to describe Malaitans is uncalled for and unacceptable.
By WILSON SAENI
In Auki
