Outspoken President of Malaita Provincial Council of Women (MPCW) Martha Rurai says the government should work on banning yeast that is used to produce Kwaso and homebrew instead of the controversial Facebook ban.
She told Solomon Star in an exclusive interview at the launching of 16 days of activism against Gender-Based violence in Auki on Wednesday.
Mrs. Rurai said most violence that happens at homes in rural areas is caused by kwaso, produced from yeast and sugar.
She joined other organizations in the country in accusing the government of not addressing illegal kwaso brewing which has become the source of many domestic violence cases at homes.
She said kwaso has caused not only violence but also affected the health of youths who practice drinking it every weekend.
“Yeast is the main ingredient of kwaso. Many young people in rural areas or even in Honiara have engaged in brewing illegal kwaso because they can just go to shops and buy sugar and yeast to produce kwaso at any time they wish.”
“These practices of brewing kwaso has been creating abusive language against women, girls, and children in our community, character assassination, defamation, and a security threat to women and girls at the community level.”
“I for one, Facebook is not an issue compared to yeast that is used to produce the long time silent killer, kwaso.” Rurai said.
Mrs. Rurai encourages men to continue to work closely with women and girls to eradicate domestic violence practices in Malaita province.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Auki News Bureau
