Dear Editor – Please spare me space below your editorial column to contribute to the above much hotly debated subject in the media involving the Prime Minister, Leader of the Independent Group and some members of the general public.
Instead, in my case I will examine the above caption through the tension deceased lens.
To begin, my first cousin brother was gunned down mercilessly, heartlessly, barbarically and brutally during the height of the ethnic tension at Tasimboko seaside by a cold-blooded killer and murderer.
For authentication purpose, we do not precisely establish the motive and grounds underpinning the hard-hearted and ruthless shooting.
As far as our blood connection is concern, the deceased’s mother is my aunt (Father’s sister) from north Malaita while the father is from Tasimboko, Guadalcanal.
Simply put, he is part Guadalcanal and Malaita. The deceased is the only boy in a family of five.
Currently and for justice sake, that culprit who tends to be very tough and strong when holding s gun is enjoying and reaping for life what he sow behind bars at the Rove Correctional Service Centre.
Without gun, his tail is coiled under his legs.
Realistically, as a result of his untimely and premature death, my aunt developed an unusual and strange habit of weeping uncontrollably day after day and night after night.
She was worn out with grief; every night her bed was damp from weeping; her pillow soaked with tears and her eyes were so swollen from weeping.
She metaphorically puts it that somebody cruel had inhumanly cut down her young coconut tree which she planted and lovingly nurtured for years.
To her, that’s the end of the world and the one and only option was to follow where her beloved son was going.
It is evident that most times, her sorrowful, painful, anguishing and agonizing tears usually mixed with her breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Living in an imposed and inflicted grieving atmosphere daily, she passed away sorrowfully few years after her most cherished and beloved son.
By following her daily firm and bold instruction and wish, she was laid to rest beside her son in the same cemetery.
It has been demonstrated during the height of the ethnic tension that the government had paid the sum of $100,000 for the lives that lost during that bleak period.
In the case of my deceased cousin brother, we received only $50,000 while others received $100,000.
After receiving the above mentioned amount, we were told that we will receive the other half later.
Even my grieving and broken hearted aunt had waited patiently for that unfulfilled promise till her death. Up to date, nothing eventuated according to that false and empty assurance.
As a matter of family priority, I was at the forefront trying to pursue that outstanding matter in 2007 with the legal backing from an Australian lawyer, working with the Public Solicitor’s office.
He professionally made a few legal correspondences to the Prime Minister’s office which resulted with no feedback from the highest and respectable office.
Two unseen circumstances hold me back from pursuing that matter progressively. Firstly, the lawyer’s contract ended that year and secondly, I had to leave to undertake tertiary studies abroad.
Regarding our legal representative, a week before his departure, he called and instructed me to find another lawyer to continue from where he left.
Equally important, before I left, I duly informed my cousin sister (deceased’s sister) to carry on with the issue which she permanently failed to execute. Her lame excuses were, she was afraid and shy to do such because of her female status.
However, since the present government is now paying $3 million to the ex-militants, could the DCC as the government of the people, for the people and by the people address this long outstanding issue by facilitating the payment of the remaining $50,000 for my deceased brother’s life?
That is because it was the promise of the government assuring us that we will receive the remaining $50,000 later.
DCC, you are now paying ex-militants whom some of them remorselessly killing innocent lives during the dark period. How are you going to address the innocent lives atrociously taken away during that interval?
All in all on the one hand, could DCC add in that outstanding $50,000 under your cash payout? And on the other hand, is it an out of date issue to pursue?
To us the immediate family members, his untimely and sudden death is still fresh in our minds and regard that unfortunate tragedy just as yesterday.
As such, that subject is not out of date. Do something DCC.
Danny Asa
Vavaya Ridge
Central Honiara
