FORMER militant groups were the main beneficiaries of the USD$25million (SBD$200m) EXIM loan from Taiwan in mid-2001.
This was highlighted by the Opposition Leader, Matthew Wale, in his speech to contribute to the debate on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Final Report last week.
He said the EXIM loan funds led to a lot of corrupt deals and many of those who lost their properties have not been compensated.
The MP for Aoke-Langalanga said following the signing of the Townsville Peace Agreement, the US$25 million loan from the EXIM Bank of Taiwan was acquired in June 2001.
“The report pointed out that this loan led to a significant increase in the government’s formal debt, severely straining the finances of the government.
“The Ministry of Peace & Reconciliation was established and one of its roles was to administer compensation to victims of the tensions for their losses.
“Some claimants complained that their demands had been drastically reduced, or that they were omitted from the list of eligible recipients.
“The former militant groups took large amounts from these funds. Generally, the EXIM loan funds became a hotbed for corruption and many genuine victims were not compensated,” MP Wale said.
The Opposition Leader said government must come up with a Reparation/Compensation Policy.
“As we chart our nation’s course, the government must take a considered and cautious approach when rethinking the reparation and compensation policy for both victims and former combatants.
“This duty holds a particular significance for our current government and our Prime Minister, considering the historical context.
“Under our Prime Minister’s watch, our nation experienced the tragedy of the EXIM Bank incident,” he said.
The Opposition Leader highlighted that the report underscored this point – highlighting how the EXIM Bank debacle served to hinder, rather than aid, the country’s quest for reconciliation.
“What transpired from the EXIM Bank payments was an insidious compensation culture, fuelled not by cultural considerations or genuine grievances, but by greed and extortion. Government would know this people demanding payments was normalised.
“Since EXIM, we have seen this culture run rampage where opportunists and elites exploit payouts at the expense of the victims & taxpayers.
“Moreover, this cycle of violence and compensation gave perpetrators the opportunity to portray themselves as victims, further distorting the truth and impeding our reconciliation efforts,” MP Wale emphasised.
MP Wale said as the country attempts to move forward, Government must ensure that any policy the country pursues aims to dismantle the damaging culture of extortion fostered by the EXIM Bank payments.
“We must take a firm stance against this culture, even if it requires a significant departure from the existing compensation frameworks that has proven to be detrimental to our reconciliation process.
“Government has already done this it was reported that when we ran out of money, Government finally decided against compensation payments.
“Government needs to announce this position repeatedly and clearly, in public and in private meetings,” he said.
He further highlighted that it is important for government to avoid raising false hope in former militants that there will be more money for them.
“There must be consistency in government’s messaging on this matter.
“The TRC recommendations, and implementations offer Government an opportunity to commit to carefully craft a reparation and compensation policy that carefully addresses past wrongs and safeguards the future,” the Opposition Leader said.
By MOFFAT MAMU
