EAST FATALEKA man, Israel Siau has rebutted claims that the national government paid young men in Fataleka to beat up M4D president, Knoxley Atu following the recent lawlessness in Auki.
Mr. Atu made the claim in a newspaper article, Monday.
But Mr. Siau told Solomon Star there was no grain of truth in Mr. Atu’s claim.
“The truth of the matter is that Mr. Atu is a self-appointed leader of a group, which the national government has declared illegal. Secondly, Mr. Atu does not own any resources in East Fataleka because he does not belong there.
“His only interest is to cause disturbance so that the people of East Fataleka are denied potential development on their land,” Mr. Siau said.
“The reason Mr. Atu was beaten up was because of his involvement in illegal activities during the no confidence motion in Premier Daniel Suidani. The activities he instigated had disrupted the proper conduct and proceedings of the Malaita Provincial Assembly to debate the motion.
“As a result, the mover of the motion was forced to withdraw the motion outside the Chamber, something he knew was illegal,” Mr. Siau said.
Mr. Siau said Mr. Atu should be grateful that police have been slow in getting him.
“Be rest assured, the long arm of the law would one day catch up with you. So stop making up stories to incite public disregard for the law,” he said.
Mr. Siau also appealed to the media to stop publishing or broadcasting any statements from the M4D, saying it is an illegal group whose interest is to foment hatred and disharmony in the community.
