Dear Editor – High Court judge, His Honour, Justice Pallaras QC has recently expressed his serious concerns over domestic violence in the Solomon Islands and the plight of so many women and young girls suffering violence and human rights abuse, especially, he said, as the Solomon Islands is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Human Rights.
I, too, share the concerns of Justice Pallaras and the one of the main reasons why I offered to create a charitable website to help those organisations, such as the Christian Care Centre, a registered charitable trust, in terms of the Solomon’s Charitable Trust Act, to try and generate external donor aid for that organisation and other registered trusts in the Solomons needing much needed support.
Sadly, to-date, I haven’t been given any information to allow such a website to be created.
I really do believe it’s time to act, if I can refer to the advice of Justice Pallaras, and especially as Sister Doreen Awaisisi, the Coordinator of the Christian Care Centre, has just announced that the Melanesia’s Christian Care Centre has now reached its maximum capacity.
She has said the centre is now forced to turn away women and children who are victims of domestic violence and who are desperate for a safe place of refuge.Z
While temporary accommodation for abused women and children does not address the core issues of domestic violence, I consider Sister Doreen needs urgent help and I appeal to the people of Solomon Islands, to the Government, to Rotary International and to aid providers, to come to her rescue and aid the plight of the abused victims of domestic violence incidents.
I maintain my pledge to create the charitable website, but I would please request to be given enough information to create the site and provide adequate information to would-be international donors.
Frank Short
Former police commissioner
Bangkok, Thailand
