INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION 2023

MAPPING OUR SOCIETY
By Mr. Gideon Harps

This year we stand among nations, as a young democracy, to celebrate 45 years of nationhood. This day 07 JULY is set aside to remember those days when our fathers lead us into gaining independence from Great Britain. It is a day to not only remember but to ponder and reflect on how we have progressed as a nation in the last four decades of our independence. On this day I wish to extend a happy anniversary celebration to all of you, our government, and our people. As a way of a more meaningful celebration, I decided to share these thoughts that I give to our students in marking this special occasion to reflect on the topic; Church and politics. It is a time to reflect on how we can contribute effectively as churches to the welfare of our own people and nation. To contribute effectively, we need to know what is on the ground. It is difficult to contribute effectively when we are not capable of doing a well informed and a balanced judgement of the different issues at hand. In the same way, it is difficult to make such well-informed balanced judgement if we are not capable of seeing the issues on the ground. Using the SEE, JUDGE, ACT methodology I am going to lead us draw a picture of some of the issues that indicates our present society after four decades of gaining independence. What are some of the burning issues that is on the grounds in our beloved country Solomon Islands?

There are a lot of great things we achieve as a nation in the last four decades thanks to our leaders and for the hard work of our people. There are yet a lot of things we still need to address as a young nation. These needs a collective effort from all of us leaders of this beautiful nation. It is not all about the specific issues that we read in the papers and hear on the radio. There is something bigger than all these. These are signs of our time that our society is calling for help.

Here I am going to share some of the issues I saw happening within our society.  I collected these issues as proofs from the many media platforms online and some personal encounter with our people back in the villages. These and more may help us SEE some of the areas where we can effectively contribute as a church to the welfare of our people. I am using these issues to argue that our nation needs the help of our Church leaders in: I. THE FORMATION OF THE SENSE OF NATIONHOOD. II. PROMOTING THE PRINCIPLES IN THE SOCIAL TEACHINGS OF OUR CHURCHES, III.  FORMING THE MORAL CONSCIENCE OF OUR PEOPLE.

There are signs that shows us that our sense of nationhood is very minimum. We experience the ethnic tension that is between two provinces in the same country. We experience the 2021 November riot. We can even see that the different settlements in and around our city are ethnic with new names. These and more are signs that our people feel more tribal than national. I feel more Malaitan than Solomon Islands. I feel more Makiran than Solomon Islands. Because of these, we have not sense of ownership in this city and we can burn them. These signs should lead us leaders to contribute in forming the sense of nationhood of our people. Without the sense of nationhood in this country, we will remain a divided nation within which will remain the cause of disunity that will continue to destroy our nation. Early this year and late last year, we heard a lot of issues and struggle between the Mara government and the central government. Our low sense of Nationhood may become a window through which manipulators can enter into the politics of this nation. On this special occasion of our independence anniversary celebration we are called to reflect and ponder on this national weakness and ask ourself as church leader, how can we contribute to the formation of the sense of Nationhood of my own people?

There are signs that shows us that our Christian values and principles are mere words. In other Churches we hear about the Social teachings of the Church within which a lot of live giving principles are outlined and explained. By looking at the news we received online, printed and, on the radio, these Christian principles does not penetrate the hearts of our people. In the first week of July 2023, there is the article on Sol Star News that Beulah School was closed because of logging. This news questioned the principle of the Common Good. That same week also on Sol Star, we read two child abusers in Temotu jailed. This question the principle of Human Dignity. In June 27 2023, in the same paper we read; $50,000 stolen from church which questioned our respect for our religions. On April 10 2021, we read about youth pay tribute to dead infant which questions Human dignity again. Late last year on October 5^th an article was titled Sikaiana Starving, which questioned our preferential option for the poor. On this special day we as church leaders need to ponder on how we can effectively contribute to the promotion of the social teachings of our Churches.

It is now obvious that there are signs that points towards a continuing formation of the moral conscience of our own people. On June 21 2023, we read “Man receives 6-months jail term for swearing at own father. It is not about the swearing but the decision he took to do this to his father. On June 29^th 2023, we read, Dad jailed for sexually abusing own daughter. 28^th June 2023, we read ‘Deep wounds found on Novice’s dead body, Police investigate. These and more issues of the same nature we read points to the fact that our people’s decision making each day is not well formed. As we celebrate our special day, we are also called to take this country forward. Our contribution to the welfare of this country calls for a formation of the moral conscience of our people. Can we insert some moral curriculum into our education system again like when the missions run our schools? What future are we expecting for this country if the daily moral choice of our people are as low as these signs?

These and more are the signs of the time here and now. These are the issues that are happening on the ground. Looking at all these, are we on the way to JOY, PEACE, PROGRESS and PROSPERITY? Are we contributing enough as Christian individuals or as Churches?  As we mark this special day of our own history let us own this country at heart. Our call in this most challenging time is to help:

1. Form our peoples’ sense of Nationhood.
2. Promote the Social Teachings of our Churches.
3. Form our peoples’ moral conscience.

GOD BLESS SOLOMON ISLANDS

I THANK YOU.