MALAITANS are urged to establish dialogue under the law when disputes arise within their communities.
Supervising Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Malaita Province, Superintendent Solomon Sisimia made the appeal on Wednesday.
“I want to make this call after my officers had to intervene and establish dialogue between the disputing parties in three separate incidents last week in Malaita Province,” Sisimia said.
“This included a dispute between two rival land owning groups over the land where the Seventh Day Adventist Church Afutara Vocational School is located in West Kwaio, a dispute between two parties over a logging company operating in the Gwale area also in West Kwaio and third incident at the Taeloa logging camp in West Fataleka over the execution of a Court Order over logging machinery,” he added.
“Following intervention by my officers to establish dialogue between the different parties in the three incidences, we were able to avert any escalation in the situations between the different groups.
“I want to thank members of the disputing parties for accepting the police to mediate and adhering to the outcome of the dialogues.”
Sisimia also appeals to Malaitans to always resort to the legal means of resolving disagreements and not to take the law into your own hands.
“Also we must continue to recognise the role of our traditional leaders in any dispute within our communities.
“Police cannot be everywhere at the same time but our traditional leaders have this important role to bring disputing parties together but members of our communities must recognise their role.
“After all the police and our traditional leaders are there to ensure there’s safety and security in our communities.”
