THE Solomon Islands Post Conflict Rehabilitation Restoration Association (SIPCRRA) has urged the Leader of the Independent group to acknowledge the rehabilitation proposal the government has earmarked for association members.
SIPCRAA is a legal body made up of ex-combatant from the former Malaita Eagle Force, (MEF)who benefited from the government’s $3 million payout on Christmas Eve last year.
The group’s spokesman Dobson Tahani said it is a blatant ignorance for Dr Sikua to argue about the rehabilitation.
“The rehabilitation is something to do with our lives so Dr Sikua needs to understand that,” Tahani said.
“We ask him to stop talking about issues that sounds good for politics’ sake but is meaningless to our lives. You have many issues to deal with!
“The DCC government policy on peace building is sound and credible for the purpose of peace stability and prosperity,” Tahani said.
He added that Dr Sikua’s continuous war of words in the media with Prime Minister Sogavare is enormous and reflects a leader with no sense of respect.
“Please respect our rehabilitation and integration in community life. Stop the noisy empty politics; it has nothing to offer to our country.
“You need to draw your energy on resources that aid the DCC government for the good of all fellow Solomon Islanders,” Tahani added.
His response came after Dr Sikua, a former member of the DCCG, told the media recently that Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s rebuttal, has seemed to contradict himself by using the term ‘rehabilitation’, to mean the same as ‘cash pay-outs’.
“Strictly these words have no correlation when it comes to the true spirit of the TPA, DCCG policy objective or the Solomon Islands National Peacebuilding Policy developed by the MNURP in collaboration with the UNDP (SI) and CPAD in around 2012,” he said.
“In fact, Mr Sogavare is trying his best to engineer and manipulate the issue to rebuild his public image, with the hope that it will eventually be swept under the carpet,” Dr Sikua earlier claimed.
“ But my firm belief is that any government who is serious about promoting healing and reconciliation, and achieving lasting and sustainable peace amongst our people and for our country must implement the recommendations contained in the TRC Report without further delay,” he added.
He also said if the Prime Minister is serious and genuine about addressing the issues related to the ethnic crisis, why does he have to pay just a certain group, and not the rest of the warring parties.
“This only reflects biasness on the PM’s part, rather than collectively addressing the ethnic crisis related issues once and for all”.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
