‘We stand solid and united to protect our tribal land’
WHILE the past government must be blame for depriving our land rights under the ‘Compulsory Acquisition’ we will not stop pursuing our land related issues and concerns with the current led Sogavare government.
“We will continue to exercise our constitutional right to express our views on the ignorance on Tribes and Community issues over Tina River Hydro project,” Zimri Laoni spokesperson for Charana Tribe told this paper in Tina this week.
This a National flagship project of the current government under the Leadership of current Prime Minister, a policy mandate to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification under the political leadership of Minister of Mines and energy.
Laoni told this paper that this project recorded excellent out put on papers to get attentions from international aid donors to be able to get funding for activities that only resolves Government, donors, contractors and consultants.
“But very sad to note that nothing they consider to address land issues, community issues and even the core tribes related outstanding issues,” he added.
Their issues were published in this paper under the letters to editor column.
The Solomon Star visited the tribal landowners on Wednesday and witnessed a small but very meaningful protest in front of some police officers and the Hyundai Engineering Company (HEC) officials at Tina.
Their women and children are so vocal in defending their stolen land as they joined their leaders and chiefs to say ‘NO ENTRY’ into our land.
According to them over ten years ago during the Sikua-Government the project began with the people and they established a land owners’ council which consist of 27 tribes.
“We all agreed with the government then that for the purpose of developing the Tina river hydro project we wanted a better agreement,” he said.
Laoni told this paper that they established a joint House of chief land identification committee to work on the land identification.
“We also drafted an MOU to work with the government as a way forward for negotiations in the believed to be able to have a better development agreement that will benefit or satisfy all parties such as Donor partners, Solomon Island Government, Developers, contractors, tribes, communities and country as a whole,” he added.
But unfortunately, Laoni affirmed that when the Lilo-Government took over, the whole set up was pushed aside and their lands were hijacked through division 1 of the Land and title act (The Compulsory acquisition).
“With the support of a committee which was framed by the Tina river Hydro development office, they set up what the name it as ‘Bahomea Land identification committee’. This committee never went through the Malango and Bahomea houses of chiefs for endorsement and approval.
“Both constitutions of houses of chiefs stated that ‘any committee set up’ any development within their jurisdictions must have the endorsement and approval in a full house of chief meeting,” Laoni said.
Laoni confirmed to this paper that the Tina River Hydro Development Project (TRHDP) current management must understand that all 27 tribes signed an objection letter during a Malango and Bahomea house of chief meeting.
“That we all objected the compulsory acquisition and this submission was signed by Tribal chiefs, leaders, Guadalcanal provincial government and the Member of Parliament for Central Guadalcanal,” he added.
These tribal land owners are calling on the good leadership of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare led government to address their concerns.
This paper understands that Member of Parliament for Central Guadalcanal Peter Agovaka and his colleague Minister for Mines Bradley Tovosia will be pursuing this issue in the Cabinet level.
By ANDREW FANASIA
Newsroom, Honiara
