BUINS WELCOME SHORTLANDS ISLANDERS

 

SI WANTOKS CROSS PNG BORDER TO BUIN 

These little beauties from Shortlands were in Buin on Saturday for shopping with parents. Picture courtesy NICOLA TURUMANU of NABES REGO TRADING in Buin. 

Spokesperson for the Shortlands islanders pleading on behalf of his people to be allowed to sell their market produce on humanitarian grounds.

Buin police allow 50 on humanitarian grounds . .

SHORTLAND Islanders who crossed into Buin in South Bougainville have been welcomed with open arms by the Konnou people. 

Driven by hunger, and rising prices of basic items like sugar, salt, tea and rice, the islanders crossed the seas to Buin on Friday and Saturday in defiance of a Covid lockdown imposed by their government.

However, New Dawn FM reports from Buin that 50 fishermen who crossed the border were stopped at Kangu Beach by Buin police on Saturday.

They were informed to return to Shortlands unless the Bougainville Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Francis Tokura gave approval for them to remain on humanitarian grounds.

The Islanders were later seen at Buin market selling their produce after being allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds.

Last Monday, women and children from 3 shortland villages protested at the Harapa Border Patrol base demanding that the border with PNG be reopened.

The women protested that their families had suffered as a result of the lockdown.

The people said the central government in Honiara had forgotten them and had not sent the relief ship that was promised.

Worse of all, no resupply ship has come to the Western Isles including Shortlands. 

Rice in Shortlands costs (in Solomon dollars) $30 per kilo, sugar is $15 per kilo and diesel fuel is $20 per litre. 

At current exchange rate, Solomon $30 = PNG Kina 11.

In Buin, a kilo of rice is K5, in other words Solomon $30 can purchase almost two kilos of rice.

A woman protesting the closed border last Monday at Harapa PBT base.

The Shortland Islands lie just on the border with Bougainville. 

Due to their close proximity, they enjoy traditional border crossing rights with South Bougainville. 

However an incident last month in which two Buin fishermen were allegedly beaten up by RSIPF border patrol officers further heightened their problems.

Buin police have completed their investigation into that incident and the report has been forwarded to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.

The incident is now being investigated by RSIPF police on their side.

On Friday a small group crossed from Shortlands and were free to mingle with old friends and catch up on new developments in Buin.

Nichola with her special visitors.

Buin store owner Nichola Turumanu found these three little beauties outside her shop.

She was so happy to give them a hug and listen to their stories.

The girls came over with their parents to sell fish at Buin market and buy store goods.

As a young mother, she felt sorry for the little girls.

Nichola owns and operates NABES REGO Trading in Buin which started as an SME business.

As for the Shortlands Islanders, their lot become increasingly dire after a month during which they had not received any food supplies from Honiara.

Angry at their situation, the people staged the protest march. 

It takes less the 25 minutes to cross over from Shortlands to Kangu Beach in South Bougainville. 

The people of the three border villages of Harapa, Komaleai and Gaomae normally cross to Buin town in South Bougainville for market, sell their produce, barter with locals, trade and shop at the local shops.

Many travel as far as Arawa for shopping and marketing.

The Covid lockdown has since severely affected their movements, their livelihood and income.

A mother who crossed over on Saturday was intensely relieved to buy her family supplies.

A Shortland Islander with his market produce in Buin.  Picture by JOHN KINANI.