PEOPLE'S LIVES AT RISK

Solomon Islanders walking around in Buin town yesterday. Picture by NICOLA TURUMANU in Buin.

SHORTLAND ISLAND CHIEF PLEADS FOR HIS PEOPLE

Gaomae chief Hillary Pais (right) with fellow chief Sisirae (left) wearing black wool cap and fellow islanders in Buin last Saturday. Picture by LLOYD PARU in Buin. 

A SHORTLAND ISLAND Chief yesterday made an impassioned plea to the governments of Solomon Islands, PNG and Autonomous Region of Bougainville for help. 

Chief Hillary Pais of Gaomae village pleaded: "please reopen the border. My people will die in the next two to three weeks if the border remains closed. 

"We have run very low on garden food. If there is no relief supply ship and the border remains closed, I am afraid to say that the lives of young children and the elderly are at risk.

"I am appealing to Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, PM James Marape of PNG and President Ishmael Toroama of Bougainville to open the SI PNG border so my people can receive life giving service from Buin," Mr Pais said.

"We had two recorded cases of Covid-19 and both persons have recovered. Can you leaders consider the lives of my people and the seriousness of our situation and please reopen the border."

Speaking by phone from Buin yesterday, Mr Pais said life is getting very tough on the islands without food supplies.

He said he took 30 of his people across to Buin yesterday for market and to buy rice, flour, sugar, salt, oil and fuel.

"In Samanago village on Fauro Island, the people are surviving on sago and smoked fish," Mr Pais said. 

"In Nuhu village, it's the same,sago, cassava and smoked fish.

"Gaomae, Harapa and Komaleai, we are all feeling the same terrible times."

Gaomae men sitting outside a Buin shop on Saturday.  Picture by Lloyd PARU 

Last Thursday, 20 people from Shortlands crossed the narrow channel to Kangu Beach in Buin.

The previous weekend over 50 people crossed into Buin.

Buin police station commander John Popui confirmed yesterday that he has warned the islanders not to breach their country’s border lockdown.

On the PNG side, he said the local chiefs have agreed for the visitors to buy and sell in Buin on humanitarian grounds. 

Inspector Popui said that the Shortlands and the Buin people have traditional border crossing and fishing rights and based on these understanding, and considering the humanitarian grounds, police have been lenient on the border crossers.

Mr Pais, a father of 5 children, said there are 500 people in Gaomae community and the covid instigated border lockdown has really affected his people.

"We thank our brothers and sisters in South Bougainville for understanding our suffering and allowing us to cross under traditional border rights. 

Mr Pais said: "We want both SI & PNG governments and Bougainville regional government, please do something before situation gets out of hand."

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 Gaomae family discussing their shopping needs in Buin. Picture by NICOLA TURUMANU 

Meanwhile the SI Government has assured the people of Shortlands it will attend to their food issues.

Reporting in the Island Sun news last week, reporter EDDIE OSIFELO wrote: 

"Solomon Islands chairman of National Disaster Council, Dr Melchior Mataki said the Livelihood committee, which is part of our National Disaster arrangements in Western Province, together with support from Prime Minister Office as well as National Disaster Management office, are finalizing a short-term food relief supply for the Shortlands.

He said for longer term, the Oversight Committee has also taken a decision to the Border Committee for the reopening of border.

Meanwhile Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Matthew Wale has called on the government to urgently address the humanitarian situation in the Shortland Islands, wrote Osifelo.

Mr Wale said reports of people crossing the border from Shortlands to Bougainville in search of food supplies is a great concern.

He said it is sad that our people in Shortlands have been pleading for government help three weeks ago but their pleas fell on deaf ears, and they have now crossed the border in search of food.

“The current situation in Shortlands is a concern that is not only faced by people there but everywhere in the country especially the remote parts of the country,” he said.

Mr Wale said the National Government should negotiate appropriate cross border protocols with PNG and Bougainville to properly manage border crossings for our people in Shortlands and also in Malaita Outer Islands.

Buin police station commander inspector John Popui listening to the Shortland Islanders spokesman the previous weekend.

He said the Government should not neglect the fact that our people have traditional ties with people of Bougainville and trading between the islands had always been part of their source of survival.

“I am urging the government to address this issue with urgency,” he said.

The Opposition leader reiterated his earlier statement cautioning the Government to avoid a humanitarian crisis at all costs.

“In one of my recent statements to the government, I have raised the need for the government to address food supply in the remote areas in our provinces.

“My call was ignored because there were either no plans or pure negligence,” Wale said.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader also acknowledged Bougainville police for their understanding in allowing the smooth facilitation of our people on humanitarian grounds.