Guadalcanal Weathercoast: RAMSI says more effort

Tuesday, 4 July 2006, 8:46 pm
Press Release: Radio New Zealand International

RAMSI says more effort must go into reconciliation on Guadalcanal Weathercoast

The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, or RAMSI, says the effects of years of ethnic tension are still being felt in the Weathercoast region of Guadalcanal in Solomon Islands.

The Deputy Special coordinator for RAMSI, Mataiasi Lomaloma, who has just returned from the Weathercoast, says reconciliation is urgently needed to heal the sufferings people went through at the height of the crisis.

The Pacnews agency reports him saying that no amount of money can pay for lives lost and the terrible experiences families and individuals were subjected to.

Mr Lomaloma says that real peace would only return if genuine reconciliation

was carried out between victims and the perpetrators.

He says the perpetrators need to seek forgiveness from the victims and bury any remaining ill feelings.

Mr Lomaloma says during his trip, it was quite evident tension and mistrust between communities remains.

He says RAMSI was now trying to increase its community policing in areas identified as hot spots.

© Scoop Media

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