TESTIMONIES of the past heartaches by victims of the ethnic conflict ended successfully yesterday.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) called 10 victims to conclude the two-day public hearing which started on Tuesday with nine victims.
Emotional as their stories were, one of yesterday’s victims, Stone Puia had to be taken away after finding it difficult to reveal what he had been through.
Another victim, a mother of two in her 70s from Malaita Margret Alabaru, has the most emotional story to tell.
Mrs Alabaru’s husband was killed by the now defunct GLF in the Guadalcanal plains.
“When I was told that my husband who went to a nearby pond to fish was killed, I went to see his body in the grass field,” she said.
“My eldest son was standing beside the body.
“When he saw me, he approached me and stopped me from seeing my husband because of the atrocious state of his body.”
However, the victims had been through some form of the healing process and are all prepare to forgive the perpetrators.
All the speakers after their testimonies expressed preparedness to forgive and reconcile – great news for the country.
The two-day hearing is the first of the series of hearings to be conducted by the commission throughout the year.
Seven more hearings are expected to be held before the year ends.
The ten victims who testified yesterday were:
1. Moses Garu from Guadalcanal was brutally attacked by members of the now defunct MEF. Garu still has a distorted face full of scars. The physical and psychological wounds are deeply ingrained on his body and mind. It negatively affected him and his family to this day.
2. Pretty Rose Proctor from Choiseul lost three members of her family including her husband. They vanished when travelling from Gizo to Choiseul. They were allegedly stalked by a speedboat during that time. They were never found again.
3. Benedict Maesua assisted his father Henry Labu who was attacked at CDC 3. Mr Maesua tells of how his father was brutally attacked by the now defunct GRA and properties destroyed.
4. Odilia Sikwa’ae is from Kakabona, Guadalcanal and married to a Malaitan. She was accused of allowing Malaitans to settle in Kakabona and for being a spy. She was tied, taken into the mountains by the now defunct GRA with her eight-year-old daughter. The former militants misfired at them and held knives to her throats to which her daughter could not bear.
5. Stone Puia from Bellona was taken away by members of the now defunct MEF at White River. Mr Puia was accused of leading a Renbel force. He was brutally beaten and endured a deep physical punishment.
6. Serema Jas is from the Western Province. Mrs Jas witnessed some nasty incidents at Selwyn when she was there and as a result, her education was denied.
7. Margret Alaburi is from North Malaita. Her family was chased from the Guadalcanal plains during which her husband was killed.
8. Shadrach Tobani is from Guadalcanal. Mr Tobani suffered physical violence and harassments from members of the now defunct GRA. He lost his property.
9. Joachim Harimanu is from Malaita. Mr Harimanu was taken away by members of the now defunct MEF and was brutally beaten. He was accused of making mocking statements against the former militants.
10. Dick Tavake is from Temotu province. Mr Tavake was harassed and abused on three deferent occasions by the two former militant groups.
The testimonies are part of the country’s healing process.
More victims will be called in future hearings.
By EDNAL PALMER
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