Richard Metangi comes from Santa Cruz Islands, Temotu province. Mr Metangi was employed by Pacific timber at foxwood East Guadalcanal. The foxwood community heard the patrol boat firing its powerful guns so they ran away for safety. Since MEF was already setting up roadblocks at the Alligator creek, he cannot go to Honiara so he turned back to a village in CDC 3 where his in-law was residing.
Moses Wakwolly comes from Reef Islands, Temotu province. Mr Wakwolly was a member of the Police Rapid Respond Unit (RRU) and was heavily involved in frontline confrontation between the former GRA militants and the Rapid Respond Unit at the Goldridge area in 1999. On two separate occasions his life was seriously threatened while carrying out official police operations to protect human lives and property.
Monty Taro is from Arosi region, Makira/Ulawa province. Mr Taro was employed by Solomon Taiyo in Noro western province. While in Honiara with other crew members on a catcher Boat, former MEF militants demanded they take them to Marau carrying people, militant and cargo. While at Marau, former GRA militants and MEF confronted each other in serious gun battle threatening the life of people and crew members of the catcher boat.
Issac Menima comes from Nemba village in Santa cruz, Temotu province. During the ethnic tension former MEF militant approached him, threatened to take him because he demanded monetary compensation for swearing he and his sisters received. He had to return home for fear that his life and his family will not be safe anymore in Honiara.
Monica Katakuma comes from Wainoni region of Makira/Ulawa province. Ms Monica’s husband worked for the former Solomon Islands Plantation Limited SIPL and one Saturday while carrying out his duties, former GRA militants abducted him at gunpoint-took him and his Malaita colleague and seriously abuse them physically and verbally. Her Husband suffered mentally and physically from the effects of trauma and died in 2008 due to lack of professional counseling and support service.
Vahi Basi is part Kolobangara in the western province and part Guadalcanal and worked as Lay Minister in the seventh day Adventist church. He was posted to Kuma-South Guadalcanal during the height of the ethnic tension. He was threatened and he also witnessed harassment and merciless killings and physical inhuman punishment of ordinary citizens.
Kate Kamaka comes from Makira Province. Ms Kamaka is a victim of the ethnic tension firstly when the then government failed to pay salaries on several pay periods. Secondly, her brother a “Tasiu” in the Melanesian Brotherhood was sent by National government to the Weather-coast in 2004 where he met his fate. Her brother and six other brothers of the Church of Melanesian were killed mercilessly by former GRA militants.
John Memua is from Nou village, Santa Cruz,Temotu province. Mr Memua was employed by SIPL and based at CDC 4 in the cocoa division. During the ethnic tension he and his family suffered serious threats from the two warring factions. He and his family were traumatized and also lost their possessions because they were forced to leave the area.
By JENIFFER KAIKAI
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