Gov’t to stage healing, apology week
A WEEK-LONG national healing and apology programme will be conducted in Honiara starting on 30 June 2016.
The programme, spearheaded by the national government, will bring Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces to say sorry to each other over the killings and hatred that took place during the ethnic tension.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is expected to open the programme with a powerful speech after a National Peace March from the Art Gallery to Lawson Tama stadium.
During the week, various groups that took part in the ethnic tension will use the occasion to apologise to each other and seek forgiveness.
Details of the programme are expected to be released in the coming days.
The national healing week is expected to put the past to past and open the way forward for co-existence and peace to once more reign in the country.
A Guadalcanal chief could not wait for the healing week.
Chief Celestine Bana from Kouvasa village in central Guadalcanal said the healing and apology programme could not have come at a right time.
“As a Guadalcanal man, I wish to thank the government for making all this possible,” Mr Bana told the Solomon Star yesterday.
“We deserved to be free from all the tension related issues from the past that is still hindering us from moving forward,” he said.
“Guadalcanal is one of the centres for all major developments in the country, therefore we want to show happy expressions to the government, investors, and the world.”
The event will start off with the National Peace March and followed by the speech from Mr Sogavare.
Day two will be the National Apology – National Government and the people through the provincial governments of Solomon Islands.
Day 3 and 4 is being allocated for Music Celebration and promotion of reconciliation and peace
Day 5 will see the SIPCRRA Reconciliation between the people of Malaita, Guadalcanal and Western Provinces.
Day 6 SIPCRRA reconciliation ceremony between Guadalcanal, Malaita, Western provinces with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIFP) and Correctional Services.
Finally, Day 7 SIPCRRA Guadalcanal, Malaita and Western Provinces will do conciliation with identified groups of people and provincial government.
By RONALD TOITO’ONA
