Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has refuted insinuations by former Parliamentarian, Mr Nolen Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group, Hon Derek Sikua that he was involved in events leading up to the 5th June 2000 coup.
The Leader of the Independent Group has insinuated in a media statement that the Prime Minister was involved in the events leading up to the coup and urged the Prime Minister to tell the truth about these events to nation.
Dr Sikua’s statement followed a Letter to the Editor in this paper by former Parliamentarian, Mr Leni, stating that the Prime Minister is the right person to tell the nation about those who were
involved in the unfortunate events because he knows about them.
The Prime Minister said he is totally astounded why Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group saw it fit to make defamatory implications against him regarding a chain of events he has no involvement in and knowledge about and then turn around and ask him to tell the truth about them to the nation.
“I simply cannot tell the truth about the events leading up to the coup as requested by Mr Leni and those involved in the events as I have no knowledge about them.
“However, if Mr Leni or the Leader of the Independent Group have evidence of any involvement that I may have had in those events, then I urge them to disclose the evidence to the public and provide them to the Police for investigation instead of urging me to tell the nation about something I know nothing about. The truth I have and will continue to stand by is that I have no involvement whatsoever in those unfortunate events.
“If Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group have evidence in their possession of any involvement I may have had in the events leading up to the coup, then they should go ahead and
disclose them to the nation and submit them to the police for investigation?
“If Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group have evidence in their possession to support their insinuations that I was involved in the events leading up to the coup, then they should make specific reference to me and my involvement rather than beating around the bush.
“If Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group have evidence in their possession of my involvement in the events leading up to the coup then they should have shared them with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
“Let us speak the truth, if they have the truth with them then they should not be holding on to them because only the truth can set our nation free from being haunted by past events.”
The Prime Minister then urged Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group to provide any evidence they have in their possession to support their insinuations of the Prime Minister’s
involvement in the events leading up to the coup to the Prime Minister’s Office within seven days.
“I urge Mr Leni and the Leader of the Independent Group to furnish my office with any evidence they have in their possession supporting their insinuations that I was involved in the events
leading up to the coup within seven days.”
The Prime Minister said failure to do so would leave him with no option but to seek legal redress.
He said it is time that senior citizens and national leaders should refrain from spreading false information in advancing selfish political agendas.
