BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said he raised the issue of the Siwainao sisters during his meeting with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape on the sidelines of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting in Tonga.
Prime Minister Manele made this statement during a press conference upon his return from Tonga on Sunday.
He emphasized the importance of the issue and stated he would “pursue that further” with Prime Minister Marape.
“We are doing all we can to ensure that happens,” Manele said when asked if he believes the girls would soon be reunited with their father, Dr Jack Siwainao.
“I did raise that with him (Marape). Our High Commissions in Moresby and Fiji are also involved. I will follow up with another call to Prime Minister Marape. Our Foreign Minister is attending an event in Port Moresby from 6 – 9, September 2024 and will also follow up on this matter. It is very important, and we are doing everything we can to ensure that it is resolved,” Manele added.
Before the PIF meeting, Prime Minister Manele had assured Parliament he would address the issue with his PNG counterpart.
This followed a request from MP for East Are’are Peter Kenilorea Jr., in Parliament who had urged Manele to raise the case of the two girls, Mercy Aninono Siwainao and Cinderella Aroahia Siwainao, with Prime Minister Marape.
Mr Siwainao, father of the two girls, has been campaigning since 2022 for their safe return after the death of his Papua New Guinean wife. The girls were reportedly forced to unlawfully change their identities and are alleged to be in the custody of a senior government official in PNG.
Siwainao had previously appealed via social media for the assistance of the prime ministers of both Solomon Islands and PNG to help bring his daughters back to Honiara. As of now, there has been no progress on this front.
