BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
A two-day scoping awareness workshop towards the preparation of the Reparation Bill officially started on Tuesday at Buma village in West Kware’ae, Malaita province.
Malaita province is the third province to conduct with the awareness after Guadalcanal and Choiseul provinces.
Under Secretary Administration of the Ministry of National Unity, Peace and Reconciliation, Mr Gregory Rofeta said yesterday the awareness is to enlighten stakeholders on the reparation policy framework and get feedback from them.
“As you may aware the exercise was important to collect information and data that will form the basis of a Reparation Policy which is an important component of the TRC recommendation,” he said.
Adding that views and opinions discussed during the programme will be helpful for documenting the reparation policy into bill.
Rofeta said for Solomon Islands the need for this dialogue is not only to deal with issues relating to the tension, but also any injustice that may have taken place prior to the ethnic tension.
He assured that the process will not only stop at the policy level, but will continue until the country has developed a legal framework for all reparation claims.
“Thus, I call on all stakeholders in Malaita province to support the government in the process in preparing the bill to the end.
“We need to be at the forefront of the discussion to find the policy very helpful for the stability and peaceful existence of our nation,” Rofeta said.
He reiterated his call to the participants that their contribution is very important as it will help address the targeted goals of the bill.
The programme is funded through the United Nations Peace Building project and implemented by UNDP and UNWomen with the supported of the Solomon Island government.
