BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
MALAITA Premier Daniel Suidani and his political advisor, Celsius Talifilu were threatened by the immediate family members of rival politician Elijah Asilaua during a tour to the Urudao market within the Baegu Asifoloa constituency last week.
The threats were made over issues relating to the Motion of No Confidence that the Provincial Member for ward 11 took against Suidani last year.
That motion failed to make it to the floor of the provincial assembly as it was withdrawn following public pressure in Auki late last year.
The incident happened last Wednesday when Suidani and his team arrived at the Urudao market for awareness talk to the people of that side of the Baegu constituency.
The team was welcomed by one of the chiefs within the Urudao area and privilege was given for Suidani and members of his team to organize the awareness program.
After formalities and words of welcome were said, Suidani began his talk and halfway into it, one of Asilaua’s uncles, Mr Miniti intercepted Suidani and started accusing him.
He accused Suidani and Talifilu for disrespecting Asilaua and his family and for incident the incident that happened during the motion which is yet to be settled between them.
Miniti said all criticisms and whatever received by Asilaua during that time were engineered by Suidani and Talifilu and they should not just ignore them and visit Asilaua’s ward.
He demands Suidani and Talifilu address the issues by compensating members of their families with talufi’aes (shell money).
Asilaua’s father, Belo was also there with his cousin brother as well as Miniti who accused and demanded apology from Suidani in the form of compensation.
An Anglican priest, Fr Sam Kete a respected leader of the tribal land that hosted Urudao market intervened and demanded a stop to the commotion.
He asked both Miniti and Belo to stand down on their demand and called for an apology from each party in which they humbly accepted and reconciled with each other.
Premier Suidani and Talifilu on that note conveyed their apology to members of Asilaua’s family for what they had in mind relating to the motion.
Suidani said although the matter is political, he respected members of the Asilaua family for taking it up and to say sorry to each other and solve it.
He said that he had already settled the matter with Asilaua and they have nothing between them.
After the matter was settled, Suidani and team continued with the awareness program until they left to Abuisaia village along the Sasava River in Mbaelelea constituency.
