BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
THE Townsville Peace Agreement (TPA) has provided for a self-autonomous government for Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces as witnessed by the United Nations and this is the reason to notify them on the matter.
Premier Daniel Suidani said this when asked on the future of the submission he made to the UN Security Council on the proposed pursuing of self-autonomy for Malaita province.
He said the TPA document is deposited under the UN Security office and they would be aware if Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces and the national government could have sought discussion on the matter.
Suidani said it is now 21 years since the signing of the TPA and the national government, especially the two provincial governments have failed to ask for the tabling of issues under the TPA.
He said because of these long-standing issues, the plea was made to the UN Security Council as a body which has witnessed the document to carry-out survey on part 4 of the TPA where it advocates for autonomous government for the two provinces.
According to Suidani the UN Security Council is the appropriate organization to pursue the matter with.
On that note, he explained that the subject of self-autonomy for Malaita province was not an issue that only popped-up during the current government.
He said there are documents within his office proving that the previous successive governments had talked about independence, but only they didn’t take a step further on the subject.
Suidani said the subject has been documented and it is the interest of people of Malaita and “as representative of people we will ensure it table it pursue it.”
He said now “I see that it’s a high time to pursue the TPA to answer the cries of Malaitans for self-governance and manage their own affairs.”
Suidani said his writing to UN Security Council is to see if they can step in and assist the national government, Guadalcanal especially Malaita province on the matter.
