BY MAVIS N. PODOKOLO
WOMEN leaders want the next government to cancel the controversial security treaty Honiara signed with Beijing this week.
“The security agreement is not done in the interest of our country,” National Council of Women (NCW) president Ella Kauhue told reporters yesterday.
“It’s an agreement negotiated and signed for the interest of the DCGA government and China’s Community Party,” she added.
“So, a new government that comes in after next year’s election must terminate it.”
Kauhue stated although DCGA had gone ahead and signed the agreement in the face of widespread public opposition, her organisation will not stop talking about it.
“Our next step is to reach out to our women partners across the region,” she said.
“This is a big, big issue that does not concern Solomon Islands alone.
“It’s a regional issue and one that will have implications on regional security.
“So we will be in touch with regional council of women organisations to decide and consider our next response to this.”
NCW member and chief executive officer of Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) Ruth Liloqula said in signing the agreement, Sogavare has just given away the sovereignty of this nation to the Community Party of China.
“So, I don’t know what sovereignty they were talking about when they mentioned that this was a sovereign decision,” Liloqula said.
“Didn’t the prime minister realised that the very sovereignty he was talking about protecting was the same sovereignty that he had just given away to China?” she stated.
Liloqula backed Kauhue’s call for the next government to dissolve the agreement.
She said the agreement was shrouded with secrecy and that women were not consulted on it.
“I believe China drafted the agreement and forced it on the DCGA to sign.”
Liloqula said the arrangement is a reflection of just one man and the government that he leads.
She added that it was sad to see the security agreement dividing the government, instead of uniting it.
Rose Isukana, another senior member of NCW, the sovereignty of this nation has been hijacked by a government that cares less about its people and neighbours.
“Just look at the arrangement and the manner it was signed. It was done in all secrecy,” Isukana said.
“So sad that the government simply don’t want any inputs from our people in an agreement that will affect us all,” she added.
“If this framework agreement is for this nation why are you hiding it, why?
“For us women, our call won’t stop here we will go beyond our borders and will continue to raise our voices on behalf of women, youth, children and People with Disability and those who are not happy about this security agreement.”
