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Rule of law restored at Satapuala

Tags:  ,     Posted date:  August 17, 2012  |  Comment



HIGH TENSIONS: Armed officers move in at Satapuala road block yesterday

By Tupuola Terry Tavita

 The rule of law has been restored at Satapuala following a night when armed village men blocked the main road there.
At about 1.30pm yesterday, a Police operation involving over a hundred armed officers in full riot gear moved in at the intersection at Satapuala clearing large boulders strewn across the road. Some villagers who attempted to confront the police were warded off with semi-automatic rifles and sternly told to not interfere with the Police operation.
The Police convoy – led by a 16-wheel truck carrying an excavator followed by a truck and two buses carrying armed Police officers – proceeded to government land at Faleolo.
The ten-acre government property there – opposite the international airport – was quickly sealed off, mapped out then heavy machinery moved in and started clearing.
A US-funded hospital for Satapuala and the Aana district is to be built there.
The night before, armed Satapuala men reportedly blocked the road, flagging down motorists and holding them at gunpoint, including passengers and tourists who arrived on an Air New Zealand flight early yesterday morning.
Speaking in his weekly programme on Radio 2AP later yesterday, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi blasted the ‘poor leadership’ at Satapuala village.
“Government will not sit by idle while thugs run amok on the streets. Who do they think they are blocking public roads and holding up motorists and tourists?
“This sort of stupidity is indicative of the uneducated leadership of Satapuala.�?
The Prime Minister revealed that Police have been instructed to round up and arrest all those who were involved in the road black.
“Arrest also the matai and village council of Satapuala if they have to. This government does not tolerate this sort of contempt for the rule of law. It does not tolerate this sort of reckless challenge to the State.�?
It was also reported that Member of Parliament for A’ana Alofi III – which includes Satapuala – Toesulusulu Cedric Schuster was also among those who blocked the road.
“The next step is to charge the Member of Parliament for treason under Parliamentary law,�? said the Prime Minister.
Tuilaepa added that the media is also to blame for escalating tension through deliberate misreporting and raising false hopes of those at Satapuala.
“The Police went there last week and Satapuala asked for some time for their village to meet. This was granted by Police. However the media reported that the Police failed and were turned away by Satapuala which is completely untrue. Poor misinformed reporting intended to deliberately mislead the public only encouraged the thugs of Satapuala to break the law and challenge the State in these acts of mindless and disgusting stupidity.�?
A senior Police officer at the scene yesterday said the Police priority was to clear the road block and survey the land.
“We are well aware of what we are doing and the risks involved. Protecting the state and upholding the rule of law is our job. If we are caught in a stray bullet then that’s it. It’s what we swore an oath to do.�?

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1 Comment for Rule of law restored at Satapuala

Matalasi

Such a committing Senior Police Officer who refers to them (the Police-force) as law enforcing agents who put their lives at risk for our nation.. Job well done !
If the Government give in to what Satapuala is raising, this will open flood-gates of issues like this from other innocent victims of colonial rules, Satapuala is not the only village suffering from the loss of lands during those times.
Our political stability is now threatened, as a law abiding citizen, we must all respect what has already decided by the court that the 10acres land opposite Faleolo Airport belongs to the Government..

Manuia le Vaiaso