Marovo Butubutu Development Foundation and Landowners' Declaration
8/8/99
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Marovo Butubutu Development Foundation and Landowners'
Declaration
Source: Marovo Butubutu Develoment Foundation
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: August 8, 1999
Byline: Rodney Hiva
The Marovo Butubutu Develoment Foundation, representing the
landowners of Marovo, including the original landowners of Lot 16 of
Vangunu Government land, namely the Maroana, Qevala and Bareke
tribes, and with the support of 95% of the population of Marovo
Lagoon, strongly denounce the actions taken by the National
Government, the Silvania Plantation Products (Solomon Islands)
Limited, Kumpulan Emas Berhad and supporters to effect the signing of
the Vangunu Oil Palm Development Agreement despite consistent
opposition from the people of Marovo.
The actions taken by the Government confirm that it did not wish to
listen to the interests of the people of Marovo from the very
beginning. It is now clear the SIAC Government is not the Government
of the people, for the people and by the people, a Government which
is both not accountable and not transparent.
The original landowners of Lot 16 of Maroana, Qevala and Bareke
tribes and the Marovo Butubutu Development Foundation, in solidarity,
jointly make the following declaration:
We believe that the process by which the agreement was negotiated
and signed was not only contrary to the constitution of the
Solomon Islands, but also to the agreement previously reached
between the landowners and the current Prime Minister and the
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries on the 4 and 21 of May 1999
as well.
The Solomon Islands Government should revoke the agreement.
We the Landowners have not agreed to release another 20,000
hectares of customary land for oil palm cultivation.
We believe the oil palm development would definitely be disastrous
for Marovo and should be halted now for the sake of the people and
nature of Marovo.
We intend to commence legal inquiry into the matter. We have
followed all proper diplomatic processes with no success.
Make no mistake: our fight for our rights will continue, the
length of time and means of effecting this will not matter.
Contact: Rodney Hiva, MBDF Coordinator, c/- Seghe Post Office,
Marovo Lagoon, Western Province, Solomon Islands