(Response to Lopeti Senituli by Lepolo Mahe Taunisila, People’s Representative to the Niuas, Deputy Chair of Friendly Islands Human Rights & Democracy Movement)
The People’s Representatives were not lying to the people in their village meetings as claimed by Lopeti Senituli in his “Exclusive Interview with Planet Tonga”. It was their responsibility to inform and update the people’s knowledge of the deliberations in Parliament regarding the Report of National Committee for Political Reform (NCPR / Tu’ipelehake’s Committee). The Government did not favor the NCPR’s recommendations, hence the Prime Minister’s (Dr. Feleti Sevele) announcement of the Government’s model in a press conference while Dr. Halapua was still presenting and answering questions on the report in Parliament. The People’s Representatives related the facts that the Government did not favor the NCPR’s Recommendations because they proposed to have only 14 people’s representatives instead of 17 proposed by NCPR. Government also proposed (PM’s model) to have one third of the Members of Parliament elected by the King which was strongly opposed by the People’s Committee for Political Reform (PCPR). The People’s Representatives felt it was unfair to leave all the differences to be decided by a Tripartite Committee (TC) as it would still be dominated by Government having 3 Ministers and supported by 3 Nobles (6) : (3) (People’s Representatives).
Not only that but Government also proposed to change the electoral system for candidates to be registered and return to their own specific district and become permanent residents for 2 years before they are eligible to run for their district. The Government also favor a much slower political reform process by delaying deliberations on the NCPR’s report as reflected by pushing it to be the last item on the agenda of Parliament. There was no suggestion for a time frame for the TC and the People’s Representatives wanted the House to clarify and approve the terms of reference for the TC to work on, before they can be elected and to ensure a timeframe for completion of their work to be approved by the House before the next election.
The Government’s delaying tactics showed that Political Reform was not a priority in their Agenda so they preferred to push all the issues on political reform as responsibility of the TC which no one guarantees what recommendation they would come up with. It could be a waste of time if the House does not first approve the main principles and terms of references for them to work with. The People’s representatives wanted a ballot on 3 main issues and leave the rest to the TC.
1)To have all the 21 representatives of people elected by people. 2)To have 9 representatives of nobles elected by nobles 3)To implement this in election of 2008.
Some of the Government Ministers kept on denying people’s representatives claims that the majority of the people want a democratic form of government where people would elect all the members of the Legislative Assembly and from which the Prime Minister could elect his Ministers. They also claim that the people’s representatives are not representing the people or perhaps only a few. Since Government do not accept the fact that the majority of the people want political reform as outlined above, people’s representative then decided to call/invite the public to gather at Pangai Si’i on November 16 to show the Government and Parliament they want change to a Democratic form of Government where they can elect all the Members to the Parliament.
The People’s Representatives never had any plan and it was not their intention to call the people to Pangai Si’i to intimidate the Legislative Assembly into rioting. The People’s Representatives also wanted the people to witness for themselves what actually happened in the House and how they have done their best in their debates and arguments but could never win in a ballot as they have always been outnumbered by Government in the House. The People’s Representatives did not plan to inflict injury or death on the Prime Minister and Ministers as Senituli did falsely claim.
Lopeti Senituli also claimed that the Petition to His Majesty to appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet was prepared on Wednesday 15th November prior to the riots of November 16th by ‘Akilisi, Lepolo and ‘Uliti. Lepolo Taunisila however confirmed that this petition was prepared by the People’s Committee for Political Reform on Friday 17th November after the riots.
The People’s Representatives never called or encouraged or even demanded the people in Pangai Si’i to start the violence or any of the damage. Even though the people were mad when the Speaker and Government kept on delaying the meeting of the House on November 16 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and even cancelled the meeting for that day, and although the people were impatient but the People’s Representatives and their committee could still control them. The People’s Representative’s anger was heated up by that small anti-democracy group which initiated the violence from Pangai Lahi.
The Government and Speaker of Parliament did not and never showed up with a good reason to inform the people why they delayed the meeting of the House which the people were so desperate to know, watch, see and hear first-hand how the Government and Parliament responded to their wish for a full elected House. Because of the long delay of the sitting of the House without any satisfactory explanation from Government, the people were mad and worse when activated by that small pro-Government group from Pangai Lahi who tried to object to the peaceful gathering of people at Pangai Si’i.
The Government should be grateful to the People’s Representatives for being able to control and stop the people from entering the cabinet. The negotiations in the cabinet room that day was not a “tortuous affair” as claimed by Senituli. ( I quess it was only “tortuous” to Government leaders because of what they stand to lose ). It was a simple request to the Government leaders (Prime Minister & Speaker) for an explanation to the people at Pangai Si’i regarding their petition / proposal and wish for a democratic form of government to have all the members elected by people 21 + 9 elected by nobles = Parliament members altogether not exceeding 30 and to be implemented by 2008 election. There was nothing tormenting or intimidating in the people’s request. It was only for a reasonable answer from government leaders. Whilst the negotiations / deliberations were going on inside Cabinet, the parties were informed by one of the People’s Representative of the destruction going on outside which they were not aware of.
Because of the aching slowness and Government’s stubborn reluctance to agree to some kind of political reform, it took them hours during which some of the people could not afford to wait anymore for their decision in such an emergency and urgent situation, so they went ahead to release their anger by destroying whatever they thought would hurt Government. Government then in realizing the danger and fueling people’s anger in the prolonged delay they finally agreed to the people’s proposal (21 + 9 = 30). The Agreement was finally signed and the People’s Representatives managed to return to the majority of the people who were waiting impatiently outside of cabinet, to Pangai Si’i where they read out the Agreement and thanked them for their support and sent them home happily.
At the same time , a few who could not control their anger have already left Pangai Si’i and have already started the destruction of Nuku’alofa without the People’s Representatives’ permission or encouragement as falsely claimed by Senituli. It was this simple agreement signed by Prime Minister that dispersed people from Pangai Si’i and stopped further destruction. There would have been worse riots and violence and even more deaths if there was no such agreement reached and signed by Government to help calm down and disperse the people.
Because of the wrong advice from Senituli to the Prime Minister that the People’s Representatives and their committee secretly planned to inflict injury even death to the Prime Minister and Ministers, no wonder they are so vindictive and bitter against the People’s Representatives and had never acknowledged or accepted any of the requests from them to have a peaceful/reconciliation dialogue and negotiations on how to restore peace and how they can assist in redevelopments of the country in the future.
Violence was not caused by the People’s Representatives and it was never in their agenda. However the signs of violence showed on November 16 reflect how much and how urgent people want the change or political reform to a new form of democratic government. The Government should not underestimate the rights of the people to elect their leaders and they should consider call from the People’s Representatives for a peaceful/reconciliation dialogue to avoid any worse and unavoidable happenings in the near future. They should also keep and comply with the Agreement signed by the Prime Minister on November 16 if they are serious with their call for cooperation from the people in the re/developments of Nuku’alofa for the benefit of everyone and the whole country.
Lepolo, l am cleared with your Article that you are trying to publicly say in your opinions that you and your fellow MPs were nothing to do with fueling those poor people who burned down Nuku’alofa. Well done! and I congradulate you and your comrades …. these poor people who involved were fully responsible for the destroying of Nuku’alofa for what? Destroy to force the government to accept your new model. Well done! and I hope that the juries can distinguish your opinions with the motivations that created the black November 16.
regards David Tapiaka Mangere New Zealand
Has anyone noticed how more articulate the defences are to the accusations ?
Dear Lepolo,
I loudly applaud your words of candour, vehemently denying your (and your fellow MPs)involvement with the events of 16/11. Contrary to what we had witnessed that very day, your denial is quite pathetic.
Obviously, you and your fellow MPs have not the backbones, to even own up to 16/11 — that unthinkable day!
Moreover, you went on to say: “November 16 reflect how much and how urgent people want the change or political reform to a new form of democratic government”.
Urgent in whose views: May I dare ask you?
Certainly, it was not the small segment of the Tongan populace who had gathered at Pangai Si’i. But it was you yourself, together with your cronies (fellow MPs) who had stood to benefit greatly from this regime change.
As an ordinary Tongan, what new benefits will I realize from this new form of government. For in my eyes, a perfect form of government is non-existent and nowhere to be found in our world. And, a government will only be as good as the people who run them.
You are a traitor to the cause of women. Instead of bringing on board some humanity to the political process, you unabashedly joined the men in their vendetta against Government. You became their “messenger boy”!
Where is the political savviness, we women thoroughout the ages, have always cultivated and cherished?
What I expect from you now are words of remorse. Furthermore, I suggest you tone down the rhetorics and get into immediate action - how to save yourself from your wretched ungrateful SELF.
Tu’a ‘Ofa Atu,
Tommie Ngia Finemotu’a Fakatau Kolukalu Fanga’uta Lagoon
David Tapiaka
Im the former GSM Network Engineer for Shoreline Communications mobile network and what happened in Tonga I would say, “what done cannot be undone”.
Im not a Politician but I know what I know and i know for sure, you know what you know, as so as with the MP Lepolo and vise versa.
In Engineering field and others, ‘Preventive Maintenance’ must be implemented to minimise or prevent future instability in the system. So in Tonga, Nov 16, outputted the result of mismanagement and lack of Preventive Maintenance.
I have to accept the ‘unexpected’ and prepare myself to accept the facts because ONLY God knows who is crying to survive, how many hairs we have and where Tonga is heading to, etc.
Faka’apa’apa atu Dan Foliaki Ngele’ia, Tongatapu.
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