Chaos

Questions asked not very good answers

Posted by: Samiuela LV Taufa on December 28, 2006 12:07:44 PM

The long line of complaints about Government handling of the riots has begun, and government has been found wanting.

The papers are reporting suit brought by community members 'black-listed' by the military which includes prevention of those on the list from access to several places including ports (airports, wharves) and some of the restricted areas.

Unfortunately the High Court has not found legal rationale for the continuing guilty without trial nature of the black list and when clarification from the Police/Military was sought as to any form of evidence that should prevent these people from free movement, none was available apart from "they're associated with the events of November 16." Well, that's saying a lot.

I wonder how many people are going to be willing to take government to court on these November 16th mistreatments, and how well Government will allow the "rule of law" to precide, or will we have some retroactive legislation before parliament sits again.

When I first heard of 'Ofa Simiki being prevented from going to the airport, my first thought was, man these Democratic Leaders are toothless. I thought to myself then that the first thing to do was for someone to buy an air ticket, get detained/returned from attempting to go to the airport and then sue the Government to test the legality of these matters. Great to see that those who were with guts were not really interested in the politics of the thing ('Aivi Puloka et. al.) and were really more interested in just continuing to live.

As mentioned to me numerous times by a Palangi friend, the laws in this country are more than enough as a starting block for full democracy. We just need to see greater enforcement both on the general public, and goverment agents. It's been proven out in Newspaper fiascos a couple of years back, here it is again with this Black List. Most interesting to note, Government lost this case and there was no Clive Edwards in sight (so, you all may be wrong in your presumptions that Clive was the one pushing government on those lawsuits against people whilst he was amongst them.)

Seriously folks, if we're ever going to get out of the feudal system we're in now, it isn't a matter of just changing government, we seriously have to get rid of this behavioural status quo where if we think its right then so be it. Let's not merely replace government agents with those of our own with worse if not similar modus operandi. If we're in need of behavioural change, let's do it now whilst transitioning all of us to behave within the "rule of law" and not as some, to manipulate the "law" to do as we choose to "rule."

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Chaos

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Questions asked not very good answers