Archbishop Tutu launching Solomon Islands reconcialation commission
Updated
World renowned South African church leader, Nobel Prize winner and peace advocate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrives in Solomon Islands on Tuesday. The now retired Archbishop Tutu has been invited to launch the Government's Truth and Reconciliation Commission Inquiry into the ethnic conflict in the country.
Presenter Sam Seke
Speaker: Solomon Islands Ministry of National Unity Reconciliation and Peace spokeswoman Joy Kere
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SEKE: There's a lot of excitement in the Honiara, surrounding the arrival of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with people from the provinces flocking to the capital to see the Nobel Prize winner. Solomon Islands is going through a healing process after five years of ethnic conflict which ended in 2003 with the intervention of the Regional Assistance Mission. Archbishop Tutu has plenty of experience in this area, he chaired South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, widely credited for helping heal a country bitterly divided down racial lines after decades of apartheid. The official launch of the Solomon Islands own Truth and Reconciliation Commission happens tomorrow, when Archbishop Tutu will address the Parliament. Permanent Secretary for National Unity and Reconciliation, Joy Kere, says the involvement of Archbishop Tutu gives credibility, hope and encouragement to Solomon Islands' own peace process.
KERE: Because of his credibility and his reputation as a world leader in the area of peace and a person important in reconciliation processes and his experience. His visit is very important in that our own process in Solomon Islands will also gain much. The fact that he has accepted the invitation to come here obviously speaks volumes. It's an encouragement to our own people here that our efforts are based on world international standards as well, while it remains relevant to the context of Solomon Islands'. So it will really boost our national reconciliation process for Solomon Islands and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
SEKE: Mrs Kere says Solomon Islands should benefit from Archbishop Tutu's advice and experience in setting up its Commission of Inquiry.
KERE: Based on his experiences, of course, he will be a very sort of first hand person who can give us advice as well and he can advise us on what lessons we can also learn from South Africa's experience, so we can adapt or we can learn and may be improve on our own processes here in the Solomon Islands. We have much to learn from the advice that we are looking forward to receiving from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
SEKE: The Commission will have three months of preparation after its launch on Wednesday, and one year to conduct inquiries, but there's provision under the Act to extend for another year if needed. Mrs Kere says the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is established under a different Act of Parliament, so the final report should fully reflect its findings and recommendations.
KERE: The Honiara rights of course is under the Commission of Inquiry, under the Prime Minister's jurisdiction, whereas the Truth and Reconciliation Commission the biggest difference is that it is established under a Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, a separate act. Thereby the report and the recommendations will be a separate report altogether and that will be presented by the Commission. So the Commission itself is apolitical, it is a non-judicial, but yet a formal mechanism that is outside of Government and outside of hopefully political influence, because it has it's own separate act, piece of legislation that underpins its work.
SEKE: Archbishop Tutu is also expected to hold talks with the inquiry commissioners, national leaders and address public rallies before he leaves Friday.
