Solomons Ex Militant Commander claims responsibility for raids.
Updated
RAA former Commander of the Malaitan militant group in Solomon Islands has publicly claimed responsibility for the raids on police armouries prior to the June 2000 coup. Andrew Fioga has also declared that he was a founding member of the Malaita Eagle Force which fought against Guadalcanal militants during the ensuing ethnic conflict.
Presenter: Sam Seke
Speakers: Solomon Islands Environment Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo; Co-founder and former Commander of the Malaita Eagle Force militant group, Andrew Fioga; Speaker of Parliament, Sir Peter Kenilorea.
SEKE: This is the first time a former Malaitan combatant has actually come out to declare involvement in the raid on the Auki police armoury in Malaita province and the Rove police headquarters armoury in Honiara.
Andrew Fioga has also admitted his involvement in removing then prime minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu in June 2000 by force and installing Manasseh Sogavare as prime minister. He said these decisions were taken by the Malaita Eagle Force Supreme Council, not politicians. Mr Fioga made these admissions in response to calls by Environment Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo for Mr Sogavare to declare any involvement he had in the raids of the police armouries.
LILO: He as a leader of vision must now as a responsible leader clarify to the whole people of Solomon Islands are there any leaders involved in the planning and organisation of the raid of the armoury. Now the Prime Minister now when he moved the motion of no confidence made reference to some affidavit officially in a signed and sworn affidavit by some ex-militant, and even letters that alleges the involvement of the leader of the opposition in this particular organisation of the raid of the armoury.
SEKE: Solomon Islands Environment Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo.
But the former Malaita Eagle Force commander Andrew Fioga claimed Mr Sogavare had nothing to do with these raids.
FIOGA: I speak as a founder of the MEF, I speak as somebody who raided Auki, I speak as somebody who raided the Rove armoury. I'm not afraid to come out clearly to the nation and government, yes, I'm Andrew Fioga. And I'm sorry for what I've done because they've killed my father, he's innocent. So I had to pick up arms and when Harold Keke raided the Yandina armoury I said I would raid Auki. I don't like what Mr Lilo has indicated that Sogavare was involved in the raid on the armoury at Rove. Sorry our politicians had nothing to do with that raid. I was there. We raided the armoury and politicians had nothing to do with it. The MEF Supreme Council wanted somebody else as prime minister because Mr Ulufa'alu had failed to address the Malaitan's issues. So we installed Sogavare as a neutral person.
SEKE: Co-founder and the former commander of the Malaita Eagle Force militant group, Andrew Fioga.
One of those involved in trying to mediate and restore peace throughout the five-year ethnic conflict was current the Speaker of parliament Sir Peter Kenilorea and he commended Mr Fioga for his honesty.
KENILOREA: I think Andrew has been honest, obviously after the fact about his involvement, and that sort of involvement I think are now covered under the immunity that has been extended to members of MEF and IFM and the police force that have been decided by our parliament. And I think he's the only one who comes clear and honestly and tells the nation what he did and I just like his comments about reconciliation, it's important to him. Money does not matter necessarily as long as those who were involved in the death, apparent death of his father could be reconciled with him.
