Human rights and Elections - Samoa
Letter published Samoa Observer 30 May 2010
Human rights and Elections
Dear Editor,
Samoa’s record for upholding human rights is not a good one for the world to see, as demonstrated in the recent by-elections.
Whilst full marks can be given for ensuring these elections were peaceful, reports of banishment being used to threaten non-compliant families (those who do not vote as dictated to by select matais of a village) earn Samoa zero marks in my assessment.
It is un-democratic, unchristian and un-constitutional because the individual over 21 years is denied the freedom to choose a candidate they see fit in their informed mind to represent them in Parliament.
Why is it that in some villages, adults (over 21) are being treated as if the senior matais of the village can do their thinking and make their decisions for them? It is even worse when you find out that the victims are matais themselves or are very well informed people.
I know that bribing at the village level by particular political parties is a possible factor in the behaviours of some senior matais. But this is not legal. How many more court cases are needed to bring the point home?
Why does there have to be expensive court cases when the twenty-first century Samoan has had the most education (including the tofa mamao and tofa loloto taught by our forebears) to correct what is wrong?
Denying the freedom for adults to vote for the election candidate of one’s choice is wrong.
Denying the opportunity for us Samoan adults overseas to participate in Samoa’s general elections is also wrong. The twenty-first century leaders of Samoa should not let funding shortage as an excuse to deny our constitutional and political rights as active contributers to Samoa’s economy.
Why not use some of the many millions of aid money given to Samoa to at least give us that right?
Samoa cannot go back to the pre- adult universal suffrage years. She can only move forward to ensure full political participation of her people.
Ia manuia sauniuniga mo faiga palota i le 2011.
Ma lo’u fa’aaloalo lava.
Meripa Olive Weir – Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad.
Human rights and Elections
Dear Editor,
Samoa’s record for upholding human rights is not a good one for the world to see, as demonstrated in the recent by-elections.
Whilst full marks can be given for ensuring these elections were peaceful, reports of banishment being used to threaten non-compliant families (those who do not vote as dictated to by select matais of a village) earn Samoa zero marks in my assessment.
It is un-democratic, unchristian and un-constitutional because the individual over 21 years is denied the freedom to choose a candidate they see fit in their informed mind to represent them in Parliament.
Why is it that in some villages, adults (over 21) are being treated as if the senior matais of the village can do their thinking and make their decisions for them? It is even worse when you find out that the victims are matais themselves or are very well informed people.
I know that bribing at the village level by particular political parties is a possible factor in the behaviours of some senior matais. But this is not legal. How many more court cases are needed to bring the point home?
Why does there have to be expensive court cases when the twenty-first century Samoan has had the most education (including the tofa mamao and tofa loloto taught by our forebears) to correct what is wrong?
Denying the freedom for adults to vote for the election candidate of one’s choice is wrong.
Denying the opportunity for us Samoan adults overseas to participate in Samoa’s general elections is also wrong. The twenty-first century leaders of Samoa should not let funding shortage as an excuse to deny our constitutional and political rights as active contributers to Samoa’s economy.
Why not use some of the many millions of aid money given to Samoa to at least give us that right?
Samoa cannot go back to the pre- adult universal suffrage years. She can only move forward to ensure full political participation of her people.
Ia manuia sauniuniga mo faiga palota i le 2011.
Ma lo’u fa’aaloalo lava.
Meripa Olive Weir – Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad.
posted by Meripa Weir at 12:35 PM
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