Reconciliation between Fanafo Council and Vanuatu govt

A reconciliation over a conflict over four decades old has taken place in Vanuatu's north between local chiefs on Santo Island and the national government.

Paramount Chief Taribuluk and his Council of Fanafo Community on Santo have let go of their war clubs in front of Prime Minister Bob Loughman, to symbolise the end of their historical differences due to the Santo Rebellion in 1980.

Chief Taribuluk announced that their "differences have come to an end" with the visit of the prime minister and his delegation to the former Nagriamel Stronghold.

Mr Loughman was invited by the Fanafo council to the former Nagriamel Stronghold and given a custom name in a pig killing ceremony.

The Chief says this ends any ill-feeling over the arrests of Nagriamel Movement Leaders in 1980.

On the eve of independence on 30 July 1980 from over 70 years of British and French colonial rule, a seccessionist revolt in the north prompted Vanuatu's first Prime Minister, Father Walter Lini, to declare a State of Emergency.

The late Father Lini requested Papua New Guinea's former Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan, for immediate military intervention, to quell an eminent secession by the Nagriamel Movement that declared the short-lived Republic of Vemarana comprising 15 islands in Northern Vanuatu.

During the dilemma, the British and French each ordered their own marines and green berets on standby to assist their nationals, while the Kumul Force soldiers were rushed to Luganille Town on Santo to crush the rebellion, killing one of the sons of the Nagriamel Leader Jimmy Steven and arrested him and approximately one hundred rebel leaders who were armed with bows and arrows.

Since then peace has returned to Fanafo and the Nagriamel Movement is successfully participating in the political life of the country by electing its Councillors to the Sanma Provincial Government Council in Luganville and Members of Parliament to the National Parliament in Port Vila.

However, historically memories of political wounds have not been fully erased and Prime Minister Loughman has his own way of making sure that his Government applies the correct ingredients to heal historical wounds.

The Daily Post newspaper reports the Prime Minister as assuring Chief Taribuluk of his wish to return to Fanafo before July this year without elaborating on the reason for his visit.