22 Jul 2002

About 500 people have attended a reconciliation ceremony in Honiara

9:43 am on 22 July 2002

About 500 people have witnessed a reconciliation ceremony in Honiara between two tribes from North Malaita and five tribes from North and Northeast Guadalcanal.

The ceremony was held to end the enmity between the two groups following the killing, during the ethnic conflict in Solomon Islands, of a man from north Malaita.

During the ceremony, the people exchanged gifts of cash, shell money and food.

Representatives of the tribes said the reconciliation ceremony ended the hatred between the groups and they looked forward to resuming their friendly relations