Transcript
ISAAC WORWOR: The idea was to address the issue of crimes and killings in Port Vila. They came up with the idea to hold a peaceful march through the town and to include all stakeholders. Then they approached me as the chairman of the town councils, also as the president of the Malvatumauri and the acting CEO. And then we came about that if we address the issue as a national issue then I think it's better for one of the councils, Port Vila town council or the Malvatumauri, to address the issue as a national issue with the government.
DOMINIC GODFREY: So the violence that's been happening in the capital, in Port Vila, has that been internecine fighting between different people moving into Port Vila from outer islands?
IW: There have been a number of killings in the past and our kastom in Vanuatu, when there has been a killing or there is a crime, we have to address it in the kastom and also the rule of law. Like, you can take the issue to the Supreme Court or the Magistrate's Court.
DG: So how does the kastom differ from the law? Or is it the same? Is the law based on customary traditions?
IW: The kastom is there to make sure that there is a peace between the two communities, before or after, but the real incident, the real action, is going to be dealt with by the law. If somebody's dead it's simple, the law has to come in to penalise who did the action, but the kastom has to also come in to make sure we always have peace.
DG: So the kastom addresses the rift between the two groups of people?
IW: Yes, the two communities yeah.
DG: So in the past in Port Vila, has the strife, has the fighting and violence been happening with ni-Vanuatu from different parts of the country?
IW: It's been happening between all communities who come from the islands to find a job or to find something in town or school or something. There has sometimes been fighting when they use drugs like alcohol or fought in a nightclub or something and there's a fight and sometimes they end up dead.
DG: So this walk tomorrow, this march through Port Vila, how many people are you expecting?
IW: If the turnout is good and people understand what it's about, we should be expecting half a thousand people.
DG: And what are the messages that you're trying to get out to people who are coming to the walk and the people that might be witnessing the march as well?
IW: At the chiefs' Nakamal we'll be asking the government if it can strengthen the criminal laws, the drug laws and other things like that. Also, we'll be signing an agreement between every island Council of Chiefs who lives in Port Vila to tell their population in Port Vila that if anyone committed a killing or crime there is a kastom to be in place there, that he can put in place the kastom when the incidents happen.
The march will start at 8 o'clock Friday morning at the Anchor Inn and proceed through the main town to the Chiefs nakamal where speeches and 'kastom' ceremonies will be performed.
