Experience of Guadalcanal tension drives Solomon Islands woman

Transcript

A Solomon Islands provincial assembly member says her own experience during the conflict on Guadalcanal drives her to help the women of the province.

Ileen Sulukonina was elected to the Guadalcanal Provincial Assembly three years ago - the first and only woman representative on the body.

She spoke to Sally Round at a recent gathering of Pacific women leaders in Rarotonga about some of the issues women face there starting with her own story of surviving the tensions which engulfed the province.

ILEEN SULUKONINA: They burnt our houses, they chased us, and we ran away. And after all I left my partner. Because of the tensions my husband cannot get back to me and my child. When she was two years old she got trauma about the tension. And I lost him (husband), and it really affected me as a woman in Guadalcanal. So from these things I've seen that it's very difficult what women in Guadalcanal are facing today. I have to go for it and fight the battle to save the women in Guadalcanal and the children, especially youth. And today I'm proud to say that when I'm in the government, in the assembly, I was elected as the Minister for Women, Youth and Sports. And I tried my best to implement and put in what would get the youth back in sport and the women back to be one. And even the children, what is the activity that is going to really get them back from the tensions?

SALLY ROUND: Because there's still a lot of trauma in the community?

IS: Yes. In my village some of the people are in the middle of the bush because they feel that we are still not safe because now we're only safe and protected when RAMSI is in Guadalcanal. It's a question - if RAMSI goes back to their country and the time is over, what's next? And it's a a very big question. The government has to assure us and settle the people's minds.

SR: The question of violence against women, is that an issue that you are trying to bring to the fore in your role?

IS: Violence against women in Guadalcanal is very high. Due to illiteracy, not just of women, but men, as well. Because of not understanding well, the women - what are their rights, their freedom - and another contribution to violence against women is climate change. Before, in my area, there's no rain. Today, the climate change has been rising. And you just can't believe the women getting pregnant year after year. Because they can't go anywhere so they just live in the house and... (Laughs)

SR: Climate change is contributing?

IS: Yeah, because it's raining and they can't go out. Everybody just lives in the house and makes many babies. We think climate change only affects other things, but, no, it really affects the women, as well.

SR: What would you say is the number one issue?

IS: The number one issue in our area is people are very illiterate. They can't understand anything. So you say Guadalcanal should be a well-developed province, but if the government says 'Make the road go around the village'. [They say] 'No, no, no. This is my land. Don't come here'. So that shows that they're illiterate. If they understand about services then they will allow everything. But it shows that we are illiterate. They need more education so that they can read and understand things, to open up their minds and understand things. I think the young people would be the best people now (to focus on), because the old people, it's already gone. So we have to start now to educate our young youths and the children, so that it's a new generation, new future, new decisions.