13 Nov 2006

Samoa matai takes village ban to court

1:10 pm on 13 November 2006

A talking chief or an orator in Samoa has sought Lands and Titles court ruling against a ban imposed on his family by the village council of Safa'ato'a in Lefaga district last week.

Fiauiva'a Ausage and his family were ordered to leave the village by last Monday or their house would be burnt.

The ban was imposed after the family rejected an order to stop running a Seventh Day Adventist church in the village.

But police intervened when the family had sought assistance from the local victims support group.

The village council met over the weekend and decided to accept the challenge by the matai against the ban.

Meanwhile, Fauiva'a and his family are still residing in the village