29 Mar 2011

Solomons reconciliation after fatal August shooting by RAMSI force

7:05 pm on 29 March 2011

A reconciliation ceremony has been held in Solomon Islands between the government, the Regional Assistance Mission and the family of the man who died after Tongan soldiers fired shots during a callout in Honiara last August.

Several hundred people took part in the traditional ceremony in the home village of the shooting victim Harry Lolonga on Guadalcanal's Weathercoast.

The Deputy Special Coordinator of RAMSI, Mary Thurston, says offerings were made as part of the official process.

"So RAMSI put forward contributions to assist the family of the deceased. We put forward money to pay for construction materials for the family's home on the Weather Coast and we also put forward money towards education costs for several of the deceased's children who have yet to complete their schooling."

Mary Thurston of RAMSI

The Solomons Director of Public Prosecutions says he'll be giving his opinion on how the case should proceed to police later this week.

Tonga didn't allow local forces to question the two Tongan RAMSI officers involved in the shooting and they subsequently left the country.