MONO TRIBES QUESTIONED MEDIA REPORTS ON LOGGING ACTIVITIES

Simea and Baumana Karoa Tribes of Mono Island have questioned newspaper reports about logging related issues the island is experiencing and say the tribes condemn the reports.

A newspaper article reported five landowners in Mono were subject to police investigation last week and this caused a row between landowners and community members of Mono Island on Friday. The report also said the row resulted in the death of one land owner.

But a Boaz Kevara of Simea Tribe says the report is inaccurate, and only two land owners were investigated and attacked by the opposing party.

“It’s not five as stated in the media like the article I red yesterday and that’s a false statement being made. It’s only two people who were then helped by a landowner from Shortlands to Mono, in which the incident happened and it’s not a fight between two parties but it was the attackers who tried to attack the landowner from Shortland.”

Meanwhile, the Simea Tribe member says he calls on the media to practice professional reporting.

“The media you are just taking reports but I have witnessed it myself and have just arrived in Honiara and so I advise you to stop misleading the people of Mono in the Shortland islands.”

SIBC News understands the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force has deployed a further patrol to Mono Island this afternoon.