Martha Taumata Faavae.
The Chairman of the National Council of Churches is calling for the leaders of the country and the people of Samoa to show that Samoa is truly a Christian country.
The call came at the sad turn of events last week when members of the Human Rights Protection Party HRPP were denied entry into Parliament House by order of the Speaker of the House while members were in session.
There was a strong presence of the Police in front of the Parliament Building to make certain the members of the HRPP did not enter Parliament House.
Politics turned on its head last Tuesday when opposition elected members of the HRPP were stopped while walking ahead of its supporters on the main road at Muliunu’u to attend the opening of Parliament and to be sworn-in.
While they were forced to escape the hot morning sun under shades of trees along the side of the road, only members of the Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa Ua Tasi FAST Party were allowed clear passage into Parliament.
On Wednesday the HRPP members again tried to enter Parliament and ended up bunched up in the hot sun in front of the Parliament House.
Church leaders tried to intervene through a delegation led by the Chairman of the National Council of Churches to both parties at Mulinu’u.
The Archbishop of the Catholic Church made an “ ifoga” a traditional apology that saw the church leader Alapati Lui Mata’eliga covered with a fine mat in front of the government building at the Eleele Fou with a group of priests and catechists down on their knees in the hot afternoon sun.
On the same day Samoa also saw a church minister, Pastor Bismarck Tamati, kneel before on duty police officers to plead for HRPP entry.
Chairman of the National Council of Churches Reverend Kasiano Leaupepe sermonised while leading the delegation of church leaders at the scene of controversy that they were brought there by the Holy Spirit to take action.
He believed that if God had not stood with Samoa the political situation would have been much worse and could have led to violence.
“We had no intention to be part of the political fight but we felt the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Rev Leaupepe told Newsline.
“It was God’s time because the cultural ways of solving problems had failed and not accepted by government. So we could not sit back.”
Reverend Leaupepe said Samoa is a Christian country and this is the image our people and leaders advocate all the time.
He added that if Samoa is truly a Christian country then the leaders of the parties and the party supporters should display these values.
“ Our leaders should be role models for these values.”
These values include peace, forgiveness, being merciful, and love for others. God would also like leaders to accept criticism he added.
“ We want Samoa to be a peaceful country not a chaotic country. We want you the leaders to be role models for the whole country. They must forgive each other.
Leaupepe said that they wanted to give this message to both parties but they were only able to reach the HRPP members who were outside of the Parliament House.
Rev Leaupepe believes that God’s answer came through the court decision. He added that the swearing in ceremony for the HRPP members on Friday was a relief for everyone.
“ It was a day that showed the might of God. It was a day that tears were shed because peace has been achieved and members of both parties were greeting, hugging and shaking hands with each other. This was a wonderful scene.”
Rev Leaupepe also calls for forgiveness in families, villages and churches which have rifted because of political beliefs.
He appealed for politics to be left to our elected representatives and for the supporters to pray for them and not to incite hatred.
“ Samoa is a Christian country. This is in vain if our behaviour and ways show we are of Satan.”
Rev Leaupepe also reminded that it is important for the Church and the servants of God to be independent and not involved in politics.