By Mataeliga Pio Sioa
America’s proud democracy was shamed by an angry mob who stormed the nation’s political seat of power in Washington and literally took over.
Duly elected leaders of arguably the most powerful country in the world hid in fear of their very lives as the rampaging horde broke through.
The stunned world sat back and watched live on television as the infamy unfolded.
We saw it too from Samoa.
What we now know is the mob were supporters of former President Trump. The violence blamed an angry Trump who incited his supporters with claims of election fraud.
Despite repeated court rulings to reject the accusations, it did not stop his demented followers from going berserk inside the Congress Building.
Thoughts of a similar turn of election related violence in the streets of Apia or in the villages with our general elections coming up were at first glancing – in and out, bye bye.
Unfortunately, events of the past few weeks have left an uncomfortable nag to linger. Warning alarms were tingling quietly at the start when the rebellious FAST MPs decided to go vote hunting without regard to their sworn duties to attend Parliament sessions.
For most of last week they canvassed selected villages in Savaii trying to win over the voters by bad mouthing Government.
Sale of customary land to China was reportedly made among other claims to denounce the current leadership.
Sweet talk flowed freely as well with even sweeter promises of a better and easier life awaits when they take over the running of Government.
While FAST were sowing discontent in Savaii, Parliament sang the praises of Government freely from start to finish without any objections.
The objectors were busy singing their own praises in the villages and slinging mud at Government.
All is fair in love and war perhaps.
What about the angry chiefs and orators of Saleaula? What is fair about the proud name of the village shamed by vote luring rhetoric?
Village families are now threatened with serious consequences if any of their members, in and outside Samoa, are found to add more humiliation to the good name of Saleaula.
Weeks before FAST went to Savaii, they were banned from setting up their election billboards inside several villages in Upolu.
The decision was by the chiefs and orators of these villages.
What is now starting to emerge is a clear division along political party lines in the villages. Yes it is not new but it has not been as pronounced and clear-cut as it has now been fired up to become frighteningly contentious.
This is probably new ground for many of the villages and if the Saleaula angry reaction is a yard stick to go by then we maybe slipping into very very sensitive territory.
With the church ‘faifeau’ straying into election politics against their calling of faith, pray it will not add fuel to the fire.
As the count narrows down to polling day in April the tension builds to breaking point right up to the winning count.
The kind of bad air worked up in the pre-election build up with only a few weeks left to go is quite frankly cause for serious concern.
If it is not too late then it is time to tone the bad, inflammatory election rhetoric down. Admittedly most are being inflamed from outside Samoa through the social media.
The honest truth is the conflicting village reactions and church leadership intrusion into the politics of state is an inflammable formula for chaos and instability that is a growing worry.
Culture and state are the foundation of political stability for Samoa. Mess that up and they are liable to crumble and fall on all our heads.
Finger pointing is not going to absolve anyone from blame when our proud stable democracy is left in ruins by blind, vengeful, unbridled political ambition.
Lets keep that in mind. Seriously.
Lord we think we have a looming problem.