Martha Taumata Faavae
Churches may end their non-intervention position and send in a delegation to make direct appeals to the political parties for an end to the current political standoff.
The Chairman of the National Council of Churches Reverend Kasiano Leaupepe said the churches are watching the run of political events closely.
Rev Leaupepe said that if the two political parties Faatuatua I le Atua Samoa Ua Tasi FAST and the Human Rights Protection Party HRPP do not resolve their political disagreements then the National Council of Churches will have to become involved.
“ At the moment we are waiting for the two political parties to come up with their own decisions on the issue but if no solution is forthcoming the Council may have to pay a visit to both parties to offer them some advice,” Rev Leaupepe as the chairman of the National Council of Churches NCC told Newsline
He reminded that this important period in the political history of the country is being closely monitored by the clergy.
“ We are not being idle, nor just observers on the side line. We are very much aware of everything that is going on.”
Rev Leaupepe is hopeful that as the two leaders both hail from the Atua district the solution to the deadlock should be easy for them to reach since they are kins even if from different poltical parties..
The NCC Chairman also called on the two leaders not to play out their Atua issues here, but to come up with solutions quickly.
He said the whole country is waiting impatiently as there are many issues like the COVID-19 Samoa is facing which are more important.
Rev Leaupepe is also concerned that churches are openly taking sides in the political crisis.
“ Churches are now fighting among themselves. A Catholic priest in his sermon has taken side with the FAST and the HRPP is in the wrong.
“A minister from another church has retaliated and said that the Catholic priest is wrong for preaching this in a sermon.”
“ My concern is that this may result in disunity among the churches as well.”
Rev Leaupepe said it is important for the leaders of the two parties to be humble and that there is no need for the matter to go to court.
Rev. Leaupepe is also a firm believer in the traditional ways of finding solutions within the culture and encouraged it durng a sermon he gave at the Tiafau Malae last Monday.
The Mulinu’u grounds that gave birth to Samoa’s independence brought together the chiefs and orators of Tumua and Pule in search of answers to the political differences between the two parties.
“ We should stop going to the court to make decisions on matters which could be solved by the village council,” Rev. Leaupepe pointed out.
He said the taking of the matters to court is going away from the traditional foundations of finding solutions through the culture and the leaders of both parties to keep that in mind.
“They should have respect for each other and must remember Samoa is founded on God and all authorities come from God.”
He also calls on all the Samoan people to remain peaceful.
