Released on: September 18, 2008, 5:44 pm

Press Release Author: lynthomas

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Press Release Summary: The position of Prime Minister has not yet been settled in
Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. Emotions still run high behind closed doors and in
the Nakamals. Even in the lower arenas of the political scene emotions are boiling
over as would-be politicians come face to face with their failure to be reelected.


Press Release Body: It is now over two weeks since the voters cast their vote at the
polls, in the general election in Vanuatu, in the South Pacific. The Prime
Minister's position is still up for grabs as the political parties struggle back and
forth to form a coalition government, behind closed doors and in the Nakamals (local
kava bars). Yet, emotions run high and boil over, even in the lower levels of the
political scene.

September 16th is a holiday for people from the Penama province, a small group of
tropical islands in Vanuatu. It was also the day set aside for a peace ceremony
between the Vanuatu Agricultural and Technical Centre and Chief Molbarab, who was
aiming to be reelected. The Chief had counted on the votes from the Centre to
reelect him into office. When the votes did not materialize as promised, tension
quickly built up between the chief's family and the Centre. It was alleged the Chief
would place namele leaves at the door of the Centre, effectively closing the Centre
down.

Namele leaves from the Chief's Palm are the perfect deterrent. In the Vanuatu
culture, if two leaves are crossed and placed at the entrance to a business, the
staff will refuse, point blank, to enter the property. The business ceases to
operate, until such time as the dispute is cleared up.

Namele leaves and pig tusks are both seen on the Vanuatu flag. Pig tusks for wealth
and namele leaves for peace. However, the namele leaves have a dual purpose. They
are seen as a peace sign, as well as used as a very strong taboo. If a senior person
or family in a village feels they have an ownership to a particular fruiting tree,
all they have to do is to tie a namele leaf on the trunk. Should anyone dare to
partake of the fruit, they will be liable to a fine, imposed on them by the chief of
the village.

Two weeks ago, namele leaves were crossed over at the entrance to a dental clinic.
Even though patients turned up for their appointment, the clinic was forced to
remain closed until such time as the dispute was cleared up.

A chief, owner of a piece of land, placed several sets of crossed namele leaves
around the perimeter of the property. Six people were illegally using the land as
their village garden. The chief killed a pig over the top of the leaves, giving the
taboo of the leaves double strength. The offenders were ordered, by the chief, to
pay one pig each for their illegal use of the land. When the six offenders dared to
scoff at custom law, they were hauled off to be judged by white man's law.

The judge ruled that the offenders were banned from using the land, made to pay full
court costs for the defendant, plus still pay out one pig each to the chief.It is
hoped that there will be no more threats of crossed namele leaves, or the need for
more peace ceremonies, before the Vanuatu political scene returns to some sense of
normality.


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