SAMOA – A Samoa Member of Parliament has made a public apology in Parliament for the incident that injured several police officers and affected the public when young men from a village in his electorate blocked a public road this week.

The incident stemmed from a rugby game last Saturday, where a youth from Luatuanu‘u village was beaten by several youths of Falefa village at the rugby match.

In retaliation, the youths of Luatuanu‘u set up a road block on the main road to vent their anger on Monday morning disrupting traffic.

Police were called in to assist and were forced to use protective combat gear such as vests, helmets and shields during the violence.

The MP for Anoama‘a West, Fonotoe Pierre Lauofo, who is from Luatuanu‘u village, apologised in parliament.

“That matter has been sorted between the villages involved, and I apologise to the country for this,” Fonotoe said.

Police were called in to break up the roadblock on Monday and a stone throwing stand-off injured seven police officers who tried to keep the situation calm.

The Village Councils of Luatuanuu and Falefa villages have since been helping the police idnetify the young men wanted in relation the violence that started at a rugby match last Saturday and boiled over to the road block on Monday.

This follows reconciliation between the villages of Luatuanu‘u, Lufilufi, Solosolo and Falefa at Luatuanu‘u on Wednesay which a contingent of senior police officers attended.

The reconciliation started with the traditional ava ceremony and the speeches acknowledging the grace of God in bringing peace and understanding.

The village representatives assured the police of their support and assistance to ensure the law takes its course following the incident that they said was mainly sparked by the youth of their villages.

The village chiefs of Luatuanu‘u assured the police that they would gather the aumaga – the untitled youths – and send them down to the police station for the police investigations.

The chiefs pointed out that the whole village did not take any part in the dispute – it was only a few young people that stirred up the incident.

However, High Chief Luafalealo Ah Tong of Luatuanu‘u took issue over the strong words used by Samoa’s Prime Minister in his reaction to the incident.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi earlier said he wanted to know where the chiefs and orators were while the young men were blocking the road – and he likened the young men’s behaviour to that of dogs.

He also banned Luatuanu‘u’s rugby teams from taking part in any further rugby tournament and inferred that the young men from the village would not be considered for overseas employment schemes.

During the reconciliation, one of the matais called on their village rugby club president and representative on the Samoa Rugby Union to request a reconsideration from the prime minister who is also chairman of the Samoa Rugby Union.

The Prime Minister, who is also the Minister for Police, acknowledged the apology and emphasised that the incident has highlighted the security and safety for police officers and Samoa.

He said police have the power to use arms and use weapons if needed to protect themselves.

He made reference to America where police always resort to weapons as a solution, and acknowledged the patience and restraint shown by his police not to use weapons to protect themselves.

“What is important is that no one died from this incident,” Tuilaepa said. - PNC