Editor,


I am less confident that the proposal set forth by Mr Christopher Harder will resolve anything in the current as well as the future political situation of Tonga. To be sure, I do believe in apologizing and forgiveness in response. However, to think that an apology from all parties involved in the heinous crimes of 16/11 and a pardon from the King of Tonga will rectify the current political situation in Tonga is unavoidably laughable.

It is indeed the responsibility of any government in the world to prevent the reign of anarchy - the kind that we saw on 16/11 - by maintaining law and order in the land. To do so, they must bring to justice all those accused of law breaking. Therefore, to ask for mercy from the King seems to me to be an appropriate course of action once those convicted of 16/11 crimes have been already declared guilty by a Law Court. It is ridiculous to get those accused of 16/11 to apologize when they have not yet been proven either guilty or innocent in a Law Court. Once they are proven guilty then, it would be a matter of leniency on the King if he may choose to grant them mercy given they have appealed to him for that extra-judicial benefit.

However, it seems plausible that if justice cannot be established in the case of 16/11, we should expect more of these kinds of irresponsible actions to occur in the future. Indeed, it sounds as if 'Akilisi is already planning another one of those, well ahead of the coronation ceremony. In that case, a pardon from the King will not deter future wrong actions of this kind but only serves to heighten them.

If mercy can be expected to be so easily granted by the King, then it is only logical for those convicted to think, 'Let us do evil all the more so that mercy may abound'. Hence, let the Law Court decide first before an appeal for mercy from the King is to be made. Judging, however, from the urgent tone of Mr Harder's proposal, it seems that those responsible for 16/11 may have come to the realization of the possibility of them being proven guilty for their crimes. For the PRs directly involved, there is a real possibility of loosing their chance of being in government if the new political system is implemented. It also sounds as if 'Akilisi is trading this one for a plan to disrupt the coronation ceremony of King George V.

It is my prayer that he would refrain from playing this childish game of trading one wrong action for another. Two wrongs do not cancel each other. They only make matters worse for all parties involved. This is why the Bible insisted that there is a Day of Judgment in which God will put every matter under the sun, in the right. Otherwise, if crooks can get away with it, we should all become crooks for there is ultimately no sensible reason for being different.

Faka'apa'apa atu,

Rev Dr Ma'afu Palu