IT has come to our shocking attention in recent weeks that there is an increased number of robberies, break and enters, home invasions and attacks on Chinese business owners. More worrying is that these criminals are armed with knives and other weapons, as well as rock throwing. Innocent and peace-loving Chinese are being hurt in these incidences. We also understand that other innocent individuals were also targeted and fell victims to these criminal activities.
We call on the Commissioner of Police to increase police patrols and always maintain a high visibility. What is surprising is that all these criminal activities happened during curfew hours.
Obviously, the enforcement of the curfew restrictions is lacking somewhere.
On top of this, the most recent incident involving a group of some 40 men robbed and assaulted a Chinese business owner causing grievous bodily harm using knives and happened almost adjacent to the China Town Police Post.
Despite the horrendous sufferings endured by mostly the Chinese business community, and the losses incurred, during the recent riots, lootings, and burnings, we continue to support Solomon Islanders in need and the Government’s efforts with their Covid 19 responses.
Chinese businesses contributed generously and swiftly again recently when the call by the Honourable Prime Minister to provide foodstuffs for peoples’ livelihood. Our members risk their own, and that of their family’s health and safety, to collect and deliver these much-needed foodstuff.
As disheartening as these recent incidences are, we continue to believe that the majority of Solomon Islanders are peace loving and God-fearing people and can be assured of our continual support whenever and wherever possible, as we have demonstrated time and time again over many decades, even during our country’s darkest moments in history.
Therefore, we call on all peace loving and law-abiding citizens as well as residents to support us in our call to condemn these sorts of criminal activities in the strongest possible terms, and report anyone that you are aware who are involved, to the Police for their investigation and hopefully leading to arrests and convictions.
We now need to, more than any time before, to channel all our energy and resources in supporting each other in the fight against Covid 19, and not on any criminal activities at all.
May God continue to bless Solomon Islands and all its people from shore to shore.
SOLOMON ISLANDS CHINESE ASSOCIATION PRESS STATEMENT
