Banabans Were Ready For

Violence To Get Justice

By a Staff Writer

Prompt action, tact and persuasion on the part of Mr. R.

L. Hughes, British District Officer at Savusavu, Fiji, helped to prevent an outbreak of violence involving several hundred islanders on nearby Rabi Island on April 14.

THE islanders, who are Banabans from Ocean Island, the immensely rich phosphate island, had threatened to murder several of their countrymen, to burn down buildings and to deport a British official on Rabi.

The incident —news of which has hitherto been hushed up—was the culmination of nearly 20 years of Banaban resentment, anger and bitter ness against the British Government over its treatment of them.

The Banabans, of whom there are now nearly 2,000, were resettled on Rabi after World War II because their own island (from which the Japanese had deported them) was too war-dam aged to be reoccupied immediately.

Rabi had been bought for the Banabans by the British Government in 1942 against the day when the Ocean Island phosphate deposits were exhausted.

Banaban Money

The island was bought with Bana ban money—money that had been set aside from royalties paid to the Banabans by the British Phosphate Commission which works the Ocean Island deposits.

In resettling the Banabans on Rabi, the British Government promised— among many other things—that the transfer would in no way affect any rights to land that the Banabans owned on Ocean Island.

It also arranged for the appoint ment of an official known as the Banaban Adviser to live with and advise the Banabans on all matters connected with their social and economic advancement. The current Banaban Adviser is Mr. Paul Laxton.

However, the Banabans have never been entirely happy in their new home.

Within six months of their arrival in December, 1945, there was an out break of lawlessness instigated by the Banabans’ leader, Rotan Tito, which was aimed, apparently, at attracting attention to their troubles.

The result was an inquiry by Mr.

P. D. Macdonald, then Assistant Colonial Secretary in Fiji, and Mr.

H. E. Maude, First Assistant Secre tary to the Western Pacific High Commission, both of whom had served on Ocean Island before the war.

The inquiry found that the Bana bans had much to complain about on the scores of land rights on Ocean Island and Rabi, phosphate payments, health facilities, inadequate housing and lack of food; and comprehensive suggestions were made on what should be done to rectify the situation.

Some of the suggestions, it appears, were carried out, but others were not; and new resentment against the Gov ernment has been building up among the Banabans over the last few years.

Neglected

The Banabans have particularly re sented the fact that although they have not been part of the Gilbert and Ellice Island Colony since 1945 and have been paying taxes to the Fiji Government since then, the British Phosphate Commission pays a royalty of 23/- a ton to the GEIC Govern ment on all phosphate mined from their island, while they, themselves, get only 2/8 a ton.

The Banabans have also felt that both the GEIC Government and the Fiji Government have neglected them, and that the Banaban Adviser is of little help to them.

Their resentment over these things finally came to a head on the morning of April 14 when between 300 and 400 men, armed with spears, knives and clubs, marched to the public hall on Rabi intent on violence to attract attention to their plight.

At the meeting, the Banabans de cided to: • Kill several of their countrymen who had supported the Banaban Ad viser. • Burn down the Banaban Ad viser’s house and office, and deport him across the narrow strait to Napuka on Vanua Levu, with a warn ing that he would be hurt if he re turned to Rabi.

However, before these acts could

be carried out, a radio messi brought District Officer Hug speeding to Rabi from Savusavu, ; he and others, after arguing with armed men all day, finally persua. them to lay down their arms.

In doing so, Mr. Hughes promi to ask the Fiji and GEIC Gove ments and the Western Pacific H Commission to treat the Banal situation as one of urgency ; gravity.

However, to the beginning August, nothing had been done, ; when the Banabans heard that a P representative was visiting Fiji, tl leader, Rotan Tito, chairman of Rabi Island Council, sent his son fr Rabi to Suva to see him.

Rotan’s son, the Rev. Tebuke Rot of the Methodist Church on R begged PIM to give publicity to wretched and worsening plight of countrymen on Rabi.

Tebuke said that the Banabans w angry because it was from Pi and not fro m the Governm that they had first heard of agreement between the British PI phate Commission and the GI Government to increase the exti tJ on rate of phosphate at Ocean Isl; from 310,000 tons a year to 350,' tons (PIM, July, p. 8).

Great Poverty

He said that since the Banah had moved to Rabi, the GEIC pec pretended to forget that the Banah were the rightful owners of the 1 on Ocean Island, and were depriv them of their “rightful place as s recipients of all Ocean Island pi phate monies.”

Meanwhile, the Banabans on R were suffering great poverty and cc not get the educational facilities t: wanted. Only 10 Banaban child were able to attend the higher scho in Suva, while many people w heavily in debt to the co-opera store on Rabi—so much so that credit had been stopped.

Tebuke added: “We Banabans Rabi have always followed the ri channels in our efforts to get jus; from the British Government. N our people look on the British G ernment as a great enemy and worthy of their trust, and you ■ say that I said so”.

FOOTNOTE : In June, the roy* paid to the people of Nauru for pH nhate mined on their island by British Phosphate Commission v increased from 3/8 to 13/6 a ton 1964- and to 17/6 a ton 1965- The BPC also pays aim all administration costs on Nauru