Who will pay

for the damage?

A seaplane arrived at Nanumea Island about early August 1943 carrying British and American officials. They informed the people that U.S. forces would arrive within a week and the people had to move to another islet, “Lake na”. The people, under the leadership of my father (Fati), were stunned but at last they agreed to move.

To help the war was fair enough but the main question was, why there was no com pensation for the vast damage done to the whole island, chapel and, worse still, the loss of 63 lives. The high death rate continued until 1950, due to the lack of local food supply.

People lived mostly on K and C rations and food offered by kind soldiers.

It was reported 31,493 coco nut trees were destroyed, not

including the hundreds taken away by the heavy current from the incomplete ship passage and almost a hundred acres taken away in the last 40 years. 1100 breadfruit trees were also destroyed.

The whole settlement was completely destroyed, the church hit by day bombing, leaving a concrete foundation still to be seen today. The church took ten years to build with hand tools, so it was precious to us and it was the biggest church in the group. A temporary repair was made after the Yankees left but a permanent repair will take place shortly.

It was reported $7,981 was given as compensation, which was nut true. It was for replan ting, people got ten shillings for each coconut seedling planted, but due to the concrete surface

of the airfield, people were mostly uninterested. The other half was to buy an islet in Fiji, but this failed. Therefore all the money was put into colony fund instead of given to the very people concerned.

New Zealand claimed ten million dollars compensation from France for the sinking of the Green Peace vessel by two Frenchmen and a loss of one life. So how about the destruc tion of our main settlement, the great death rate and miserable lives of the people during that period?

The effect of the occupation

continues. Strong currents from the incomplete passage still carry away heaps of soil and trees, the airfield is still in decay.

We need the money to improve the passage or dig up the airfield for replanting and re building. But we cannot bring back to life those who died.

The Americans are the very people we are after for this vast destruction. If America says “no”, we will turn to Russia.

Telavi Fati

Tefolaha Community Centre, Funafuti, Tuvalu.