Jimmy Stevens is free

JIMMY Stevens, the leader of the 1980 anti-Independence rebellion on Santo, has been released from prison outside Port Vila after 11 years.

Stevens founded the Nagriemel Move ment, Vanuatu’s first major political

organisation, in 1969. He led a movement of parties in 1980 which declared the islands of Santo and Tanna independent, renaming them Vemarana and Tafea. But Vanuatu gained Indepen dence on July 30, 198 Q, and Papua New Guinea troops put down the rebellion by the end of August, 1980.

Prime Minister Walter Lini said Stevens’s release during celebrations on Aug ust 18 this year was to mark

Vanua’aku Party’s 20th anniversary.

Last year, the former secretary general of the ruling Vanua’aku Party, Barak Sope, called for Stevens’ release as a goodwill gesture on the country’s 10 anniversary of independence. Stevens has been sick.

Radio Vanuatu said that supporters of the Nagriemel Movement were required to prepare 20 pigs with fully curved tusks valued at US$35O each to mark his formal release.

The pigs were to be distributed to the 11 local government councils, the Vila and Lougainville municipalities, and the central government. □

Stevens: free