Politicians charged

Western Samoa

with sedition

Two politicians from the traditional groups Tumua and Pule, have been charged with sedition in the wake of last year’s political protest marches against Value-Added Goods and Services Tax.

The two former members of parliament, Toalepaiilii Toesulusulu Siueva and Fa’amatuainuTala Mailei, are the first peo ple to be charged with sedition in Western Samoa. The charge carries a mximum two year sentence.

Toaleppaialii says the charge is an attempt by Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesena to intimidate him and to shut the mouths of people speaking out against the govern ment. The second leader, Fa’amatuainu faces an additional charge of libel.

However, Police Commissioner Galuvao Tanielu denied the Prime Minister was behind the investigation or that the charges had anything to do with the February protest march against the new tax.

The march followed a petition from about 90,000 signatories calling on the govern ment to scrap the tax which was intro duced last year.

A second march for February 9 was post poned indefinitely when officials did not receive signatures from New Zealand and Hawaii.