Widow of slain minister vows

to continue his struggle

SAMOA’S newest political

widow is bright, tough, a politician, a mother of four and she could be the country’s new prime minister.

Visekota Peteru, who holds the chiefly title of Maiava, saw her future as husband Luagalau Levaula Kamu bled to death.

“The minute that he died, I vowed that whatever talents Leva gave to the country, I intend to carry on.” It echoes the words of other women.

Cory Aquino, small and quiet, became president of the Philippines after Ferdi nand Marcos’ thugs gunned down her hus band Ninoy. Benazir Bhutto may have inevitably become Pakistan’s leader but the hanging of her father gave her no choice while Sonja Gandhi’s political future was determined by Tamil suicide bombers killing her husband.

The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) forced a change to Samoa’s elec toral laws, extending their term in office.

An election is not due until next year. With tight control exercised still by matai and

church leaders it is

possible they will be

re-elected. But Maia va, already an HRPP politician, could be their way to a clean future. She entered parliament last year in a by-election in the Aana-Alofi No 1 con

stituency for HRPP. After her husband’s death she said he had wanted to clean up cor ruption.

“He saw it as an opportunity to serve the people. He wanted to put something back into the country. I am not trying to make him into a saint,” she said. “It was a dream to work in politics since his university days.

Unfortunately, his dream cost him his life.”

Within two days of the killing and before any arrests Maiava had already expressed forgiveness towards the alleged perpetrators.

Samoa knew who they believed did it; indeed the Leafa family were already prepar ing an ifoga, the formal ceremony seeking

forgiveness.

“I really dont want to live a life where I hate people for what they have done,” she said after quickly accepting the ifoga.

“I am not prepared to live that sort of life and I don’t want our children to live that sort of life. Nothing we can do or say can bring Leva back. We have been saying forgive, and for me that is the only way to get on with life.”

Her husband had achieved what some people can only ever dream of.

“I can say very proudly, Samoa has lost a great potential leader.”

Its possible that out of that adversity the country has gained a new potential leader. ■

Luagolau Levanla Ka[?], in a picture taken several yeare ago, was Public Works minister when he was killed