Gary Juffa, MP and Governor

During my election campaign, I spent many a day and many a night making my case to village elders and chiefs, informing them of what it was I believed in and wanted to do.

Traversing many a mountain, crossing several flooded rivers and moving by dinghy to remote islands, walking across plains and valleys and meeting and greeting the ordinary folk, I asked them not to kill their chickens, pigs or cows, to refrain from feasts and singing and dancing. I asked them to give me some of their precious time, to listen and discuss with me.

“There is no need for feasting, no killing of chickens, pigs or cows. Let there be no elaborate dances and merriment. I ask you not to commit any resources. If you can, share with me a coconut, sugar cane or perhaps water. Let us be sober and reflect. These days are not days of joy. They are days of bitterness and despair. There is nothing to celebrate and be joyful for. Let us take time to discuss these days. Let us reflect on where we once were, where we are now and where our children’s tomorrow will be. Will they be in charge of their destiny or will they be spectators watching while their resources are plundered by others, cheated of their rightful inheritance, relegated to be standing on the outside in the cold and rain, to be subservient slaves, awaiting the crumbs of the riches of their land?”

And they heard me, they listened and we discussed and debated often well into the night. There was no feasting and singing and dancing and certainly no beer or fatty meats or noisy merriment.

“We have a thousand journeys to walk, much work to be done, our sweat and blood and tears must flow so that we may build a better tomorrow for our children, a tomorrow that has already been pledged by selfish politicians and middlemen and their friends from afar who only speak of profit and are spurred on by greed. Let us work hard and not tarry and not delay and not fight and biker with one another or be lazy and sleep, our hand out begging for something without having done anything, let us not allow ourselves to be fooled but let us arm ourselves with education and awareness, honesty and transparency and let us encourage each other with acts of solidarity and humility.”

I was aided by many a kind citizen who made the effort to call home, remotest villages now accessible by mobile phone, internet and social networking reaching far flung hamlets and remote huts, urging one and all to think of the future, a future that had grown suddenly dark and eerie, bleak and uncertain and to awaken from our slumber and act decisively to stand up and be heard, march, prepare for war. A war not of axes or bows and arrows and or guns although that day may come, but a war of the mind, of keen planning and heightened awareness of the powerful economic and political forces that seek to displace and remove and separate us from our land and our resources and take, take with subtle cunning knowledge and where necessary extreme force, shedding blood and spreading even death. A war we must fight, if we are to have a future, if our children are to be truly free….

Yes, we fight a war, let it be clear, let there be no doubt and confusion, if we are to build a better tomorrow for our children, we must fight many battles before this war is won and the greatest weapons, are knowledge, truth and perseverance…the greatest dangers are not our enemies but ourselves, our ignorance and our inability to act…