Page 23 - IB March 2018 Edition

Indepth

Who will be held responsible?

Kiribati under the spotlight after ferry disaster

ATOLL nation of Kiribati in the northern vessel. There are laws that are in place, but earlier than definitely their chances of survival
Pacific was consumed with grief in Janu- I think what happened was those laws were would have been higher. So the question is,
ary when 80 people including children died not taken into account why was it not reported much earlier.
presumably drowned in a ferry incident. Grief
turned to anger later when it was learnt that IB: So the ferry did not have enough IB: Now the government wants to
authorities did not initiate a search for the life-saving equipment on board? convene a commission of inquiry
passengers and crew of the MV Butiraoi until to look into this disaster. As former
one week after it sunk. Former President of Former President Tong: Any passenger President what do you hope this in-
quiry would provide?
Kiribati Anote Tong has been among those carrying vessel should carry life-saving
who have been vocal about the government’s equipment. It’s a legal requirement. The Former President Tong: To me it depends
handling of the sea tragedy, believed to be question that arises is that if the vessel did on how the commission of inquiry is consti-
the country’s worst to date. In a visit to Fiji get a sea worthiness certificate, how could it tuted because under the law, the commission
last month, President Tong spoke to Indepth be given such when it didn’t carry life-saving of inquiry is constituted by the president in
about the tragedy. equipment.
his capacity as head of state in a sense to
IB: Given the Kiribati Government’s IB: Stories of survivors say they were check on the performance of government.
handling of the tragedy, do you be- adrift for 5 to 6 days before help Whether this inquiry would be independent
lieve things could have been handled arrived, do you believe more lives enough to give an independent evaluation
better? would have been saved if search of what really happened is one question. My
was mounted soon after the boat other question is what happened, was there
capsized?
Former President Tong: It would be pre- gross negligence, was there a criminal act
tentious on my part to pretend that I know the Former President Tong: I think it seems committed and if so what actions should
whole story but I think what has happened is very likely from the accounts we have heard be taken.Naturally a lot of emotions are
that there has been very strong public reac- that if the rescue was mounted much, much involved and there is a high demand for a
tion to what I call the very long silence. That’s very comprehensive inquiry. The questions
really what the public was so upset about. are, were there liabilities for whoever was
There was nothing coming from anybody involved. Should there be compensation if
especially government until a week later, a there was negligence?
week after the boat has been lost. They are
asking, why did that happen? How come IB: How was the media treated when
something like a boat could be lost for a you had a boating disaster during
week and it was not reported? your tenure?

IB: In your experience, does Kiri- Former President Tong: No, I have
bati has adequate laws which if never taken the position to place restric-
enforced could avoid this type of tions on the work of journalists, never at
sea disasters? any time I had done that. I always believe
in the freedom of the media. I know
Former President Tong: During the media has always given me good
my term, we had a similar accident but coverage. In situations like this, I think
we got into it the next day. Its not easy to its important for information to be made
put out a rescue but we did find survivors. available. The fact that government is now
I was curious to hear contradictions com- placing restrictions is raising further ques-
ing from government. Initially the President tions, why? It raises suspicions as to what
came out to say the boat was not sea worthy, is it that cannot be told.
but later we were informed that the boat had a
sea worthiness certificate. Certainly enforce-
ment of existing laws could have been done. Anote Tong, President of Kiribati during the panel the top-
If it (boat) was sea worthy, than it certainly ics Human Rights and climate change.
6 March 2015. UN
didn’t have the life-saving equipment Photo : Jean-Marc Ferré
that’s needed to be part of the