Samoa, the Samoa Observer and the truth

Dear Editor,

There has been a lot of criticism against the Samoa Observer over their reporting of the death of a transgender who was found dead and hanging from the rafters of a church hall – an alleged suicide or possible homicide? 

Some went as far as calling on the public to boycott Samoa Observer for making a ‘mistake.’ Even PM Tuilaepa joined the masses to take a swipe at the Samoa Observer – it was an opportunity to get back at them for their persistence in reporting govt. corruption. 

Well, I saw no mistake in the Samoa Observer article that reported the alleged suicide. The majority were using words such as ‘ethics’ and ‘morals’ in their critique – I don’t think most of you people understand what those words mean. What is so unethical about Samoa Observer reporting the Truth and having the photo included to back up the story? 

How many times did Samoa Observer Editors Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa and Mata’afa Keni Lesa publish stories about poverty, suicide and govt. corruption? And how many times did P.M. Tuilaepa and the people deny the existence of these social problems in our society? Hundreds of times. 

We the people of Samoa are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Every time something like this or a ‘mistake’ happens we abuse our culture and religious beliefs to cover up the Truth and yet only the Truth will set us free. 

Samoa with its tiny population is ranked one of the highest in the world when it comes to suicide per capita and either first or second in the South Pacific region – and the numbers are still rising. 

But it’s funny how people quickly attacked Samoa Observer over a picture published on its front page but completely miss the issue altogether – the increasing suicide rate here in Samoa.

Not long ago a picture of a woman was published all over the media –  she was murdered by her husband with a crowbar. Her pictures included one which showed her battered face with tubes in her mouth to aid her breathing and another with the tubes removed when she died, were all over the local newspapers and on social media. 

Interesting enough, not even one person attacked the media over her pictures but instead attacked the perpetrator and discussed Domestic Violence as it was the Truth. So what is the difference between that Truth about domestic violence and this Truth about suicide published by Samoa Observer?

How then can P.M. Tuilaepa, H.R.P.P and the people of this nation be offended with a picture of a victim hanging from the rafters and not one Samoan is offended with the increasing suicide rate in this country? 

As far as I’m concerned, PM Tuilaepa and his corrupt H.R.P.P, the corrupt spiritual leaders and the people of this nation that continue to deny the Truth, contributed to the death of Jeannie Tuivaiki and all other victims of suicide here in Samoa.

There was so much uproar over a photo in the paper which ‘offended’ a lot of people including PM Tuilaepa and leaders – then why aren’t the same lot of people not offended by the pictures/statues of Jesus hanging half naked and bloody all over and nailed to the cross? 

 You’d find them in almost every church and home in Samoa. Do you PM Tuilaepa, HRPP and the people get to see how much of hypocrites you are? I’ve written many threads about this nation no longer a Christian nation and no longer founded in God - Everything in Samoa today is founded on money, lies, corruption, greed and ignorance. 

If you don’t get the message/warning you will suffer and you are suffering right now as you read. I want Gatoaitele Savea Sano Malifa to tell me why he apologized for telling the Truth. 

He didn’t need to apologize as these so called offended fools seem to be more offended with the raw Truth than the photo because of their guilty consciences.

This is not about entertaining fools who don’t want to hear nor see the Truth as the Truth knows no boundaries. If the Truth will burn PM Tuilaepa, HRPP and all the people who are in denial, then so be it. 

O le mea lea ua iloa ai le aivalea o ka’ika’i ma kagaka o legei akugu’u ua fiafia e gogofo i le pogisa aua ua fefefe i le malamalama o Le Ali’i.

Mebahel Raguel


Samoa Observer

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