WSAMOA - EXECUTION: NZ HERALD/TE REO, PACNEWS ED-1, SEPT 30 1993
A Western Samoa village chieftain has been shot dead in front of his
wife and five children on the orders of fellow chiefs in a small village
near the capital Apia.
After killing Nuutai Mafulu Matautia, residents of the village of Lona
in Fagaloa District east of Apia burned his home, shop, bus and pickup
truck.
State-run Samoa Broadcasting Service (SBS) said late yesterday that
Nuutai was ordered killed because he opposed a night curfew and had not
paid village council dues.
Worse yet, he had also served as a chief, or matai, of the nearby
village of Uafato and had played for Uafato in a cricket contest.
According to the New Zealand Herald in Auckland, where Nuutai had lived
for 20 years before returning home to Western Samoa, he had also angered
his village council of chiefs by providing transportation for players
from the rival village who went on to win the national competition.
Lona residents say Nuutai signed his own death warrant when he chased
away a fellow villager assigned the task of ringing a bell on Nuutai's
property to signal evening curfew.
Police Commissioner Galuvae said Nuutai entered his house on Sunday and
was shot in the back with a shotgun but survived.
He was then surrounded by some 100 villagers, on of whom shot him
between the eyes with a .22 calibre rifle.
Galuvao said he died in the arms of his wife and oldest son.
Nuutai's body was left outside while the village council held a meeting
on the incident.
Galuvao said the matai had acted in "an old barbaric Samoan way".
He said police who went to the village early the next day were greeted
by an angry crowd armed with guns and knives.
He said police intend to charge every matai who was involved in the
council as well as two men for the murder, and maybe the rest of the
young men for arson and various other charges.
Galuvao said the incident raised the issue of individual rights
guaranteed by constitutional law versus the traditional Samoan authority
personified by village chieftains.
Two years ago a man who was seen to offend another village's laws was
tied up like a pig, as was traditionally done, and left outside while
the fono met to decide his fate, which was to be cremated.
The man suffered some burns but was saved by the village pastor. ..ends.