Humans think in stories rather than in facts, numbers, or equations, and the simpler the story, the better, says my favourite author, Yuval Noah Harari, in his latest book: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century.

According to one reader: If there were such a thing as a required instruction manual for politicians and thought leaders . . . this book deserves serios consideration.

How many of our politicians and thought leaders have read the book is not known, but we strongly recommend that they do so as it guides for the difficult times ahead not only for the HRPP membership but for everyone who aspires to leadership.

The HRPP story is now part of our history. From the time of its formation and how it exploited the anger of the public servants after their great strike of 1981; how it changed the law to get rid of the Controller and Chief Auditor following the exposure of serious shenanigans in the administration of the country’s finances.

Then the story gets even weirder when a former member, Va'ai Papu Va'ai, a former M.P. and son of a co-founder of the HRPP and former Prime Minister, the late Va'ai Kolone, three years ago complained, as the Samoa Observer, reported then, that the modern-day Human Rights Protection Party members were hiding behind former founders' images to push "baseless" campaigns.

He said he was utterly disappointed when he saw an advertisement on television from the party using his father's likeness.

The ad featured the founding members of the party and former Prime Ministers, Tofilau Eti Alesana and his father, Va'ai Kolone, and their efforts in upholding Samoa's constitution which, the ad said, had "been tarnished" by Samoa's judiciary and the current Government.

Va'ai Papu then said the former Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi was "using his father's name in vain" to lend legitimacy to their campaign.

Nonetheless, Va'ai believed that the party had brought up the honorable names of Tofilau and Va'ai to lure the support of Savai'i residents as they were well-respected people.

He thought that it was "pathetic" of them to do such a thing.

According to Va'ai Papu, Tuilaepa and the members of the H.R.P.P. "should be ashamed" and refrain from bringing up the names of their father as they [current HRPP] had "damaged the reputation of the party their father and Tofilau worked hard to establish."

In saying that, Va'ai Papu once again called on Tuilaepa to rename their party.

"Initially the party was supposed to be called, the Human Rights Party," Va'ai Papu said.

"But Tofilau added the word protection onto it and that's why it's called the Human Rights Protection Party.  

"The word protection means the party should always stand and protect the rights of the people, not themselves. But that's no longer the case as it is reflected in their actions and behaviour.

"Therefore, they should change the name of the party."

Instead of calling it Human Rights Protection Party, Va'ai suggested that the party should now be called the "Malielegaoi Human Rights Demolition Party (MHRDP)."

"They have rejected and demolished the rights of our people instead of protecting them. So, they should change the name of the party because their behaviour is an insult to those of us who were there when the party was formed.

"I was young when my father and Tofilau started that party so I know everything.

"Tuilaepa did not care anything about the policies and principles of the party when it was started because he was not there nor was anyone from his family. But we know because we were there."

The HRPP was in Savai'i at the time to protest what they claimed was the "disintegration" of Samoa's Constitution, after the Appellate Court ruled that the HRPP Government had been illegally occupying office after the 9 April general election

The party planned to tour the whole island and offer flowers to acknowledge the service and legacy of former politicians and leaders, Tofilau Eti Alesana, Va'ai Kolone, and Namulauulu Lauaki Mamoe.

However, the party only managed to offer wreaths for Tofilau and Namulau'ulu as several villages on the island did not allow the party to continue on with their rally, so the leader, Tuilaepa, had to cut it short.

They only traveled from Lalomalava to Patamea. They could not get to Va'ai Kolone's tomb.

Va'ai Papu on a live stream declared his objection to the proposed plans by the HRPP to visit his father's tomb.

While he said he acknowledged the kind gestures, they didn't need to visit his father's resting place.

Speaking from Vaisala, Savai'I, in front of his late father's tomb, Va'ai Papu declared his full support for Samoa's new Government and offered his sympathies towards Samoa's Chief Justice and the panel of judges.

"They [HRPP] claim that the Judiciary has tarnished our Constitution, and I do not agree with that.

"To me personally, I don't agree that the judiciary has destroyed our constitution nor have they usurped the powers of the Head of State.

"That's why I reject their proposed plans to come to my father's place."

Va'ai Papu is of the belief that the HRPP’s actions in the previous weeks had "stirred up the peace" within the country.

He insisted that they should change the name of the party claiming that "they no longer protect the rights of the people."

"They should no longer use that name and they should change it. My father and Tofilau founded that party and it's not what it used to be. It has changed so much.

"Therefore, they should change the name of their party to MHRDP. (Malielegaoi Human Rights Demolition Party)."

Despite an eventful day in Savai'i where the HRPP's car convoy was interrupted by roadblocks and gunshots by Savai'i villagers, Tuilaepa declared that it "was a day of victory" for him and his party.

There were roadblocks at Salelavalu, Salelologa, Samalaeulu, Sasina and Vaisigano No.1.

 Last week’s addition to the HRPP story was this: After watching the same lies for 4 years, Samoans are convinced that the FAST Party can only fool some of the people sometimes but not all the people all the time.

Tuilaepa did not say what the lies were.

Regarding the two Bills now with the Bills Committee – The Constitution Amendment Bill 2024 and the Land and Titles Amendment Bill 2024 – Tuilaepa said:

If passed, the two bills will disempower and effectively dismantle Samoa’s indigenous court system that protects our culture and tradition, giving supremacy back to a palagi-based fundamental rights system that has not served justice to our people.

Tuilaepa then asked:

Why is there is so much opposition to the fundamental rights of Samoa’s Chiefs and Orators who have been responsible for the preservation of peace and tranquility in our village communities for thousands of years and are still functioning strong today?

Are they really?

It would be tiresome to answer Tuilaepa’s claims in detail such as:

The late CJ Patu retired in 2020 and the Judiciary, without the guidance of his wisdom was not privileged to understand the far-sighted vision of this great Chief Justice and son of Samoa.

And: Samoa became the only country in the world that observed both the Communal rights of our village Chiefs and Church Organisations and the rights of the Individuals.

I am quite certain that the Judiciary did not have to closely observe the late Chief Justice Patu to understand what his vision was. What is notable is his commitment to the rule of law that despite his feelings he followed the law.

As for the so-called communal rights of chiefs and orators surely Tuilaepa would have seen the present Chief Justice’s comments on the actions of the Salelologa Chiefs and Orators that were reported in the same edition of the Samoa Observer as his rant against the two Bills mentioned above.

Time to read 21 Lessons for the 21st Century and think in facts and not stories.

Manuia lava le aso Sa.