The Erakor Council of Chiefs and local communities intend to take the Government to court to seek compensation for the contamination and negligence that have polluted their lagoon at Erakor. This announcement was made earlier last week by a senior Chief who wishes to remain anonymous, following advice from their lawyers.

However, the Chief assured that their lawyers are working around the clock to expedite this court case. Sources from the Erakor Council state that ongoing consultations with environmental lawyers are focused on linking the “Responsibility of the State (or its negligence) with Loss and Damage affecting Food Security, Jobs and Livelihoods, and Human Rights.”

When asked if they would sue just one Government department, they responded, “The whole Government is responsible. There is no other option left for us. If we continue down this path, they (the Government) will never commit to helping us, even though they are partially responsible for poisoning our lagoon.”

For many years, swimming and fishing in Erakor Lagoon have been banned due to pollution levels caused by sewage discharge, rubbish disposal sites, and tourism industries dumping waste into the waters. The only way to save the lagoon is for the Government, private sector, and communities to work together.

The Council of Chiefs is now taking a stand to challenge the Government to get a response on how they should collaborate to restore the lagoon as their main source of food, income, and leisure. The Erakor Committee stated that any court case compensation will be used exclusively to restore the lagoon and recover the losses and damages incurred, essentially to cover what the Government has failed to do in implementing the Erakor Lagoon Restoration Plan.

The Restoration Plan is open for public and private contributions. All stakeholders and partners are encouraged to participate and provide input to improve the plan.

The plan has three main objectives:

1. Stop pollution

2. Clean the lagoon

3. Restore the lagoon

An underlying objective of implementing the plan is to consider the direct benefits to the education, awareness, wellbeing, and livelihoods of the communities while achieving these three objectives.

The Committee noted that various attempts to communicate with authorities have led nowhere and yielded no results in saving the lagoon. This has been a long-standing cry from Erakor communities since the beginning of this year, but they are confident they will win, as they claim the Government needs to take responsibility for its actions and neglect.

The Erakor Community and Council of Chiefs have successfully hosted an awareness event called “Commitment to Save Erakor Lagoon,” aimed at raising petitions aligned with their Lagoon Restoration Plans. This initiative is in accordance with their march of solidarity to save their lagoon. A petition is now open—both online and in writing—for all lagoon supporters to express their solidarity with the chiefs, community, and sea creatures.

https://www.dailypost.vu/news/erakor-council-of-chiefs-to-sue-government-over-lagoon-pollution/article_a385fcd2-108a-5cab-b8cf-c9f545541cdf.html

SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE THE LAGOON