Bamboo guns

I READ with much concern of yet another serious injury from the use of bamboo guns (FT 10/1/23). The child sustained serious injuries and is in a critical condition.

What really caused me angst was for several days after New Year’s Day in the village closeby, bamboo guns were firing every 30 seconds. This lasted for hours at a time. I was trying to concentrate on my work but I was quietly going mad. This was clearly a case of disturbing the peace, at the least.

The best thing I could think of was to contact the local Community Police to ask if someone could go and get the offenders to stop the firing.

I could detect a degree of reluctance in the response to my request. I was told that this was a normal practice at this time of year and it’s a part of the Fijian cultural. I mentioned that ‘Yes, so was cannibalism’.

Nothing changed; the explosions continued and my mental health declined to deeper depths.

I called the friendly and helpful Community Police Post again. I was told noone went to the village and that, as a Fijian, I should have more appreciation of cultural practices. That was the end of that, or so the junior police officer thought.

I contacted the main police station under whose responsibility the community post falls and a team was immediately dispatched to address the complaint. They spoke to the turaga

ni koro who informed the police the explosions would cease after 10pm. I was wondering whether this was a case of the tail wagging the dog?

Worse still, bamboo guns are illegal apparatuses and their use is an offence according to the Explosives Act 1937. I believe one simply cannot ignore an illegal practice by naming it ‘cultural’. The police were unaware that anyone having in their possession and/ or using bamboo guns as an explosive device is illegal.

I believe they really need to get their act together by familiarising themselves with fundamental laws rather than preaching about cultural practices.

JULIE SUTHERLAND Suva