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Submission Regarding the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020, Land and Titles Bill 2020, and Judicature Bill 2020 (2020 Draft Bills)

To: Samoa Parliamentary Select Committee:

Health and Social Services, Internal Affairs, Community and Social Development

From: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

July 30, 2020

Introduction

We are grateful for the opportunity to submit these comments and make a presentation to the Parliamentary Select Committee with regard to the 2020 Draft Bills noted above. This submission is presented with all respect on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the many thousands of Samoans who enjoy living and practicing their faith in Jesus Christ as members of the Church in Samoa. These members worship together in over 150 congregations of the Church in Samoa and treasure their Samoan citizenship. Like Christianity in general, the Church has members in all parts of the globe.

The members of the Church in Samoa have a long history dating back to 17 June 1888, when a mission of the Church was formally organized in Samoa, headquartered in Apia. Church members participated in and welcomed the process leading to the adoption of the Constitution of Samoa that went into effect on 1 January 1962 and have been grateful for the blessings of living under its protections for over five decades. The members of the Church have a demonstrated history of seeking to be good citizens of Samoa, sensitive to its traditions and customs, and anxious to find ways to work with others in support of the spirit of love, service, peace, harmony, mutual protection and respect for the dignity of all Samoans that is consistent with Fa’asamoa (the Samoan way of life).

Our primary focus in this submission is to raise a voice of respectful warning that adoption of the 2020 Draft Bills will harm the exercise and protection of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the constitution and international commitments, including the freedom of religion.

We respectfully urge continued adherence to the Samoan tradition that has long integrated protection of fundamental human rights provided by the Constitution of Samoa with respect for Samoan custom and tradition.

The Samoan Constitution and Samoan Custom and Tradition When Inextricably Linked Enable a Diverse and Stable Society

The Constitution of Samoa has from its inception embodied Fa’asamoa in profound ways. The preamble states that it is based on “Christian principles and Samoan custom and tradition”. As stated in Article 2 of the Constitution, “This Constitution shall be the supreme law of Samoa.” The Constitution was adopted by Samoa’s distinguished founding fathers, including representatives from all villages and districts of Samoa. Extensive consultations were held throughout all of Samoa extending over many years in the cities, villages, and districts, and among the matai—Alii and Faipule—as well as hearing from all citizens in a national plebiscite. Leaders of the country, both legal and customary, carefully considered the provisions of the new Constitution of Samoa. This hard work resulted in a foundational governing structure in which constitutional and customary norms would both be considered and valued because the benefits of both are woven together in ways that enable them to be mutually supportive and protective of what is highest about Samoan values while assuring protection of the dignity and fundamental rights of all members of Samoan society under the rule of law. As the Samoa Law Society emphasized in its recent submission, “Human rights are not merely foreign ideals . . . they have their roots within Samoan culture also.”[1]

The Church shares the view voiced by Samoa’s Ombudsman in his 2019 Human Rights report that when properly understood, “[h]uman rights and the Fa’asamoa share core values and are therefore inextricably linked.”[2] In reality, as the Ombudsman affirms, “the two concepts are complementary and mutually reinforcing.” [3] We are concerned that as written the 2020 Draft Bills would disrupt this important symbiotic relationship and limit the exercise and protection of fundamental rights guaranteed to all persons who live, worship, work and invest in Samoa.[4]

We realize that broad input is being sought on the 2020 Draft Bills throughout Samoa and are pleased to be able to add our voices to others. We also recognize that Samoa has significant constitutional and international commitments to religious freedom, including the Samoan Constitution’s Articles 11-13 and including Samoa’s accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”), which implemented through binding treaty the commitments in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.

We endorse the statement of Samoa’s Ombudsman in his Submission to this Committee that:

Individual Rights [are] intrinsic to society. Each member of society, made in the image of God, possesses these rights in equal measure. It is a truism therefore to say that ‘If you protect the individual you protect society’ It is for this reason that basic freedoms of the individual are entrenched any Charter that is revered as the supreme law of any land, as is the case with the Constitution of Samoa.[5]

We ask you to carefully consider all the varied voices who have offered their views on the potential impacts of the 2020 Draft Bills. We desire to alert the Committee to the following three potential impacts of the 2020 Draft Bills we believe threaten the fundamental human rights of all persons who enjoy the privileges of living and working in Samoan society:

Harm to religious freedom protections by removing their enforcement from the Supreme Court’s powers. (see Section III below).

Harm to the protections of property rights and the right to fair hearings that protect church properties and provide fairness and certainty for all (see Section IV below).

The basic structure of the Constitution of Samoa and its international commitments that protect fundamental human rights are jeopardized resulting in instability and uncertainty. (see Section V below).

We also believe it is possible to make needed reforms to the Land and Titles Court system without sacrificing the Constitution’s guaranteed protection of fundamental human rights or creating structural problems in the interrelationships between the constitutional and customary underpinnings of Samoan society. (see Section VI below).

The 2020 Draft Bills Threaten Injury to Religious Freedom Protections by Removing Their Enforcement from the Supreme Court’s Powers

One of the fundamental rights conferred, preserved and entrenched in Part II of the Constitution of Samoa is the right to freedom of religion found in Article 11, which provides:

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

It has been asserted that since nothing in the 2020 Draft Bills amends Article 11, there is no change to religious freedom protections. Every person’s right to freedom of religion is only as strong as the authority and power in place to enforce that freedom. Article 4 of the Constitution of Samoa guarantees that “any person” may apply to the Supreme Court to enforce their religious freedoms and other constitutional rights. While Article 11’s broad guarantee of religious freedom is not being amended, Article 4 of the Constitution is being amended. The new language prevents the Supreme Court from hearing any matter brought to the Land and Titles Court. In the table below the current language of Article 4(1) is on the left and the proposed insertion of a proviso by the 2020 Draft Bills is on the right:

Constitution of Samoa 1961, Article 4(1)

Proposed Amendment to Article 4(1)

“Remedies for enforcement of rights – (1) Any person may apply to the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings to enforce the rights conferred under the provisions of this Part.”

[underline added, and the Part of the Constitution referenced deals with Fundamental Rights],

“Remedies for enforcement of rights – (1) Subject to judicial review matters arising from the proceedings in Part IX Land and Titles Courts, any person, any person may apply to the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings to enforce the rights conferred under the provisions of this Part.”

[red text is added]

By amending Article 4 of the Constitution in this way, the 2020 Draft Bills give no court the responsibility and power to do what the Supreme Court has consistently done for Samoa for more than 58 years. Regarding this change to Article 4, we concur with the Ombudsman’s conclusion that “the intended effect appears to be that citizens [or any person] may no longer make application to the Supreme Court, or anywhere else for the enforcement of their fundamental rights, with regard to matters that will fall under Land & Titles judicial jurisdiction.” (emphasis added)[6]

Similarly, if the 2020 Draft Bills are adopted, the phrase “Except for Part IX Land and Titles Court and the laws administered thereunder” (or language to that effect) would be inserted in the Constitution’s Articles granting jurisdiction to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.[7]

Also, Article 81 of the current Constitution which addresses “Jurisdiction in Respect of Fundamental Rights.” is deleted. Article 81 now provides “An appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal from any decision of the Supreme Court in any proceedings under the provisions of Article 4.” This provision is stripped of its current status as an independent constitutional guarantee of fundamental rights and is reduced to a subclause in the definition of the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal. (Proposed Article 76(1)(c)). Like the amendment to Article 4 above, and the proposed removal from their jurisdiction of the ability to review all matters heard in the LTC system generally, this demotion of the independent constitutional right for the Court of Appeal to hear claims about fundamental human rights is compounded by it too being made subject to an exclusion from its jurisdiction of matters arising in the enhanced LTC system.

During the over fifty years since adoption of the Constitution of Samoa, Samoa’s Supreme Court has consistently upheld the supremacy of freedom of religion rights under Article 11.[8] As the Ombudsman declared in his 2015 report on Human Rights in Samoa, “Limiting or restricting religious freedom would be against human rights norms and undemocratic.”[9] Stripping the existing Samoan civil and criminal judiciary system of authority to hear claims and appeals for enforcement of constitutional fundamental human rights just because they arose in the LTC system could result in a person with a case before the Land and Titles Court losing his or her right to have their religious freedom claims heard by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal at all.

We do not believe these fears are fictional. Examples of actual situations where elevation of communal rights have done harm to the fundamental rights of individuals, contrary to the guarantees of constitutional justice, include being 1) forbidden to cross through a village or leave a village to attend church in a neighboring village, 2) fined or forced to move from their homes for joining or converting to another church, 3) forbidden from visiting or proselyting in a village, 4) unable to build a church meetinghouse in a village, and 5) required to attend the only church in a village. We seek to protect and strengthen for generations to come the ability of our members, their children and grandchildren to pray, study scripture and attend a church of their choosing through the protected exercise of their God given and inalienable human rights as “secured to all the people” by the Constitution of Samoa.[10]

Some of these situations have been the subject of past Supreme Court decisions. Sefo v. Land and Titles Court[11] is such an example. The Supreme Court held that the determination by customary authorities in the Land and Titles Court that would have dissolved “the bible class or new church being established . . . in Saipipi” violated Article 11 of the Constitution. Similarly, the insistence that the new church obtain the consent of the Alii and Faipule before conducting bible classes or church services (whether on freehold or customary land) violated Article 11. This was true even if it was “feared that some unrest or disharmony may result.” If the determinations of the LTC in that case had been final, the various religious freedom claims of followers of the new religion in the village would have been foreclosed.

Other such problems were reported by the Samoa Ombudsman in his 2015 State of Human Rights Report. Based on consultations with villages, he found that

“issues arose regarding the freedom of choice and freedom from coercion with regards to religion. Some villagers reported having the choice of only a single church within their village, or that the creation of new formal congregations is banned, while some villages allow their people to practice any religion outside of the village. The freedom to choose a minority religion is often not available because village leaders only allow one church in the village or they restrict the introduction of new churches into the village.”[12]

Similar problems are noted in the annual U.S. Religious Freedom Reports for 2019.[13]

For religious communities—whether our own or others—it is particularly ominous to contemplate the prospect of a jurisdictional wall being built around the LTC’s dispute resolution system. Such a jurisdictional wall would injure religious freedom protections by barring a person or group from making constitutional appeals to the Samoan Supreme Court and Court of Appeal and leaving them without any alternative method to protect those freedoms. By not doing all we can to protect religious freedom, we are concerned about denials of basic religious freedoms becoming accepted practice.

We continue to need the protection of religious freedom provided by our Constitution. The 2020 Draft Bills leave the citizens of Samoa the precious words of Article 11; but sadly, for anyone appearing in Land and Titles Court, strips away the ability to enforce those words.

The 2020 Draft Bills Threaten Harm to Property Rights and the Right to Fair Hearings that Protect Church Properties and Provide Fairness and Certainty for All.

A. The 2020 Draft Bills Jeopardize Property Rights and Thereby the Exercise of Religious Freedom

Protection of property rights is essential to the exercise and enjoyment of freedom of religion. People who worship together need a protected place to gather. Thus, freedom of religion and property rights are closely connected. The 2020 Draft Bills could inject uncertainty into the property and leasehold system. Certainty of land rights is important to individuals, families, businesses, and religious communities. Legitimate and longstanding leaseholds could suddenly be exposed to unreviewable challenges if brought in Land and Titles Court.

An example of this threat to property rights posed by the 2020 Draft Bills is exemplified by the recent case of Lemalu Saeni v. Su’a Pale Ltd. and. Land and Titles Court et al.[14] In that case Sua Pale Ltd. (“SPL”) developed a resort known as the “Return to Paradise Beach Club” on customary land they had leased. To the amazement of SPL, the LTC determined in a challenge brought by the Saeni family that the registered lease was “revoked and has no effect.” An appeal from this judgment was dismissed by the Land and Titles Appellate Court on 25 July 2014.

The Fa’alafua family and SPL brought suit in the Supreme Court claiming that 1) SPL’s fair hearing rights under the Constitution of Samoa had been violated (as a non-Samoan business, SPL had not been included in the LTC proceedings); 2) the LTC had no jurisdiction to consider the lease once the original objections by the Saeni family had been withdrawn; and 3) once a Minister had granted the lease, the LTC had no power to terminate it. The Supreme Court judge held that the LTC had no jurisdiction over a Minister’s lease once it had been granted. Conscious of the significant adverse economic impact a contrary decision would have, the judge pointed out that “to hold otherwise would have a major impact on the commercial viability of leases of customary land and the incentive for lessees to invest in them.”[15] On appeal, the Samoa Court of Appeal confirmed that the LTC did not have authority to terminate a lease that had been approved by the Ministry. The Court emphasized that “[t]he prospect that such leases might be terminated by decision of the LTC would be a major disincentive against investing in them in the first place” and “would introduce intolerable uncertainty.”[16]

The Court of Appeal expressed respect for the balance that now exists between the LTC system and the Samoan constitutional judicial system by saying the LTC still had “significant jurisdiction . . . [to] determine rights as between actual and alleged beneficial owners” and to determine “who is entitled to possession of the land when the lease term ends” and also to resolve the way “rent is to be distributed in the meantime.”[17]

While the Court of Appeal acknowledged that the LTC normally has “exclusive jurisdiction over all claims and disputes between Samoans relating to customary land,”[18] it also clearly asserted its jurisdiction to intervene in well-established exceptional circumstances, the most important of which arises “where there has been a breach of the Constitution. Where that occurs, the Constitution requires the Supreme Court to step in and provide a remedy for the breach.”[19] The Court of Appeal emphasized in the Lemalu Saeni case that it was a breach of the Constitution for the LTC to issue an order that exceeded the jurisdiction conferred upon the LTC by the Constitution.[20] This balancing of fundamental rights with custom and practice demonstrated in this case is the role of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. That balancing role has not been delegated to the LTC by the 2020 Draft Bills.

An earlier but parallel case finding a violation of fundamental rights and thereby setting limits on the LTC’s power and jurisdiction involved our Church. It was decided by Chief Justice Sapolu in 2009 and was cited in the Lemalu Saeni case (“referred as the “Latter-day Saint” case).[21] As in Lemalu Saeni, the LTC in the Latter-day Saint case purported to invalidate a lease that had been granted by the Minister of Lands over customary land pursuant to the Alienation of Customary Land Act 1965. The Supreme Court found that in doing so, the LTC had exceeded its jurisdiction, which was a constitutional breach that the Supreme Court was entitled to remedy. Note that it was not only protection of property (leasehold) rights that warranted intervention by the Supreme Court, but breaches of jurisdictional lines established by the Constitution.

If all judicial proceedings relating in any way to customary issues are cabined within the LTC, then virtually any fundamental right protected by the Constitution that can arise in the LTC system will be left without recourse to the courts established by the Constitution to protect not only fundamental human rights, but also the balance of power in a diverse society. As we understand it, the LTC was not designed, nor is it empowered by the either the Constitution or by the 2020 Draft Bills to be a constitutional court with the jurisdictional capacity to resolve claims involving fundamental human rights. Walling out the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal from jurisdiction over any constitutional issues arising in LTC context seriously erodes the constitutional protections of fundamental rights that may surface in LTC matters.

Protection of property rights of tenants of customary lands is an essential element of protection of religious freedom. The ability of the Supreme Court and its Court of Appeal to set limits on the LTC’s jurisdiction when fundamental rights are at stake is essential to protecting and preserving those rights.

B. Fundamental Fair Hearing Rights Could Be Undermined by Exclusion of Parties from LTC Tribunals

Not allowing all persons involved in a dispute to be heard before the court in an LTC matter undermines the fundamental right to a fair hearing guaranteed under Article 9 of the Constitution of Samoa. The Lemalu Seani case is a reminder of this point as well. One of the principle holdings in that case was that the LTC’s focus on disputes between Samoans necessarily resulted in violation of fair trial rights, since non-Samoan lessees could not be heard before the LTC.[22] According to the Court of Appeal, “the LTC’s fundamental purpose does not extend to determining rights between lessors and non-customary lessees. The relationship between lessors and non-customary lessees is governed by a set of legal principles derived from statute and common law.”[23] Thus, a feature of the LTC system that goes to the heart of protecting Samoan heritage of resolving disputes between and among Samoans through customary and traditional ways appears to make fair hearing problems unavoidable in cases involving non-customary lessees. Again, the 2020 Draft Bills compound this problem by walling off the Supreme Court from the ability to rectify such unfairness.

The absence of non-customary lessees from property disputes in the LTC not only hurts them, but also ultimately hurts the others who are benefited by the efforts of such non-customary lessees. For example, those from outside Samoa who invest in building a resort, or a church meetinghouse in Samoa do so to benefit the lives of the people of Samoa. Subjecting their settled leases to challenge long after the lease was granted and registered, and in a proceeding from which they are barred, hurts the employees of such businesses and the members of such churches for the long term. The goal of our Church is to help people achieve salvation and eternal life. These noble and unselfish goals are threatened if property rights and the ability to participate in their enforcement is diminished or removed.

The Basic Structure of the Constitution of Samoa and its International Commitments that Protect Fundamental Human Rights are Jeopardized Resulting in Instability and Uncertainty

A. The Basic Structure of the Constitution and the Established Precedent of the Supreme Court Provide Stable and Certain Foundation for Fundamental Rights.

The success of Samoa since its independence of nurturing a diverse citizenship, welcoming visitors and investment, and establishing a stable and secure legal system is to be commended. The Constitution and existence of an independent judiciary are essential underpinnings of that success. We fear the 2020 Draft Bills threaten the basic structural features of the Constitution of Samoa, Samoa’s international commitments under treaties, and its own judicial precedents.

The 2020 Draft Bills divide judicial responsibility and power into two separate court systems. Each has exclusive, but different jurisdiction. This fracture of the Samoan judiciary leaves both systems inevitably weakened.

Giving a second court system power and equal footing with the existing judiciary system introduces both instability and uncertainty. There will no longer be a court of last resort—a final arbiter—for review, protection and enforcement of constitutionally protected fundament rights—including the freedom of religion. The worthy goals of societal stability and certainty have been realized since the Constitution was adopted through its basic structures that include separation of powers, the rule of law and an independent judiciary well versed in both statutory and common law. Clarity about the domains of each court system and the limitations on each drawn by the Constitution and enforced by independent constitutional courts are themselves vital to protecting fundamental rights.

The 2020 Draft Bills confer on the LTC supreme power over all matters relating to “custom and usage”, yet that notion is nowhere clearly defined. It is not hard to image the problems that power will generate due to the vagueness of the reach and scope of that phrase. As the Samoan Judiciary noted in its submission, the use of the word ‘customs’ in draft Article 72 of the Constitutional Amendment Bill potentially extends to every aspect of judicial decision-making, including the areas of criminal and civil rights of individuals, and affairs of commerce and industry, as well as land and customary titles matters. This would inject uncertainty and complexity into areas of Samoan law far beyond the LTC’s purpose under the Constitution today.[24] Since there appears to be no ability to appeal to the Samoan constitutional court system cases that are heard in the LTC system, there are no checks and balances on the LTC for disputes involving fundamental constitutional rights.

This potential expansion of the LTC scope creates a conflict with the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and its appellate court. Each court will have to determine the scope of their respective jurisdiction one case at a time. The boundary line between these two judicial systems will be hopelessly blurred. This will add significant uncertainty, burden, delay and cost to the whole judicial function.

Moreover, is in not possible that the LTC will make judgements finding it has jurisdiction to consider land matters where Constitutional fundament rights are involved? Is it possible? likely? intended? that the LTC would give more weight to the communal rights—especially since “The English common law and equity of England does not apply in the Land and Titles Court.”[25] Long-settled precedents that have evolved over decades of Samoa’s constitutional and judicial history and that are anchored in the longer tradition of the common law would no longer be available if a matter involving religious freedom and other fundamental human rights are first brought to the LTC.

This effort at the core of the 2020 Draft Bills aimed at strengthening Samoa’s ties to its customary roots would thus have the unfortunate effect of chopping off aspects of Samoan tradition that are in fact life-giving—the rule of law and the common law tradition. In the same vein, the constitutional and human rights resources that have long nourished Fa’asamoa would be legislatively cut from the LTC’s jurisdiction and thus no longer be available to reinforce, protect, and enhance the fundamental rights that shore up that way of life.

We worry that the new proposed LTC judicial system structure is not an adequate substitute for the full regular independent judiciary and the jurisdiction the Samoan Constitution expects that judiciary to exercise. For example, is it fair to expect a panel of LTC judges consisting of two judges with Supreme Court experience, one former LTC judge and a Samoan citizen, to analyze and guaranty protection of constitutional fundamental rights? What happens in the event of a deadlock? If there are concerns about custom and tradition being considered in the Supreme Court, would it not be better to preserve the existing system, recognizing that Supreme Court judges are generally also Matai? Would not these attributes of the Supreme Court judges bring an awareness of Samoan custom and tradition present in the minds and experience of these judges to the cases they hear? Altering that system for the proposed LTC system and expecting the LTC panel of judges to handle constitutional claims is asking quite a lot of them—especially when there is no constitutional way to break a tie.

The new bifurcated judicial branch of government without a single apex court of last resort created by the 2020 Draft Bills creates the instability and uncertainty of a judicial system where fundamental rights claims may be treated either inconsistently, or alternatively, may not be protected at all, if the system effectively deprives people of the ability to vindicate their fundamental rights claims any time customary matters are involved.

B. Samoa’s International Obligations Provide an Added Check on Constitutional and Legal Changes Proposed by the 2020 Draft Bills

It is interesting to us to consider in this situation Samoa’s long-standing constitutional commitment to religious freedom as enhanced in February 2008, by Samoa acceding to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”). It thereby assumed obligations, the aim of which was to create binding legal treaty obligations that protect rights articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“UDHR”) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Each of these documents contains an Article 18 that specifically protects freedom of religion.

Article 18 of the ICCPR provides as follows:

1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching. (see parallels in Article 11, Part II of the Constitution of Samoa)

2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.

3. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.

4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.

Significantly, when acceding to this international covenant, Samoa made no reservations to the commitments assumed with respect to any of the foregoing fundamental human rights. The religious freedom provisions of the ICCPR (as well as other key human rights provisions) are legally binding in Samoa, under the fundamental principle of treaty law, pacta sunt servanda”. As incorporated in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, this principle provides that “[e]very treaty in force is binding upon the parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith.” An important aspect of doing so is to apply Samoa’s constitutional principles in a way that simultaneously furthers its human rights commitments. Importantly, this entails making sure that the limitations permitted by the Samoa Constitution are not interpreted more broadly than allowed by international instruments. Otherwise, overly broad limitations would impermissibly narrow religious freedom protections.

Samoan courts have consistently applied principles of international human rights law (and other international treaties) in resolving Samoan cases. [26] After noting several other cases, the Vailopa court[27] stated: “These decisions show an application of the Conventions provisions and principles across a broad spectrum and a wide variety of circumstances. This is also consistent with a Pacific approach which has seen other jurisdictions applying the Convention and its philosophies to a host of situations.”[28] The principle of applying international law obligations has been evident in numerous cases. Indeed, in Wagner v. Radke, the court went so far as to apply the principles of the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction 1980, even though Samoa was not even a party.[29]

Samoa has an admirable and consistent record of adhering to its international treaty obligations. This is particularly true with regard to the ICCPR, which constitutes the core of what has come to be known as the “International Bill of Rights.” Because the rights it protects are rooted in the fact of our humanity and our inherent dignity, religious freedom protections are intended to be broadly applied. They are not to be the special privilege of traditional, popular, or longstanding groups. Indeed, the real test of religious freedom in Samoa will be how the smaller and less popular groups are treated.

At the same time, we note that both Article 11 of the Constitution of Samoa and Article 18 of the ICCPR recognize that religious freedom rights are not absolute. A carefully constrained set of reasonable restrictions on the exercise of religious freedoms are allowed. In this regard, Article 11(2) of the Constitution of Samoa provides:

Nothing in clause (1) shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law in so far as that existing law or the law so made imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred under the provisions of that clause in the interests of national security or of public order, health or morals, or for protecting the rights and freedom of others, including their rights and freedom to observe and practice their religion without the unsolicited interference of members of other religions (emphasis added).

While Article 11(2) of the Constitution of Samoa varies somewhat from Article 18(3) of the ICCPR (quoted above), it nevertheless should be read in ways that maximize the congruence of the two provisions. In this regard, the notion of “reasonable restrictions” is typically understood as a matter of international law to include only restrictions that are consistent with the rule of law, and that are strictly necessary to further the enumerated legitimating aims specified. In particular, limitations that are either arbitrary or discriminatory or that are not necessary should not be permitted.

Both the constitutional latitude Article 11(2) allows, and the restrictions it respects, are recognized, for example, in the Village Fono Act 2017, where it is recognized that a Village Fono may make faiga fa’avae or i’ugafono that “promot[e] natural justice and fairness principles in decision making processes and procedures.”[30] Moreover, the Village Fono Act takes care to note that the registration of such regulations “must not be taken as if the whole or part of the faiga fa’avae or i’ugafono are consistent with the Constitution.” That is, even when registered, the faiga fa’avae (policies) or i’ugafono (resolutions) of the Fono still need to comply with the Constitution. The registration of such policies and resolutions by the Village Council does not automatically assure their constitutionality, and they are not immune from constitutional review.

By making the LTC Court of Appeal and Review the supreme court of the land on issues raised and considered in the LTC system, we are concerned about the unsettling impact of the 2020 Draft Bills in creating what may themselves be an unconstitutional immunization of the LTC from any constitutional challenges. By making LTC decisions final, it is possible that if such decisions violate religious freedom and other fundamental rights, the 2020 Draft Bills countenance arbitrary, discriminatory, and ultimately unnecessary actions that should be found to be both unconstitutional and violative of human rights.

This prospect has been considered previously by the Samoan Supreme Court. It has recognized the importance of making certain that the scope of “reasonable restrictions” on religious liberty are carefully constrained.[31] In Lafaialii v Attorney General,[32] the Chief Justice gave this profound insight into the need for religious tolerance in an enlightened society:

Inherent in the concept of freedom of religion enshrined in the Constitution is tolerance, the ability to understand and accept the fact that not all people would hold and subscribe to the same religious beliefs even if they are all Christians. One must learn to tolerate and respect the religious beliefs of others even though such beliefs may be different from one’s own religious beliefs. In this way peace, harmony and stability will remain and continue in village societies. This will no doubt require some adjustment in the attitudes of some of the Alii and Faipule and some of the pastors of the mainline churches which is something that should not be beyond their capacities to achieve. After all the world is never at a standstill; it is always turning. And survival and growth in society involve the ability to adjust and adapt to new legitimate situations and ideas which arise from time to time in life. History has also shown that the persecution of people because of their religious beliefs had never succeeded in changing such beliefs but had only resulted in immense and undesirable misery, hardship and suffering.^{^[33]}

Sometimes arguments in favor of local customs over the protection of fundamental human rights are framed in terms of pitting individual rights and interests against those of the community. Every society experiences conflicts between individual and communal interests. These situations call for careful balancing and analysis. That careful balancing and analysis can be done best on a firm foundation of sound Constitutional structure and established jurisprudence. It is a common feature of human nature to see our own interests as those of the community, and those of others as mere “individual” interests. The problems associated with pluralism are very seldom solved by forcing conformity, excluding those with differing beliefs, or sealing people off from new ideas. Preserving the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to protect all constitutional rights, as these are further buttressed by international treaty obligations that Samoa has assumed, is vital to full protection not only the freedom of religion but of Samoa’s way of life.

Reforms to the Existing Samoan Legal System Can Be Made without Jeopardizing Guaranteed Constitutional Rights and Basic Constitutional Structures

Article 100 of Samoa’s Constitution protects customary titles and Article 102 protects customary land. Both represent important features of the Samoan way of life which deserve respect and protection. The LTC has an important role to play in these two important dimensions of Samoan heritage. Moreover, as with all man-made governmental structures, there are almost certainly ways that the LTC and its contribution to Samoan culture could be strengthened and improved. If submissions from the Samoa Law Society and from the Samoan Judiciary are correct, however, these improvements could be made without putting constitutional rights and fundamental structures of the Constitution of Samoa at risk. Fundamental constitutional changes that in any way are drastic, far-reaching and potentially violative of fundamental human rights go much too far. We plead for caution and all due deliberation, for consultation and refinement, before these measures are made law. We believe that needed reforms of the LTC system should neither undermine the structural integrity of the Samoan Constitutional system, nor jeopardize the fundamental rights and dignity of any person and their diverse religious beliefs, practices and communities.

As noted by the Samoan Law Society’s submission, aren’t the problems with the LTC mainly grounded in inadequate resourcing and related administrative problems?[34] Both likely need attention, but the attempt to solve them by constitutional and legal changes that immunize the LTC from appropriate constitutional review of fundamental rights claims and fracture the hitherto unitary judicial system established by the Constitution of Samoa we submit are not worth the risks they pose.

In a similar vein, the letter submitted to the Committee by the Samoan Judiciary noted that recent experience with efforts aimed at “upskilling and training of the Land and Titles Court judges, focusing on delivering timely decisions, training of new judges and significantly, clearing the extensive backlog of Land and Title Court cases”[35] has yielded significant results even without infusion of significant resources. The Judiciary expressed concerns that “[t]he proposed Land and Titles Court structure establishes a new, parallel and entirely separate Court structure and will impose a significant workload on the LTC Division of the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration. This will require significant resourcing for the new Court, its staff, offices and court rooms.”[36]

Again we emphasize that this submission is in no way intended to inappropriately insert the Church into the internal governmental and judicial affairs of the Samoan government. We simply raise a voice of warning that adoption of the 2020 Draft Bills will harm the exercise and protection of the fundamental human rights guaranteed by the constitution and international commitments, including the freedom of religion.

Conclusion

As a Church, our interest in this matter is to protect the religious freedom guaranteed by the Samoan Constitution for this generation and for generations to come.

We do not see language in the 2020 Draft Bills that would ensure that the existing constitutional protections of religious freedom will continue unimpaired. We do see language in the 2020 Draft Bills we believe will harm the exercise and protection of human rights and fracture the basic structure of the Constitutional framework woven together by the Samoan founding fathers.

We applaud the Committee’s efforts to present the reasons for the 2020 Draft Bills in local Village Councils throughout Samoa. We have taken notice of the resulting voices in the media and through submissions made to the Committee that have raised important points to be considered. We too have lifted our voices in that chorus to participate and hopefully contribute positively and constructively to the conversation.

We feel concerned that adoption of the 2020 Draft Bills would compromise the Samoan constitutional tradition, weaken religious freedom protections, fracture the basic structure of Samoa’s Constitution and constitutionally established judicial system, and potentially strain Samoa’s relationships with its fellow countries under international law. A desire to take advantage of the wisdom and intelligence of the Matai does not require the weakening of either the protection of fundamental rights or the basic constitutional framework of the judicial system created by the Constitution.

The current Constitution of Samoa and its enabling laws allow all people in Samoa the fundamental protection of “freedom of thought, conscience, and religion” and provide a time honoured mechanism to enforce those protections through the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. As longtime members of the faith community in Samoa, we respectfully invite the Committee and the Samoan Parliament to always remember that faith in Jesus Christ is first and foremost a personal matter. May we honour and strengthen the freedoms of religion and belief God has given us and not step between each human heart and their God. As we all do our best to protect our freedoms to worship and live as our hearts and consciences lead us - families, communities and our entire nation will be stronger.

[1] Samoa Law Society, ‘O si o ta lima lava, e pa’ia ai lo ta mata’ – When by my own hand I harm myself . . . ,: A submission made in respect of three Bills tabled before Parliament on 17 March 2020: The Constitutional Amendment Bill 2020; the Land and Titles Bill 2020; and the Judicature Bill 2020 and referred to the Special Parliamentary Committee on 18 March 2020 (8 May 2020) (hereinafter, the “Samoa Law Society Submission”), paragraph 5.30.

[2] Office of the Ombudsman/National Human Rights Institution Samoa, State of Human Rights Report: How Far Have We Come (June 2019) [hereinafter 2019 SSHR Report], p. 9.

[3] Id.

[4] See Samoa Constitution, Part II, Articles 11-15

[5] Submission by Maiava Iulai Toma, Ombudsman of the Office of the Ombudsman/National Human Rights Institution Samoa, to the Parliamentary Select Committee dated 14 May 2020 (hereinafter, the “Ombudsman Submission”), p.3

[6] Ombudsman Submission p. 13.

[7] Amendments to Constitution of Samoa, Articles 71 and 76 under Article 4 of the Constitution Amendment Bill 2020.

[8] See, e.g., Asiata v Asiata [2007] WSSC 4 92 February 2007]; Lafaialii v Attorney General [2003] WSSC 8 (24 April 2003); Mau Sefo and Others v Attorney General [2000] WSSC 18; Tuivaiti (Tariu) v. Sila (Faamalaga) and Others (1980) WSLR 17 (17 December 1980).

[9] SSHR Report, supra note 2, at 60.

[10] Constitution of Samoa, Preamble.

[11] [2000] WSSC 47 (12 July 2000). Several claims were made by the Alii and Faipule of Saipipi in Savaii and sustained by the LTC that ignored and imposed restrictions on religious freedom. The LTC supported the Fono by finding that “three (3) churches are sufficient for the worship of villagers of Saipipi,” The Supreme Court struck down the LTCs determination despite allegations that the new church was “a source of conflict between parents and their children” and had “become a disturbance to the youth of the country as well as the ill-informed,” and purportedly that the case involved some children of the village “challenging the dignified rule of the Alii and Faipule,”

[12] [Ombudsman’s 2015 Report, at 60]

[13] See, e.g., US State Department, 2019 Religious Freedom Report, https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/samoa/ (Section II-Government Practices) (noting that “matai councils, the traditional governing body of villages, frequently continued to resist attempts to introduce new religious groups into their communities on the ground of “maintaining harmony within the village” – a duty prescribed in legislation. Sources stated that it was also common in many villages throughout the country for leaders to forbid individuals to belong to churches outside of the village or to exercise their right not to worship. Villagers in violation of such rules faced fines, banishment from the village, or both. Traditionally, villages have tended to have one primary Christian church. Village chiefs often have chosen the religious denomination of their extended families. Sources stated, however, that many larger villages have had multiple churches serving different denominations and coexisting peacefully."

[14] Court of Appeal of Samoa, 15 April 2019, affirming Lemalu Faalafua et al and Su’a Pale Ltd. v. Land and Titles Court et al. (Reserved Decision of Supreme Court, Tuala-Warren, J., 4 December 2018).

[15] Id., para. 13 (emphasis added).

[16] Id.

[17] Id., para. 26.

[18] Id., para. 30.

[19] Id., para. 31, citing Penaia II v. Land and Titles Court [2012] WSCA 6 at para 16; Lavea v. Kerslake [2015] WSCA 3 at para 39.

[20] Id., paras. 32-37.

[21] An application for a declaratory judgment by the Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Unreported 22 November 2000, Sapolu, CJ).

[22] Lemalu Saeni, paras. 27, 38-39.

[23] Id., para. 25.

[24] Letter from Members of the Judiciary of 6 April 2020, para. 46.

[25] Proposed Constitution Article 104A(8), Constitution Amendment Bill 2020, Article 7

[26] Police v. Ikilasi Raymond Isumu Vailopa, Supreme Court of Samoa (Apia, 2 July 2009). The Court held that admissions made by an accused minor in the absence of his parent or guardian had to be excluded from evidence to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Court noted that Samoa was a party to the Convention, and held it was applicable, even though Samoa had not as yet taken “the further step of giving full effect to our convention obligations . . . [by adopting] appropriate legislative administrative and other measures for implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention.” In support of invoking the Convention, the Court stated, “There is high authority that the courts of this country must follow the Convention,” citing several relevant cases. In one of these, Police v. Faiga, [2008] WSSC 1996, the Court stated: “The Court of Appeal as the highest court of the land decreed in Attorney General v. Maumasi [1999]WSCA 1 that all Samoan Courts should have regard to the articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in cases within its scope i.e. in relevant cases. No less a person than Lord Cooke of Thorndon who was for many years the president of the Samoa Court of Appeal has stated that the following of the principles of the CRC should not be mere window dressing.”

[27] Id.

[28] Id.

[29] [1997] WSSC 6.

[30] Village Fono Amendment, Section 5(2)(l).

[31] See Mau Sefo and Others v Attorney General [2000] WSSC 18. at note 17.

[32] [2003] WSSC 8 (24 April 2003).

[33] [2003] WSSC 8 (24 April 2003)(Sapolu CJ); italics added.

[34] Samoa Law Society Submission, supra paragraphs 4.8-4.13, 5.11.

[35] Letter of 6 April 2020 from Members of the Judiciary to the Samoa Law Reform Commissioner [hereinafter “Judiciary Letter”], para. 44.

[36] Id., para. 43.

Folasaga e Faatatau i le Tulafono Taufaaofi o le Teuteuga o le Faavae 2020, Tulafono Taufaaofi o Fanua ma Suafa 2020, ma Tulafono Taufaaofi o Faamasinoga o Soligatulafono 2020

Mo le: Komiti Filifilia Faapalemene:

Auaunaga o le Soifua Maloloina ma Agafesootai, Mataupu o le Lotoifale, Atiinae o Nuu ma Tagata Lautele

Mai: Ekalesia A Iesu Keriso o le Aupaia o Aso e Gata Ai

Iulai 30, 2020

Faatomuaga

Matou te molimoli atu le agaga faafetai mo lenei avanoa taua e tuuina aloaia atu ai ni manatu ma tauaaoina atu ai se folasaga taualoa mo le silafia a le Komiti Filifilia Faapalemene e tusa ai ma Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 e pei ona taua i luga. O lenei folasaga taualoa e tuuina atu i le agaga faaaloalo lava ma le migao e tatau ai, e fai ai ma fofoga o le Ekalesia a Iesu Keriso o le Aupaia o Aso e Gata Ai ma le loaloa o le toatele o tagata Samoa o e o lo o soifua faamanuiaina ma ola ai i lo latou faatuatuaga ia Iesu Keriso o ni uso ma tuafafine o le Ekalesia i Samoa. O nei tagata o le Ekalesia ua tapuai faatasi i le sili atu ma le 150 faapotopotoga o le Ekalesia i Samoa ma faatauaina ai le avea ai o i latou o ni tagatanuu o Samoa. E faapei o le faatulagaga aoao o le Aukerisiano, o lo o iai tagata o le Ekalesia o lo o nopiai i tafa e fia o le kelope.

Ua le po malae ua matua le talafaasolopito faatulagaina o tagata o le Ekalesia i Samoa e afua mai le aso 17 o Iuni i le tausaga e 1888, ina ua faavae aloaia le misiona a le Ekalesia i Samoa, ma avea ai Apia ma ona ofisa tutotonu. Sa auai tagata o le Ekalesia ma lagolagoina le soalaupuleina ma taunuu atu ai i le talia o le Faavae o Samoa ma aloaia ai i le aso 1 o Ianuari i le 1962, ma faafetaia ai faamanuiaga o le soifua ai i lalo o lana puipuiga saogalemu i le sili atu ma le 50 tausaga. Ua manino le talafaasolopito o auaunaga faatino o tagata o le Ekalesia e saili e avea ai ma ni tagatanuu tauaogaina o Samoa, e faamamalu i ana tu ma aganuu masani, ma naunau e saili auala e galulue feoeoeai ai ma isi tagata e faatupulaia ai le agaga o le alofa, soifua auauna, toafilemu, galulue felagolagomai, fetausiai, ma le faaaloalogia o le puipuiga ma le mamalu o tagata Samoa uma e tusa ai ma tu ma aganuu o le soifuaga Faasamoa,

O lo matou faamoemoega autu i lenei folasaga taualoa o le siitia ae lea ma le faaleoina i le agaga faaaloalo o se lapataiga e faapea o le talia aloaia o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o le a lamatia ma afaina ai le faatinoina ma le puipuiga o aia tatau faavae a le tagata soifua ua faamaonia mai ma faamamaluina e le faavae ma le tuuto faavaomalo, e aofia ai ma le saolotoga o lotu e tapuai ai.

Matou te valuvalusia ai aa o le fau i le agaga faaaloalo lava ina ia tausia pea lava pea o tu ma aganuu e masani ai Samoa e toomaga i ai le puipuiga o aia tatau faavae a tagata soifua e pei ona tuuina mai e le Faavae o Samoa e tusa ai ma ana tu ma aganuu e masani ai.

O le Fesootaiga Vavalalata o le Faavae o Samoa ma Ana Tu ma Aganuu Masani e Mafai ai ona Maua se Atunuu Toafilemu e ui ina Eseese

O le Faavae o Samoa mai lava i lona amataga nate opogi le Faasamoa i auala loloto. O lona faatomuaga o lo o faapea mai e faavae lea i luga o “Mataupu Faavae Faakerisiano ma tu ma aganuu masani a Samoa”. E pei ona taua i le Mataupu 2 o le Faavae “O lenei Faavae o le a avea ma tulafono aupito maualuga o Samoa.” Na aloaia lenei Faavae e tuaa iloga na asa le vaofilifili o Samoa, e aofia ai sui mamalu mai afioaga ma itumalo o Samoa. Na loloto feutagaiga ia Samoa atoa e aofia ai le tele o tausaga i aai, afioaga, ma itumalo, ma i le paia ma le mamalu o Alii ma Faipule – faatasi ai ma le finagalo o tagatanuu uma e ala lea i le pelepesite. Sa tagai ma le totoa taitai faale-tulafono ma faale-aganuu i tuutuuga o le Faavae fou o Samoa. O lenei galuega fita na afua ai se faatulagaga o le pulega faavae ma avea ma mafuaaga e aloaia ai tulafono faavae ma le faale-aganuu aua o faamanuiaga o nei vaega e lua ua mamanu faatasi i ni auala e alagatatau ai ona felagolagomai ma fepuipuiai vaega aupito silisili ona maualuga i tulaga faatauaina o Samoa ae o lo o mautinoa ai le puipuiga o le mamalu ma aia tatau faavae o tagatanuu uma o Samoa i lalo o le tulafono. E pei ona faamamafa mai e le Sosaiete a Loia o Samoa i la latou mau lata mai, “O aia tatau faavae a le tagata soifua ua le na o ni manatu taualoa mai fafo… ua mauaa foi i latou i totonu o le aganuu a Samoa.”[1]

Ua o gatasi le lagona o le Ekalesia ma le finagalo e pei ona folasia e le Komesina o Sulufaiga o Samoa i lana lipoti i Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua o le 2019 pe afai e manino lelei iai, “o aia tatau a tagata soifua ma le Faasamoa e tutusa pau i agafaavae ma o lea ua fesootai lelei ai lava.”[2] I lona tulaga moni, e pei ona faamaonia e le Komesina o Sulufaiga, o nei manatu e lua e felagolagomai ma fefaamalosiai le tasi i le isi.”[3] Ua iai lo matou popolega e pei ona tusia o le a talepe e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 lenei fegalegaleaiga fesootai taua ma faatapulaaina ai le faataunuuina ma le puipuia o aia tatau faavae ua faamaonia mo tagata uma o lo o soifua, tapuai, galulue ma atiae i totonu o Samoa.[4]

Matou te matauina o lo o sailia le finagalo lautele o Samoa e tusa ai ma Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 ma e matou te fiafia ua mafai ona faaopoopo iai lo matou leo faatasi ma isi. Matou te matauina foi o lo o manino le matafaioi tuuto faavae ma faavaomalo taua a Samoa e faatatau i le saolotoga o lotu, e aofia ai ma Mataupu o le Faavae o Samoa 11-13 ma o loo iai foi ma le aafiaga o Samoa i le Feagaiga Faavaomalo i le Aia Tatau o Tagata Lautele ma Faaupufai “(ICCPR”), lea e faatinoina e ala i le maliega faamauina e tuuto i le Faasilasilaga o Aia Tatau Faalauaitele (“UDHR”) na aloaia e le Faalapotopotoga a Malo Aufaatasi i le 1948.

Matou te lagolagoina le mau a le Komesina o Sulufaiga a Samoa i lana Folasaga i lenei Komiti e faapea:

O aia tatau a Tagata Taitoatasi o se measina tutotonu a soo se atunuu/sosaiete. O tagata soifua taitoatasi, ua faia i le faatusa o le Atua, e tofutofusia tutusa uma i aia tatau faavae. O lea, e moni ai le faaupuga e faapea ‘Afai e te puipuia le tagata e toatasi ua e puipuia foi le nuu/sosaiete’. O le mafuaaga lea, ua faamausali ai saolotoga o le tagata e toatasi i soo se Faavae po o se Maliega (Charter) ua faaaloalogia ma faatauaina o se tulafono aupito i maualuga a soo se atunuu, e pei foi ona faatulagaina i le Faavae o Samoa.[5]

Matou te talosaga atu ina ia mafai ona tagai totoa ane i leo eseese uma ua ofoina atu o latou manatu e uiga i aafiaga e ono mafatia ai ona o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020. Matou te talosaga atu ina ia silasila le Komiti i ni aafiaga faigata nei a tolu e ono oo mai ona o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 matou te talitonu ua fai ma taufaamatau i aia tatau faavae a tagata uma o e o loo fiafia i faamanuiaga o le soifua ma galulue ai i Samoa:

E afaina ai le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu e ala lea i le aveesea o lo latou faamamaluina mai le pulega a le Faamasinoga Sili (tagai i le Vaega III i lalo).
E afaina ai le puipuiga o aia tatau i meatotino ma le aia tatau i le faamasinoga tonu e puipuia ai meatotino a lotu ma alagatatau ai le amiotonu ma le faamautinoaina mo tagata uma (tagai i le Vaega IV i lalo).
O le faatulagaga tonu o le Faavae o Samoa ma lana tuuto faavaomalo e puipuia ai aia tatau faavae a le tagata ua faaleaogaina ma ua mafua ai le vavao ma le mautonu. (tagai i le Vaega V i lalo).

Matou te talitonu foi e mafai ona faia suiga moomia i le faatulagaga o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e aunoa ma le aafia ai o le Faavae o faamautinoaina ai le puipuiga o aia tatau faavae a le tagata soifua po o le faatupulaia ai o ni faafitauli faatulagaina i le vatapuia o le faavae ma tulaga faaleaganuu o le atunuu o Samoa. (tagai i le Vaega VI i lalo).

E Lamatia le Faamanualia e le Tulafono Taufaaofi o le Puipuiga o le Saolotoga o Lotu e ala i le Aveesea o lo Latou Faamamaluina mai Pulega a le Faamasinoga Sili

O se tasi o aia tatau faavae ua tuuina atu, faasaoina ma faatumauina i le Vaega II o le Faavae o Samoa o le aia tatau o le saolotoga o lotu o lo o iai i le Mataupu 11, e faapea:

E i ai i tagata taitoatasi uma le aia tatau i le saolotoga o mafaufauga, loto fuatiaifo ma lotu; e aofia i lenei aia tatau le saolotoga na te suia ai lana lotu po o le talitonuga, ma le saolotoga, pe na o ia po o le auai faatasi ma nisi, ma o le itu i le tulaga faalauaitele po o le faasino ia te ia lava, ia faamalamalamaina ma talai lana lotu po o le talitonuga i aoaoga, tapuaiga ma le tausisi i ai.

Ua matauina foi ona e leai se vaega o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o suia ai le Mataupu 11, o lea e leai ai se suiga i le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu. O aia tatau a tagata taitoatasi uma i le saolotoga o lotu ua faamalosia lava e le pule ua iai e faamalosia ai lena saolotoga. O le Mataupu 4 o le Faavae o Samoa ua faamautinoa ai o soo se tagata e mafai ona talosaga i le Faamasinoga Sili e faamamalu ai lo latou saolotoga o lotu ma isi aia tatau e tusa ai ma le faavae. E ui o le faamautinoaina faalauaitele o le Mataupu 11 e faatatau i le saolotoga o lotu e le o suia, o le Mataupu 4 o le Faavae ua suia nei. O le gagana fou ua taofia ai le Faamasinoga Sili mai le taulimaina o soo se mataupu ua tuuina atu i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa. I le siata o lo o faaali atu i lalo o le gagana o lo o faaaogaina i le taimi nei e le Mataupu 4(1) o lo o faaali atu i le itu tauagavale ma le faaopoopoga fuafuaina i le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o lo o tuuina atu i le itu taumatau.

Faavae o Samoa 1961, Mataupu 4(1)

Suiga Fautuaina i le Mataupu 4(1)

“Faiga e fai ai le faamamaluina o aia tatau –

(1) E mafai e so o se tagata ona talosaga i le Faamasinoga Sili i taualumaga tatau ina ia faamamaluina aia tatau e pei ona tuuina atu e tusa ma aiaiga o lenei Vaega”

[faaopoopo le vaseina o upu, ma le Vaega o le Tulafono Faavae o lo o taua ai Aia Faavae],

“Faiga e fai ai le faamamaluina o aia tatau –

(1) I le noatia ma fuafua ai i mataupu o iloiloga faa-faamasinoga e faatulai mai i taualumaga i le Vaega IX- Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, so o se tagata

e mafai ona talosaga i le Faamasinoga Sili i taualumaga tatau e faamamaluina ai aia tatau e pei ona tuuina atu e tusa ai ma aiaiga o lenei Vaega.”

[faaopoopo faamatalaga i le lanu mumu]

I le suia ai o le Mataupu 4 o le Faavae i lenei auala, o le a le faamatuuina atu ai e le Tulafono Tufaaofi 2020 i se faamasinoga le manulauti ma le malosi e galue e faapei ona sa faia pea lava pea e le Faamasinoga Sili mo Samoa i le sili atu ma le 58 tausaga. E tusa ai ma lenei suiga i le Mataupu 4, matou te malilie autasi i le faaiuga a le Komesina o Sulufaiga e faapea “e foliga mai o lea faamoemoe o le a lē toe mafai ai e tagatanuu [poo seisi tagata]ona faia talosaga i le Faamasinoga Sili, poo se isi tulaga mo le faamamaluina o a latou aia tatau faavae, e faatatau i mataupu e paū tonu i lalo o le pulega faa-faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.” (faaopoopo le faamamafa)[6]

E faapea foi, pe afai o le a taliaina Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020, o le faaupuga “Sei Vagana ai le Vaega IX Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma Tulafono o lo o faafoeina ai i lalo” (po o le gagana faapea) o le a faaofi i totonu o le Mataupu Faavae e faamatuu atu ai pulega i le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga.[7]

E faapea foi i le Mataupu 81 o le Faavae o Samoa o iai nei o lo o faamatala mai ai “Pulega e Uiga i Aia Tatau Faavae” ua tape ese. O le Mataupu 81 ua faaalia mai ai nei e faapea “O le faia o se talosaga i le Faamasinoga o Talosaga faasaga i so o se faaiuga a le Faamasinoga Sili i so o se taualumaga e tusa ai ma aiaiga o le Mataupu 4.” O lenei aiaiga ua aveesea mai lona tulaga o iai nei o se faamaoniga tutoatasi faale-tulafono o aia tatau faavae ma ua faatauvaaina i se faauigaina o le pulega o le Faamasinoga o Talosaga. (Mataupu 76(1)(c). E faapei o le suiga o le Mataupu 4 o i luga, ma le aveesea mai le latou pulega o le matafaioi e iloilo ai mataupu uma sa fofogaina i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i sona aotelega, o le faaitiitia o lenei aia tatau tutoatasi faale-tulafono a le Faamasinoga o Talosaga e fofogaina ai mataupu e uiga i aia tatau faavae o tagata soifua e tusa ai ma le tulafono ua faaleaoga teleina i le aveesea lea mai le pulega o mataupu e mapuna mai le faatulagaga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.

I le faagasologa e sili atu i le limasefulu tausaga talu ona aloaia le Faavae o Samoa, sa taulimaina pea lava pea e le Faamasinoga Sili le tulaga maoae o le saolotoga o aia tatau o lotu i lalo o le Mataupu 11.[8] E pei ona folasia e le Komesina o Sulufaiga i lana lipoti o le 2015 i le Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua i Samoa, “O le faatapulaaina po o le taofiofia o saolotoga o lotu ua feteenai lea ma aia tatau a tagata soifua e tatau ai ma ua le faatemokarasi.”[9] O le aveesea o le pule faataga o lo o iai nei a le faamasinoga Samoa i le va o tagata ma soligatulafono e fofoga ai tagi ma talosaga ina ia faamamaluina ai aia tatau faavae faale-tulafono ona ua aliae mai le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e mafai ai ona avea se mataupu a se tagata o lo o i luma o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e aveesea ai lana aia tatau i lona saolotoga o lotu e fofogaina ai e le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga lana mataupu.

Matou te le talitonu o nei atugaluga o ni mea ua faufau. O ni faataitaiga o mea moni ua tutupu ua avea ai le siitia ae o aia tatau faalenuu ua aafia ai aia tatau faavae a tagata taitoatasi, ua feteenai ma le faamautinoaina o le amiotonu faale-tulafono, e aofia ai le 1) faasaina ona uia pe solia laueleele o le afioaga po o le tuua o le afioaga ina ia auai i le lotu i seisi afioaga tuaoi, 2) faasalaina pe faamalosia le o ese mai o latou aiga ona ua auai ma liliu atu i seisi lotu, 3) faasaina ona asiasi pe talai i totonu o se afioaga, 4) le mafai ona fausia se falesa i totonu o se afioaga, 5) faatonuina ina ia auai i le lotu e tasi o lo o i totonu o se afioaga. Ua matou saili e puipui ma faamalosia mo augatupulaga faimai le tomai o matou tagata auai, o a latou fanau ma fanau a latou fanau ina ia tatalo, suesue i tusitusiga paia ma auai i se lotu o la latou filifiliga e auala i le puipuia lelei o a latou aia tatau o lo latou tofi mai le Atua e pei ona puipuia malu ai mo tagata uma e le Faavae o Samoa.[10]

O nisi o nei tulaga na fai ma mataupu o faaiuga a Faamasinoga Sili ua mavae, Sefo v. Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa[11] o se faataitaiga faapea. Na manatu le Faamasinoga Sili o le agaga finau o taitai faaleaganuu i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa se manu e fai ma mea e soloia ai le “vasega tusipaia po o le faatuina o le lotu fou…i le afioaga o Saipipi” ua solia ai le Mataupu 11 o le Faavae. E faapea foi, o le aiaiga e faapea e sailia e se lotu fou le maliega a Alii ma Faipule e faataga ai le amataina o se aoga tusipaia po o sauniga faalelotu (i totonu o fanua o tagata taitoatasi po o fanua faaleaganuu) ua solia ai le Mataupu 11. E faamaonia lea e tusa foi pe fai ma “popolega e ono tutupu ai ni vevesiga po o ni feeseeseaiga.” Ana avea le agaga finau a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i lenei mataupu ma tulai mai ai se faaiuga, po ua tapunia ai le saolotoga o lotu o i latou o talitonu ai i lenei lotu fou i le afioaga.

O nisi foi faafitauli na lipotia mai e le Komesina o Sulufaiga i lana Lipoti o le Tulaga o Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua 2015. E tusa ai ma feutaga’iga ma afioaga, na ia maua ai e faapea:

“na tula’i mai ai le matā’upu e uiga i le sa’olotoga o filifiliga ma sa’olotoga mai le fa’amalosi o lotu. E iai tagata o nu’u na lipotiina na’o le tasi le lotu e filifili i ai i o latou nu’u, po o le fa’asāina fo’i o le fa’avaeina o ni lotu fou, a o isi nu’u e fa’ataga ona lolotu i isi lotu i fafo atu o le nu’u. O isi taimi, e leai se sa’olotoga e filifili ai se lotu e to’aitiiti tagata, ‘auā na’o le tasi le lotu e fa’ataga i totonu o se nu’u pe fa’atapula’a fo’i le ofi atu o ni lotu fou i totonu o le nu’u.”[12]

O nisi faafitauli faapea o lo o faamauina i le Lipoti faaletausaga a le US o le Saolotoga o Lotu o le 2019.[13]

Mo faapotopotoga faalelotu – pe o tatou lava po o nisi foi – e matua le talafeagai ona manatu o le a iai se pa pupuni faale-faamasinoga ua fausia faataamilo i le faatulagaga e faia ai faaiuga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa. O lea pa pupuni faale-faamasinoga o le a afaina ai le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu e ala i le taofia o se tagata po o se faapoptopotoga mai le faia o se talosaga faale tulafono i le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga a Samoa ma taofia ai i latou e aunoa ma se isi auala alagatatau e puipuia ai ia saolotoga. Ona o lo tatou le faia o mea uma e ao ona tatou fai e puipuia ai le saolotoga o lotu, ua tatou popole ai loa i le teena o saolotoga faavae o lotu i le avea ai ma faiga faatino e masani ai.

Tatou te manaomia pea lava pea le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu e pei ona tuuina mai e lo tatou Faavae. Ua faataatia e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 i tagatanuu o Samoa fuaitau matagofie o le Mataupu 11; ae o le faanoanoaga, o soo se tasi e auai i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, ua aveesea ai le gafatia e faamamaluina ai ia fuaitau.

E Lamatia le Afaina e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o Aia e Uiga i Meatotino ma le Aia i Faamasinoina ma le Tonu e Puipuia Meatotino a le Lotu ma Tuuina atu le Amiotonu ma le Faamautinoaina mo Tagata Uma

A. E Faaleaogaina e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 Aia e Uiga i Meatotino ma Faapea ai le Faatinoina o le Saolotoga o Lotu

E taua le puipuia o aia tatau o meatotino i lona faataunuuina ma le fiafia o le saolotoga o lotu. O tagata e tapuai faatasi e manaomia se nofoaga malu puipuia e faatasi ai. O lea, o le saolotoga o lotu ma le aia tatau o meatotino e fesootai vavalalata. E mafai e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 ona faaofi mai le mautonu i le faatulagaga o meatotino ma lisi. E taua le mautinoa o aia tatau e faatatau i fanua i tagata taitoatasi, aiga, pisinisi, ma faapotopotoga faalelotu. E mafai ona aliae i se tulaga faanatinati lisi taualoa faaumiumi i ni luitau le maalofia pe a tuuina mai i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.

O se faataitaiga o lenei taufaamatau i aia tatau o meatotino ua faailoa mai le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 e pei ona faaalia mai e le mataupu talu ai nei a Lemalu Saeni v. Su’a Pale Ltd. ma le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma isi.[14] I lea mataupu sa atiae ai e Sua Pale Ltd. (“SPL”) se mataaga e taua o le “Return to Paradise Beach Club” i luga o fanua faaleaganuu sa latou lisiina. I le maofa ai o le SPL, sa malosi le talitonuga o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i se luitau na faatoai mai e le aiga o Saeni e faapea o le lisi sa lesitalaina “ua faamutaina ma ua le aoga.” O le talosaga mai lenei faaiuga sa faaleaogaina e le Faamasinoga Talosaga o Fanua ma Suafa i le aso 25 o Iulai 2014.

Na faatoai e le aiga o Fa’alafua ma le SPL le tagi i le Faamasinoga Sili e faapea o le 1) aia tatau a le SPL i se faamasinoga tonu i lalo o le Faavae o Samoa ua solia (ona o se pisinisi e le Samoa, sa le aofia ai le SPL i taualumaga o Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa); 2) e leai se pulega a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e iloilo ai le lisi pe afai ua faaui i tua le muai faasea a le aiga o Saeni; ma 3) o le taimi lava e tuuina atu ai e le Minisita le lisi, e leai se malosi o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e faamuta ai. Ua tautino mai e le faamasino o le Faamasinoga Sili e faapea e leai se pule o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i le lisi a le Minisita pe afai ua faamaonia. I le manatu ai i le taua o le tulaga faaletonu o mea tautupe ona o se faaiuga feteenai, na faasino ane e le faamasino e faapea “o le taofia ai o le a fai ma aafiaga matuia i le aoga o le lisiina o fanua faaleaganuu ma le faaosofia ai o i latou e ona lisi e atiae ai i latou.”[15] I le talosaga, sa faamaonia mai e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga Samoa e faapea e leai se pule a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e faamuta ai le lisi ua faamaonia e le Matagaluega. Ua faamamafa mai e le Faamasinoga e faapea “[o]le fuafuaga faapea o nei lisi e mafai ona faamutaina e se faaiuga o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o le a fai ma mea matuia e faamuta ai le fiafia e atiae ai ma faaofi mai ai le mautonu.”[16]

Ua faaalia e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga le faaaloalo mo le paleni talafeagai ua iai nei i le va o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma le faatulagaga faaletulafono o faamasinoga Samoa i le faapea mai e iai pea le taua faale pulega o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa … [e] faailoa ai aia tatau i le va o i latou e ona ma i latou e foliga mai e ono faamanuiaina ai” ma faailoa “po o ai e aia i le fanua pe a maea le lisi” ma foia se auala “e tufatufa ai tupe maua o le lisi mo le taimi nei.”[17]

A o aloaia e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga le tulaga masani ona iai i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa le pulega maioio i mataupu ma feeseeseaiga uma i tagata Samoa e faatatau i fanua faaleaganuu,”[18] ua manino foi lana pulega e faalavefau ai i mataupu iloga faapitoa, o le tele o nei mataupu e afua mai “pe afai ua solia le Faavae. Afai o lea, e manaomia e le Faavae le Faamasinoga Sili e tulai mai mo se fofo o le faafitauli.”[19] Ua faamamafa mai e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga i le mataupu a Lemalu Saeni le solia o le faavae e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ina ua tuuina atu se poloaiga ua sili atu i le pule faataga na faamatuu atu iai e le Faavae.[20] O lenei faapaleniina o aia tatau faavae o aganuu ma faatinoga e pei ona faailoa mai i lenei mataupu o le matafaioi lea a le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga. O lea tiute faapaleni ua le faamatuu atu i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020.

O le faaiuga o se mataupu talafeuga talu ai na tulai mai ai le solia o le aia tatau faavae ma avea ma mea ua faatapulaa ai le pule faataga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa sa aafia ai la matou Ekalesia. Sa faia le faaiuga e le Faamasino Sili le Afioga ia Patu Sapolu i le 2009 ma sa faailoa mai i le mataupu a Lemalu Saeni (“e taua o le mataupu a le “Aupaia o Aso e Gata Ai”).[21] E faapei o le mataupu a Lemalu Saeni, sa faafoliga e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i le mataupu a le Aupaia o Aso e Gata Ai e faaleaoga ai se lisi sa faamaonia mai e le Minisita o Eleele o vaaia fanua faaleaganuu e tusa ai ma le Tulafono o le Faaliliuina o Fanua Faaleaganuu 1965. O le faaiuga a le Faamasinoga Sili e faapea o le faia o lea mea, ua sili atu i luga o lana pule faataga, ma o le solia lea o le faavae o se matafaioi a le Faamasinoga Sili e foia. Ia iloa ai ua le na o le puipuia o aia tatau o meatotino (lisi o fanua) e moomia ai le faalavefau a le Faamasinoga Sili, ae faapea foi i le solia o pulega faatulagaina e pei ona faamautu mai i le Faavae.

Afai o taualumaga faa-faamasinoga uma e aafia ai i soo se tulaga e faasino i mataupu o fanua faaleaganuu ua faapumoomoo i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, o lona uiga la o soo se aia tatau faavae e puipuia e le Faavae e mapuna ae i le faatulagaga o Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o le a lafoaiina e aunoa ma le puipuiga a le faamasinoga ua faatuina e le Faavae e puipui e le na o aia tatau faavae o tagata soifua, ae faapea foi i le faapaleniina o pulega i se atunuu/sosaiete ua eseese. E pei ona tatou malamalama iai, sa le i fuafuaina le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, pe ua faamatuu atu iai le pule e le Faavae po o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 e avea o se faamasinoga faaletulafono ua iai le tomai o puleaga e foia ai talosaga e aofia ai aia tatau faavae a tagata soifua. O le pupuni eseina o le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga mai le puleaga o soo se mataupu faaletulafono e mapuna mai le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o le a matuia ai le tafiesea o le puipuiga faaletulafono o aia tatau faavae e ono aliae mai i mataupu o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.

O le puipuiga o aia tatau o meatotino o e o lisiina fanua faaleaganuu o se vaega taua o le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu. O le tomai o le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga e faatapulaa ai le puleaga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa pe a lamatia aia tatau faavae ua talafeagai mo le puipuiga ma le faasaoina o ia aia tatau.

B. E Mafai ona Faaitiitia Aia Tatau Faavae mo le Faamasino Tonu e ala i le Toesea o Itu mai le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa

O le taofia ona auai o tagata uma o aafia i se feeseeseaiga o fofogaina i le faamasinoga o se mataupu o Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ua tuu itiitia ai le aia tatau faavae o le faamasino tonu ua faamaonia mai i le Mataupu 9 o le Faavae o Samoa. O le mataupu a Lemalu Seani o se faamanatu foi o lenei vaega. O se tasi o vaega autu i lena mataupu e faapea o le tulimatai e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o feeseeseaiga o tagata Samoa e mafai ona solia ai aia tatau o le faamasino tonu, ona o e lisiina fanua e le o ni tagata o aiga/nuu i Samoa e le mafai ona auai so latou leo i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.[22] E tusa ai ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga “o le faamoemoega autu o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e le tatala atu ai aia tatau moomia mo tagata e ona meatotino ma e o lo o lisiina ae le o ni tagata o le aiga/nuu. O le fesootaiga i le va o le e ona le meatotino ma le tagata o lisi mai ai ae le o se tagata o le aiga/nuu o lo o puipuia e tulafono mai tulafono faalemalo ma tulaga masani.”[23] O lea, o se vaega o le faatulagaga o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e ogatotonu iai le puipuiga o le tofi o Samoa e foia ai feeseeseaiga i le va o tagata Samoa e faaaoga ai tu ma aganuu e foliga mai ua le mafai ai ona taofia le faia o le faamasino ua le tonu i mataupu e aafia ai e o lo o lisi ae le o ni tagata o aiga/nuu. O lenei, ua faateteleina e le Tulafono Taufaaofi lenei faafitauli e ala lea i le pupuni eseina o le Faamasinoga Sili mai lana matafaioi e faasao ai lenei le tonu.

O le auai o le o lo o lisi ae le o se tagata o le aiga/nuu mai le mataupu o feeseeseai ai e uiga i fanua i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e le gata o le a faamanualia ai i latou, ae faamanualia ai foi e o lo o faamanuiaina ona o le taumafaiga a i latou o lo o lisiina nei meatotino. Mo se faataitaiga, o i latou e mai fafo atu o Samoa o lo o atinae se mataaga, po o se falelotu i Samoa e faia ina ia faamanuiaina ai le soifua o tagata Samoa. O le faamatuu atu o a latou lisi ua mautu i ni luitau ae ua leva ona tuanai le taimi na faamaonia ma lesitalaina ai le lisi, ma i se taualumaga e faasaina ai i latou, e faamanualia ai le e ou nei pisinisi ma tagata o le lotu mo se taimi umi. O le faamoemoega o la matou Ekalesia o le fesoasoani lea i tagata ina ia maua le faaolataga ma le ola e faavavau. O nei faamoemoega paia ma le agaga lelei ua lamatia pe afai e faaitiitia pe aveesea la latou aia tatau o meatotino ma le agavaa e auai i lo latou faamamaluina.

O le Auivi Autu o le Faavae o Samoa ma lana Tuuto Faavaomalo o loo Puipuia ai Aia Tatau Faavae o Tagata Soifua ua Faaleaogaina ma Mafua ai Feeseeseaiga ma le Mautonu.

A. O le Auivi Autu o le Faavae ma le Muai Faatulagaga o le Faamasinoga Sili e Maua ai le Faavae Maopoopo ma le Mautonu mo Aia Tatau Faavae.

O le manuia o Samoa talu mai lona tutoatasi i le faafaileleina o tagatanuu eseese, faafeiloaia o tagata asiasi mai ma atinae, ma le fausiaina o se faatulagaga toafilemu ma le saogalemu o faamasinoga o se mea e mitamita ai. O le Faavae ma le tulai mai o se faatulagaga o faamasinoga tutoatasi o ni faavae taua ia o lea manuia. Matou te popoe i le lamatia e Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o le faatulagaga autu o le Faavae o Samoa, o le tuuto faavaomalo a Samoa i lalo o feagaiga, ma lona faasologa talafeagai faale faamasinoga.

Ua vaevae e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 tiute faale faamasinoga ma pule i ni faatulagaga eseese e lua. E tofu le faatulagaga ma puleaga patino ae eseese. O lenei vaevaega o le tulaga faa faamasinoga ua avea ma mea ua le taofia ai le faavaivaiina o nei faatulagaga

O le faamatuu atu i se faatulagaga lona lua o faamasinoga o se pule ma tulaga tutusa ai ma le faatulagaga o faamasinoga o iai nei o le a faaulufale mai ai le toafimalie ma le mautonu. O le a le toe iai se faamasinoga e tulai mai ma faia faaiuga mulimuli – mo iloiloga, puipuiga ma le faamamaluina o le faavae e puipuia aia tatau faavae – e aofia ai ma le saolotoga o lotu. O faamoemoega taualoa o le toafimalie ma le mautonu o nuu ma sosaiete sa faamamaluina mai le taimi na aloaia ai le Faavae e auala mai i ona faatulagaga autu e aofia ai le tuueseeseina o pule, o le faavae o le tulafono ma le faamasinoga tutoatasi ua poto masani i tulafono moomia ma faiga masani. O le malamalama i vaega o faatulagaga o faamasinoga taitasi ma le tapulaa e pei ona aiaia e le Faavae ma faamamaluina e faamasinoga taitasi ua taua lea i le puipuia o aia tatau faavae.

Ua tuuina atu e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa le pule sili i mea uma e faatatau i “aganuu ma le faaaogaina”, ae peitai o lea manatu ua le manino lava lona faamatalaina. E le faigata ona faailoa faafitauli o le a tutupu mai lenei pule ona o le pogisa o le faasalalauga ma le faalauteleina o lea fuaitau. E pei ona faailoa mai i le folasaga a le Ofisa o Faamasinoga Samoa o le faaaogaina o le upu “aganuu” i le Mataupu 72 o le Tulafono Taufaaofi ua faalautele atu ai ona itu uma o faiga faaiuga o le faamasinoga, e aofia ai vaega o le aia tatau taitoatasi i soligatulafono ma le va o tagata, ma mataupu o fefaatauaiga ma le gaosiga o oloa, e faapea foi ma mataupu o fanua ma suafa matai o aiga. O le a faaofi mai ai le mautinoa ma le lavelave i vaega o le Tulafono faa Samoa e sili mamao ese ai ma le faamoemoega o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa i lalo o le Faavae o iai nei.[24] Ona e foliga mai e le mafai ona talosaga i le faatulagaga o faamasinoga o le faavae o Samoa ia mataupu ua fofogaina i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, e leai ni siaki ma faapaleni i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa mo tagi e aafia ai aia tatau faavae faaletulafono.

O le ono faalauteleina o le aotelega o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ua atiae ai se feteenaiga ma le puleaga o le Faamasinoga Sili ma ona faamasinoga tau talosaga. E faailoa mai e faamasinoga taitasi le aotelega o la latou puleaga e tasi le mataupu i le taimi. O le laina tuaoi i le va o nei faatulagaga tau faamasinoga o le a matua nenefu lava. O le a faaopoopo iai e lenei le mautonu sili, avega, tuai ma le totogi i le faatinoga atoa o le faamasinoga.

I le ma lea, pe le alagatatau ea ona faia e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o faaiuga e iloa ai o iai lana puleaga e iloilo ai mataupu tau fanua o lo o aofia ai aia tatau faavae faale tulafono? Pe mafai ea? e ono mafai? e faamoemoe i ai? o le a tuuina atu e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa le faataua sili i aia faaleaganuu - aemaise talu ai ”O le Tulafono tau le aganuu a Egelani ma le faamasinoga tonu tau le lotofuatiaifo, e lē faaaogāina i le Tulafono o Fanua ma Suafa.”[25] O faiga masani ua leva ona sau ai i le tele o tausaga i le talafaasolopito faale tulafono ma faale faamasinoga o Samoa ua mauaa i le tu ma aganuu anamua o tulafono tau la aganuu o le a le toe iai pe afai e tuuina mai se mataupu e aafia ai le saolotoga o lotu ma isi aia tatau faavae o tagata soifua i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa.

O lenei taumafaiga i le totonugalemu o le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 ua faamoemoe e faamalosia ai le sootaga o Samoa i ona aa faaleaganuu o le a iai se aafiaga le manuia e vavaeeseina ai vaega o tu ma aganuu masani a Samoa e faatumauina ai le soifua – le faavae o le tulafono ma le tulafono tau le aganuu. I lea lava tulaga, o punaoa o aia tatau faale tulafono a tagata soifua ua loa ona faafailele mai le Fa’asamoa o le a vavaeeseina mai le puleaga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma o le a le toe iai e faamamalu, puipui, ma faalelei atili aia tatau faavae ua lagolago i le soifuaga o tagata.

Matou te popoe o le faatulagaga fou faale faamasinoga o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e le o se suiga lelei e fai ma ofisa o faamasinoga tutotatasi atoatoa ma le puleaga e moomia e le Faavae o Samoa lena puleaga nate tauaveina. Mo se faataitaiga, pe tonu ea ona iai o se vasega o faamasino o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e aofia ai ni faamasino se toalua ua iai le tomai o le Faamasinoga Sili, se tasi sa avea ma faamasino o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma se tagatanuu o Samoa, e iloilo totoa ma faamautinoaina le puipuiga o aia tatau faavae faaletulafono? E faapefea pe afai ua tutusa ma ua leai se faaiuga e taunuu i ai? Afai e iai ni atugaluga e faatatau i tu ma aganuu masani e iloiloina i le Faamasinoga Sili, pe le ua sili ea ona lelei pe a faasaoina le faatulagaga o lo o iai nei ma le silafia o faamasino o le Faamasinoga Sili o i latou foi o ni matai? Pe le o tomai taua ea nei o faamasino o le Faamasinoga Sili e aumaia le silafia ma le malamalama o tu ma aganuu masani a Samoa i mataupu o lo o latou iloiloina? O le suia o lenei faatulagaga mo le faatulagaga fou o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma faamoemoe i le vasega o faamasino e taulimaina talosaga faaletulafono ua avea ma ni galuega tele mo i latou – aemaise lava pe a leai se auala faaletulafono e maua ai se faaiuga lelei pe a feteenai.

O le vaeluaga fou o le lala o le faamasinoga o le malo e aunoa ma se faamasinoga i le tumutumu e faia faaiuga mulimuli ua faatuina nei e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o le a faatupulaia ai fevesiaiga ma le mautonu o se faatulagaga faale faamasinoga e taulimaina talosaga o aia tatau faavae i se tulaga le tumau, pe suia, pe ua leai lava se puipuiga, pe afai ua teena e le faamasinoga le avanoa o tagata e faamaonia ai a latou aia tatau faavae i soo se taimi e aafia ai mataupu tau le aganuu.

B. O le Tiute Faavaomalo o Samoa e Tuuina mai ai se Faatonu Faaopoopo i Suiga Faaletulafono o le Faavae ua Fautua mai e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020

E taua ia i matou ona iloilo i lenei tulaga le tuuto faaletulafono faaumiumi a Samoa i le saolotoga o lotu e pei ona faaleleia ia Fepuari 2008, e Samoa ma siitia ai i le Feagaiga Faavaomalo o Aia Tatau i le va o Tagata ma le Faapolotiki (“ICCPR”). O lea na tauave ai tiute tuuto, o lona faamoemoega o le faatuina maliega faaletulafono tamau e puipuia ai aia tatau e pei ona faamatalaina mai i le Poloaiga Faalauaitele o Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua (“UDHR”) ua talia aloaia e le Faapotopotoga Faalauaitele a Malo Aufaatasi i le 1948. O nei pepa o faamatalaga taitasi o lo o iai le Mataupu 18 ua patino mai ai le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu.

Mataupu 18 o le ICCPR ua aumai ai lenei faamatalaga:

1. E i ai i tagata taitoatasi uma le aia tatau i le saolotoga o mafaufauga, loto fuatiaifo ma lotu. E aofia i lenei aia tatau le saolotoga e auai i se lotu po o se talitonuga o lana lava filifiliga, ma le saolotoga, pe na o ia po o le auai faatasi ma nisi, ma o le itu i le tulaga faalauaitele po o le faasino ia te ia lava ia molimauina ma talai lana lotu po o le talitonuga i tapuaiga, aoaoga, tapuaiga ma le tausisi i ai . (tagai i le faatusatusaga i le Mataupu 11, Vaega II o le Faavae o Samoa).

2. E leai se tasi e saisaitia i le faamalosia e faavaivaia ai lona saolotoga e auai i se lotu po o se tapuaiga o lana lava filifiliga.

3. O le saolotoga e molimauina ai se lotu po o se tapuaiga a se tasi atonu e saisaitia e tapulaa e pei ona tuuina mai e le Tulafono ma manaomia e puipuia ai le saogalemu o tagata lautele, nofo filemu, soifua maloloina, po o amio lelei, po o mo le puipuia o aia tatau ma le saolotoga o isi tagata.

4. O le Itu o le Setete i le Feagaiga o iai nei ua tauave ia faaaloalo i le saolotoga o matua ma, a talafeagai ai, tagata e tausia faale-tulafono ina ia mautinoa aoaoga faalelotu ma amioga talafeagai lelei o a latou fanau ua o gatasi ma a latou tautinoga.

I lona taua, ina ua malilie i lenei feagaiga faavaomalo, sa lei faatamala Samoa i le tuuto ua faia ma le faamamalu i so o se aia tatau faavae o tagata soifua e pei ona taua. O aiaiga o le saolotoga o lotu o le ICCPR (atoa ai foi ma isi aiaiga taua o aia tatau) ua faamauina faale-tulafono i Samoa, i lalo o le manatu faavae autu o le Tulafono o le feagaiga, pacta sunt servanda”. E pei ona tuufaatasia i le Fonotaga i Vienna e faatatau i le Tulafono o Maliega, o lenei mataupu autu e aumai ai “[o] maliega uma ua faamalosia ua faamauina i luga o sui auai o iai ma e ao ona faataunuuina e latou i le agaga lelei.” O se vaega taua o lona faataunuuina o le faatinoina lea o faavae autu faale-tulafono a Samoa i se auala e faalauteleina ai lana tuuto i aia tatau a le tagata soifua. I lona tulaga taua, e aofia ai i lenei le faamautinoaina o tapulaa e faamatuu mai e le Faavae o Samoa e le o faaliliuina faalauaitele nai lo le faatagana e tuutuuga faavaomalo. A le o lea, o le faamamafaina o tapulaa o le a faaitiitia ai le puipuiga o le saolotoga o lotu.

Ua masani e faamasinoga Samoa ona faaaoga pea faavae o tulafono faavaomalo o aia tatau a tagata soifua (ma isi maliega faavaomalo) e iloiloina ai mataupu Samoa.[26] Ina ua maea ona matauina o nisi mataupu, na faapea mai le faamasinoga a Vailopa:[27] “O nei faaiuga o lo o faaalia mai ai le faatinoina o aiaiga ma faavae o Maliega i sona tulaga faalauaitele ma le anoanoai o tulaga o mea tutupu. E o gatasi foi lenei ma le auala a le Pasefika ua maitauina ai le faaaogaina e isi pulega le Maliega ma ana tofa mamao i le tele o tulaga fataunuuina.”[28] O le faavae autu e faaaogaina ai le tuuto i tulafono faavaomalo ua faamaonia i le tele o mataupu. Ioe, i le mataupu a Wagner v. Radke sa faaaogaina ai e le faamasinoga le faavae autu o le Maliega Faavaomalo i Hague o le Aveesea Faamalosi o Fanau 1980, e ui e lei avea Samoa ma se sui auai.[29]

Ua ia i Samoa se faamaumauga tauleleia ma le faifaipea o le mulimuli tui lea i lana tuuto i le maliega faavaomalo. E faamaonia lea aemaise lava i le ICCPR, o lo o iai le fatu o le tulaga o le a oo mai ua taua o le “Tulafono o Aia Tatau Faavaomalo.” Ona o aia tatau o lo o puipuia ai o lo o mauaa i lo tatou soifuaga ma le mamalu o le tofi faale-tagata, o le puipuia o le saolotoga o lotu ua faamoemoe e faatinoina ai i se tulaga faalauaitele. Ua le avea ia o se avanoa faapitoa o tu ma aganuu masani, lauiloa, po o vaega ua leva. O le mea moni o le faamaoniga tonu o le saolotoga o lotu i Samoa o le auala lea e tausia ai vaega toaitiiti ma tau le iloa.

Ma e faapea foi, matou te matauina i le Mataupu 11 o le Faavae o Samoa ma le Mataupu 18 o le ICCPR o lo o iloa ai o aia tatau o le saolotoga o lotu e le masalomia. O le faatulagaga ma le faaeteete o taofiofiga tatau i le faatinoina o le saolotoga o lotu o lo o faatagaina. I lea tulaga, o le Mataupu 11(2) o le Faavae o Samoa o lo o tuuina mai ai e faapea:

E leai se mea i le fuaiupu (1) o le a aafia ai le faagaoioiga o so o se tulafono o i ai nei po o le taofia ai o le Malo mai le faia o so o se tulafono pe afai o lena tulafono o lo o i ai nei po o le Tulafono ua faapea ona faia e tuuina atu ai o taofiofiga tatau i le faaaogaina o le aia tatau na tuuina atu e tusa ma aiaiga o lena fuaiupu mo le saogalemu o le atunuu po o le nofo filemu o tagata uma, soifua maloloina po o amio lelei, po o mo le puipuia o aia tatau ma le saolotoga o isi tagata, e aofia ai a latou aia tatau ma le saolotoga e faamamaluina ai ma faia la latou lotu e aunoa ma le soona aia fua i ai o tagata o nisi lotu.

E ui o le Mataupu 11(2) o le Faavae o Samoa e iai sina eseesega mai le Mataupu 18(3) o le ICCPR (o lo o sii atu i luga), e ao ona faitauina i auala e faamalosia ai le uiga autasi o ia aiaiga e lua. I lea tulaga, o le manatu o le “taofiofiga tatau” e masani ona malamalama iai o se mataupu o le tulafono faavaomalo e aofia ai na o taofiofiga o lo o talafeuga ma le faatulagaga o le tulafono, ma e matua talafeagai lava e faalauteleina ai le amiotonu o faamoemoega o lo o taua. I le tulaga faapitoa, o taofiofiga e faale-tagata, pe faapito, pe le manaomia e le tatau ona faatagaina,

O le faamatuu mai faale-tulafono i le Mataupu 11(2), ma le taofiofiga na te faaaloalogia, ua silafia, i se faataitaiga, i le Tulafono a Fonotaga a Nuu 2017, e matauina ai e mafai e le Fono a le Nuu ona fai faiga faavae po o iugafono e “faamalosia ai faavae autu o le faamasinoga tonu ma le amiotonu i le faiga ma taualumaga o faaiuga.”[30] E faapea foi, o le Tulafono o le Fono a le Nuu na te taulimaina le lesitalaina o ia tulafono faatonutonu “e le tatau ona faia e faapea o le atoaga po o se vaega o le faiga faavae po o iugafono ua o gatasi ma le Faavae.” E faapea, e tusa po ua lesitala, o faiga faavae po o iugafono o le Fono e manaomia pea ona mulimuli i le Faavae. O le lesitalaina o ia faiga faavae ma iugafono e le Fono a le Nuu e le otometi ona faamaonia lo latou faale-tulafono, ma e le puipuia mai le iloiloga faale-tulafono.

O le avea o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o Talosaga ma Iloiloga e fai ma faamasinoga sili o le atunuu i mataupu e tulai mai ma iloiloina e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, matou te popoe i le aafiaga le mautonu a le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 i le faatuina lea o se tulaga e mafai ona avea ai ma puipuiga e le tusa ai ma le tulafono o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa mai soo se luitau faale-tulafono. O le avea o faaiuga a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa o se faaiuga mulimuli, e mafai ai ona faapea I afai e solia e ia faaiuga le saolotoga o lotu ma isi aia tatau faavae, ua lagolagoina ai loa e le Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 gaoioiga o soona fai, faailoga tagata, ma mulimuli ane ua le talafeagai ma le tusa ai ma le tulafono ma solia ai le aia tatau a tagata soifua.

O lenei tulaga sa iloiloina talu ai e le Faamasinoga Sili a Samoa. Ua matauina ai le taua o le faamautinoaina o le aotelega o le “taofiofiga tatau” i le saolotoga o lotu ua faaeteete lelei lona faamalosia.[31] I le mataupu a Lafaialii v Loia Sili,[32] na fofogaina mai ai e le Faamasino Sili lenei manatu loloto i le manaomia o le faapalepale i le lotu i se atunuu ua faamalamalamaina:

E tutotonu i le manatu o le saolotoga o lotu o puipuia e le Faavae o le faapalepale, o le iloa o le malamalama ma le talia ai le meamoni e le o tagata uma o le a taliaina ma malilie i le talitonuga faalelotu e tasi e tusa lava poo i latou uma o Kerisiano. E ao i le tasi ona iloa ona faapalepale ma faaaloalo i talitonuga faalelotu o isi e tusa lava o ia talitonuga e ese mai lona lava talitonuga faalelotu. I lenei ala o le a faaauau le tumau ai pea o le filemu, feoeoeai ma le mautu i le nuu. O le a le taumate ona manaomia ai ni suiga o amioga a nisi o Alii ma Faipule ma nisi o faifeau o lotu autu o se mea e le sili atu i lo latou malosi ona gafatia. O le mea moni e le tumau lava le lalolagi; ae o lo o taavili pea. Ma o le ola ma le alualu i luma o le nuu e aofia ai le iloa ona faatonutonu ma faatatau i tulaga fou talafeagai ma manatu e musuia ai mai lea taimi i lea taimi o le soifuaga. Ua faailoa mai foi i talafaasolopito o le sauaina o tagata ona o latou talitonuga faalelotu sa le i faamanuiaina lava ina ia suia ai ia lava talitonuga ae ua na o le fai ma mea ua maua ai le faanoanoa tele ma le moomia, faigata ma puapuaga.[33]

O nisi o taimi e malifa fefinauaiga i tu ma aganuu masani nai lo le puipuia o aia tatau faavae o le tagata soifua ua faatulagaina i le faafinau o aia tatau a tagata taitoatasi ma le manao e faasaga ia i latou o le nuu. E tupu feeseeseaiga i le va o manaoga o tagata taitoatasi ma manaoga faaleaganuu i nuu uma. O nei tulaga e manaomia ai le faapaleniina ma le iloiloina ma le totoa. O lenei faapaleniina ma le iloiloina e mafai ona atoatoa lona faataunuuina i luga o se faavae mautu o faatulagaga atamai faale-tulafono ma le tofa poto aloaia. O se tulaga masani faale-natura o le tagata le vaai i o tatou manaoga e faapei lava o manaoga o le nuu, ma manaoga o isi ua na o ni manaoga “taitoatasi”. O faafitauli e faatatau i tagata e toatele e seasea ona foia e ala i le faamalosia ina ia usitaia, e le aofia ai i latou e ese o latou talitonuga, po o le pupuni ese o i latou mai ni manatu fou. O le faasaoina o le puleaga a le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga ina ia puipuia ai aia tatau uma faale-tulafono, e faapei foi ona lagolagoina e maliega faavaomalo ua tuuto iai Samoa, e taua i le puipuiga atoatoa e le gata i le saolotoga o lotu ae faapea foi i le soifuaga o tagata Samoa.

O le toe Faatulagaina o Faamasinoga o Samoa o iai nei e Mafai ona Fai e Aunoa ma le Faaleagaina o Aia Tatau Faamaonia Faale-Tulafono ma Faatulagaga Faale-Tulafono Autu

O le Mataupu 100 o le Faavae o Samoa e puipuia suafa matai faale-aganuu ma o le Mataupu 102 e puipuia fanua faale-aganuu. O lo o faailoa mai e nei mataupu e lua vaega tatau o le soifuaga faa Samoa e moomia lona faamamaluina ma puipuia. E taua le matafaioi a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e fai i nei tulaga taua e lua o le tofi o Samoa. E le gata i lea, e faapei o faatulagaga uma o malo e faia e tagata, e toetoe ona mautinoa le iai o auala e mafai ai e le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma lona sao i le aganuu a Samoa ona faamalosia ma faaleleia. Afai e faamaonia folasaga mai le Sosaiete a Loia o Samoa ma le Ofisa o Faamasinoga, o lea, o nei faaleleiga e mafai ona fai e aunoa ma le lamatia ai o aia tatau faale-tulafono ma le faatulagaga autu o le Faavae o Samoa. O suiga faale-tulafono o le faavae i soo se tulaga e matuia ona aafiaga ma fai ma mea e solia ai aia tatau faavae a tagata soifua. Matou te tatalo mo le faaeteete ma soalaupulega moomia, mo feutagaiga ma le faaleleia, a o lei avea nei fuafuaga ma tulafono. Matou te talitonu o suiga moomia o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e le tatau ona faaitiitia ai le mamalu o le faatulagaga o le Faavae o Samoa, pe faaleagaina ai aia tatau faavae ma le mamalu o so o se tagata ma o latou talitonuga eseese faale-lotu, faatinoga ma nuu.

E pei ona faailoa mai e le folasaga a le Sosaiete a Loia o Samoa, pe le o faafitauli ea i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e mafua mai i le utiuti o punaoa ma faafitauli e aafia ai lona puleaina?[34] E manaomia ona tagai totoa i nei vaega e lua, ae o le taumafai e foia e ala i suiga faale-tulafono e aloese ai le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa mai iloiloga talafeagai faale-tulafono o talosaga o aia tatau faavae ma faamalepe ai le lotogatasi o iai nei o le ofisa o faamasinoga ua aloaia i le Faavae o Samoa matou te tuuina atu ua le aoga faafitauli ua latou faatulai mai.

I lea lava tulaga, o le tusi na tauaaoina atu i le Komiti e le Ofisa o Faamasinoga Samoa ua faailoa mai ai aafiaga talu ai nei i taumafaiga ua faamoemoe e “faaleleia ma aoaoina ai faamasino o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa, e taulai i le tuuina atu i taimi talafeagai o faaiuga, aoaoina o faamasino fou, ma le taua o le faamaeaina o mataupu e tele naua ua leva ona taatitia a le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa”[35] ua fua mai ai ni iuga taua e aunoa ma le faaopoopoina o ni punaoa iloga. Sa faaalia e le Ofisa o Faamasinoga le popolega e faapea o le faatulagaga o lo o fuafuaina o le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa e tulai mai ai se faatulagaga o Faamasinoga tutusa ma tulaga tutoatasi ese ma o le a faatulai mai ai le anoanoai o galuega fai mo le Vaega o le Pulega o le Matagaluega o Faamasinoga i le Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa. O le a manaomia ai e lenei faatulagaga le tele o ni punaoa mo le Faamasinoga fou, o lana aufaigaluega, ofisa ma potu mo faamasinoga.”[36]

I le ma lea matou te faamamafa atu o lenei folasaga ua leai sona faamoemoe e faaofi ma le talafeagai ai Lotu i totonu o mataupu faale-malo ma le faale-faamasinoga o le malo o Samoa. Ua na ona matou faailoa atu so matou leo o le lapataiga e faapea o le talia aloaia o Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o le a afaina ai le faatinoina ma le puipuia o aia tatau faavae a tagata soifua ua faamaonia ma faamamaluina e le faavae ma le tuuto faavaomalo, e aofia ai ma le saolotoga o lotu.

Faaiuga

I le avea ai o se Ekalesia, o lo matou naunautaiga i lenei mataupu o le puipuia lea o le saolotoga o lotu ua faamaonia ma faamamaluina e le Faavae o Samoa mo lenei augatupulaga ma augatupulaga fai mai.

Matou te le talitonu i le gagana o le Tulafono Taufaaofi e faamautinoaina ai puipuiga faale-tulafono o iai nei o le saolotoga o lotu o le a faaauauina pea e aunoa ma le afaina. Matou te malamalama i le gagana o Tulafono Taufaaofi ma talitonu o le a afaina ai le faatinoina ma le puipuia o aia tatau a tagata soifua, ma faamalepeina ai le faatulagaga faavae o le auivi o le Faavae ua mamanu faatasi e o tatou tuaa o e na asaina le vaofilifili.

Matou te faafetaia le taumafaiga a le Komiti e folasia mafuaaga mo Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 i Pulega a Alii ma Faipule o Afioaga ma Alalafaga i Samoa atoa. Ua matou matauina finagalo faaalia e ala i faasalalauga ma folasaga ua folasia i le Komiti ua faasilasila ai vaega taua ina ia liuliuina totoa. Ua matou faaoo atu foi lo matou leo ma lagona i lea tuufaatasiga ina ia auai ma faamoemoe e tuuina atu se sao i le soalaupuleina o lenei mataupu.

Matou te lagona le popoe ona o le talia aloaia o Tulafono Taufaaofi 2020 o le a aveesea ai tu ma aganuu masani a Samoa, faavaivaia ai le puipuia o le saolotoga o lotu, faamalepeina ai le faatulagaga autu o le Faavae o Samoa ma faamasinoga faale-tulafono, ma avea ma mea e le aloaia ai le vafealoaloai ma isi atunuu i lalo o tulafono faavaomalo. O le naunautaiga e faaaoga le tomai ma le silafia o matai e le manaomia ai le faavaivaiina o le puipuiga o aia tatau faavae po o le auivi autu faale-tulafono o le ofisa o faamasinoga na foafoaina e le Faavae.

O le Faavae o Samoa o iai nei ma ana tulafono taualoa ua maua ai e tagata uma o Samoa le puipuiga o le saolotoga faavae o “mafaufauga, loto fuatiaifo ma lotu” ma tuuina mai ai tulaga aloaia e faamamaluina ai nei puipuiga e ala mai le Faamasinoga Sili ma le Faamasinoga o Talosaga. I le avea ai ma sui o faatuatuaga i Samoa mo se taimi umi, matou te valaau atu i le Komiti i le ava ma le migao e tatau ai ma le Palemene a Samoa ina ia manatua pea lava pea o le faatuatua ia Iesu Keriso o se vaega patino o le soifuaga o le tagata sili ma e ave iai le faamuamua. Sei o tatou faamamalu ma faamalosia le saolotoga o lotu ma le faatuatua ua foaiina mai e le Atua ma ia le laasia ai le va o le loto o tagata soifua taitoatasi ma lo latou Atua. A o tatou faia le mea silisili e puipuia ai o tatou saolotoga e tapuai ai ma soifua ai e pei ona taitaiina e o tatou loto ma loto fuatiaifo – o le a faamalosia o tatou aiga, nuu ma lo tatou atunuu atoa.

[1] Sosaiete a Loia Samoa, ‘O si ota lima lava, e pa’ia ai lota mata’ – Pe a faapea o lo’u lava lima ua afaina ai a’u lava …,: O se folasaga na faia e faatatau i Tulafono Taufaaofi e tolu na tuuina atu i luma o le Palemene i le Aso 17 o Mati 2020: O le Tulafono Taufaaofi o le Teuteuga o le Faavae 2020; o le Tulafono Taufaaofi o Fanua ma Suafa 2020; ma le Tulafono Taufaaofi o Faamasinoga o Soligatulafono 2020 ma tuuina atu i le Komiti Filifilia Faapalemene i le Aso 18 o Mati 2020 (8 Me 2020) (ua taua faapea, o le “Folasaga a le Sosaiete o Loia Samoa”), parakalafa 5.30.

[2] Ofisa o le Komesina o Sulufaiga/Ofisa o Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua o Samoa, Lipoti o le Tulaga o Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua: O le a le Mamao ua Tatou o Mai Ai (Iuni 2019) [ua taua faapea o le Lipoti SSHR 2019], itulau 9.

[3] Id (tutusa)

[4] Tagai i le Faavae o Samoa, Vaega II, Mataupu 11-15

[5] Folasaga a Maiava Iulai Toma, Komesina o le Ofisa o le Komesina o Sulufaiga/Ofisa o Aia Tatau a Tagata Soifua o Samoa, i le Komiti Faapalemene Filifilia i le aso 14 o Me 2020 (ua taua faapea, o le “Folasaga a le Komesina o Sulufaiga”), itulau 3

[6] Folasaga a le Komesina o Sulufaiga itulau 13.

[7] Teuteuga o le Faavae o Samoa, Mataupu 71 ma le 76 i lalo o le Mataupu 4 o le Tulafono Taufaaofi o Teuteuga o le Faavae 2020.

[8] Tagai, mo se faataitaiga., Asiata v Asiata [2007] WSSC 4 92 Fepuari 2007]; Lafaialii v Loia Sili [2003] WSSC 8 (24 Aperila 2003); Mau Sefo ma Isi v Loia Sili [2000] WSSC 18; Tuivaiti (Tariu) v. Sila (Faamalaga) ma Isi (1980) WSLR 17 (17 Tesema 1980).

[9] Lipoti a le SSHR, tagai i le faamatalaga 2, i le 60.

[10] Faavae o Samoa, Faatomuaga.

[11] . [2000] WSSC 47 (12 Iulai 2000). E iai ni talosaga na faaulu e Alii ma Faipule o Saipipi i Savaii ma lagolagoina e le FFS (LTC) na latou le amanaia ai ma faamalosia ni tapu i le saolotoga o tapuaiga. Na lagolagoina e le FFS le Fono i le faapea mai “ua lava lotu e tolu (3) mo tapuaiga a tagata o le afioaga o Saipipi.” Na faaleaogaina e le Faamasinoga Sili le vilivilita’i o le FFS e ui i ni tuuaiga e faapea o le lotu fou o se “pogai o feeseeseaiga i le va o matua ma a latou fanau” ma ua “avea ma faalavelave i le autalavou o le atunuu faapea foi ma i latou ua le malamalama,” ma maitauina ai tulaga ua aafia ai nisi o fanau a le afioaga “ua foua le pule mamalu a Alii ma Faipule.”

[12] [Lipoti a le Komesina o Sulufaiga 2015, i le 60]

[13] Tagai mo se faataitaiga i le Lipoti o le Saolotoga o Tapuaiga 2019, US State Department, https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-report-on-international-religious-freedom/samoa/ (Vaega II-Faiga Masani a le Malo) (e iloa ai “o le aufono a matai, o le pulega faaleaganuu o afioaga, e masani ona tetee pea lava pea i taumafaiga e faaofi mai ai lotu fou i lo latou afioaga e faalagolago i le manatu e faapea “e tausia ai le nofo filemu i totonu o le afioaga” – o se tiute o loo faamatalaina i totonu o le tulafono. Ua ta’ua e nisi e faapea o se faiga foi ua masania’i i le tele o afioaga i le atunuu atoa le faasaina e taitai o tagata ona auai i lotu i fafo atu o le afioaga pe faaaoga lo latou aia tatau e aua ne’i tapuai ai. O tagata o le nuu e solia nei tulafono e faasala, pe faatea ese mai le nuu, po o faasalaga uma e lua. E masani lava, e mananao nuu ia tasi lava le lotu Kerisiano autu i le nuu. E masani ona filifili e matai o le nuu le lotu a o latou aiga potopoto. Na faapea ni faamatalaga, o le tele o nuu tetele e tele ni lotu o loo tautuaina ni tapuaiga eseese ma nonofo faatasi ai ma le filemu."

[14] Faamasinoga o Talosaga o Samoa, 15 Aperila 2019, faamaonia ai Lemalu Faalafua ma isi ma Su’a Pale Ltd. v Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa ma isi. (Puipuia le Faaiuga a le Faamasinoga Maualuga, Tuala-Warren, J., 4 Tesema 2018).

[15] Id., para. 13 (faaopoopo le faamamafa).

[16] Id.

[17] Id., para. 26.

[18] Id., para. 30.

[19] Id., para. 31, ta’uaina o Penaia II v. Faamasinoga o Fanua ma Suafa [2012] WSCA 6 i le para 16; Lavea v. Kerslake [2015] WSCA 3 i le para 39.

[20] Id., para. 32-37.

[21] O se talosaga mo se faaiuga e faamalamalama ai aia a itu e le Ofisa o le Epikopo Pule Faamalumalu a le Ekalesia a Iesu Keriso o le Au Paia o Aso e Gata Ai (e lei lipotia 22 Novema 2000, Sapolu, Faamasino Sili).

[22] Lemalu Saeni, para. 27, 38-39.

[23] Id., para. 25.

[24] Tusi mai sui o le Ofisa o Faamasinoga 6 Aperila 2020, para. 46.

[25] Faavae Fautuaina Mataupu 104A(8), Tulafono Taufaaofi o le Teuteuga o le Faavae 2020, Mataupu 7

[26] Leoleo v. Ikilasi Raymond Isumu Vailopa, Faamasinoga Maualuga o Samoa (Apia, 2 Iulai 2009). Na ta’ua e le Faamasinoga e faapea o tautinoga e faia e se tamaitiiti ua molia e lei talafeagai ona tausaga faale-tulafono e aunoa ma sona matua po o le ua vaaia o ia e aveesea mai faamaoniga ina ia usitaia ai le maliega a Malo Aufaatasi i Aia Tatau o le Tamaitiiti. Na taua e le Faamasinoga o Samoa o se sui auai o le Maliega, ma faapea ua talafeagai, e ui e lei faia e Samoa “le isi laasaga o le tuuto atu atoatoa i la tatou matafaioi o le maliega … [e ala lea i le faia] o tulafono ma pulega talafeagai ma isi auala mo le faatinoga o aia tatau o loo aloa’ia i le Maliega o iai nei.” Ina ia lagolagoina ai le Maliega, ua faapea mai le Faamasinoga, “O lo o iai se pule maualuga e tatau ai i faamasinoga o lenei atunuu ona mulimulitaia le Maliega,” ma sii mai ai nisi o mataupu faale-faamasinoga talafeagai. I se tasi o nei mataupu, o Leoleo v. Faiga, [2008] WSSC 1996, na faapea mai le Faamasinoga: “Na poloaiina e le Faamasinoga o Talosaga i le avea ai ma faamasinoga aupito maualuga o le atunuu ia le Loia Sili v. Maumasi [1999]WSCA 1 e ao i Faamasinoga Samoa uma ona aloaia mataupu o le Maliega e faatatau i Aia Tatau o le Tamaitiiti i mataupu e tusa ai ma lona aotelega, o lona uiga o mataupu talafeagai. E leai se tasi e faapei o Lord Cooke o Thorndon o le, i le tele o tausaga sa avea ma peresitene o le Faamasinoga o Talosaga Samoa, na saunoa e faapea o le mulimuli ai i faavae o le Maliega CRC e le na o se teuteu faamalama.”

[27] Id.

[28] Id.

[29] [1997] WSSC 6.

[30] Teuteuga i le Fono a le Nuu, Vaega 5(2)(l).

[31] Tagai i le Mau Sefo ma Isi v Loia Sili [2000] WSSC 18. i le faamatalaga 17.

[32] [2003] WSSC 8 (24 Aperila 2003).

[33] [2003] WSSC 8 (24 Aperila 2003)(Sapolu Faamasino Sili); faaopoopo le tusilima

[34] Folasaga a le Sosaiete o Loia Samoa, tagai i parakalafa 4.8-4.13, 5.11.

[35] Tusi o le Aso 6 Aperila 2020 mai Sui o le Ofisa o Faamasinoga i le Komesina o Tulafono Toeteuteu a Samoa [ua taua faapea “Tusi a le Ofisa o Faamasinoga”], para. 44.