Brave women and children create human walls to protect land from loggers

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Brave, armless women and children of Makira stand united against the might of logging machines defying what they describe “to avoid illegal loggers from entering their land and protect a conservation area.”

As the loggers dig deeper into the mountains of Makira, the women and children of Nasuahu Community in South Star Harbour area in Ward 17 also stepped up their fight against the power of the logging machines.

“They maybe powerless but that’s all they could do,” said Edith Kaoho, the president of the Makira Ulawa Council of Women in an exclusive interview with SBMOnline.

The silent fight of resilience and bravery by the Nasuahu women and children came to light via a text message to Kaoho from the villagers pressing for Makira women to help bring their fight to authorities in Kirakira.

The villagers feared that the loggers were slowing encroaching into their land—which was never part of the logging deal so the only solution was to put their lives on the line by creating human walls to avoid the loggers from entering their land.

Kaoho said the women and children created the walls to stop the loggers from moving inland into their land.

On the 16^th of April, the mothers and the children of Nasuahu community through the Makira Council of Women were able to bring their concerns to rightful authorities in Kirakira to deal with the issue.

“It was emotional, we all shared tears as the women spoke about their fight,” said Kaoho.

She said the women expressed grave concerns because the area was never part of the deal and there was no timber rights hearing. Importantly, the women wanted to protect their environment because a conservation area is within their land boundary.

Kaoho said following the meeting which involved all stakeholders from police, provincial government, churches and NGOs in Kirakira they all agreed to work together to help the community.

She confirmed that a team has already been dispatched to the area to gather more information and on what actions to be taken.

“We all agreed to work together,” she said.

Additionally, Kaoho confirmed that the women and children in the community have assured them of their determination to keep the loggers from illegally entering and logging their land.

-News@SBMOnline2025-