Code of Silence
Is there a conspiracy of silence about how the disabled are treated in the Cook Islands?

Is there a conspiracy of silence about how the disabled are treated in the Cook Islands? Let’s hope not. This is, after all, the 21st century, a time of enlightenment and equality, of understanding and acceptance.
Anecdotal evidence suggests it wasn’t that many years ago when the disabled were absorbed so deeply into the family unit as to never be seen in public. Shuttered away in dark rooms or outbuildings, the disabled were considered a burden or an embarrassment.
Times may have changed but attitudes have, apparently, been slower to adjust. How else to explain the recent mistreatment of a disabled male adult on the island of Mitiaro? The man was allegedly pulled off the back of a truck when he refused to climb down. An awkward landing meant his face bore the brunt of the impact, resulting in severe damage to his mouth and teeth.
There were several witnesses to the incident and yet it took five days before the injured man was transported to Rarotonga for proper treatment.
Some are calling the incident unfortunate and isolated. Others say it’s simply another example of the abuse the disabled are subjected to in the Cook Islands, either through malice or ignorance.
Turama interviewed several concerned parties in an effort to shed light on a part of society that has for too long been shunted into the shadows.
The victim, the alleged perpetrator, and other persons involved in the incident on Mitiaro are not being named, either due to an ongoing police investigation or for the sake of privacy.
The Whistle Blower
Rouru Teuira doesn’t consider herself a troublemaker but when you have a background as a community development officer and a case manager for the disabled, it’s a natural reaction to help those who can’t always speak up for themselves.
So when it appeared to Teuira, a resident of Mitiaro and a relative of the injured man, that the medical treatment he needed for his damaged mouth was not immediately forthcoming, she took it upon herself to start asking questions.
“I realized the (authorities on Mitiaro) were not interested in the (victim),” she says. “They just wanted to deal with the perpetrator rather than the victim.”
A series of calls to Rarotonga followed – to Dr George Hosking, the manager of dental services; to several Ministry of Health officials; to the media. Arrangements were made to place the man on the next available flight to Rarotonga.
After some initial protestations from a member of Mitiaro’s medical community, it was finally decided Teuira would accompany him because the man’s mother had family commitments that prevented her from leaving the island.
In the end, five days passed between injury and treatment. Teuira lays the blame for the delay squarely at the feet of various authority figures on Mitiaro, saying an able-bodied person would not have been forced to wait that long.
“It may not be a culture of abuse,” she says. “But it is a culture for them to say, ah, that’s just a retarded person.”
Teuira is encouraged by the response the incident has received on Rarotonga – the victim is recovering after dental surgery – and says she’s now looking for future support in her unofficial role as an advocate for the disabled.
“I would like to see the Ministry of Health, the disabilities services and the police come over to Mitiaro,” she says. “To have an open discussion to make the people aware that (disabled people) are very important to society and they shouldn’t be abused.”
Teuira says ignoring the situation will only make it worse.
“People who see the disabled being abused need to speak out,” she says. “Otherwise this trend will continue in our society, not only in the Outer Islands but also here in Rarotonga.”
The Secretary of Health
Tupou Faireka says the first he heard of the Mitiaro incident was three days after it happened. Once he was involved, however, he feels the appropriate guidelines were implemented.
“I think the Ministry of Health staff followed the process and initiated the policy in terms of patient referral from the Outer Islands,” he said. “The only little misunderstanding in this instance is the insistence of the nurse in Mitiaro for the family member not to accompany (the injured man) rather than the mother. That’s probably a personal thing between the family members and the nurse.
“Bearing in mind that Mitiaro is a very small community and everyone knows each other and are related to each other, that sort of animosity is prevalent.”
Except for extra precautions in situations where the person is known to have violent tendencies, Faireka says his ministry treats people with disabilities the same as any other patient.
“It doesn’t make a difference,” he says. “As long as that person has suffered some injuries, our role is to just to look after them and cure them.”
In terms of attitude – at least on Rarotonga – he says there is now a greater sense of respect than in years past.
“Some of the disabled on Rarotonga are very vocal about their rights and how they’ve been treated,” he says. “At the other extent of the situation, in the Outer Islands, some of the disabled are much less treated properly. For example, this incident about this person who was thrown off the truck. There were a lot people there – why didn’t one of the community members report to the police?”
The Director of Disability Issues
Asked if she considers the incident on Mitiaro to be abuse of the disabled, Nooroa Numanga demonstrates her agreement by pointing out Article 16 of the Convention for People with Disabilities.
“It’s the freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse,” she says. “At the same time, under the Cook Islands Constitution, it’s covered by Article 64 (2), which is the recognition and the declaration (that) we have duties to each other for the public safety of our people.”
Numanga, whose office falls under the umbrella of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, says educating the public about basic human rights is the best way to drive home the message about preventing the abuse of the disabled.
“There needs to be more awareness, more education on the Outer Islands,” she says. “I believe this is not just an isolated incident but one of many that have happened but not been reported. In the past, the public may have just taken (the abuse) as part of everyday life without knowing that disabled people have the same rights as non-disabled people.”
Numanga and her staff work closely with the National Disability Council, which is about to launch awareness programmes, including training and workshops, on Rarotonga and several other islands in the chain.
“We still have a lot of work to do in raising awareness,” Numanga says. “I believe the best way to get the message across is to really go to the people. For Mitiaro, for example, there are not that many people on the island, so we will actually go into the homes.”
The Director of Social Welfare
John Henry is in constant contact with his department’s officers in the Outer Islands as they provide funding assistance to those in need, including the physically and mentally disabled. From the information he’s received, he believes the incident in Mitiaro, while unfortunate, was isolated.
“We get reports that those who require care are being cared for,” he says. “(The incident) happened unexpectedly, but it is something that needs to be looked at. It’s a concern.”
As for the treatment of the disabled in the Cook Islands, Henry admits that “maybe things are happening out there in the community that we do not really know about”.
“We hear rumours about people abusing people with disabilities,” he says. “Things like calling names to them. I say that’s abuse, psychologically. People need to be educated to realize the fact that these are normal people in so many ways.”
The Police
Sgt. Paraia Vainerere says the police are taking a serious interest in the incident that resulted in the disabled man’s injuries.
“Inspector Tere Patia has instructed the police officers on Mitiaro to conduct an investigation,” says Vainerere, a youth aid officer and media liaison. “They will interview the person responsible for the accident or the offence that has taken place. Once the investigation on Mitiaro itself is completed, then everything will proceed from there.”
Vainerere says the police haven’t had any other reports of the disabled being abused, but notes the Crimes Act includes severe penalties for anyone convicted of the ill-treatment of people with disabilities.
“We don’t know if it’s happening but maybe the problem is nobody has come out and reported it,” he says. “There is nothing much we can do about it if we don’t know about it. If there is abuse against our disabled, then we are hoping people that know about it report it to us.”
Vainerere is a member of the police’s Community Relations Division, whose agenda includes presenting awareness programs for communities, schools and organizations.
“At the moment, we haven’t touched on the disabled persons,” he says. “But further along in the year we will touch on that matter. The disabled portion will come out.”

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?