Dear Taskforce, DOH and all frontliners,
We are ever grateful for your hard work to protect our people and prepare American Samoa for the last 2 years in the event that Covid does arrive into the community.
We humbly and firmly urge your Taskforce for immediate consideration to allow the return of American Samoa Citizens and Residents currently not being allowed to return to American Samoa from Samoa.
Our urgent request is based on the following:
1. There are NO Covid cases in the community in Samoa.
2. There are NO Covid cases in hospital/isolation in Samoa
3. Positive Cases identified in American Samoa are told to return home to self-isolate for recovery. By this logic there is no more reason to deprive us from our Human Rights -Right to Return.
4. Our repatriation from Samoa will not pose any further threat into the existing situation in American Samoa.
5. Since Positive Cases identified in American Samoa are told to return home for self-isolation and recovery, there is no logic to stop us (Covid-Free) from returning to American Samoa and self-isolate at our homes equally with the Covid-positive individuals that your Taskforce has recommended to self-isolate and recover within their homes.
We have consulted with the Government of Samoa, whom have repatriated their citizens from American Samoa on (Pago Pago Date: Friday 18th Feb, Apia Date: Saturday 19th Feb). The recommendation from the Samoan Government is that there is nothing stopping us from leaving Samoa.
It is therefore we request that we exercise our Human Right to be allowed the Right to Return, as there are one-way charter options are available here in Samoa to transport us back one-way from Apia to Pago Pago the very moment your Taskforce allows us, Citizens of American Samoa to return home.
We pray for our Heavenly Father’s continue protection on each and every DOH/Frontline workers that are working tirelessly to contain the spread of Covid. We pray to the Holy Spirit to give counsel to our Government and decision makers for the best of our people.
Ma le faaaloalo tele lava
Retired Military Veteran
American Samoa Citizen
