PM Wale says Bloody Ridge must preserve wartime history, honour the fallen and serve as a place of remembrance and peace.
Prime Minister Mathew Wale today participated in national commemorations at the Bloody Ridge National Historical Park, Guadalcanal, marking 84 years since the decisive battles of the Guadalcanal Campaign during the Second World War.
In his address, Prime Minister Wale paid tribute to the traditional landowners and welcomed U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and representatives of Allied and former enemy nations who gathered to remember the fallen.
“There are places where history is written in books, and places where history was written in blood, sacrifice and courage. Bloody Ridge is one such place,” PM Wale said.
The Prime Minister said eighty-four years ago, gunfire broke through these hills. Young men from the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other nations fought and died here.
He also acknowledged the people of Solomon Islands who lived through a war not of their making, providing labour, food, shelter and assistance.
“Today we remember all of them — not by the uniform they wore or the flag they served, but as human beings whose lives were taken and affected by war. Their sacrifice deserves our respect, and their stories deserve to be preserved,” PM Wale said.
He noted the Guadalcanal Campaign was a turning point in the Pacific War that helped shift momentum towards the Allies.
Prime Minister Wale said the most powerful lesson of Bloody Ridge is not about military victory, but about reconciliation.
“Representatives of the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands stand here together today — nations whose young men once fought and died against one another now stand together in peace. Former enemies can become friends. Battlefields can become places of reconciliation,” he said.
He stressed that as generations pass and veterans become fewer, places like Bloody Ridge matter because “the land itself becomes a witness.”
The Prime Minister announced that the GREAT Coalition Government regards Bloody Ridge National Historical Park as a national commitment to remembrance, education, and preserving Pacific history. It is one of the Government’s national flagship heritage projects.
“Our vision is a site properly developed, protected and interpreted: a place where our children can learn, historians can study, families of veterans can remember, and communities of Guadalcanal can benefit from responsible heritage tourism,” PM Wale said.
He made a sincere appeal for continued partnership with the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, development partners, historians and veterans’ associations to develop and preserve the site.
“To Japan, your story is also part of the story of Guadalcanal. Let us show the world how former opposing sides can work together to build peace,” the Prime Minister said.
In a direct message to Solomon Islands youth, PM Wale urged them to see Bloody Ridge as more than a battlefield.
“When you come to Bloody Ridge, do not simply ask, ‘Who won the battle?’ Ask instead, ‘What did humanity learn from it?’ Ask what wars and conflicts cost, what sacrifice means and why peace matters. Because the greater victory is that peace eventually replaced war,” he said.
“The guns have long been silent — but the lesson of Bloody Ridge must never fall silent.”
Prime Minister Wale concluded by calling for Bloody Ridge to remain a solemn memorial, a classroom for future generations, and a bridge between nations.
“To our friends: we remember. To the people of Solomon Islands: we must never forget. May the peace for which so many sacrificed their lives endure for generations to come.”
SOURCE// GCU PRESS RELEASE
