In Luganville on Vanuatu's Santo Island police have arrested six young suspects after the stoning of a shop caused extensive damage.
The police commander north, Willie Samuel, says the culprits have been charged with drunkenness and causing damage.
Mr Samuel says the families of the suspects have appealed to him to drop the case as they want to settle the matter in the custom way.
But he says the case must go through the courts and the law applied.
