Princess Ashika disaster's death toll of 74 passengers and crew made it the nation's worst shipping tragedy to date. Photo: TNews.

Pacific Scoop:
By Pesi Fonua in Nuku’alofa

Due diligence is the normal process prior to the purchasing of anything, the manager of the regional maritime programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Captain John Hogan, has told Tonga’s Royal Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the Princess Ashika. Read more »

Graphic: East Timor Law & Justice Bulletin

Pacific Scoop:
By a special correspondent in Dili

East Timor said Wednesday it had appointed a respected academic and human rights activist as the country’s first anti- corruption commissioner.

Aderito de Jesus was confirmed as Anti-Corruption Commission chief
after winning unanimous approval in a parliamentary vote, government spokesman Agio Pereira said in a statement. Read more »

The Ramu River lowland rainforest area being logged in Papua New Guinea. Photo: Wikipedia

Pacific Scoop:
Backgrounder – By Rainforest Portal in  Madang

A lawsuit initiated by a local landowner in Papua New Guinea has shut down logging in the vast Ramu River rainforest area since last November. Read more »

The towering Hegigio Gorge bridge in the Southern Highlands. It supports both gas and oil pipelines. Photo: Southbros

Pacific Scoop:
By James Apa Gumuno in Tari

Papua New Guinea police have deployed more mobile squads to Tari in the Southern Highlands province to contain an ongoing tribal war which has troubled the gas pipeline project for more than a week.

“Enga’s mobile squad 11 was rushed to Tari last Monday. More men have deployed to beef up security to bring back normalcy,” provincial police commander Superintendent Jimmy Onopia said. Read more »

Viktor Kaisiepo at the United Nations in New York for a meeting of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Photo: Human Rights Film Festival 2009

Pacific Scoop:
Obituary – By Dirk Vlasblom in Amsterdam

Papuan human rights campaigner Viktor Kaisiepo has died at the age of 61 in Amersfoort, the Dutch town where he resided in exile from the land he loved. Read more »

Lieutenant-Colonel Neumi Leweni (right) with regime leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama. Photo: PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Steven Ratuva

After New Zealand offered an olive branch to Fiji to ease diplomatic tension between the two countries, Fiji responded in two unexpected ways.

Read more »

Dr Futa Helu (centre) with international scholars and the Tongan Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele at Helu's 75th birthday celebrations. Photo: PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By David Robie

The loss of  inspirational Tongan philosopher, educator and social critic ‘Ilaisa Futa ‘i Ha’angana Helu, who died on Tuesday at the age of 75, will be felt deeply throughout the Pacific. Read more »

Futa Helu ... founder of 'Atenisi Institute and an inspiration for Pacific philosophy. Photo: 'Atenisi

Pacific Scoop:
By Pesi Fonua in Nuku’alofa

Professor ‘Ilaisa Futa ‘i Ha’angana Helu, 75, founder of the ‘Atenisi Institute in Tonga more than four decades ago, a distinguished scholar, philosopher, historian and educator whose influence has been felt throughout  the Pacific region, has died. Read more »

Kopassus: The elite forces used in colonial repression in East Timor and West Papua. Photo: Kopassus

Pacific Scoop:
Review – By Ezki Suyanto

At one point during Aceh’s nearly 35-year battle for autonomy from Indonesia, a woman approached an officer at a military post in the village of Trio. Read more »

Porgera gold mine: PNG police accused of burning down homes and threatening people with guns during forced evictions. Photo: PMC

Pacific Scoop:
By Amnesty International

The Papua New Guinea government must investigate the conduct of police who burnt down homes and threatened people with guns while illegally evicting them from land next to one of the biggest gold mines in the country, Amnesty International said today. Read more »