Tuvalu's Pepetua Latasi (left) and Dr Netatua Pelesikoti of SPREP in Durban. Photo: SPREP

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Nanette Wontoon in Durban

A young woman from Tuvalu sits at the head table during the climate change negotiations in Durban, South Africa, presiding as the chair of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group.

She is one of a delegation of eight from Tuvalu that is here in Durban to raise their voice on behalf of their local communities in Tuvalu, calling upon the humanity of parties to the Convention on Climate Change at these negotiations, to consider what is at stake.

“Tuvalu declared a state of emergency in October because of a drought – we had a water shortage for six months,”  said Pepetua Latasi. “We have ongoing coastal erosion problems in Tuvalu and our water security is under threat as our water table lens is inundated with salt water. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

The United Nations regional human rights chief has hailed 2011 as a “significant year” for Pacific achievements with all outstanding national reviews being completed.

” It has been an excellent stocktaking exercise for the region and will now act as an important baseline from which to evaluate future progress over the next four years,” said Matilda Bogner, Regional Representative of OHCHR’s Pacific Office in  Suva.

Saturday 10 December marked International Human Rights Day. Read more »

Member for Maungakiekie Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga with Prime Minister John Key. Photo: Flickr

Pacific Scoop:
Report – by Alex Perrottet of Pacific Media Watch

Re-elected National member for Maungakiekie Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga plans to get down to business on meeting people’s needs when it comes to state housing, and is staying quiet on his prospects of being offered a ministerial position.

The Samoan-born Cambridge graduate said housing and child health were major issues for improvement in Auckland, including his own electorate of Maungakiekie.

“We’re pouring $12 million into rheumatic fever, and immunisation rates are going up,” he said. Read more »

NZ Prime Minister John Key drinks kava in a visit to Samoa ... big question mark over Pacific voters. Photo: MFAT

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Aigaletaule’ale’a F. Tauafiafi of the Samoa Observer

New Zealanders head to the polls on Saturday and – if polls are to be believed – To’osavili John Key’s conservative National Party will remain in power.

That being the case, the Labour Party will again be in opposition and this most probably signals the demise of Lilomaiava Phil Goff as its leader.

But Labour and others like the Mana Party are confident that if the Maori and Pacific communities turn out in numbers, the polls will be proven wrong and Labour will win. Read more »

John Minto condemns the lack of action for Pacific people in Manukau East for the Mana Party. Photo: 3News

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Alex Perrottet of Pacific Media Watch

Mana Party candidate for Manukau East John Minto has accused New Zealand of blatantly discriminating against many Pacific people who have made an “immense contribution” to the country.

He spelled out his party’s main issues with Pacific foreign policy in the election campaign.

“The most obvious discrimination is with Tongans and Samoans,” he said. “Cook Islanders and Niueans are effectively citizens of New Zealand.” Read more »

Relieved Kiwi fans celebrate the All Black victory over France in Auckland last night. Video: Telegraph

Pacific Scoop:
Commentary – By Edwin Puni of Event Polynesia

So the All Blacks have won the 2011 Rugby World Cup by a whisker – 8-7 against a magnificent French team.

And now time to reflect what the triumph means for New Zealand and the Pacific.

Willie Jackson’s column in the Manukau Courier a few days ago sums up the RWC experience in New Zealand for me. Read more »

Petapa security guards at the Papuan People's Congress ... detained by Indonesian troops. Photo: Engage Media

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the PMC news desk

Congressman Eni Faleomavaega has sent a letter to Indonesian Ambassador Dr Dino Patti Djalal raising concerns about the safety and treatment of Forkorus Yaboisembut, proclaimed “president” of West Papua in this week’s Papuan People’s Congress, and many others who have been arrested.

Indonesian security forces and police opened fire at the peaceful rally in Jayapura on Wednesday and have reportedly beaten and arrested hundreds of civilians who attended the meeting.

Citing media reports, Faleomavaega said Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) had “fired shots during the meeting where a crowd of thousands of defenceless and unarmed civilians were engaged in peaceful political assembly”. Read more »

South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe and South Prime Minister John Key during the Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland. Photo: Myles Idoko Ojabo.

THE Pacific Islands Forum was overshadowed by the launch of the Rugby World Cup last month. But as the six-week cup hype draws to a close, South African interest in the Pacific comes out of the shadows.

Pacific Scoop:
Commentary – By Myles Idoko Ojabo

It was unusual for an African political leader to attend the Pacific Islands Forum that was hosted in Auckland last month.

But South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe arrived in New Zealand on the last day of the forum.

While the United States and China were strongly represented because of their growing  partnerships to the Pacific region, the African continent has had few connections with Pacific nations other than Australia and New Zealand. Read more »

Indonesian repression in West Papua. Cartoon: © Malcolm Evans / PJR

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

The killing and abduction of journalists in Indonesian-occupied West Papua has been highlighted in a special new report on Pacific media freedom over the past year by Pacific Journalism Review.

“By far the most serious case of media freedom violations in the Pacific is in West Papua—far from international scrutiny,” says the journal in an editorial.

The 39-page report on the state of media freedom in the Pacific in 2011 notes that in August, in particular, “sustained repression has also hit the news media and journalists”. Read more »

Julius Nakamura performing his tauloto in Samoan with his cousin Natania Tupufia. Photo: Lanuola Tusani / PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Lanuola Tusani

Celebration of White Sunday, or Lotu Tamaiti, is enabling some Samoans in Hillsborough to boost the leadership skills of the community’s youth.

The term Lotu Tamatiti means Children’s Service and has been celebrated for more than 100 years.

On White Sunday, children are dressed in white clothing and are allowed privileges normally reserved for elders such as being the first to be served food at a family meal. Read more »