Doreen Kupar, a champion of Solomon Islands women rights, speaking at the launch in Honiara. Image: BC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Ingrid Leary in Honiara

For years, female survivors of domestic violence in the Solomon Islands have been afraid of saying anything in public, unable to find a way to stand up to the oppressive abuse they experience on a regular basis at home.

Now, however, all that could change, thanks to a striking display of physical theatre which is giving women the courage to come forward.

The Stage of Change theatre workshop was launched in Honiara at the weekend.

Theatre consultants Nina Nawalowalo and Tom McCrory of New Zealand answer questions from the Solomon Islands media at the launch. Image: BC

It is a British Council community theatre project which will take place over the next two years, funded by the European Union and in collaboration with the British High Commission in Honiara.

The aim of the theatre project, which is being run by New Zealand theatre company The Conch in partnership with Solomon Islands NGO SIPPA, is to provide women with training in performance techniques and a platform for creative expression.

It was launched at the SIPPA offices in Honiara at a gathering attended by dozens of community leaders, media and women’s groups.

The audience watched a television news report from TV One NZ, by Pacific Affairs reporter Barbara Dreaver, which showed a pilot workshop held at the British High Commission last November, led by the same consortium of organisations.

Trailblazing project
“This kind of project, which is innovative and distinctive and which plays to EU cultural strengths, is a trailblazer,” said British High Commissioner Dominic Meikeljohn.

“Some of our contacts could not believe that we were trying this kind of approach. It adds something new and valuable to the mix, a genuine appreciation of what British culture and education can offer. This is exactly where the UK can add value.”

Dominic Meikeljohn said that only one of the 14 women who had participated in the five-day pilot workshop last year had ever done theatre before then.

The women had continued to meet on a weekly basis since November, with the support of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Culture, and had even performed recently for visiting British dignitaries who had visited the Solomons.

This type of outcome showed the huge potential for the two-year project, in terms of creating long-term impact, he said.

The theatre project is the first of its kind in the Solomon Islands, bringing art and theatre to this Pacific nation, and also boosting efforts to get people talking about gender-based violence.

Leading the women is Nina Nawalowalo of The Conch. She is the first Fijian theatre director to produce works which have been performed at international festivals including the New Zealand and Sydney International festivals.

Project timely
Her husband Tom McCrory, The Conch artistic director, said: “The project is timely because of the upsurge of interest in performing arts due to the recent hugely-successful Festival of Pacific Arts.

“There is an excitement about the way arts can provide a positive and safe forum to explore and process sensitive issues.”

The project includes a series of Stages for Change theatre workshops in Guadalcanal and several provinces, Survivors of Violence Workshops, radio script writing programs and a media-led week-long celebration of women leadership during each of the two years.

It is the latest in a series of EU-supported projects run by the British Council globally.

Lending her support locally has been respected public figure Doreen Kuper, who is known as a champion of women’s rights.

Ingrid Leary, British Council Country director New Zealand, is manager of the funding bid that enabled this project to become established.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Rochelle Ferguson

The UN General Assembly has voted to add French Polynesia to its list of territories that should be decolonised, affirming the right of the islanders to “self-determination and independence”.

French Polynesia joins 16 other territories on the decolonisation list, including the British-ruled Falkland Islands and the US Virgin Islands.

Though the measure is largely symbolic, it calls on the French government to “facilitate rapid progress” towards self-determination. It was passed by consensus in the 193-member UN assembly.

Defeated French Polynesian leader Oscar Temaru … strong advocate of independence. Image: Cook Islands News/PMC

“The right to self-determination cannot be exercised against the will of the concerned populations,” the French mission said in a letter to UN members, adding that it would not be taking part in the debate on Friday.

Britain, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands also disassociated themselves from the vote.

Polynesia’s pro-independence party asked for the territory to be put back on the UN list when it controlled the government in 2011. But the pro-independence lost an election this month and the government is now controlled by a party that backs the existing autonomy granted by France.

The Netherlands, United States and Germany said the UN General Assembly should have taken into account the May election results before deciding to add the territory to the list.

Nuclear tests
France annexed different parts of Polynesia during the 19th century. The territory of about 275,000 people hosted French nuclear tests up to the mid-1990s.

It was on the UN decolonisation list from 1946 to 1986.

The Solomon Islands’ UN Ambassador Collin Beck, who introduced the resolution with Nauru, Tuvalu, Samoa, Vanuatu and East Timor, told the General Assembly there was “wide international support” for putting Polynesia back on the list.

“The map of decolonising remains an unfinished business of the United Nations,” Beck said.

The result of the May elections in French Polynesia “must never be equated with a referendum” on self-determination, he added.

France’s Pacific territory of New Caledonia is also named on the UN declonisation list.

Britain has the Falklands, known as the Malvinas islands by the Spanish-speaking world, along with Gibraltar, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, St Helena, Turks and Caicos islands and Pitcairn on the UN list.

Britain boycotts committee hearings on the Falklands, which Argentina uses to assert its sovereignty claim.

American Samoa, Guam and the US Virgin Islands remain under US jurisdiction.

New Zealand’s Tokelau is also on the UN list.

Source: France 24

Tahiti’s scandal-plagued ‘old lion’ bounces back

Transcript of Radio Australia video

A regional dialogue for civil society organisations on conflict, peace, and security issues was held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 6-10 May 2013.
17 May 2013

Joint PIFS-SPC Regional Civil Society Dialogue on Conflict, Peace and Security Issues

17 May 2013

A regional dialogue for civil society organisations on conflict, peace, and security issues was held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 6-10 May 2013.

The dialogue was jointly organised by the Forum Secretariat and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC-RRRT), under a mandate from the Forum Regional Security Committee (FRSC) in 2009 to strengthen engagement between the Forum Secretariat and civil society organisations on conflict, peace, and security issues.

Forum Secretary General, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, said he was pleased with the joint partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community on such an important mandate, adding that “as both regional organisations work with civil society partners, the dialogue provided an opportunity for different stakeholders, representative of the array of communities in the Pacific, to share experiences and discuss mutual areas of cooperation around human rights and security issues.”

Participants at the dialogue were representative of national, regional, and international humanitarian and human rights organisations working on disability, health, education, humanitarian assistance, gender equality, sexual orientation and gender identities, youth, good governance, peace and security, and community media. Civil society representatives from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu attended the regional dialogue.

Over the weeklong dialogue, civil society partners discussed the Pacific Islands Forum reporting mechanisms and processes, as well as the benefits of adopting the Human Rights Based Approach. Rich discussions were also held around the thematic areas of human rights violations, full and effective participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities, gender equality, sexual and gender based violence, sexual orientation and gender identity, meaningful youth engagement and participation, accessibility of affordable quality education, economic empowerment, communications and media, and inclusive and effective engagement with civil society organisations.

Civil society partners also agreed to an Outcomes Statement, which, amongst other things, called for urgent action to address sorcery related violence and killings in Papua New Guinea, the effects of climate change, most notably the severe drought in the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the imminent challenges of climate induced migration of Pacific peoples. Civil society partners also called for recognition of the diverse national and regional civil society organisations and called for increased access to consistent, multi-modal, accountable, participative, systematic and meaningful engagement with policy formulation and decision making mechanisms, including the Pacific Islands Forum.

Secretary General Slade welcomed the wide range of matters raised by civil society, and commended civil society organisations for their hard work and dedication toward ensuring better and safer lives for all Pacific peoples. Secretary Slade also noted that “Although some of the issues raised may be beyond the mandate of the FRSC, a fair number of the issues raised are relevant to the work of the wider Secretariat, and I reiterate our commitment to continue to work with civil society on all common areas of interest.”

(Ends)

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This is shaping up to be a big year for OceansWatch as we make progress on our goal of Saving the Ocean one reef at a time.”First yacht to leave on 2013 OceansWatch Expedition

This is shaping up to be a big year for OceansWatch as we make progress on our goal of “Saving the Ocean – one reef at a time.”
It is thanks to the sponsorship of UAEs bid to host the World Expo in 2020 that Magic Roundabout is on her way to the Pacific with Helen Beswick, Carla Deane, Andy Clarkson and Shannon Hurley.

With a number of years of experience now behind us, OceansWatch is preparing a new strategy which will include a series of speaking engagements with major yacht clubs and marine organisations next summer, and an active push for new members and better funding to enable us to broaden the scope of what we do.
This will be accompanied by a drive for positive publicity for OceansWatch and its activities in newspapers, boating magazines and on radio. We hope to be an exhibitor at the big Auckland boat show in September, and to seek corporate sponsorship and funding for specific projects.

We are stepping up the campaign to have yachtsmen lend us a yacht over winter, as a prelude to examining ways of funding the purchase/construction of a yacht of our own – a James Wharram catamaran would be the ideal yacht for the task.
Shannon and Carla trial a sea pen for the sea cucumber mariculture project in the Solomon Islands.

An early priority is a re-vamp of our website and a better flow of information to our supporters.

In particular we need to explain the linkage between our primary goal of safeguarding coral reefs, fish stocks and the marine environment generally and helping to build sustainable communities on shore. Coastal villages receiving practical assistance towards sustainable living are more motivated to work with OceansWatch to monitor their reefs, provide us with data and maintain fish-free zones once established. This clarifies the benefit of providing them with medical supplies, educational material, and practical assistance in establishing safe water supplies.

These were some of the decisions made by the Oceans Watch Board of Trustees, meeting over several days at Matapouri and Auckland.

FUNDING NEEDED RIGHT NOW

OceansWatch has always been limited by a lack of funds – if we had more money, we could do more, involve more people and achieve more.

Hence we’re making a serious and heartfelt call to all supporters to put your hand in your pocket right now and support us by purchasing an OceansWatch sticker or an OceansWatch peaked cap. Not only will this give us great publicity if thousands of supporters display these items, the money raised will ensure we can complete this winter’s programme and begin the campaign outlined above.

• The versatile sticker can be used in many ways – as a bumper sticker, on a boat, a briefcase or a computer. It has a 90mm diameter and a self adhesive backing – $10.

• The blue peaked cap – invaluable at the beach or on a boat, comes with an adjustable strap so that “one size fits all” and has “OceansWatch” embroidered across the front – guaranteed to start many a conversation and help spread the word – $30.

Please take the time to support this offer – it really will make a difference if our supporters act right now and order one or both of the items on offer. Details on how to order at the end of the newsletter

It is that time of year when all our volunteers are working like crazy to get the last minute things ready for the departure of the two OceansWatch vessels which will be working in the Pacific during the New Zealand winter.

This is Amick Houssaune filling boxes with first aid supplies for the communities that we will visit. Thanks to Medical aid abroad for donating the supplies for these and to Circa Marine (builders of Dashew yachts) for making the boxes. We are still looking for yachts heading from Opua to Port Vila to help deliver these boxes. Email operations@oceanswatch.org if you can help.

On Wednesday Magic Roundabout left Opua bound for Vanuatu. On board are Shannon Carla , two young graduates heading off for a life- changing experience as they work with communities in these remote islands to help them manage their dwindling fish resources. We have recently been well treated by Customs who have granted us an extension of the length of time Magic Roundabout can stay in New Zealand.

Glenn Edney’s catamaran Cat Knapp is due to leave Opua for the Pacific any day now. On board, besides Glenn, will be Shelly Feduniw and Amick and other crew we are recruiting now. Cat Knapp is also bound for Vanuatu, where she will rendezvous with Magic Roundabout for a two week training schedule. The training will cover Reef Check – a coral reef monitoring method, and Glenn will be training trainers in our Reef Guardian programme. This training will take part on Espiritu Santo. Following this, Magic Roundabout will head up to the Solomon Islands leaving Cat Knapp to continue to work in Vanuatu. OceansWatch is in the process of recruiting a marine biologist to assist with this work and to oversee a sea cucumber mariculture project. Sea cucumbers have been seriously depleted in the Solomon Islands due to the high demand from Asia. Increasing their numbers will improve the marine ecosystem and if well managed could provide a future income. Both yachts are expected to be back in New Zealand by December and we will keep you informed about their progress.
As awareness of OceansWatch and its activities grows, more and more cruising yachts are offering to deliver materials up to the Islands for us, which is fantastic. We are working on some ideas to capitalise on this better.

ends

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It was a crime of sorts, perpetuated against the international community with a brazen disregard that has come to mark the politics of the country. On Thursday, the bill that had been promised excising the Australian mainland for the purposes of refugee …Excising Australia: When a Country Ceased to Be

It was a crime of sorts, perpetuated against the international community with a brazen disregard that has come to mark the politics of the country. On Thursday, the bill that had been promised excising the Australian mainland for the purposes of refugee law was passed. It was a grotesque act, one that has become instinctive for the Gillard government.

Teasing out the implications of the decision is even more peculiar. Australia has, for the purposes of migration, destroyed its sovereign credentials. The government has rendered the country it represents a legal amputee – for the purposes of the “migration zone”, people arriving in Australia in a certain manner will be processed at offshore centres because they are not, strictly speaking, arriving in Australia. This is not the drivel of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party – this is Australian policy.

The migration zone, for the definitions of Australia’s own imaginative law makers, is the area where a person arrives without a valid visa (they are all paper-driven here) but can still make an application for one. This is all dandy – the Migration Act 1958 will then apply, and there won’t be any need to be carted off for processing in a detention centre on Manus Island or Nauru. Unfortunately, the act’s focus has dramatically narrowed.

In 2012, the Houston Panel on Asylum Seekers, a body commissioned by the Prime Minister, dressed up the language of brutality with the language of fairness, suggesting that “the Migration Act 1958 be amended so that arrival anywhere on Australia by irregular means will not provide individuals with a different lawful status than those who arrive in an excised offshore place.” This is the sentiment of a mean society, and on closer inspection, a vicious society.

What has effectively happened is that the vengeful, querulous pupils of the ‘left’ (let’s just abandon the term for Australia’s denuded Labor Party) have outdone their conservative masters. The individual to pioneer the application of offshore excisions – in that case, Christmas Island, Ashmore and Cartier Reefs, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and various other facilities – was Prime Minister John Howard, a Thatcherite in miniature who thought foreigners were people you just found elsewhere. In August 2001, with the asylum seeker issue red hot on the electoral radar, Howard decided to keep the Norwegian vessel the MV Tampa at sea, a legal suspension if ever there was one.

On board, 433 asylum seekers were treated as criminal cargo, insurgents at sea waiting to touch Australian land. With minimal dissent – which goes to show that Australia’s political classes are some of the most conformist in the democratic world – Christmas Island was “excised” and the Migration Act amended. If refugees reached Christmas Island, they were reaching something distinctly not Australia. In other words, they were not entering the “migration zone”.

Ironically, when he wished to take one step further – to excise the entire mainland – the ALP, then in opposition, rounded on him, condemning the measure as “racist” and “intolerant.” The measure failed. The road of a Pharisee is a long one indeed.

The Australian election in September will feature the hollow party, one of zombie functionaries indifferent to democracy, and the ignoble Liberal-National party, one intent on correcting the ballooning budget deficit and attacking an assortment of spending programs. The only thing to merit that position is that a Tony Abbot government will be convinced by what they want. We will have a new set of well-rehearsed idiots to replace the musty amoralists who have populated Canberra with fungal relish.

Hopefully, a set of independent parties, the creatures of difference, will eat away at the carnage, pick away at the morsels of the carcass that will be the Australian Labor Party. But against the monstrosity that is the Australian political scene, we can only hope that something can be salvaged. It won’t be in the form of a sounder refugee law, let alone one that involves reading the Refugee Convention. As far as Australia’s legal and political establishment is concerned, the Convention is better than deceased.

Broadly speaking, total excision of the Australian mainland for the purposes of refugee law continues that finely developed Australian policy of letting others do the work for its officials. If torture can be outsourced, it will be. Ask David Hicks. If legal presentation can be outsourced, it will be. Again, a Hicks’ special. If you want representation overseas, best ask another country, because the Australian mission will probably be closed. And if you are arriving by boat to flee countries where you are not welcome, pop into Manus Island or Nauru first.

In the meantime, may every single nation in the Asia Pacific and beyond invade this fetid thieving land and take their rightful conquistador’s share. After all, it is, for the purposes of migration (or invasion, if you are a politician), non-Australia, a state that has defined itself out of existence. It has ceased to be as a legal, law-abiding entity that respects its own borders. Never in modern times has a country shown so little respect not merely for the people it admits or refuses to, but its own concept of sovereign dignity. May it pay the ultimate price for that mockery.

ends

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The Suva Peace Vigil convened by FemLINKPacific at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Suva every Thursday is dedicated to the commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) in collaboration with The Drodrolagi …Suva Peace Vigil Dedicated to IDAHOT Today

Suva, Fiji Islands
May 16, 2013

The Suva Peace Vigil convened by FemLINKPacific at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Suva every Thursday is dedicated to the commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) in collaboration with The Drodrolagi Movement (droMo).

“The vigil will be staged from 1230 – 130pm and is an opportunity to reaffirm the need for safe democratic spaces for all,” says FemLINKPacific Executive Director, Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, “and that as we come together regardless of our faith backgrounds we are also reminded that daily members of our society do not enjoy the respect, dignity and pride because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Building a culture of peace and non violence requires everyone to enjoy personal and political security.”

IDAHOT is a day to draw attention to the issue of homophobia and transphobia in the community. On May 17th 1990, twenty-three years ago, the World Health Organisation made the landmark decision to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

droMo is a community-based organization in Suva, Fiji whose mission is to create and celebrate a culture of equality, respect, dignity and pride for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) community in Fiji.

The Movement stands against homophobia and transphobia, which is defined as the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

“A person’s biological sex, what gender they identify as, how they express that identity and who they are attracted to can be as diverse and dynamic as a rainbow” said droMo’s spokesperson, Kris Prasad. 

“IDAHOT is about encouraging people to see that these dimensions of a person’s identity should not be used to discriminate against them, or to rob them of their basic human dignity.”

This will be the third year that droMo has commemorated IDAHOT and the week-long planned activities hope to encourage the community to educate themselves on sexual orientation and gender identity issues and to stand up against homophobia and transphobia in Fiji.

ENDS

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17 May 2013 Press Release Sue Henry Spokesperson Housing Lobby: “Charity treachery sells out State Housing tenants.”17 May 2013
Press Release Sue Henry Spokesperson Housing Lobby: “Charity treachery sells out State Housing tenants.”

“The relentless budgetary attacks on State housing tenants and their families, clearly highlights the treacherous role private sector charities have played in the housing policy-making process.” says Housing Lobby Spokesperson Sue Henry.

(April 2010 Housing Shareholders Advisory Group Report )

http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Sector/pdf/vision-for-social-housing-nz.pdf

http://www.dbh.govt.nz/social-housing-nz

“Government have successfully used the private social housing sector as the mechanism to privatise the State housing stock and land these homes sit on.”

“It was a sad day when people like Major Campbell Roberts from the Salvation Army, were on the same Board sitting beside property developers to form policies for temporary tenancy agreements, which, if implemented, will invariably create transcience and homelessness. ( #1 EVIDENCE)”

“* Promoting submerging the housing subsidy into into the Ministry of Social Development did not work in the 1990′s due to the widening gap between the accommodation supplement and the ‘market’ rents – with a cap on subsidies, combined with over-inflated property values, this will have huge negative impacts on State housing tenants.”

“* As will retrospectively extending the assessments on long-term existing tenants. This effectively equates to a sophisticated form of elder abuse and bullying , impacting on elderly pensioners, widows of Returned Servicemen, the disabled, and the vulnerable, who are legitimately in these homes.”

“SOLUTIONS:

* Tenure protection must be immediately reinstated for these State housing tenants.

* State housing must be provided by central government, not privatised by stealth, by hanging the portfolio over to non-accountable, non-transparent, duplicated ‘social’ housing providers,” concluded Sue Henry.
#1 EVIDENCE

(April 2010 Housing Shareholders Advisory Group Report )

http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Sector/pdf/vision-for-social-housing-nz.pdf

“Appendix 2: Housing Shareholders Advisory Group

Members

Alan Jackson (chair) is former senior vice president in the Auckland office of The Boston Consulting Group. He is also a director of Fletcher Building and a trustee of The Icehouse business growth centre in Auckland. Dr Jackson has significant experience in change management with expertise in resources, diversified industrials, building products and construction sectors.

Major Campbell Roberts is the director of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit of the Salvation Army. He is also a trustee of the New Zealand Housing Foundation, a director of the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand and the Auckland Housing Trust. Major Roberts is a media spokesperson, writer and speaker and has experience on issues of poverty and social housing.

Andrew Body is a director of Crown Fibre Holdings and various private sector companies. He has 20 years experience as an investment banker, focussing on strategic and transactional advice to owners and managers of businesses. Mr Body has experience across a wide range of sectors in the New Zealand economy including the property sector.

Martin Udale is an independent consultant with more than 30 years experience in the New Zealand, UK and Australian property markets, including developing some of the first office parks in Sydney and Brisbane. He was most recently the chief executive of McConnell Property, and has also been director of corporate advisory with CRI, an Australian property development and services group, specialising in partnering with asset owners to create value from underused assets.

Diane Robertson is head of the Auckland City Mission and is the first non-clergy female City Missioner. She previously had roles on the Committee for Auckland, the Auckland University Community Advisory Board, Springboard Trust, Robin Hood Foundation, Child Poverty Action Group and the New Zealand Institute. Ms Robertson’s experience is in social and emergency housing issues.

Brian Donnelly is executive director of the New Zealand Housing Foundation. He is also a director of the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ), a trustee of the Queenstown Lakes District Community Housing Trust, a member of the Social Entrepreneur Fellowship and chair of the Wilson Home Trust. He has experience in social housing issues, including operating and managing a social housing organisation.

Paul White is the Principal of Torea Tai Consultants, specialising in consultancy on Maori development, housing and strategic planning. He is also the chair of Te Waka Pupuri Putea (an Iwi asset holding company) and a council member of FITEC, the forestry sector training organisation. Mr White has previously been chief executive of Ngai Tahu Development Corporation and a member of the Housing New Zealand Board. He has experience in the operation and management of housing. ”

ENDS

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NUKUALOFA, 17 th May 2013 —- Today Tongas National ICT Day showcased the advent of high-speed internet in July, under the first phase of the Pacific Regional Connectivity Project supported by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).Tonga Celebrates Arrival of Broadband

Looking Forward to Cheaper Faster Internet from July

NUKU’ALOFA, 17th May 2013 —- Today Tonga’s National ICT Day showcased the advent of high-speed internet in July, under the first phase of the Pacific Regional Connectivity Project supported by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Scheduled to be commissioned in July, an 826km underwater fiber optic cable linking Tonga to Fiji will help increase broadband internet access and affordability for Tonga’s population of 100,000 people.

“Tonga currently has some of the cheapest telephone costs in the world but some of the highest internet costs”, said the Hon. Prime Minister Lord Tu’ivakano . “Cheaper price and more accessible internet will maximize the power and versatility of communications technology, to accelerate development and improve the lives of the Tongan community.”

“ High speed internet is coming and this promises significant benefits for social and economic development, and new job opportunities for the Tongan people,” said Natasha Beschorner, Senior ICT Policy Specialist for the World Bank.

Hundreds of people attended the event in Nuku’alofa, Tonga’s capital, which highlighted the forthcoming benefits of cheaper and more reliable internet for Tongan communities.

The event featured stalls and information sessions such as exhibitions on the evolution of information and communications technology in Tonga from the 1800s to 2013; exhibits from businesses, e-Government and Tonga Cable Limited, as well as Skype demonstrations with Tongans around the world, including HRH Princess Latufuipeka, Tonga’s ambassador to Australia.

The Pacific Regional Connectivity Project builds on the successes of World Bank support to telecommunications reform in the Pacific region which, in just a few years, together with other partners, has given over two million more people access to telecommunications. It is being funded through grants of US $34 million, including $17.2 million from the World Bank, $9.7 million from ADB and a $6.6 million investment from Tonga Communications Corporation.

ENDS

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Comments On the U.S. Department of State’s Annual Country Report On Human Rights For 2012 Concerning Indonesia/west PapuaComments On the U.S. Department of State’s Annual Country Report On Human Rights For 2012 Concerning Indonesia/west Papua

The U.S. Department of State annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 includes a detailed review of Indonesia. As in past years, this portion of the Report devotes significant attention to developments in West Papua. The heavy focus on the region, which comprises only one percent of the Indonesian archipelago’s population, underscores the reality that human rights violations and impunity continue at very high levels in West Papua. (Please note we refer throughout to the western half of the island of New Guinea as West Papua. This is how people in the region commonly refer to the area that includes the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua.)
 
Problems that afflict West Papua are also evident elsewhere in the archipelago, such as encroachment on indigenous lands, media intimidation, and violations of human rights by the military and police.

While this critique focuses on West Papua, we note that human rights violations continue throughout the archipelago. Problems that afflict West Papua are also evident elsewhere in the archipelago, such as encroachment on indigenous lands, media intimidation, and violations of human rights by the military and police. Issues of restrictions on freedom of assembly also affect religious minorities outside West Papua. (Ongoing attacks on freedom of religion are addressed in a separate Department of State report.)

Efforts to challenge impunity and to establish accountability for past human rights crimes continue to fail. An “ad hoc tribunal to investigate and prosecute the disappearance of human rights activists” in 1997-98 has yet to be established. Prosecutors have so far rejected Komnas HAM findings that the government’s anti-Communist purges of 1965 and 1966 “which included killing, extermination, enslavement, eviction or forced removal of the population, the deprivation of personal freedom, torture, rape, and enforced disappearance, constituted a crime against humanity.” The truth commission and human rights courts authorized by the 2006 law on Aceh have yet to be established. Accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Indonesian forces in Timor -Leste or West Papua do not appear on either the Indonesian agenda and are not mentioned in the State Department report’s Indonesia chapter.

Fundamental Rights

The report is generally comprehensive and accurate, with some exceptions. However, the report continues to ignore the gravest, most systematic abuse afflicting West Papuans: The failure of the central government to provide essential fundamental health, education and other services to the West Papuan people. This policy of deliberate neglect severely affects Papuans, especially those in rural areas, as reflected in all national and international development indices. Statistics, including those of the Indonesian government, consistently identify West Papua as suffering the worst health , education and development levels in the archipelago and more generally in all of Southeast Asia. It is Indonesia’s poorest region.
The Department of State’s failure to acknowledge this fundamental violation of Papuan economic, social and cultural rights renders this annual report incomplete.

The obligation of governments to provide essential services to their populations is clearly set out in international agreements and covenants to which the Government of Indonesia is signatory or otherwise obligated. These include the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (Articles 25 and 26), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Papuans have been systematically marginalized in their own land by this policy of neglect and the “transmigration” policy through which the Indonesia government sponsors and subsidizes migration from elsewhere in the archipelago. The Department of State’s failure to acknowledge this fundamental violation of Papuan economic, social and cultural rights renders this annual report incomplete.

Women face special challenges, and the report says, “Women in many regions of the country, particularly in Papua, complained about differential treatment based on gender.”

The report also fails to acknowledge that for five decades, West Papua has not been afforded its right to self-determination. U.S. government was deeply involved in the international community’s acquiescence in Indonesia’s 1963 takeover of the territory and its 1969 annexation through the fraudulent “Act of Free Choice.” The U.S. itself is culpable in the denial of this fundamental right.

The Business of the Security Forces
 
“The [Indonesian official] claims that the Indonesian Military (TNI) has far more troops in Papua than it is willing to admit to, chiefly to protect and facilitate TNI’s interests in illegal logging operations,” says one cable.

The report’s Executive Summary misleadingly contends that “security forces reported to civilian authority” during 2012. Indonesian security authorities, in particular the Indonesian military, in reality are not fully subordinate to civilian authority. The Indonesian military maintains streams of revenue that enable it to operate outside the government budgetary process. These include legal and illegal businesses directly controlled by the military and its extortion of civilian businesses. This rogue behavior persists despite Indonesian law which required the military to divest itself of its businesses by 2009. Military businesses interests are especially extensive in West Papua where often illegal logging operations and the extortion of domestic and foreign businesses, such as the mining giant Freeport McMoran have continued for years.

State Department reports made available through Wikileaks demonstrate its full awareness of the military’s role in illegal logging: “The [Indonesian official] claims that the Indonesian Military (TNI) has far more troops in Papua than it is willing to admit to, chiefly to protect and facilitate TNI’s interests in illegal logging operations,” says one cable. Other cables report Freeport officials acknowledging that they “make payments directly to the commanding officers responsible for security at the mine.”

Impunity

More importantly, the Indonesian military, particularly the Indonesia Special Forces (Kopassus) and the U.S.-funded and trained Detachment 88, continue to enjoy broad impunity for criminal behavior, notably violations of human rights. Military personnel are not subject to civil criminal prosecution or civilian courts for their abuse of civilians. Rather, in those cases which draw public attention, low- and mid-level military personnel may be subjected to military investigation and prosecution in military court. Invariably, the defendants are either absolve the accused or render light sentences.

This reality is particularly apparent in West Papua which suffers under a very large military presence and where human rights violations, as noted in the State Department Report, are extensive. As a consequence of this broad impunity for security force abuse of human rights and other criminality, the criminal justice system fails to inhibit continuing abuses. While the State Department report acknowledges civil society criticisms of “the short length of prison sentences imposed by military courts.” The U.S. government should speak out more forcefully for a change in jurisdiction.

Political Prisoners

The Executive Summary highlights the Indonesian government’s application of “treason and blasphemy laws to limit freedom of expression.” However, in the body of the report (in the section on Freedom of Speech and Press) the Report avoids direct criticism of the government, referring only to allegations by NGOs and others that “government application of treason laws in cases of peaceful calls for separatism in Papua limited the rights of individuals to engage in speech deemed to be proseparatist.”

The report, citing NGO reports, says that “between June and September, authorities arrested more than 60 people in Papua for flag-related offenses.” Most were briefly detained before their release. Several Papuans continue to serve long prison terms for raising the banned morning star flag. Political prisoners from the Malukus continued to serve long sentences for raising a banned flag.
U.S. security assistance must be curtailed, absent an end to such egregious human rights violations and credible prosecution and sentencing of the perpetrators of these crimes among Indonesia’s military, police, and “anti-terror” forces.

Access

The report clear acknowledges that the “government continued to restrict foreign media, NGOs, and government personnel from traveling to the provinces of Papua and West Papua by requiring them to request permission to travel through the Foreign Ministry or an Indonesian embassy. The government approved some requests and denied others ostensibly for reasons regarding the safety of foreign visitors.” This should have been highlighted at the top in the Executive Summary. These restrictions clearly affect the ability of the U.S. government to verify and follow up on reports of human rights violations in the territory. The restrictions have been the subject of criticism by the U.S. Congress, to whom the report is directed.

Torture and Killing

The Executive Summary does highlight “killings by security forces, abuse of prisoners and detainees, harsh prison conditions,” problems that are especially common in West Papua. The body of the report, while including details of security force operations in rural areas of West Papua, does not acknowledge the extraordinary abuse associated with ongoing assaults on rural communities by security forces conducting “sweeping operations.” These operations are inherently abusive of human rights. Civilians are frequently forced to flee into surrounding mountains and forests where many become ill and die due to a lack of access to food and medical care.

The report commendably details specific examples of harsh prison conditions and extrajudicial killings such as that of Mako Tabuni. The report usefully includes the June military assault on a neighborhood in Wamena during which 767th battalion soldiers burned 87 Papuan homes. “[A]uthorities had not arrested or disciplined any members” by the end of the year, the report says.

Under the heading of “Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” the report notes that the Indonesian government failed to assure full accountability of security officials for torture, which remains “commonplace in police detention.” The NGO Commission on the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (Kontras) has reported that 98 of 243 victims of torture between July 2011 and June 2012 were in West Papua.

The State Department also reports that Indonesian authorities required “jailed Papuan independence activist Filep Karma to raise the money” for his own medical care. And that during 2012 other such activists such as Forkorus Yaboisembut receive prison terms for peaceful protest.

Indigenous Rights and Land

In one of its strongest critiques, the report speaks plainly about the systematic denial of rights to Papuans:

During the year indigenous persons, most notably in Papua, remained subject to widespread discrimination, and there was little improvement in respect for their traditional land rights. Mining and logging activities, many of them illegal, posed significant social, economic, and logistical problems to indigenous communities.

“During the year indigenous persons, most notably in Papua, remained subject to widespread discrimination, and there was little improvement in respect for their traditional land rights. Mining and logging activities, many of them illegal, posed significant social, economic, and logistical problems to indigenous communities. The government failed to prevent companies, often in collusion with the local military and police, from encroaching on indigenous peoples land. In Papua and West Papua, tensions continued between indigenous Papuans and migrants from other provinces, leading to several killings of migrants in the restive provinces.”

The Report similarly offered a detailed critique of government policies targeting the land rights of indigenous people. We note that Papuans are among the principal victims in this regard:

As the government did not recognize indigenous people, it also did not recognize indigenous lands. The government did recognize some communal ownership rights. However, access to ancestral lands continued to be a major source of conflict throughout the country. Large corporations and government regulations displaced people from their ancestral lands. Some land-rights NGOs asserted that ineffective demarcation of land led to denying individuals access to their own land. Central and local government officials reportedly extracted kickbacks from mining and palm oil companies in exchange for land access at the expense of the local populace. Land-rights advocates reported receiving threats from government and private parties after publicizing these issues. The government program of transferring migrants from the crowded islands of Java and Madura diminished greatly in recent years. However, communal conflicts often occurred along ethnic lines in areas with sizeable transmigrant populations.

see also

Read the West Papua Report
Groups Call on U.S. to Condemn Indonesian Attacks on Peaceful Demonstrations in West Papua
West Papua Advocacy Team Urges Unrestricted Visit by UN Special Rapporteur
U.S.-Indonesia Security Assistance

ENDS

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Air Tahiti Nuis revamped two-class A340-300 aircraft landed in Auckland for the first time yesterday, as the South Pacific carrier continues to roll out its reconfigured fleet with an enhanced inflight entertainment system and a fresh cabin redesign. …Air Tahiti Nui’s revamped craft lands in Auckland
Air Tahiti Nui’s revamped two-class A340-300 aircraft landed in Auckland for the first time yesterday, as the South Pacific carrier continues to roll out its reconfigured fleet with an enhanced inflight entertainment system and a fresh cabin redesign.

Under the multi-million dollar revamp, the fleet has been upgraded to a two-class model with an enhanced Business Class increasing from 24 to 32 seats with a new angled lie-flat design. The new Economy Class features comfort-focused lightweight seats that are a spacious 18 inches wide and have an average 32-inch pitch.

The new inflight entertainment system offers on-demand access to a wide range of movies and television programs as well as magazines, games, music and special channels for kids plus a destination focused channel allowing customers to experience Tahiti and her islands from the moment they step on board.

As the international airline of Tahiti, the interior design continues to reflect the beauty and charm of French Polynesia.

The newly configured planes are being gradually phased in across the network and will service some Auckland to Papeete services.

ends

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