Fiji's military leader and Prime Minister, Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama. Photo: Selwyn Manning

Pacific Scoop:
Commentary – By Graham Davis

The folly of Australian policy towards Fiji is at the centre of a damning new landmark report that suggests the United States has lost confidence in Canberra’s ability to influence events in the Pacific and counter rising Chinese influence in the region.

It calls for the immediate and unconditional lifting of regional sanctions against Fiji and for Australia to “repair its relationship at the highest level” by re-engaging with the Bainimarama regime through the Pacific Islands Forum.

“It is well past the time to treat this festering regional wound,” it declares. Read more »

Buka from the air ... Photo: Earthwalk Project

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Gorethy Kenneth in Buka

More than 200 men armed with knives and guns from all over Bougainville have looted a Chinese shop in Buka in the early hours one morning late this week.

Bougainville police said they could not do much as the men were from all over the island looting and taking anything they could lay their hands on – literally stripping the shop empty.

The men, mostly youths, came in numbers at about two o’clock in the early hours of yesterday with almost 10 dinghies waiting to transport their “early hour shopping goods” to their destinations – Kokopau, Sohano and nearby Buka town areas. Read more »

Savali newspaper editorial .... new website www.savalinews.com Photo: Savali

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Tupuola Terry Tavita in Apia

A recent warning by Samoa’s Chamber of Commerce of possible anti-Chinese riots similar to those in the Solomon Islands and Tonga is cause for concern.

Not so much the suggestion of riots – as we know there is little, if any, anti-Chinese sentiment in the country – but the motive by which the warning was given.

It could very well be interpreted as sinister, even instigating. Especially coming from an organization representing the interests of local business people. Read more »

A system to help vulnerable people cope with droughts is being welcomed by development agencies as an important contribution to climate change adaptation – helping vulnerable people to protect themselves.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Geoffrey Bell.

New Zealand aid agencies are praising the introduction of a new United Nations drought mechanism which will use satellite technology to monitor “high risk” regions in Asia and the Pacific.

After a three-day meeting in Nanjing, China, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) recently announced that a collective satellite system and information portal would be established to prevent drought hazards becoming major disasters. Read more »

The oil spill at Dalian port in Liaoning province, China. (Photo courtesy of Greenpeace.)

China is a major trading partner of New Zealand but some critics believe media ‘marginalised’ coverage of last month’s Dalian oil spillage crisis.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Rose Rees-Owen.

Rob Lee is a site engineer and a concerned citizen about the state of the media. New Zealand’s mainstream media coverage of an oil spill disaster in Dalian, China, last month has got him riled.

“BP, big company big publicity; major event in the back blocks of China no publicity. Ability to report the facts, zero,” Lee says. “This makes me so angry.” Read more »

A case of a Green leader's bleeding hand, not a bleeding liberal heart, has caused anger for many in New Zealand that China's political security guards manhandled a New Zealand member of Parliament. (Photo courtesy of Scoop.)

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Thakur Ranjit Singh.

What we learn from history is that we do not learn from history!

Freedom of speech and freedom of press are hallmarks of democracy and the parliamentary complex is considered the last bastion of democracy. To think that such atrocity took place in the heart of New Zealand’s symbol of democracy is indeed shameful. New Zealand which considers itself the champion of democracy in the Pacific compromised its stance for a few dollars more from the Chinese trade opportunities. It was obvious that the incident at Parliament Buildings was indicative of a sad and desperate attempt to win economic favours with the Chinese.

If you think the above relates to the latest incident involving Green Party co-leader Dr. Russel Norman’s protest in Parliament on 18 June 2010, you are wrong. The incident I am speaking about happened over three years ago. Read on. Read more »

Supporters of self-determination with the Morning Star, the West Papuan liberation flag. Photo: PMC

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – The National in Port Moresby

When Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visits Australia and Papua New Guinea in two weeks’ time, apart from the very many matters of mutual bilateral concerns, will PNG dare raise the matter of autonomy for the mostly Melanesian people of West Papua? Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Opinion – By Helen Hughes in Canberra

Taxpayers should be extremely concerned that egregiously high salaries are paid to aid-funded advisers, not because they are earning more than the Prime Minister but because the aid is being wasted. Read more »

Dr Buchanan at AUT University last night: Scenarios of Chinese influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Photo: Del Abcede/PMC

Pacific Scoop:
By Josephine Latu

International relations and security analyst Dr Paul Buchanan has warned of increased militarisation in the Western Pacific Rim states and the erosion of accountable government as the United States-China struggle for global power intensifies. Read more »

The front page story that angered Papua New Guinea's Pinoy migrant community. Image: PMC

Pacific.Scoop
By Pacific Media Watch

A senior journalist on the Malaysian-owned National newspaper has accused the rival Rupert Murdoch daily Post-Courier of  “fabricating” a front page lead story claiming 16,000 alien Filipinos are living in Papua New Guinea.

The story was splashed by the Post-Courier on November 10 under the banner headline:  “16,000 ‘aliens’” plus a subheading declaring “More than 80 per cent of Filipinos living illegally” in Papua New Guinea.
Read more »