NEWSPAGE 22 January
2010

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

(Photo: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand)

  
 
 
 

NEW ZEALAND: NZ-Fiji re-engagement must consider human rights

Source: Amnesty International Press Release

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand has renewed its call for the New Zealand Government to ensure human rights are included in any dialogue with Fiji.

Noting Foreign Minister Murray McCully’s announcement last week that New Zealand and Fiji had agreed to improve diplomatic relations[1], Amnesty International believes this provides an increased opportunity to raise concerns about the recent intensified crackdown on opponents of the Fijian regime.

senior Fijian military officer recently issued a public threat to critics and Amnesty International has identified a number of cases of persecution of high-profile opponents of the regime.

In a 5 January radio interview with the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation[2], Army Land Force Commander Pita Driti warned, “There are only a few people who could term as adversaries - but I would discourage them from doing anything and I would like to tell them to keep low and try to cooperate with us in trying to maintain peace otherwise they will be in for something really hard in terms of how we will treat them this year.”

“The regime has become comfortable with getting away with human rights abuses, because they are shutting down their opponents one by one,” says Amnesty International’s Pacific Researcher Apolosi Bose.

“With Fiji cracking down even harder on its own people, this is not the time for New Zealand and other countries in the region to back down from their strong stance. They must intensify their calls for Fiji to immediately halt arbitrary arrests, intimidation, threats, assaults and detention of critics of the regime. Fiji’s neighbours must urge the regime to restore the independence of the judiciary and cooperate with the United Nations in ending human rights abuses.”

Human rights violations have been rife in Fiji since Public Emergency Regulations (PER) were imposed in April last year, when then President Ratu Josefa Iloilo abrogated Fiji’s constitution and reappointed Commodore Frank Bainimarama as Prime Minister. Under the PER, Fiji’s military and security forces retain absolute control over the country’s population; and soldiers and police enjoy complete immunity from prosecution for their actions, including serious violations of human rights.

“As if the Public Emergency Regulations aren’t enough, the regime is continually bringing in more measures to stifle dissent,” says Bose.

Amnesty International notes the following recent cases of repression and persecution:

30 December 2009:

The government summarily dismissed Magistrates Elsie Hudson, Mary Muir and Eparama Rokoika without any explanation on 30 December 2009. According to information received by Amnesty International, Mary Muir was dismissed after criticising actions of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). The sacking of the three magistrates is a direct interference with the independence of the judiciary, thus undermining a crucial safeguard against human rights violations.

Fiji’s Chief Magistrate Ajmal Khan and Magistrate Maika Nakora were summarily dismissed in July and August 2009 respectively under similar circumstances.

01 January 2010:

Prominent human rights lawyer Imrana Jalal has been persecuted, under legal pretexts, by FICAC Amnesty International believes that the prosecution of Jalal is to punish her for her strong public stance against human rights violations perpetrated by the military since its overthrow of the Laisenia Qarase-led government in December 2006.

On 1 January, FICAC officers served Jalal with seven misdemeanour charges relating to the Public Health (Hotels, Restaurant and Refreshment Bars) Regulations, the Food Safety Act and the Penal Code.The charges relate to a business operated by a company of which she and her husband are directors. Amnesty International believes that these charges, related to minor regulatory infractions, are politically motivated.

On 11 January, officers from FICAC went to Jalal’s office in Suva to serve notice for her to surrender her passport. Later that day in court, Jalal and her lawyer were told that she was being charged under the Prevention of Bribery Promulgation Act 2007 for the same offences. She was also informed that the Act authorises FICAC to seize her passport and to retain it for up to six months. Her current position as Human Rights Advisor for the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) and her affiliations with numerous international human rights organisations require her to travel frequently throughout the Pacific region and internationally.

8 January 2010:

Army officers went to Trade Unionist Pramod Rae’s home and warned him against organising a strike by members of his union employed by the Bank of Baroda, who had grievances with their employer.

Officials from the Prime Minister’s office also suspended indefinitely 20 workers of the Suva City Council, including some in senior management positions, and seized their office computers. Officials in the Prime Minister’s office accused the suspended workers of being anti-government bloggers.

11 January:

Dr Padma Lal, a Fiji-born Australian citizen with a valid work permit for Fiji was denied entry into the country by Immigration officials without any reasons being given. She was detained and sent back to Australia the next day. Her husband Dr Brij Lal, a prominent Fijian historian, was forced to leave the country after being threatened by senior military officers at the army camp in Suva on 4 November 2009 following his criticism of the Fiji government’s decision to eject the senior most Australian and New Zealand diplomats. The military threatened to kill him if he remained in Fiji.

12 January:

The Prime Minister announced that government would stop the pension payments of pensioners who are “dissenters and critics” of the government. The Pensions and Retirement Allowances Decree 2009 gives the Prime Minister the power to stop pensions or other allowances if a person “…prejudices the orderly functioning or operation of the government, promotes or incites feelings of ill-will and hostility amongst the different classes of population in Fiji, brings hatred or contempt or disaffection against the administration of justice”. These powers are arbitrary, sweeping and violate the human rights to social security and to just and favourable conditions of work.

13 January:

The Prime Minister announced a ban on the Methodist Church from holding their annual conference until 2014, accusing church ministers of spying on the nation's military on behalf of the government ousted in the 2006 coup. This order violates Methodist Church worshippers’ rights to freedom of assembly and religion. More information on the persecution of the Methodist church can be found on www.amnesty.org.

[1] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade media release, NZ, Fiji to improve diplomatic relations, 12 January 2010, http://beehive.govt.nz/release/nz+fiji+agree+improve+diplomatic+relations

2 Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Driti reassures on Fiji stability, 5 January 2010, http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=24840.
 

  
 
 
 

SAMOA: School fee scheme to benefit all government primary school students
 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Thousands of students in government primary schools in Samoa will soon benefit from the government’s school fee scheme programme.

The Ministry of Education Sports and Culture met with representatives of school committees, village mayors, and heads of mission schools to announce the programme.

Each school will receive this year 45 US dollars or 100 Samoan Tala per child to cover school fees.

The money can only be used to pay school fees and can not be used for infrastructure projects, teachers salaries or bank loans.

The chief executive officer of the ministry, Galumalemana Nuufou Petaia, says the scheme will run for three years.

But Galumalemana says the government is looking at other financial sources in order to continue the scheme.

Compulsory education law to become effective soon

Samoa’s compulsory education law becomes effective next month and will coincide with the government’s school fee scheme.

The CEO of the Ministry of Education Sports and Culture says parents and guardians will be required under the legislation to ensure that children between 5 and 14 years of age are in school.

Galumalemana Nuufou Petaia says those who do not comply with the law will face a penalty.

5 to 14 year olds under this new law should also no longer be seen before or after school selling goods on the streets day or night.
 

  
 
 
 

 

 

 

(Photo: U.S. Government)

  
 
 
 

AMERICAN SAMOA: President announces additional disaster assistance
 Source: Media Newswire

President Barack Obama has made additional disaster assistance available to the Territory of American Samoa by authorizing an increase in the level of federal funding for Public Assistance, including direct federal assistance; Hazard Mitigation; and the Other Needs Assistance portion of the Individual Assistance Program.

The President’s major disaster declaration issued for the Territory of American Samoa on September 29, 2009, as a result of an earthquake, tsunami, and flooding authorized Individual Assistance; assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program; and Hazard Mitigation at 75 percent federal funding. Subsequent to the declaration, additional categories of Public Assistance were also authorized at 75 percent Federal funding.

Under the President's order today, the federal share for Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation, and the Other Needs Assistance portion of the Individual Assistance Program, has been increased to 90 percent, and the federal share for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for 30 consecutive days.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

 Photo Caption: U.S. President Barack Obama.
 

  
 
 
 

 

 

 

(Photo: University of the South Pacific)

  
 
 
 

FIJI: 'OSSIE' Award for USP Journalism Students
 Source: University of the South Pacific

Two student journalists at the University of the South Pacific have won a high commendation in the annual Ossie Awards from the Journalism Education Association of Australia.

Second year students Arin Kumar and Fenton Lutunatabua received the runner-up prize for their investigative story published in the USP journalism student training newspaper, Wansolwara, in April 2009.

The Ossie Awards recognise outstanding work of journalism students from around the South Pacific region, Australia and New Zealand.

The awards, named after the late foreign correspondent Osmar White, are organised by the Journalism Education Association of Australia (JEAA) and judged by media executives in Australia and NZ.

Prizes are awarded in 15 categories for news and feature writing, current affairs reporting and student publications.

The USP pair was commended in the Best Print News Story by an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Student category.

The judges were Mike Osborne, editor, Australian Associated Press; Joanne Williamson, news editor, Australian Associated Press, and Phil Dickson, editorial manager, Australian Associated Press.

Kumar and Lutunatabua’s story looked at the psychological side effects of the internet - or online gaming - on the young people of Suva.

The story exposed the mental, social and physical damage associated with online gaming.

Their investigation highlighted students skipping school to play online games at 24-hour play centers, misuse of money and lack of parents’ supervision of their children’s activities.

Because of the article, the Fiji government and the police ordered a reduction in operation hours for online gaming providers from 6am to 5pm.

Lutunatabua said the article was supported by most members of society.

“This is a problem that everyone knows about, but no one has actually been able to stop it,” he said.

The winner for this award was Krista Ferguson of Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, for her story, “Charities find dance flaw”, published in the Sunday Star-Times and Sunday News, 16 August 2009.

The head of USP Journalism, Shailendra Singh, congratulated the two students.

“The student reporters exposed and brought to public attention a major social problem in Fiji, resulting in government intervention,” said Singh.

Wansolwara has won the most Ossie awards of any publication in Australia, NZ or the Pacific (10, plus it scooped the pool in 2000 with the online and print coverage of the George Speight coup).

For 13 years, the newspaper has been self-funded by the students through advertising revenue.

Last year, USP Journalism struck a deal with the daily newspaper Fiji Sun to publish Wansolwara as a liftout.
Photo Caption: USP Journalism Students Fenton Lutunatabua (left), and Arin Kumar (right) with their awards.
 

  
 
 
 

 

 

 

(Photo: Agence France-Presse)

  
 
 
 

NEW CALEDONIA: French Pacific sends donations to Haiti
 Source: Oceania Flash via Pacific Islands Report

The French Pacific’s New Caledonia and French Polynesia have put together efforts to send donations to the victims of the quake that struck Haiti last week.

On Monday, New Caledonia’s local government announced it had decided to grant some nine million of its French Pacific Francs (CFP, about 105,000 US dollars) to the Caribbean disaster.

The money will be channeled through the French Red Cross.

New Caledonia’s President Philippe Gomès, while admitting this was probably "a drop in the ocean" compared to donations from major world powers, the gesture was mainly symbolic to show that New Caledonia remained committed to show solidarity towards populations struck by a natural disaster.

New Caledonia is also home to an estimated six thousand permanent residents from the French Caribbean, mainly the Guadeloupe and Martinique, also located very close to Haiti.

Meanwhile, in French Polynesia, fund drives have been set up since late last week to collect money from the population towards the Haiti quake relief.

Prominent leaders, such as Tahiti Lord Mayor Michel Buillard, have called on Tahitians to donate.

A special "Tahiti- Haiti 2010" association has also been set up and is headed by retired police officer Marcel Luccin, who is also from the French West Indies.

The association’s main task was to collect monies, not donations in kind (due to the high cost of transportation) and special boxes were planned to be placed at key public locations (market place, town hall, hospital).

Buillard also told local media he intended to persuade his Papeéte municipal council to vote a special grant for Haiti in the coming days.
Photo Caption: New Caledonian President Philippe Gomès.
 

  
 
 
 

WORLDWIDE: Forum Secretariat corrects PACER misrepresentations
 Source: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release

This statement is to be attributed to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat:

Following recent reports published in PACNEWS drawn from official sources, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat takes this opportunity to correct a number of false assertions and misrepresentations concerning its role under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER).

PACER is a framework agreement setting out the basis for the future development of trade relations among all 16 Forum Members. At present, there are 11 Forum member countries which are Parties to PACER.

The PACER Agreement or treaty designates the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as the depositary for the Agreement. The Forum Secretariat wants to make it very clear in this statement that the Secretary General has discharged his responsibilities as depositary for PACER with absolute propriety in accordance with the Agreement and the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The Secretary General takes very seriously his obligations to Forum members and under international law.

In addition to the Secretary General’s role as depositary, the Forum Secretariat itself has a number of specific technical and secretarial functions prescribed under the PACER Agreement. This includes the provision of administrative or technical support, subject to the direction of the Parties. The Forum Secretariat’s role under PACER is administrative and facilitative, and aimed at ensuring the timely exchange of communications among the Parties.

With respect to formal consultations among the Parties, the PACER Agreement requires that the Parties notify each other “through the Forum Secretariat”.

As to the funding for any consultation or meeting not already budgeted for, it is the normal function of a Secretariat to raise the question of costs, in part to enable the Secretariat to investigate all options to secure funding to allow the consultation or meeting to proceed.

The Forum Secretariat therefore reiterates its absolute rejection of all and any claims or assertions that it has at any time failed to discharge its responsibilities under the PACER Agreement.

To the extent that the PACNEWS publication of 15 January 2010 attributes to the Forum Secretariat blameworthy conduct (PACNEWS headline: Fiji blames Forum Secretariat for withdrawal from PACER Plus), the Forum Secretariat emphatically and unreservedly rejects any blame on its part.

The Forum Secretariat would also comment on the erroneous claim of the PACNEWS headline that Fiji’s withdrawal is from “PACER Plus”.

PACER Plus is a process launched by Forum Leaders in 2008 and now being developed to discuss, more broadly, regional economic integration. PACER Plus was not determined as such under or by the PACER (an existing treaty, as noted above). Rather, PACER Plus was brought about by the political decision of Forum Leaders.

At their last meeting in Cairns, Australia, in 2009, Forum Leaders decided that consistent with the Forum’s decisions (relating to Fiji’s suspension from Forum meetings and activities) the Fiji military regime would not participate in the PACER Plus.

The decisions of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders relating to Fiji are political determinations. The reasons are known to all.

The Forum Secretariat is a Secretariat. It exists to carry out the mandates of Leaders. It does so conscientiously and with professionalism, in all cases including the situation which is the subject of the PACNEWS publication of 15 January.

Given its role under PACER, it would not be appropriate for the Secretary General or the Forum Secretariat more generally, to comment publicly on the details of Fiji’s claims and assertions against other Parties. But the Forum Secretariat reserves the right, at the proper time and place, to counter every untrue, unfair and unwarranted allegation and assertion made against it.

The Forum Secretariat remains committed to its mandated role to support all Forum Members in the implementation of PACER and Forum initiatives more generally.
 

  
 
 
     

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