NEWSROOM 24 June
2009

(Photo: TVNZ)

NEW ZEALAND: TAV Pacific scores on TVNZ’s Shortland Street

(Photo: Oceaniarugby.com)

SAMOA: Samoa and JABs win in Pacific Nations Cup
Source: International Rugby Board Press Release

Samoa and the Junior All Blacks both registered impressive victories on the third match day at the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup.

Samoa built on a 10-6 half time lead to beat arch rivals Tonga 27-13 and take their second scalp in this year's ANZ Pacific Nations Cup.

The Samoans had earlier beaten Japan 34-15 and only narrowly lost out against the table-topping Junior All Blacks on match day one, losing 17-16 on home soil in Apia.

New Zealand's second string now leads the standings with 14 points ahead of the Samoans on 11.

Samoa 27-13 Tonga, Lautoka

Samoa outscored Tonga four tries to one at Churchill Park, Lautoka to run out comfortable winners in a match that was as physical and confrontational as the fixture might suggest.

Tongan fly half Pierre Hola gave his side an early three-point lead and, although Samoa responded with two first half tries, their inability to land the conversions and capitalise on further opportunities that came their way meant that they failed to exert full control on the game.

Centre Gavin Williams crossed as early as the sixth minute to edge the Samoans ahead but Hola's boot was the next to strike in the 37th minute to restore Tonga's lead. A minute before the break Samoa number eight and captain George Stowers powered over for a second unconverted try.

The Samoans were more clinical after the break and quickly into their stride as left wing Sailosi Tagicakibau scored as early as the first minute, a try converted by Ki Anufe.

Hola erred with a penalty chance on 53 minutes and, perhaps sensing the Tongans' deflated spirits, the Manu side struck with a fourth try two minutes later through Junior Poluleuligaga to make the score 24-6.

Replacement Muli Kaufusi crossed for the Tongans' sole try on 62 minutes but the Samoans' defence held firm against some further spirited attacks and Gavin Williams' sweetly struck penalty rounded off the scoring on 73 minutes.

Junior All Blacks 52-21 Japan

New Zealand's Junior All Blacks kept up their unbeaten start to this year's tournament with a third victory, this time against John Kirwan's improving Japanese side, 52-21.

Having trailed 40-0 at half time, the Japanese will take huge confidence from winning the second half 21-12, but overall the young New Zealanders were far too strong.

Wing Hosea Gear scored two tries on the day to take his personal tally to five for the tournament, the leading mark.

The JABs showed irresistible form in the first half, scoring six unanswered tries. Giant Wellington backrower Victor Vito opened the scoring on 11 minutes and added a second later in a half that also produced tries for Gear, Colin Slade, Craig Clarke and Sione Lauaki.

Trailing 40-0, Japan were far more resolute after the break and scored three converted tries of their own through Hitoshi Ono, Jack Tarranta and Koji Taira as the New Zealanders made a raft of substitutions.

The kiwis soon rediscovered their scoring touch, however, and registered two more through Lauaki and Gear to make the final score 52-21.

Photo Caption: Junior Poluleuluigaga scored Samoa's fourth try against Tonga at the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup.
 

(Photo: Australia West Papua Association Sydney)

AUSTRALIA: AWPA pleads with Pacific Islands Forum leaders
Source: Australia West Papua Association Press Release via Scoop Independent News

AWPA (Sydney) has written to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders who are meeting in Cairns in August, urging them to discus the deteriorating situation in West Papua at their meeting .

Since last year’s Pacific Islands Forum, the situation in West Papua has continued to deteriorate with increasing intimidation of the West Papuan people by the Indonesian security forces.

In Amnesty International’s State of the world's human rights report (2009), Amnesty reported that in Papua "Local community leaders were intimidated and threatened by the military and police. There were reports of torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and extrajudicial executions by security forces".

In an open letter to PIF leaders Joe Collins of AWPA said “ It is now forty six years since Indonesia took over administration of West Papua from the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority in 1963, and the West Papuan people are still continuing their struggle for justice and self-determination. The issue of West Papua will not disappear and AWPA believes that regional organisations such as PIF can play an important role in helping facilitate dialogue between the West Papuan leadership and the Indonesian Government to try and solve "peacefully" the many issues of concern in West Papua. For years the West Papuan people have been calling on the international community to support such dialogue".

The West Papuan people are a Melanesian people, a Pacific people and the Forum should be doing all it can to help a Pacific neighbour. A good start would be to raise the human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian Government and send a fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory.

Open letter to Pacific Islands Forum leaders

20 June 2009

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Australia West Papua Association in Sydney, I am writing to you concerning the issue of West Papua. As a Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leader, I urge you to discuss with the other Forum leaders the deteriorating human rights situation in West Papua at the coming meeting in Cairns in August.

It is now forty six years since Indonesia took over administration of West Papua from the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority in 1963, and the West Papuan people are still continuing their struggle for justice and self-determination.

Although Indonesia has made great progress towards democracy in recent years, unfortunately this has not translated to an improvement in the human rights situation in West Papua. There are ongoing human rights abuses in West Papua with many recent reports documenting these abuses.

In Amnesty International’s State of the world's human rights report (2009), Amnesty reported that the situations in Papua and Maluku have continued to deteriorate. In Amnesty’s country report on Indonesia it stated that there continued to be attacks on freedom of expression, that the number of prisoners of conscience rose sharply to 117 and attacks against minority religious groups and their leaders increased across the archipelago. Amnesty also reported that “torture, excessive use of force and unlawful killings by police and security forces continued” and “no progress was made in bringing the perpetrators of past gross human rights violations in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), Papua and Timor-Leste to justice”.

From the report-Papua

“Low-level conflict between the security forces and pro-independence insurgents in Papua continued. Local community leaders were intimidated and threatened by the military and police. There were reports of torture and other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and extrajudicial executions by security forces. In August, at a rally celebrating World Indigenous Day, police opened fire into a crowd of people after some of them had raised the banned “Morning Star” flag. One peaceful demonstrator, Opinus Tabuni, was found dead following the event. Filep Karma, sentenced to 15 years, and Yusak Pakage, sentenced to ten years, remained in jail. The two men were convicted in 2005 for raising the “Morning Star” flag”.

The West Papuan people face great challenges including ongoing human rights abuses, the exploitation of their natural resources with little or no benefit to themselves, the danger of becoming a minority in their own land as the result of migrants arriving daily and a HIV/AIDS epidemic.

AWPA urges the Pacific Islands Forum

to raise concerns about the grave human rights situation in West Papua with the Indonesian Government.

to send a fact finding mission to West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory.

to encourage the Indonesian Government to allow greater access for human rights monitors and the international media to West Papua. Although some access is possible the fact that the International Committee of the Red Cross was told to leave the Papua region in April and four Dutch journalists were arrested in March, indicates access is restricted thus far.

The West Papuan people are calling for dialogue with the Indonesian Government to try and solve the many issues of concern in West Papua. AWPA urges the PIF Leaders to encourage the Indonesian President to dialogue with genuine representatives of the West Papuan people.

Political prisoners

In July 2007, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional articles 154 and 155 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, commonly known as the “hate sowing” (Haatzai Artikelen) offenses. Articles 154 and 155 criminalized “public expression of feelings of hostility, hatred or contempt toward the government” and prohibited “the expression of such feelings or views through the public media.” These articles have been used to target activists, students, and human rights defenders to try and silence political discussion and limit free expression in Indonesia.

In the Human Rights Bill of 1999 , the law concerning protection of human rights of political prisoners is referred to in Article 4 of Law 39 in the Indonesian Constitution in 1999. In that same Law 39 in Article 6 , paras 1 and 2 particular mention is made of protection of rights of Indigenous people, including land rights.

AWPA asks the PIF Leaders to urge the Indonesian President to release all West Papuan political prisoners imprisoned under these laws (contrary to Indonesia's constitution) as a sign of good faith to the West Papuan people.

Yours Sincerely

Joe Collins
Secretary
AWPA (Sydney)
 

(Photo: F.L. Morris, Honolulu Star Bulletin)

HAWAII: Athletics likely another casualty of budget cuts
Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin

Several principals and teachers warned the proposed cuts in education would have a major effect on athletics at public schools, eliminating many coaching positions and raising the potential for injuries.

"Student athletes will have less instructional time, and we'll be jeopardizing the athletes' health and safety on the playing field," Waipahu High School wrestling coach Stacie Nii told a state Board of Education committee last night.

Members of the Budget and Fiscal Accountability Committee put off deciding on a proposed budget and scheduled a special board meeting for July 1.

They said they didn't want to pass a budget bill until Gov. Linda Lingle signs the state budget on June 30, giving them a firm idea of the deficit they're facing.

Lingle has said she plans a $278 million cut in the Department of Education's biennial budget.

The board yesterday sent a letter to the Senate president and House speaker asking them for a special session of the Legislature to allot more education funds by using the state rainy day and hurricane emergency funds and raising the general excise tax.

Board Chairman Garrett Toguchi said he's spoken to legislators who are willing to talk about the issue.

Meanwhile, the board has been negotiating with labor unions to put department employees on furlough to reduce the budget deficit.

Toguchi said at the most, the number of furlough days could amount to 36 for employees who worked 12 months a year and 30 days for those working 10 months annually.

During the meeting, Ivalee Sinclair, chairman of the Special Education Advisory Council, testified her group supported a special legislative session to raise the general excise tax.

Sinclair pointed out that a similar tax was passed to develop a rail transit system for Honolulu.

"If we can do that for rail, why can't we do that for education?" she said.

Radford High School girls basketball coach Tani Dutro said fewer coaches mean less supervision.

Dutro said in certain exercises, such as pre-conditioning and weightlifting, the students risk injury without proper supervision.

Dutro, as well as other coaches, said sports motivates some students to attend and finish high school.

Nolan Tokuda, a teacher and football coach at Leilehua High School, said the coaches also provide guidance outside of school.

"Making cuts is a given," Tokuda said. "What isn't is taking away these valuable mentors and guides for these children."

Tokuda said one Leilehua student who benefited from his football experience was Rico Newman, who won a football scholarship at a junior college in California.

Tokuda said Newman was raised by a single parent and watched his older brother go to prison and his older sister drop out of school.

But through football, Newman changed and became a team captain, Tokuda said.

"It was his passion for football and the daily talks and interactions with the entire football staff that helped Rico turn around for the better," Tokuda said.

Photo Caption: Members of the Board of Education's budget committee - John Penebacker, left, Carol Mon Lee, Kim Coco Iwamoto, Breene Harimoto, Eileen Clarke and Donna Ikeda - met yesterday (June 22, 2009) but took no action other than to ask for legislative relief.

TONGA: Tongan Scholar wins Fulbright award
Source: Radio New Zealand International

A 27-year-old Tongan national, Siale Bain-Vete, has been chosen as the Pacific’s first Fulbright scholar in more than a decade.

His selection was announced by the U.S. Embassy in Suva.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master’s degree or Ph.D. study.

Mr Bain-Vete will be undertaking a Masters in Public Administration at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University in New York.

Three more South Pacific Islanders are also due to receive Fulbright Scholarships later this year.
 

(Photo: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

TOKELAU: Bonn Climate Change talks and the Pacific Region

Source: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Press Release

Climate Change is fast becoming this century’s environment, economic and sustainable development challenge. Part of our Pacific response is engaging in the international process to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The Bonn Climate Change talks in June, 2009 were an important gathering for the Pacific region. From June 1 - 12 there were a series of four meetings, two of which were subsidiary body meetings that focus on general management of the United Nations Framework for the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. The remaining two meetings centered on the arrangements for negotiating a new set of agreements for the period that starts after the Kyoto Protocol commitments run out in 2012.

Espen Ronneberg the Climate Change Adviser for the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) attended the talks to provide technical advice to the organisation’s Pacific island members.

SPREP’s Associate Media and Publications Officer, Nanette Woonton, spoke to Ronneberg about the meetings.

Q. “What were matters of importance for the Pacific at the Bonn Climate Change Talks?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “In terms of the general operations of the convention there are a number of issues that are of importance to the region. First of all, as parties to the convention we have an obligation to provide national reports known as national communications. The level of support that we require in order to do them properly and to not just report but also to use that process to engage communities that needs to be strengthened. That was one of the elements that was on the agenda and we were quite successful in getting an increased level of support both from a technical and capacity building point of view but also getting recognition for additional resources to do more.”

Q. “That’s one issue, what else stood out for you as a key element for the Pacific?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “The issue of research and systematic observations is also of great importance, it’s what underpins the climate change concerns. In order to properly present the climate change concerns of the region you do need to have some scientific backing. By getting recognition of this we need to really thoroughly upscale and enhance the level of support for scientific observation in the region. With this, we can better present our case to the international community who will also be better able to plan adaptations to climate change if we have better knowledge of and know exact knowledge of what the climate change impacts are going to be.”

Q. “Other concerns?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “The other issues were relating to support for adaptation and both from the technical point of view as well as from the financial point of view. So, there were a number of decisions taken to improve on the functioning of the support that we get for adaptation however a lot of it is tie in with the new agreement. In a sense there is recognition of the need for greater support, a lot is being held in check waiting to see what the outcomes will be for Copenhagen.”

Q. “We hear the term “Post Kyoto Protocol” and we hear that this coming Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen is important. Why?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “Well when the Kyoto Protocol was established and when it was ratified, it contained a commitment period of 5 years for the developed countries to reduce emissions.

That commitment period expires in 2012 so there is a need to have some sort of successor agreement whether it is simply an extension of the commitment period or whether it is a whole new agreement. Those sorts of issues are on the table but it’s become more important for the Pacific given all the scientific information that is now coming out.

We know that the emission reductions contained in the Kyoto Protocol is not sufficient to safeguard the region and we need to have stronger commitment from the developed countries and also from developing countries to take part in a successful agreement.

So, those are the issues under discussion now, we know that we need to have stronger emission reductions and we need everybody to play their part in that.”

Q. “So, this is just one of a series of meetings of international climate change negotiations. How do we take what was discussed at this meeting, further to the next one?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: ”This part of the negotiations involved getting everyone’s point of view into a single document. Its become quite unwieldy, its more than 200 pages long which is not really manageable as a treaty, so the task ahead now is to try and reduce this down to a treaty that can actually be ratified by the countries.

This will take quite a lot of time because if you take a look at the implications of different elements in the text - as it stands now, it needs to be studied by the countries.

There will be three more negotiating meetings before the conference in Copenhagen and there’ll also be regional meetings and inter regional meetings of the island countries to look at the text and to try and at least narrow down the essential elements that we need to see in the text.

For example, relating to financing for adaptation, which will be very important for us and secondly to ensure that the targets for developed countries are ambitious and also that developing countries with large emissions are engaged in a constructive manner.”

Q. “The Kyoto Protocol calls for an aggregated 5% reduction in emissions from the parties, how will this be measured and we know the commitments have been met?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “There is a verification process whereby countries have to submit reports on their carbon emissions and on the reductions that they have made. These reports are verified by independent teams so we will have a fairly accurate view as to whether countries will actually comply with their commitments.

We have a view at the moment as to where countries are and unfortunately many countries are not yet reaching the sort of reductions that they need to make but since the commitment period will not finish until 2012, they still have time to make good on their commitments.”

Q. “So the Pacific has a big battle on their hands, considering they want a call for more reductions, but it seems little progress has been made on the current reduction commitments?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “Certainly, the Pacific together with other island countries is calling for the higher band that the scientists in the Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are suggesting.

We have taken the higher range given the uncertainties and given most of the problems that we would face should countries fail to meet their targets, so yes definitely it is an uphill battle to try and get acceptance for that. We do have some promising statements from some developing countries but then other countries are not yet announcing their targets.

We are looking at a target of 40 - 45% reduction of 1990 levels by the industrialized countries as a group and at the moment we haven’t yet seen what each of the countries are suggesting what they are willing to do.”

Q. “When will this new treaty be finalized?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “We expect and hope that it will be completed at Copenhagen and then to be open for signature and the next step after that is that countries will need to do their parliamentary processes and get it ratified.

This will take some time, no doubt for countries to ratify because once you ratify a treaty like that it becomes national law and various other legislation may need to be adjusted.

We’re not quite sure yet as to the exact form of the final agreement whether it be an amendment to the Kyoto Protocol as well as the new agreement or whether it’s a single agreement or several agreements? The outcomes will no doubt be named after Copenhagen.”

Q. “So how long will the ratification process take?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “Experience has shown that for most countries, a ratification process like that could take between one and two years. If you look at the European Union process, they took about two years to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Other countries were a little bit quicker in ratifying it so, it depends on the contents of the treaty and what your obligations will be. So for countries that are going to take on the commitments there will probably be a fair amount of time needed to look at what national legislation might need to be adjusted first.”

Q. “So the Pacific needs to be there, so it’s heard and its concerns are reflected in the new agreement?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “Yes, the Pacific needs to remain engaged with the process, they need to make their concerns heard. For example, the concern that the resources are available for national level works such as capacity building and awareness-raising. The view expressed from the Pacific was that the resources are not sufficient so this point needed to be made by them. In order to do so they have to be present in the meetings when its necessary to make changes to the decisions of the partners.

They also need to be present in order to ensure that whatever comes out of Copenhagen does address the adaptation needs of the region and that it also stresses the need for ambitious targets for emission reductions.”

Q. “Any final words?”

A. Espen Ronneberg: “Prior to the Bonn Climate Change talks, we had a negotiations training workshop here in SPREP and a number of the participants were represented at the Bonn Meetings.

I must say I really was quite impressed by the increased level of engagement that they showed, they were much more active and present on the meetings and showed a lot more enthusiasm for what are normally very difficult and technical negotiations.

So I think we provided a good service through that negotiations training and it could be something we need to do again.”

For further information, please contact SPREP’s Climate Change Adviser Espen Ronneberg

E: [email protected] T: (685) 21929 F: (685) 20231 W: www.sprep.org

Photo Caption: Climate Change Adviser for the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Espen Ronneberg.