Impunity Watch: Oceania

Bainimarama Travels to UN

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

NEW YORK, USA -- In his first departure from Fiji since the interim government's coup last December, interim Prime Minister Bainimarama  has traveled to New York to address the United Nations.  The primary purpose for his trip was to increase economic activity between Fiji and other members of the United Nations and to explain to the world why he engaged in a coup of the Qarase government.   

While in talks with various UN bodies, Bainimarama also promised to provide extra personnel to protect the UN mission in Iraq and that each Fijian citizen would be allowed to vote for only one candidate in future elections (regardless of their race or religion),

In his address to the UN General Assembly he stressed his desire to remove the influence of race and religion in Fiji's politics.  He also reaffirmed his commitment to return democratic rule to Fiji as soon as he possibly could, though he did not bring up the reinstitution of the Public Emergency Regulations. 
He also indicated that it was this personal commitment to democracy that had lead him to rise up against the Qarase government last December.  He said that he had tried for several months to turn the deposed PM from the course that he was on, but "[his] efforts to constructively engage with the previous government came to no avail."  He went on to say that he was reluctant to use the power of the military to bring about political change, but that Fiji has a history and a culture of coup violence and that his actions were necessary to bring about the greater good for all members of the Fijian populace. 

Prior to his departure, Bainimarama had to choose who would replace him in his ministerial duties while he was absent from the country.  While he ultimately chose Col Samu Saumatua to act as commander during his trip, he said that any of Fiji's 200,000 citizens would have been able to act in his capacity. 

It is uncertain how much he believed that anyone could take his place, while he was gone, because prior to his departure for NY he also warned the populace that no one should stage a coup while he was gone.  The military, through  spokesman Lt. Col. Mosese Tikoitoga, said that their support for the current government is unshakable. 

While Bainimarama spoke before the United Nations, members of Fiji NGO's traveled to various human rights organizations to ensure that they were informed about life on the ground in Fiji. Specifically, Angie Heffernan, of the Pacific Centre for Public Integrity would be meeting with members of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.  She has said that it is particularly important that she raises issues of a controlled judiciary and the militarization of the civil service.

Bainimrama has said that Heffernan is only parroting the views of other foreign governments, specifically Australia and New Zealand, because she and her organization were paid to do so.  (For more on these allegations, please see Impunity Watch's coverage here). 

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's Bainimarama says anti-coup lobbyists won't matter in NY -- 25 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's military warns against overthrow attempts while commander out of the country -- 23 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji Interim PM says anyone can act in his position when he is in NY -- 21 September 2007

Fiji Times -- One person, one vote -- 30 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji interim P holds bilateral meetings at UN -- 28 September 2007

Fiji Times -- Interim PM tells world leaders, at UN, why he did it -- 30 September 2007

Former Fiji PM Says SDL Should Be Silenced

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji -- Sitiveni Rabuka, a former Fijian PM, has said that the SDL should not be allowed to make public statements because any such statement has the possibility of destabilizing the country. The SDL is no longer in power, he said, so they should not be allowed to continue to make public statements that are a risk to the nation's security.  Rabuka feared that because the SDL still controlled the popular sentiment of large sections of the population throughout the country, their freedom of speech could equate to a threat to national security; particularly so when considered against the SDL's obvious willingness to speak out against the interim government. 

He says that if the SDL is sufficiently dangerous for the interim government to cite them as one of their reasons for reinstating the Public Emergency Regulations, then further court actions should be taken to ensure that they do not make public statements once the regulations are lifted.  While he looked forward to the lifting of the PER later this week, he thinks that there might be a need to take further action against the SDL: "If we do not have the emergency regulations, you can still have a court injunction preventing certain people from making statements in the anticipation that those statements could destabilise the situation."  He feels that it would be preferable to  impose restrictions on the SDL than to  impose them upon the entire population. 

The SDL Party has responded strongly, saying that any attempt to silence them is against the bedrock principles of democracy.  "Peceli Kinivuwai, the SDL national director, said, "We cannot be silenced. In any country for democracy to thrive, and for the sake of good governance, for the sake of expression, we should all be allowed to talk. And we should all be allowed to voice our opinions freely."He went on to say that Rabuka's plan would be a violation of both human rights and Fiji's Constitution because freedom of speech is guaranteed. 

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's Rabuka queries move to silence SDL -- 28 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Fiji's SDL party says gagging calls are incompatible with democracy -- 28 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International -- Former Fiji PM says free speaking by SDL could lead to instability -- 27 September 2007

BRIEF: Moti Inquiry Report Released

PNG Prime Minister Michael Somare has released the Moti inquiry report to Defense Minister, Bob Dadae, who will bring it to the Defense Council to discuss and decide where and whether action needs to be taken in response.  Dadae was never involved or implicated in the inquiry.

Dadae has requested that those parties interest in the final inquiry report refrain from commenting until he and the Defense Council have determined the next step.

For more information, please see:

Pacific Islands Report (The National) - Somare releases Moti report to PNG Defense Minister - 28 September 2007

For background on the Moti affair, please see the Impunity Watch reports on Moti's appointment, PNG government involvement in Moti's escape, the Vanuatu case status, Australia's extradition attempt and the missing PNG inquiry report, PNG court refusal to suppress the inquiry report, and Moti's fear of assassination attempts.

UNHCR, PNG, and Australia Criticized Over Papuan Refugee Treatment

By Sarah C. LaBelle
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - West Papuan refugees are facing eviction from their homes outside of Port Moresby, where they had developed a settlement when they arrived from Indonesia twenty years ago.  PNG public interest lawyer Anne Kajir said that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees should have gotten more involved.  She told Radio New Zealand International, "I would believe that it is the responsibility of the UNHCR office here in Port Moresby to address West Papuan issues here in the country.  And I feel that they have an obligation to at least do something for the West Papuans living in PNG."

Police raids on the refugee settlement included hacking down their banana plants as a warning of impending eviction.  Frustrated with the fact that the UNHCR had simply turned the case over to the government, about 210 of the 400 refugees camped outside the UNHCR office with their belongings in protest.  The refugees have demanded to be sent to a third country despite governor Powes Parkop telling them to stay put until the court case is decided and a resettlement area is designated.  The refugees who did not camp outside the UNHCR office took Parkop's advice and stayed in their homes.

UNHCR PNG refused to comment and referred reporters to UNHCR Canberra for comments.

Australia, however, has also been accused of endangering Papuan refugees.  Almost a month ago, Australian authorities sent five Papuan asylum seekers back to PNG.  Refugee rights groups have expressed the concern that this recent incident is an attempt to avoid diplomatic strain between Australia and Indonesia, such as that which occurred last January when Australia granted 43 Papuans asylum.

The national coordinator for the rights group A Just Australia, Kate Gauthier told The Australian, "Without a doubt, the removal of these asylum seekers is a breach of international law, and puts Australia at the bottom of the class in human rights terms."

Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre spokesman David Manne agreed, calling the incident "profoundly concerning and scandalous," adding, "There are serious questions about whether Australia has acted in violation of our international obligations to protect refugees."

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International -  UNHCR and PNG government accused of passing buck over Papuan refugees  - 24 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Evicted Papuans camp outside UNHCR office in PNG capital - 24 September 2007

The National - Papua families thrown out of 8Mile homes - 25 September 2007*

The Australian - Returning asylim seekers 'scandalous' - 27 September 2007

The Australian - Papuan five 'in danger' - 28 September 2006

* The article from The National is also available at Pacific Islands Report here.

Former Fiji Official Sentenced to Jail for Corruption

By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji -- The Principal Accounts Officer for the Agriculture Ministry, Suliasi Sorovakatini, has been sentenced to two and a half years of jail by High Court Judge, Justice Gerard Winters. The court found Sorovakatini guilty of one count of abuse of office, for which he was sentenced to sixteen months, and one count of official corruption, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years.  His sentences will run concurrently. 

Sorovakatini admitted the allegations of corruption and pleaded guilty to these charges in July. 

The scandal involved the misappropriation of public funds from June 2000 until December 2001.  During that period Sorovakatini wrote 51 Westpac checks, totally USD $600,000, payable to Repina Wholesalers. The Accounts Officer also ensured that whenever able, he would ensure that Repina Wholesalers would be awarded contracts for the supply of farming implements, chemicals and fertilisers under the Affirmative Action Plan. In return for these services, Sorovakatini received received property  and cashing totally about USD $70,000.

The High Court found that these actions were in breach of the Finance Act. 

Two other businessmen have been implicated in this scandal, but have denied any involvement.

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International - Former official jailed over agriculture ministry scam - 26 September 2007

Fiji Live - Sorovakatini jailed for 2 1/2 years - 26 September 2007

Fiji Times Online - Sorovakatini sentencing tomorrow - 25 September 2007

BRIEF: Moti Fears Assassination Attempts by Australia

HONIARA, Solomon Islands - Solomon Islands Attorney General Julian Moti said on Monday that he fears assassination attempts due to the "vilification campaign" against him by Australia.

"The typical pattern of the elimination plan is to discredit morally, then attack professionally before arranging an assassination.  We've just entered the next phase of Australia's vilification campaign against me and I must start writing my epitaph," he said in a statement.

Moti is also facing a harassment charge brought by National Express reporter Jeniffer Koti.  He defended himself by saying that he is a "daily victim of media propaganda and abuse."

For more information, please see:

Marianas Variety (Pacnews) - Solomons' Moti fears assassination - 26 September 2007

Herald Sun - Solomons Attorney-General Julian Moti fears assassins - 25 September 2007

Fiji Times - Fiji-born Moti fears assassination - 25 September 2007

Solomon Star - Moti challenges Express over harassment claim - 24 September 2007

For background on the Moti affair, please see the Impunity Watch reports on Moti's appointment, PNG government involvement in Moti's escape, the Vanuatu case status, Australia's extradition attempt and the missing PNG inquiry report, and PNG court refusal to suppress the inquiry report.

Solomons PM Seeks Review of RAMSI; Refuses to Meet With Reviewers and Cancels RAMSI Presentation

The Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) entered the Solomon Islands on the request of then-Prime Minister Allen Kemakeza as a peace keeping force in 2003 in response to deadly ethnic conflict between Guadalcanal and Malatian militants.  The Pacific Islands Forum heads a review process in which the Forum, the Solomons, and RAMSI review the mission's progress and problems.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare has said that the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands needs to be reviewed to make sure that the laws of the Solomon Islands are not being disregarded in favour of foreign interests.  He believes that the "heavy handed military approach" taken by RAMSI is no longer relevant.  Provincial premiers have also called for the reduction of RAMSI police in places where there are low crime rates.

Last week, RAMSI was told that it could not make its presentation at the provincial premiers conference because the relevant conference session was cancelled due to time constraints.  RAMSI special coordinator  Tim George told the Solomon Star that he was extremely disappointed, since his office had worked with the Ministry of Provincial Government for weeks, planning presentations and preparing for question-and-answer and discussion sessions.  George had also ensured that most of the senior RAMSI personnel would attend the conference.

Unfortunately, George was not informed of the change to the conference schedule, and discovered upon his arrival that RAMSI's time allotment had been cancelled in favour of a local trade show.  George and the RAMSI personnel attended the trade show with the permiers, and offered to give a shortened presentation, which they did, delaying their departure time for as long as they could.

"RAMSI places a lot of importance on its relationship with the government and with the people in each of the country's provinces," George told the Solomon Star.

The following day, RAMSI, Pacific Forum delegates, and Solomon Islands government representatives were to meet in Honaria.  While awaiting the arrival of the Solomons representatives, RAMSI and Pacific Forum delegates were informed via telephone that the meeting would be postponed indefinitely.  In the official statement apologizing for cancelling the meeting, the Solomons government said that it had not been given enough time to prepare its position before the meeting.  However, the chair for the meetings, Peter Eafeare, said that the meetings had been set up over a month beforehand.

For more information, please see:

Radio New Zealand International - Solomons Prime Minister reiterates need for review of RAMSI - 17 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - RAMSI presentation hiccup linked to Solomons scheduling problem - 17 September 2007

Solomon Star - RAMSI upset at lost opportunity - 17 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - RAMSI review talks in Solomons postponed indefinitely - 18 September 2007

Radio Australia - Solomons cancels RAMSI talks - 19 September 2007

PNG Post-Courier - SI scraps high-level meeting - 20 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Solomons government says sorry for pulling plug on meeting over RAMSI - 20 September 2007

Solomon Star - Gov't apologises to Forum - 21 September 2007

Official statements on the cancelled presentation at the premiers conference can be found on the Pacific Magazine website here (Office of the Prime Minister) and here (RAMSI).

BRIEF: Bainimarama May Reinstall Checkpoints

SUVA, Fiji - Fijilive is reporting that Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has said that he will consider setting up a network of military checkpoints and police patrols in order to suppress the crime rate in Fiji.  Bainimarama has said on many occasions since assuming power that a reduction in crime is his highest priority.  His primary concerns are allegations of increased home invasion, violent robberies of taxi drivers, sacrilege (predominently against Hindu temples) and  "the perceived rise in crime following the removal of soldiers from the check-points". 

The concern over a rising crime rate was also used as a partial justification for reinstituting the Public Emergency Regulations.  Throughout Bainimarama has insisted that, "The home owners want the soldiers on the street; the families want the soldiers on the streets but you guys (media) don’t."  These rationale have brought Bainimarama into conflict with several Fijian NGOs (see Impunity Watch's coverage of this story here).

Bainimarama will make his decision about reviving military checkpoints after meeting with the newly appointed head of the Fiji Police Force Esala Teleni.  Teleni, who had been police commissioner for a little over four months, was installed into his new capacity today.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Live - PM wants more checkpoints - 19 September 2007

Pacific Magazine (Fiji Live) - Military Checkpoints May Be Reinstated - 20 September 2007

Fiji Times - Police to formally welcome Teleni - 21 September 2007

Fiji Times - Sacrilege drops the faith - 21 September 2007

PNG Judge Refuses to Suppress Moti Inquiry Report

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - Last week, Prime Minister Michael Somare and three others failed in their application to suppress the Moti Inquiry Report in the judicial review of the army inquiry.  The others involved in the suppression attempt are former chief secretary to the government Joshua Kalinoe, Colonel Vagi Oala, and Captian Tom Ur.

National Court judge Bernard Sakora held that Somare had not properly joined the proceedings and further, that the application for judicial review of the cabinet-approved army inquiry was an abuse of the court process.  The case was dismissed with cost to the applicants.  Somare will appeal the decision.

Sakora had choice words for Somare and the other applicants, saying of the suppression attempts,"I don't think you can describe it in any other word except protecting huge egos ... and I have it in my judgement ... huge egos of Olympic proportions."  Sakora also drew parallels between Somare's involvement in the Moti affair and the United States Watergate scandal in the 1970s.  He also said that Somare was "misled and ill-advised by his minders and lawyers" during the court proceedings.

Somare's lawyers threatened the media and the PNG populace with contempt of court charges if the inquiry report were leaked during the proceedings, though that did not stop the report from being leaked and published on the internet.

Since the court handed down its decision, there was more pressure on Somare to produce a copy of the inquiry report, especially from the PNG parliament.  Other interested parties include Australia, Transparency International, and the Opposition coalition in the Solomon Islands government.  Somare has said that he had good reasons for not producing it before the National Court, despite the court's statements on the matter.

With the release of the report, the Opposition has called for Somare to step down as Prime Minister, telling reporters at a press conference on Monday, "That, he owes to the nation, to the people and to himself as the founding father of this nation."

For more information, please see:

Pacific Magazine - Attempts to Suppress Moti Report Result of Huge Egos Says Judge - 13 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Renewed pressure on PNG PM to table Moti report - 13 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - PNG PM to appeal National Court rejection - 13 September 2007

PNG Post-Courier - Report gag bid to protect egos: Judge - 13 September 2007

PNG Post-Courier - Charge Somare - 13 September 2007  [on the inquiry report contents]

The Australian - Somare likely to fight release of Moti report - 14 September 2007

PNG Post-Courier - Step aside Chief! - 14 September 2007

Pacific Magazine (PNG Post-Courier) - Calls for Sir Michael to Step Aside - 17 September 2007

Solomon Star - Fono vows to expose Moti escape report - 17 September 2007

Pacific Magazine - TI Appeals for Moti Report Formal Release - 18 September 2007

Pacific Islands Report has a leaked copy of the Moti Inquiry report here.  (PDF format)

BRIEF: Tonga Extends State of Emergency for the Tenth Time

Tonga is currently a constitutional monarchy, though there are political groups that advocate changing to a democracy.  Some of the pro-democracy elements were responsible for rioting and arson in the capital city of Nuku'alofa on November 16 of last year.

Radio New Zealand International reports that Tonga has extended its state of emergency for the tenth time since the riots that occurred in November of last year.  Prime Minister Feleti Sevele stated that public order is still seriously threatened, and Information Minister Afu'alo Matoto clarified that the main concern is that certain elements in the pro-democracy movement would spark renewed violence.  The state of emergency allows police and defense forces to exercise emergency powers in a demarcated zone.

Radio New Zealand International - Continued serious threats prompt extension of Tonga's state of emergency - 18 September 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Tongan emergency extended for fears of fresh violence - 18 September 2007