Pacific Media Centre – Asia Pacific Report

Musicians across Pacific stage virtual Wan Musik Wan Sing for West Papua’s freedom

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 10:03:55 +0000

The livestream of the Wan Musik Wan Sing Papuan flag day concert.

COMMENT: By Luisa Tuilau and Ronny Kareni

As West Papua’s Morning Star flag marks its historic 59th anniversary today on December 1, the Wan Musik Wan Sing virtual concert for West Papua has brought together artists from across our solwara with a Song for Freedom that traverses a sonic celebration with the West Papuan people.

One of the good things West Papua appears to have proven, is that amid the ongoing oppression, songs of Merdeka (Freedom) amplify West Papua’s self-determination movement as a cause for celebration—and as an unstoppable form of Talanoa dialogue.

In Fiji and across the Pacific, Talanoa dialogue is a process of inclusion and participation, and of storytelling and decision-making for the collective good.

So too, the Wan Musik Wan Sing, opens the mat to regional musicians and poets to celebrate the richness of our Pacific togetherness and our forms of deep relationships, as we weave in reverence with customary and contemporary beliefs and practices.

The virtual concert is harnessing Wan Musik’s intrinsic power to unify and inspire Pacific youth to act on Indonesia’s blatant violations of West Papuans’ human rights.

Malia Vaurasi, Youngsolwara Fiji chairwoman, together with Youngsolwara Pacific, drum up support to mobilise and connect with regional partners—including Pacific Island Associations of NGO (PIANGO), Pacific Conference of Churches Youth, USP Human Rights Alumni and Rize of the Morning Star, in unravelling positive messages.

“We hope to bring attention to West Papua’s struggle for self-determination and build solidarity, but also we seek to show our Papuan brothers and sisters that they are not alone,” Vaurasi said.

Spirit of solidarity
She is hopeful “that people-to-people relationships and spirit of solidarity remain Pacific’s greatest source of strength”.

Zuzan Crystalia Griapon of West Papua … solidarity with human rights and Pacific civil society organisations. Image: Wan Musik Wan Song livestream screenshot

In the uncontainable spirit of solidarity, last month the Forum Secretariat held a Talanoa session on West Papua’s human rights and the Pacific civil society organisations, churches and social movements that urgently called on Forum Leaders to continue to engage the sensitive issue of West Papua at the upcoming Leaders meeting.

In echoing the current PIF chair to intervene on the issue of West Papua, Youngsolwara Pacific youth movement support the call, given that the timing of the visit has not been finalised by Indonesian government.

It remains a challenge of when this visit is going to happen and whether it will be reported back in time at the Forum Leaders meeting in 2021.

A scene from the Wan Musik Wan Sing concert. Image: Wan Musik Wan Sing screenshot

Meanwhile, the growing recognition of West Papua national anthem of Hai Tanah Ku Papua (or My Homeland Papua) and the Morning Star flag, is reminiscent of a story of hope and of a possible future of a statehood.

It is the very spirit in the anthem that brought together more than 15 artists from around the Pacific to sing the tunes that Papuans have been singing for decades.

Australian-based West Papuan trio, Black Sistaz, who are daughters of the Black Brothers, the famous West Papuan band topping the Indonesian music chart in 1970s, echoed such sentiments about freedom for their homeland and to the people in ‘Yenures’.

Rise of the Morning Star
Renowned Fiji artist Seru Serevi sings of the Morning Star rise, and singing to the same tune is Papua New Guinea icon Sir George Telek, who begs the question of ‘husait bai helpim ol’ or who will help them?

Sir George Telek … Papua New Guinean Icon sings for West Papua. Image: Wan Musik Wan Sing

The troubles Telek’s kin experiences is best described in his opening lines—san i go daun, san i kamap na wari stap yet long ol West Papua (til the sun sets, til the sun rises, the troubles still remains in West Papua).

Adding to the list, artists include Nattali Rize from the urban roots Blue King Brown band calling on All Nations to “Rize” together; to popular singer Vanessa Quai, and reggae-island El Professor band of Vanuatu cries for “Merdeka” and solidarity, which is echoed by Kanaky reggae artist Lyrik Kanak Gong.

Breaking through the music chart in PNG recently is Esta Pacifica with her reflection of Mangi West Papua, and also emerging artist and poet, Krystal Juffa — a rare opportunity to work alongside a member of the Black Brothers band, Bettay Bettay, with a soulful tune that reflects on the need to Set Me Free from colonial brutality.

The exciting stard-filled line-up of Fiji artists, with the likes of Natalie Raikadroka and Tiny Sounds, Naseda band, Paulini Bautani, Mark and Olsen, as well as poets Anna Jane Vea and Tamani Rarama, is evidence of a growing momentum of positive force to reckon with on West Papua.

Poet Tamani Rarama … evidence of a growing momentum of positive force. Image: Wan Musik Wan Sing

This is evident in Sorong Samarai, a band of rising stars and living legends of PNG and West Papua, bringing an insight into the aspirations of freedom for West Papua.

The aspiration of a nation of West Papua whose statehood is robbed at a gunpoint, begins after Indonesia’s failure to secure the UN vote in the 1950s to claim the non-self-governing territory.

Cold War by proxy
The Cold War by proxy paved the way for Indonesia to enforce the principle of “uti possidetis” on the 19th day of the Morning Star flag raising ceremony, and exert its alien territorial claims by forcefully removing the declared Independent Republic of West Papua.

In other words, West Papua only experienced freedom for 19 days. Until now, West Papua’s legal and political status remains a critical Talanoa dialogue.

The stalemate between the legal norms of self-determination on the one side, and the fictional concept of “territorial integrity”, means the UN dream of eradicating colonialism is not over. The year 2021 sadly marks the beginning of another decade of the struggle of eradicating colonialism.

Meanwhile, the land of West Papua will continue to be remembered as the birthplace of the Morning Star, that has guided hunters and gatherers, and seafarers from all over first nations Pacific, Melanesia and Aboriginal Australia, to and from West Papua’s shores for thousands of years.

And from Sorong to Samarai, so too, the dawn of a new day comes with the rise of the Morning Star to guide the people to freedom.

More information

Luisa Tuilau is a human rights defender and part of Youngsolwara Pacific. Ronny Kareni is an Australian-based West Papuan musician and activist.

A scene from the Wan Musik Wan Sing concert. Image: Wan Musik Wan Sing screenshot

#WanMusikWanSing
#WestPapua
#WeBleedBlackandRed

Stop funding military repression in Papua, plead TAPOL speakers

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 07:19:28 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Campaigners at a TAPOL-hosted global webinar have called on the people of Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States and other countries to stop funding military training for Indonesian security forces who are “killing innocent West Papuans”.

Rosa Moiwend, a member of the War Resisters International, said West Papuans wanted to live peacefully without any oppression by the military – this was the hope of the indigenous Melanesian people.

“If your government is actually behind this scenario, I think the main thing you have to do is to go and talk to your government, Parliament members and question them about your tax money,” she said.

READ MORE: The Pacific Media Centre’s West Papua file

“Where does your tax money go? Does it go to pay [for] the war or is the tax money used for the purpose of human lives?”

Moiwend said many people across the world loved peace and justice, so they were anti-military and war.

Stopping governments funding military training was a must for activists.

Moiwend, a strong Melanesian and Pacific woman, gave an inspiring message to activists around the world to stand up firmly and speak out about the arms business that was violating human rights and killing people everywhere, “including the lives of innocent West Papuans”.

Sharing militarist experiences
An organiser said a key objective of the webinar was to give an opportunity to lawyers, activists, and supporters of a Make West Papua Safe campaign to share their experiences of militarisation and militarised policing.

Other speakers in the London-hosted webinar on Monday included Elijah Dacosta, a TAPOL campaigner; Yohanis Mambrassar, a lawyer for West Papuan human rights activists; Yones Douw, head of the justice and peace department of the Papua Kemah Gospel Church; author and researcher Jason MacLeod, co-founder of Make West Papua Safe; and Zelda Grimshaw, a Make West Papua Safe campaigner.

TAPOL (Tahanan Politik) is a British-based organisation campaigning for human rights and democracy in Indonesia.

“TAPOL was founded in 1973, and in the beginning the TAPOL campaign was focusing on releasing political prisoners in Indonesia,” said Dakosta.

But later the seriousness of military occupation became increasingly important.

“We have expanded to raise awareness on human rights issue in Aceh, East Timor and West Papua,” said Dakosta.

The Make West Papua Safe logo … campaign against Indonesian militarism. Image: PMC screenshot

Yohanes Mambrasar, a West Papuan lawyer gave an illuminating description on what has been happening over human rights violence by state institutions towards indigenous people of West Papua.

“There has been increasing repression. We are seeing violent actions by the TNI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) and police against unarmed peaceful civilians who are gathering to express their political aspirations. We can really see this increasing year by year, even month by month,” said Mambrassar.

Human rights advocacy
Mambrassar who has been working on human rights advocacy said that during 2019 and 2020 “we are seeing this crackdown on protesting West Papuans.”

But they were also seeing a lot of violence towards villagers, who were suspected of supporting independence or having “separatist sympathies”, such as in Nduga, Intan Jaya, and other regions.

He said the violence was now extended to the virtual world where some people who disseminated information on social media such as Facebook and YouTube would face cyber-attacks. They were even physically attacked by the police or armed forces.

RNZ Pacific reports that Indonesian military denied shooting civilians in Papua. Papua’s police chief said that reports of a new military operation in the troubled Nduga regency were a “hoax”.

Church advocate Yones Douw … “right through until today the violence has continued.” Image: PMC screenshot

However, Yones Douw, head of the justice and peace department of KIMI church (West Papua Kemah Gospel Church), said that violence had never stopped since Indonesia had occupied West Papua.

“Really the violence has not changed since 1961 to 1969, 1969 to 2020, and 2020, when special autonomy was declared here in West Papua – right through until today the violence has continued,” said Douw.

Douw, a human rights activist, said that when special autonomy was introduced, Jakarta said that West Papuans would be 90 percent independent.

Promises ‘only words’
He said this was “only words – in fact, we have been seeing increasing violence”.

“So, if special autonomy went the way it was supposed to, West Papuan people should be protected and cared for. But that has not happened at all,” Douw said.

“Why is [the violence] increasing like this? Well, if you find a pastor who is speaking about the suffering of his congregation, he will be called a separatist. Anyone who speaks about human rights will be called as separatist, anyone who speaks about the welfare of Papuan people will be labelled as separatist,” he said.

He said that the Indonesian laws granting freedom of expression did not hold in West Papua. Even journalists, human rights activists, and some church leaders could not work without feeling a sense of fear.

“These are school students who are being shot, these are student who are walking around their own villages and without even any question they are being shot.

“Imagine what it is like if you are an older person, there is just no freedom at all to move,” said Douw.

Author Jason MacLeod … responding to students’ “go to hell” message to the Australian and New Zealand governments. Image: PMC screen shot

Stopping foreign support
Jason MacLeod, co-founder of Make West Papua Safe, said he had collaborated with New Zealand activist Maire Leadbeater and Rosa Moiwend in launching this campaign.

The campaign was “to stop foreign government support for the Indonesian police and military,” said MacLeod.

He said it was a peaceful movement seeking to stop New Zealand and Australian government funding and training for the Indonesian police and military which every day brutally repressed the indigenous people of West Papua.

Brisbane-based MacLeod, who has been working on West Papua issues for the last 30 years, said the motivation behind the founding of the Make West Papua Safe campaign was in response to students speaking out in Jayapura.

Asked what they had thought about the New Zealand and Australian governments’ help for the Indonesian military, the students replied that both governments “can go to hell”, said MacLeod.

The activists, lawyers, and human rights defenders called on the people in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, the Pacific, Africa, Caribbean, Europe and Asia to raise their voices support of stopping military oppression in West Papua.

Contributed by a postgraduate communication studies student at Auckland University of Technology.

For more information, visit Make WestPapua Safe.

Bryan Bruce: On trolls, haters, conspiracy theorists and health stupidity

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 19:04:34 +0000

COMMENT: By Bryan Bruce

The other day I wrote a post on my blog which invited people to: “Take care of others by taking care of yourself.”

It was attacked by so many trolls, haters and conspiracy theorists that when I returned to my page later that evening I estimated it would take me about an hour to go through the 170+ comments to separate the thoughful ones from the mean-spirited.

Because I refuse to allow people to hijack my page and spread misinformation I decided the quickest way was to delete the whole post and republish it.

NZ ELECTIONS 2020 – 17 October

So my apologies to the 500+ people who registered that you “liked ” this post and wrote thoughful comments.

TAKE TWO:

When I first wrote in support of the approach New Zealand’s public health officials and our government were taking towards dealing with the covid -19 pandemic, there were a number of people who commented that I was perpetrating a hoax, promoting fear, or even that I was somehow promoting a totalitarian state and other such conspiracy nonsense.

The news last week that President Trump, who has consistently downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic, is now infected with covid-19 ( along with his First Lady) – and he has left hospital while still suffering – should be a reminder to us all to reject stupidity and remain vigilant in our fight against this virus.

No one is immune.

If we want to keep our friends and whanau safe and give our economy the best chance to recover, then it is important to follow the advice of our public health officials.

Keep up regular hand washing and sanitising, maintain social distancing whenever possible, wear a mask in public places, recording visits to assist rapid contact tracing, border controls and compulsory self-isolation.

Because, in the absence of a vaccine, these are still our best strategies to deal with this pandemic.

Take care of others by taking care of yourself.

Bryan Bruce is an independent filmmaker and journalist. The Pacific Media Centre is publishing a series of occasional commentaries by him during the NZ election campaign.

PNG sex workers plead for help after one gang-raped, beaten, left to die

Pacific Media Centre — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 10:34:32 +0000

By Rebecca Kuku in Port Moresby

Sex workers have urged the Papua New Guinea government to pass a law to protect them after one of them was recently gang-raped, beaten and left to die on a roadside in the capital of Port Moresby.

One told The National: “Yes, she is a prostitute. We all are. And we have our reasons why we are in this trade.

“But we are also Papua New Guineans. We are also human.”

READ MORE: High cost of living and scarcity of jobs drive Port Moresby prostitution

The sex workers, who agreed to be interviewed on the condition that their identities not be revealed because they could end up in trouble with the law, said they were forced into the trade not by choice but as a matter of survival.

One said they sold their bodies “for a living out of necessity” knowing there was no law to protect them.

They are afraid to report to police inhumane and cruel acts inflicted on them by men who pay for their services because they can end up in trouble.

“My friend was brutally gang raped. She had to have her [private parts] stitched. She was beaten to the point where she nearly died,” one said.

‘Good Samaritan’ helped victim
She said if not for a “Good Samaritan who found her and rushed her to the hospital”, the co-worker might not be living today to tell her story.

“She can’t even lodge a complaint because prostitution is illegal. We have no rights [protection].

“We can be murdered tomorrow and no one will care because we are prostitutes.

The National front page today. Image: The National

“But [people must remember] that we are also human beings and we are also Papua New Guineans.”

The 24-year-old victim said she was paid to spend an hour with the client.

He took her to a lodge in Port Moresby where eight men raped her. She told of how she called out for help but heard people outside laughing at her.

“No one helped me even though I screamed for help. There were people outside. I could hear them laughing and saying [that I was a prostitute]. Yes, I was paid for one hour with one client only.”

Previous protection bill defeated
“In 2016, a motion to protect sex workers tabled in Parliament by then Sumkar MP Ken Fairweather met strong opposition. It was defeated.

In February this year, Justice Minister and Attorney-General Davis Steven said the position of the law on prostitution in PNG was not clear.

He was waiting for the State Solicitor “to give me specific legal support on matters like that”.

Community Development, Religion and Youth Department acting Secretary Pala Yondi earlier said the department was concerned about sex workers who were abused, assaulted and raped because there were no laws to protect them.

Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands Bishop Rochus Tatamai blamed the increase in sex workers on the current “economic crisis”.

The Pacific Media Centre republishes The National articles with permission.

‘We don’t interfere in other countries’ affairs,’ says Tongan PM on compact

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 06 Sep 2020 11:45:02 +0000

By Philip Cass in Auckland

“Tonga does not interfere in other nations’ own affairs.”

That was the carefully measured response from Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa to the report that senior officials from Australia’s Foreign Affairs Department are investigating the concept of a “grand compact” with some small Pacific nations, including Tonga.

The suggestion over a compact is seen in some circles as a way of curbing the growth of Chinese power in the region.

Under the proposal, Australia would allow permanent residency or even citizenship for people from Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga and Nauru in return for Australia managing their resources.

A number of independent Pacific island states are already in compacts of free associations with larger countries.

In Micronesia, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands have a Compact of Free Association with the United States.

The governments of these nations consult with the US on foreign affairs issues. Washington also has “full authority and responsibility for security and defence matters” in return for US government services, the opportunity for Pacific Islanders to work in the US, and annual grants.

Self-governing states
The Cook Islands and Niue are self-governing states in free association with New Zealand, which is responsible for their foreign affairs and defence.

The proposal for an Australian compact has been floated in different forms over recent years and has met with a mixed response.

As Kaniva News reported, former Tuvaluan Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga described it as outdated “imperial thinking”.

Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa told Kaniva News yesterday: “Tonga is friends with every country in the world.

“It does not oppose any country.

“That was a traditional position of Tonga in terms of international diplomatic relations. Tonga does not interfere in other nations’ own affairs.”

Tonga only Pacific country not colonised
Tonga is the only Pacific nation not to have been colonised. As a series of historical features in Kaniva News showed earlier this year, the country’s rulers fought hard to keep from being overwhelmed by Britain’s offers of friendship.

However, not all politicians from the countries listed as possible compact partners have rejected it.

Kiribati’s former President Anote Tong said the proposal would be difficult for small island countries to turn down.

But he warned that the proposal would only work if Islanders did not see it as an attempt to recolonise their countries.

Philip Cass is a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre and an adviser on Kaniva News. The centre republishes Kaniva News items in collaboration.

No guarantee mosque mass killer would serve full jail term in Australia

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 05:43:13 +0000

By RNZ News

Warning: This story discusses details of the 15 March 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre.

An Auckland University law professor says there is a risk the mosque terrorist could walk the streets of Sydney if he was deported to Australia to serve his life sentence.

After a four-day sentencing hearing in the High Court in Christchurch, Australian Brenton Tarrant, 29, was sentenced yesterday to spend the rest of his life in prison with no chance of parole.

Justice Cameron Mander’s sentence marked the first time in New Zealand’s history that the harshest punishment has been imposed.

Shortly after the sentencing, New Zealand First Leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Tarrant should be deported to his home country.

But Professor Bill Hodge told RNZ First Up there was no law in place where a sentence could be transferred, so Australia would not have to keep to the terms of the sentence.

He told First Up a new law would be required in New Zealand – but more importantly, a new law would be needed in Australia.

“Because if he’s deported now, gets on a plane and goes over to Sydney, he can just walk free because there is no statutory authority, no power to enforce the New Zealand sentence in Australia at the moment.”

Rainbow Warrior spies transfer
New Zealand has been down this pathway before more than 30 years ago.

The two French spies in jail for 10 years for manslaughter in the 1985 bombing of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour were allowed to be transferred for three years in military detention on Hao atoll in French Polynesia under a deal agreed to with France by former prime minister David Lange.

Before very long both prisoners were back home.

“We got burned quite frankly…”

Hodge said moving the terrorist would have to be with Australia’s cooperation and he could not see why they would agree to it.

“We don’t know exactly what their attitude is …let’s not go down that pathway until we get something really sealed in cement over there to make sure he will stay inside and not become part of a reality TV show, which is what happened to one person who came back from [jail in] Indonesia.”

Morrison open to prospect
The ABC is reports that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left the door open to working with New Zealand on the issue, but there would be some hurdles to overcome.

Despite the strong ties between Australia and New Zealand, there is no formal prisoner transfer deal between the two countries.

The “David Hicks option” … Australia and the US negotiated a special agreement. Image: RNZ/AFP

Prisoner transfers are different to extraditions – which is when one country demands another help to secure someone wanted for an offence, and have them shipped over to face investigation and trial.

International law expert Professor Don Rothwell, from the Australian National University, said there were multiple options that could be pursued if the transfer was on the cards.

But he said the most likely was what he described as the “David Hicks option”.

Hicks, who was captured in Afghanistan in 2001 and spent time in Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba, was sentenced by a military commission in the United States.

“Australia and the US negotiated a special agreement purely to deal with the Hicks situation, and that was appropriate given the security concerns and legal issues,” Professor Rothwell said.

The key difference
The key difference is that Hicks only had to serve another nine months in jail (his conviction was set aside by a US court in 2015).

The mosque gunman’s sentence expires when he dies. So, keeping him behind bars for the rest of his life would need to be an explicit term in any agreement.

There are two other potential options for transferring him to Australia.

The first would be for the two countries to negotiate a new bilateral prisoner transfer treaty. The second possibility would be for New Zealand to sign up to an international convention, such as the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

“The Christchurch gunman is going to be an irritant in Australia-New Zealand relations for some time,” Melissa Conley Tyler from the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne said.

“New Zealand is very aware that when its citizens are convicted of crimes in Australia, we deport them back to New Zealand – admittedly after they’ve served their sentences – and this is for much less serious crimes.

“From a New Zealand perspective, this is a terrorist who is an Australian citizen and New Zealand taxpayers will be footing the bill for his incarceration for the rest of his life.

“So even though Australia may not be legally obliged to agree to a transfer, I’d expect that New Zealand will continue to make this request.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern … the jailed terrorist will remain an irritation for Australian and New Zealand relations. Image: RNZ/AFP and Pool Getty

‘Proud’ of NZ’s justice system
In relation to how the justice system has operated with regard to the arrest and trial of the terrorist, from the police response on the day of the 15 March 2019 attacks to the conclusion with the handing down of the sentence yesterday, Professor Hodge said it had been through a stress test and had been proved “fit for purpose”.

As a teacher in a law school it had made him feel proud, he said.

“I think all New Zealanders were brought into that courtroom by the judge by his very powerful speech. It was denunciation; it was speaking for the nation; and it showed a unique purpose that we don’t see very often in New Zealand courtrooms.

“I think justice has come to the fore in a very positive way and I’m proud of it.”

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

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‘Covid-19 knows no ethnicity, so don’t stigmatise,’ says Komiti Pasefika

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 22:30:43 +0000

By Sela Jane Hopgood, RNZ Pacific journalist

A call has been made to members of the Pacific community in New Zealand to check on loved ones during the current Auckland lockdown and to remember there is no stigma or shame in getting tested for covid-19.

Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath, co-head of the School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, said it was important in these extraordinary times to check in on family, friends, colleagues and students.

“Through my work around suicide prevention, it has always been a key message to check in on each other, and that was born from siblings checking in on each other once they have lost a loved one to suicide,” Dr Tiatia-Seath said.

READ MORE: Vaccine diplomacy heats up in the Pacific

Dr Tiatia-Seath, a specialist in mental health and well-being among Pacific people, said it made complete sense to continue such connection in the covid-19 era.

“Sometimes we get so caught up in our own bubbles that we seem to not realise that other people may not be doing so well, and it is so hard to detect that when you’re not physically near or seeing people on the daily,” she said.

The Auckland family at the centre of the current covid-19 cluster received a lot of negative comments on social media, and Dr Tiatia-Seath said the stigmatisation of that response had not helped with stress levels in the Pacific community.

“Covid-19 knows no ethnicity, so it was extremely unhelpful to point out the ethnicity of the family. The virus is the problem here,” she said.

Negative social media
The Auckland family at the centre of the current covid-19 cluster received a lot of negative comments on social media, and Dr Tiatia-Seath said the stigmatisation of that response had not helped with stress levels in the Pacific community.

Auckland University Pacific studies lecturer Dr Jemaima Tiatia-Seath … “Sometimes we get so caught up in our own bubbles that we seem to not realise that other people may not be doing so well.” Image: RNZ/Auckland University

“Covid-19 knows no ethnicity, so it was extremely unhelpful to point out the ethnicity of the family. The virus is the problem here,” she said.

Dr Tiatia-Seath pointed out that when people are disconnected from others, it could be hard to pick up signs of distress without being physically present.

“I think when you notice people close down their social media accounts, people that were usually active or engaging online have suddenly gone quiet, I would check up on that person.

“Ensuring families in need have food, checking that our elderly are okay and connected and that our young people are staying engaged after being disconnected from their schools. These are the kind of people we need to look out for,” she said.

The University of Auckland academic said parents needed a lot of support especially if they were having to also be educators for their children.

“We need to be vigilant about our own wellbeing as well as other people’s. Part of that is watching for digital fatigue.

Long Zoom calls
“Zoom video calls should not be so long, and be mindful and respectful of the spaces people are in. It can sometimes be intrusive for some, as you are inviting people into your home.”

She said not spending a lot of time on social media could also be beneficial for wellbeing.

“There’s no stigma or shame in being tested for covid-19”

Pacific union members also encouraged people in the communities to get tested for covid-19 if they were showing symptoms.

Komiti Pasefika, the Council of Trade Unions Pacific Island worker representative group, have learnt through their engagement with Pacific workers that there was fear in regards to taking a test.

“A negative test provides the assurance that you and your family are safe. Where there is a positive result then it is about following the correct procedures to make sure our families are safe and well,” co-convenor Brian Palalagi said.

“We encourage our Pacific families that if they are not well, go and get tested.

Time for GP
“Take the time to go to your GP or Community Based Assessment Centres (CBAC) to get tested.

Palalagi said if people are were concerned about what this means for their work, talk to their union organiser or union delegate in the workplace.

“Our view is that you should be accommodated with full pay to be able to make your contribution to the team of 5 million who are wanting to stamp this virus out of our communities.

He agreed with Tiatia-Seath that people were the solution to the coronavirus.

“We know that covid-19 is a tricky virus, which doesn’t discriminate who it infects. The virus doesn’t discriminate, and neither should we,” Palalagi said.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

All RNZ coverage of covid-19
If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP – don’t show up at a medical centre.

Student safety still a concern as PNG covid infection cases hit 333

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 22:46:25 +0000

By Aileen Kwaragu in Port Moresby

Papua New Guinean parents have been assured that everything is being done to ensure the health and safety of children in school, although the final decision to send them to class is entirely theirs.

National Capital District Education Services Secretary Sam Lora made these points when responding to concerns raised by parents about the safety of sending children to school in the middle of a covid-19 community transmission in the capital city, with nine new cases reported on Monday.

He assured parents that the schools were doing all they could to stop the spread of the covid-19.

“We respect parents if they do not feel safe for children to attend classes,” he said.

“We have a problem with social distancing, especially overcrowding. But it is compulsory now that every individual must wear a mask.”

The national total of the covid-19 cases reached 333 on Monday, with more than 200 alone in Port Moresby.

The oldest patient is 84 and the youngest two years old.

Worried about education
Mother-of-four Sybil Suruba from Northern, whose young twins are in grade three at the Wardstrip Primary School in Waigani said she was worried about her children’s education.

Her eldest daughter is in grade 10 at Gordon Secondary and her son is in Grade Nine at Gerehu Secondary School.

“I am worried sick for my children because they have missed out on a lot of lessons during the last two lockdowns,” Suruba said.

“I hope teachers will make up for all those lessons they have missed.”

Suruba said it would be best to cancel the rest of the 2020 academic year “to save students from stress and pressure, especially those who have exams”.

Parent Dagu Hebore from Central, who has three children at school, said she did not feel safe allowing her children to go to school.

Her eldest son is in grade eight at the Bavaroko Primary School in East Boroko, while her daughter is doing grade three there too.

‘Crowded classrooms’
Her youngest son attends the Edai Early Learning at Boera outside Port Moresby.

“Schools should only reopen when it is safe for the children, especially when we have crowded classrooms,” Hebore said.

Hebore said the only way she would feel safe for her children was to be assured that schools were strictly following public health measures and hygiene practices to stop the Covid-19 transmission.

Some children in Port Moresby have to travel by public buses to school, travelling with adult passengers who still do not wear masks and in crowded buses with no hand sanitisers provided.

But NCD Governor Powes Parkop said the National Capital District Commission buses were on the road yesterday transporting students.

Aileen Kwagaru is a reporter for The National newspaper. The Pacific Media Centre republishes articles from The National with permission.

Contact tracing begins for first Bougainville covid case

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 00:10:26 +0000

By Patrick Makis in Buka

Contact tracing has begun for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s first covid-19 case.

The 22-year-old male, who had returned from Port Moresby on an Air Niugini flight on July 29, is stable and is being isolated in Arawa town.

ABG’s Deputy Controller, Health Secretary Clement Totavun, said the contact tracing would include all passengers who were on the same flight as the case and those whom he came into contact with in Bougainville.

Bougainville gets first covid-19 case

“Based on the assessment by our medical team – because they will be up in Arawa for at least a week – if any changes happen to him, we will move him up to the Suhin facility or admit him at the hospital if he develops any serious symptoms,” Totavun said.

“At the moment because he is stable, we will look at isolating him and checking his families and contacts as well.”

Buka Airport … a search for the covid-19 case. Image: NBC News

Bougainville State of Emergency Controller Francis Tokura will be issuing new orders on the restriction of movement of people across the region.

Emergency authorities in Bougainville had been working around the clock to locate and isolate the first confirmed case of the virus in the region.

Samples from 55 passengers
Samples from all 55 passengers who had arrived on the same flight were taken by health emergency response staff at the airport and sent for testing at the PNG Institute of Medical Research in Goroka.

Tokura said that out of those samples one had returned a positive result.

Totavun has appealed to Bougainvilleans not to panic.

“This case was not symptomatic at the time of sample collection – meaning he didn’t display any symptoms, he was fine,” he said.

“But because of our requirements of surveillance at the airport, everyone has to go through sample collection and because he had come into contact with cases in Port Moresby he had got the virus.”

Patrick Makis is the NBC News reporter on Bougainville.

Outreach patrol brings covid info boost to remote Gulf villages in PNG

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 06:00:21 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Remote communities in Papua New Guinea’s south-western Gulf Province have welcomed an outreach patrol to several villages that has brought treatment for illnesses and covid-19 pandemic awareness.

Lillian Keneqa of EMTV News reports the patrol, delivered by Kikori Health Services, has brought vital health services, including immunisation, family planning, tuberculosis treatment follow-up, outpatient screening and covid information.

More than 130 children under the age of five were vaccinated, and more than 300 outpatients were checked for a range of illnesses and eight TB patients had their treatment reviewed.

The recently integrated outreach patrol took place in Baina village, located about 230km from Kikori Station

Sixty three cases of covid-19 have been confirmed in Papua New Guinea with two deaths so far – with a spike in the national capital Port Moresby – while testing has been extended to more parts of the country.

People in Port Moresby are slowly adjusting to the urban lockdown measures imposed by the pandemic controller since last Friday, reports EMTV’s Annette Kora.

The major markets and public areas of the city were checked to see if the covid-19 measures were mitigating the spread of the virus.

Following the confirmation of four new cases in the last 24 hours, the controller reinforced another stern warning to strictly observe the covid-19 control measures, especially in Port Moresby.

Empty Waigani streets in the Papua New Guinea capital of Port Moresby. Image: EMTV

General lockdown compliance
While it is important that all residents assist by adhering to measures in place, observations on day two have seen general compliance to the lockdown measures, said Pandemic Controller David Manning.

PMVs ceased operations completely and social distancing practices, as well as directions for masking and quarantine and isolation protocols,are being followed slowly.

Accessings masks by the citizens is a challenge. The National Command Centre is working with partners to make sure masks are available at a minimum cost to the public.

Controller Manning said it was an “investment in survival” and must not be compromised.

Manning added that health teams could not indicate the hot spot areas so the public needed to remain vigilant to protect themselves against the virus.

The Pacific Media Centre has a partnership with EMTV News.

PNG police seize K200,000 on ship in suspected money laundering raid

Pacific Media Centre — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:01:24 +0000

By Jimmy Kalebe in Port Moresby

Papua New Guinea police have intercepted and confiscated almost K200,000 (about NZ$90,000) in K2 and K5 notes hidden in a container on a ship which arrived at the Lae wharf in a suspected money laundering case.

The cash, packed into three boxes inside the container full of bottles of water, was sent as a consignment to a company in Wewak, East Sepik,the last major town before Indonesia’s Papuan border.

Lae Metropolitan Superintendent Chief Inspector Chris Kunyanban said local police were tipped off by their counterparts in Port Moresby where the ship had sailed from.

Some of the seized money. Image: PNG Post-Courier

There were 37,503 K2 notes totalling K75,006, and 24,601 K5 notes totalling K123,005.

Kunyanban said after receiving the tip-off from Port Moresby, police secured a search warrant from the district court in Lae and alerted the shipping company.

National crime investigation unit officers in Lae identified the container when the ship arrived on Friday.

“About 90 percent of the container contained water products consigned to a company in Wewak,” Kunyanban said.

Tightly packed with cash
The officers then found the three boxes tightly packed with cash which were placed at the back of the container.

He suspected that it was the work of syndicates involving locals and foreigners.

“Currently, Papua New Guinea is facing a mounting problem with different syndicates brewing which involve locals and foreigners,” he said.

He said money laundering was becoming a problem.

The cash will be kept at the Bank of Papua New Guinea in Lae.

“Police will work with the Bank of PNG to establish which law has been breached and further investigations will be carried out,” he said.

He warned businesses to be mindful of the way they run their operations.

“Especially when shifting huge amount of money from one place to another, be mindful that
shifting large amount of cash in such a manner is not advisable,” he said.

Jimmy Kalebe is a National newspaper reporter in Papua New Guinea.

Young PNG mother died of ‘blunt force’ head injuries, bruised organs

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 04:58:36 +0000

By Rebecca Kuku in Port Moresby

Young Papua New Guinean mother-of-two Jenelyn Kennedy died from “head injury and bruised internal organs”, according to a doctor who examined her body.

Dr Seth Fose, the chief pathologist at the Port Moresby General Hospital, said the 19-year-old died from “blunt force trauma to the head and the body with a blunt instrument or object”.

Her body was left at the hospital by three men on Tuesday after she had undergone – alleged the babysitter who lived with her and her partner at a home at Korobosea – beatings for six days in a row.

Port Moresby police have charged her partner Bhosip Kaiwi with wilful murder. He has been in custody at the Boroko police station since last week and he appeared in the Waigani District Court today.

Jenelyn Kennedy’s body was left at the hospital on Tuesday by three men who arrived in a vehicle.

Grandfather Kennedy Karava said Jenelyn, who turned 19 on March 18, had been through five years of torture which they had been reporting to police.

In 2015, when she was in grade seven at the Eki Vaki Primary School, Karava said Jenelyn ran away with Kaiwi. They reported the matter to police as she was underage. They had two children.

Two doctors summoned
Babysitter Racheal Ipang told of how Jenelyn had been beaten up for six straight days up to last Monday night when two doctors were summoned to treat her at home.

Ipang said after the doctors had left, she had heard Jenelyn being beaten again.

“Her screams stopped at around 3am [Tuesday]. I believe that was when she passed away.”

The postmortem report, however, stated that she had died about 2pm on Tuesday.

Ipang said another woman was brought into the house to be the “second wife”, but she ran away after being subjected to beatings too.

Kennedy family spokesman Thomas Opa said the family would not accept any form of compensation from whoever caused Jenelyn’s death. They would leave it up to the court to decide on the appropriate punishment.

Meanwhile, the National Doctors Association is investigating the involvement of two doctors who were called to the home at Korobosea to treat Jenelyn.

Association secretary Dr Sam Yockopua said: “They could be nurses or other cadres of health workers”.

“We are investigating that,” he said.

“And if found guilty, we can revoke membership and refer them to the Medical Board for further action.”

Remand warrant for Kaiwi
PNG Post-Courier reports that Bhosip Kaiwi, the prime suspect in the killing of Jenelyn Kennedy, has appeared briefly before the Waigani District Court today facing a willful murder charge.

About 100 people gathered outside the courthouse this morning to catch a glimpse of the man who had shocked the nation with his alleged crimes.

Magistrate Tracey Ganai, after reading the charges, issued a remand warrant for Kaiwi to be moved from his Boroko police station cell to Bomana jail until his second court appearance due on July 30.

Kaiwi allegedly tortured and killed Kennedy, the mother of his two children, at his house in Korobosea, a northeast suburb of the capital Port Moresby.

Rebecca Kuku is a senior journalist with The National newspaper.

Group of youth in Vanuatu sentenced for ‘barbaric’ Wan Smolbag attack

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 04:00:19 +0000

By RNZ Pacific

Four people convicted of assaulting the director of Vanuatu’s highly acclaimed Wan Smolbag Theatre Company have been sentenced for what the judge has called “truly barbaric treatment of innocent, unsuspecting members of the community”.

Peter Walker and two close friends were assaulted outside his Port Vila property nearly a year ago.

Justice Andre Wiltens said the behaviour had permanent consequences for the victims.

He said to categorise the offending as serious was inadequate, saying it was an act of unprovoked gratuitous violence.

The Vanuatu Daily Post reports that Samuel Molsir, 23, was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison on each charge of sexual intercourse without consent, robbery and intentional assault, as well as a further year for criminal trespass and theft.

Andrew Irmaneng, 21, received 10 years and four months for each crime.

David Assial, 18, got 22 months suspended sentence on each charge and ordered to undergo supervised anger management.

The youngest culprit, John Bule, who is 14, received a suspended three year sentence and ordered to undergo similar anger management.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

Indonesia calls for more action against racism as issues persist at home

Pacific Media Centre — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 22:05:58 +0000

By Apriza Pinandita in Jakarta

Indonesia has urged the international community to speak up and take decisive action against racial violence at a United Nations forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

But Indonesia’s call comes amid concerns of racial discrimination at home.

The UN Human Rights Council last Wednesday held an urgent debate on racial violence, the forum of which was requested by several African countries in response to the rise of racial violence, particularly in relation to the murder of African-American George Floyd that has attracted global attention and given greater prominence to the antiracism movement Black Lives Matter.

According to a statement from the Indonesian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, Indonesia called on the council and the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to strengthen cooperation in the eradication of racial discrimination in law enforcement.

“In connection to this, Indonesia, among others, called for respect and tolerance of racial and ethnic diversity at the community level, the strengthening of the rule of law and accountability of law enforcement agencies and the expansion of human rights education in police academies and other law enforcement agencies,” the statement read.

In addition to speaking in a national capacity, Indonesia, represented by Indonesia’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Hasan Kleib, was also entrusted with delivering the joint statement on behalf of the core group of the Convention Against Torture Initiative (CTI), which consists of Chile, Denmark, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco.

On behalf of CTI members, Indonesia called for “a zero-tolerance policy against racism and discrimination and reiterated the importance of a people-centered and violence prevention approach in law enforcement”.

Tainted by racism at home
However, Indonesia’s vocal stance on the global stage is tainted by persistent issues of racism at home.

As the Black Lives Matter movement began to go global, Indonesians flooded public forums with the hashtag #PapuanLivesMatter, drawing attention to several controversial cases of alleged racial discrimination, including the prosecution of the Balikpapan Seven — a group of Papuan student activists put on trial for their involvement in a series of antiracism protests in Jayapura, Papua, in 2019.

The protests came in response to a racially charged incident in which Papuan university students living in a dormitory in Surabaya, East Java, were targeted last August in what became widely known as the Papuan Uprising.

Reports said the students were physically and verbally attacked by security personnel and members of local mass organisations, who accused them of refusing to celebrate Indonesia’s 74th Independence Day.

Despite arguments that the seven students — Buchtar Tabuni, Ferry Kombo, Irwanus Uropmabin, Hengki Hilapok, Agus Kossay and Stevanus Itlay — staged the protests in a peaceful manner, a court in East Kalimantan found them guilty of treason.

Ironically, the issuance of the verdict coincided with the Geneva forum, during which Jakarta, in its national capacity, also delivered a statement expressing concern about the acts of violence and discrimination in many parts of the world, particularly due to the rise of racial violence and hate crimes.

The Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan sentenced the students to months in jail last Wednesday.

Demands for acquittal
Members of public, human rights advocates and activists had demanded the defendants be cleared of all charges, while prosecutors sought sentences of up to 17 years’ imprisonment.

Contacted by The Jakarta Post for comment, Foreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said that “as a matter of principle, Indonesia is against any form of racism and discrimination.

“In the national context, racism is an aberration to our motto of unity and diversity, as Indonesia is a mosaic of multiple ethnicities and cultures.”

The decision by the lower court in Balikpapan was made with due diligence, he added.

“The incident of mistreatment of Indonesians of Papuan origin are isolated and do not in any way reflect the policies of the government,” Faizasyah told Reuters recently.

A protester is seen next to a sign at the All Black Lives Matter solidarity march on June 14 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Image: JP/AFP

Indigenous people spearhead the fight to save the planet

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 11:36:28 +0000

By Imelda V. Abano in Manila

Indigenous people across the world are disproportionately affected by climate change. They are also leading movements to protect our forests, water and other natural resources.

“Respect and value indigenous peoples – their rights, their knowledge and values, their land and resources that they have kept healthy through generations, their cultures and identities, and their valuable contribution to society as environment defenders,” says Jill Carino, executive director of the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights, a national network of 11 non-governmental organisations working with indigenous communities in different regions in the Philippines.

“The solution to the climate and biodiversity crises that we face in the world today lies in our collective will and strength to fight against capitalist greed and build just, sustainable, self-determining, and resilient communities,” she says.

Carino has been working to defend indigenous peoples’ rights since 1980 when, after graduating from college, she started working with the Cordillera Studies Programme of the Cordillera Schools Group based in Baguio City in the Northern Philippines.

The programme was researching indigenous peoples’ culture and issues and conducted leadership trainings for high school students in mission schools in the Cordillera region. Since then, she has worked with different non-governmental organisations to advance the rights of indigenous peoples to defend their land and resources from destruction.

Carino founded the Cordillera Peoples Alliance in 1984, which leads research, education initiatives and networking for the defense of ancestral land and self-determination of Cordillera indigenous people.

“Indigenous peoples possess traditional knowledge, values and practices that care for the environment and make our communities resilient to climate change,” Carino says.

Indigenous knowledge
Values of inayan (avoiding doing harm to others and the community), ob-obbo (community cooperation), and practices such as lapat and batangan (sustainable forest management) are valuable pieces of indigenous knowledge that help protect the community from threats brought about by climate change and environmental degradation.

However, these values and practices are weakening, are often disregarded or under-valued and lack recognition and support from the authorities, says Carino.

The work indigenous women are doing is particularly notable, she adds. As executive director of the Women Workers Programme from 1990-2000, Carino organised indigenous women in mining communities in the province of Benguet and actively campaigned together with local peoples organisations against the Benguet Corporation’s open-pit mining operations.

The campaign prevented the planned expansion of open-pit mining to other communities in Itogon.

In addition to leading the Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights (TFIP), she also served as executive director of the Cordillera Women’s Education Action Research Centre, which works with regional women’s alliances.

“We have always been advancing indigenous women’s rights and issues to promote the leading and active role of women in the people’s movement for land, food and rights,” she says.

Carino works at a regional level, too, on initiatives that seek to strengthen indigenous peoples’ voices and defend their lands from extractive operations. She worries that development projects also increasingly threaten indigenous communities with displacement for the sake of what the government often defines as the national interest.

Destructive projects
Destructive projects such as the Kaliwa, Kanan and Laiban dams are being forced upon indigenous communities despite their opposition and protests, and despite the adverse social and environmental impacts that contribute to global warming.

“This is all because these projects fall within the misplaced priorities of the national government, are tied to foreign loans or official development assistance, and will bring in profits and other benefits to private investors,” Carino says.

Under the leadership of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, indigenous peoples, rights defenders and environmental activists face serious threats to their lives and security, say groups that monitor such risks.

The Philippine Task Force for Indigenous Peoples Rights has documented many cases of extra-judicial killings, trumped-up charges, illegal arrest and detention, vilification, harassment, intimidation, bombings and other rights violations that occur alongside the violation of indigenous peoples collective rights to their land and resources in the course of development aggression.

“All these are issues and challenges that weaken or hinder indigenous peoples’ agency and resilience against climate change and environmental destruction,” Carino explained. “We can try to overcome these challenges by building strong peoples organizations, and building their capacity to fight for their rights, with the broad support of the wider community,”

Indigenous peoples need to be recognised and respected for what they can contribute for our future, she continued.

“My hope is for the global community to realize that we are facing a climate and biodiversity emergency that needs urgent action from all of us if we are to pass on to the future generations a healthy planet and a just society,” Carino says.

Imelda Abaño is content coordinator for the Earth Journalism Network’s (EJN) Asia-Pacific project. She is an award-winning Philippine environmental journalist and media trainer who has been covering climate change, energy, agriculture, biodiversity and other environmental issues for more than 18 years. Abaño is also founding president of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists. Republished with permission from EJN.

Fiji Airports face major financial disaster over Covid-19, warns chief

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 10 Mar 2020 21:37:17 +0000

FBC News reports on the airports economic setbacks.

By Ritika Pratap in Suva

Fiji Airports will defer future infrastructure projects as a result of financial set-backs caused by the Covid-19 coronavirus.

In response to a global slow-down in travel and reduced flights, chief executive Faiz Khan said almost all costs at airports were fixed, and the company now faced a major financial disaster.

Khan said every dollar lost in revenue hit the company’s bottom line and cash flow because fixed costs and existing commitments could not be reduced.

He added that while planned projects would be shelved, those already under contractual engagements needed to go ahead.

The chief executive said this mad the situation of the airports highly challenging, along with the entire aviation and tourism industry.

The Airports Council International Asia-Pacific has warned the prolonged duration of the Covid-19 outbreak will significantly reduce the region’s airports from forecast growth.

The Airport Association is urging regulators and governments to implement well-defined adjustments and relief measures.

Nadi International Airport … challenging times for the aviation and tourism industry. Image: FBC News screenshot

According to ACI World estimates, Asia-Pacific is suffering the highest impact, with passenger traffic volumes down -24 percent for the first quarter of 2020, compared to forecast traffic levels without Covid-19.

The ACI World Airport Traffic Forecasts 2019-2040 predicts around $26 billion revenue for the first quarter in the Asia-Pacific region in the “business as usual” scenario. The impact of Covid-19 is projected to have a revenue loss of over $6 billion.

It said that unlike airlines, which can choose to cancel flights or relocate their aircraft to other markets to reduce operating costs, airport operators managed immovable assets that could be closed down.

The ACI said airports were faced with immediate cash flow pressures with limited ability to reduce fixed costs and few resources to fund capacity expansion efforts for longer-term future growth.

Ritika Pratap is deputy news manager of the public broadcaster FBC News.

NZ’s classical music station not safe yet – innovation and leadership needed

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 21:46:12 +0000

By Michael Norris in Wellington

After a week-long controversy, New Zealand’s public broadcaster Radio New Zealand (RNZ) has withdrawn a proposal to axe its classical music station RNZ Concert.

But despite the sudden backtrack, RNZ Concert isn’t safe yet. Whatever the final outcome of RNZ’s rethink, it is clear the board and management placed little value on the significant role the station plays in New Zealand musical culture.

RNZ Concert now needs a compelling new strategic direction to create a redefined – rather than eviscerated – station that is central to a more diverse 21st-century artistic vision in New Zealand.

Decades of decline
The announcement that RNZ planned to fire RNZ Concert presenters and producers, and replace them with an automated jukebox on an inferior AM frequency, prompted a public outcry spearheaded by former prime minister Helen Clark, and a legal challenge from a coalition of orchestras.

But this was merely the bleak endgame to a managed decline of RNZ Concert over the past 20 years. During this period, it lost its flagship studio (to make way for government buildings that never eventuated), and had to sell its grand pianos to stay afloat.

On a budget of only 7 percent of RNZ’s total annual expenditure, it nevertheless attracts almost 22 percent of its total audience — despite there being virtually no advertising of the station.

The announcement was also poorly timed, landing just a few days before the government launched a business case to merge RNZ with the television network TVNZ.

RNZ’s role in preserving culture
No broadcaster has done as much to both record and promote New Zealand music as RNZ Concert. Many regard the station as a “cultural taonga” (treasure).

With a new mandate, and a revised strategic direction, it could be central to supporting a “broadening of horizons” currently underway in classical music. Orchestras and ensembles worldwide are finally beginning to understand the need to address systematic imbalances of generational, gender and cultural representation in their programmes to ensure their continued relevance.

In New Zealand, this is evidenced by the number of ambitious cross-cultural, cross-genre and cross-generational projects in recent years. In 2019, soul singer Teeks headlined a collaboration with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in a series of songs arranged by Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper. This concert was recorded and broadcast by RNZ Concert.

Several Sistema-style groups are now training a new generation of Māori and Pasifika in orchestral playing skills, some of which have resulted in packed-out public performances alongside Orchestra Wellington. These are also recorded and broadcast by RNZ Concert.

My own composition Mātauranga (Rerenga), premiered by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2019, features traditional Māori musical instruments (taonga puoro). Once again, RNZ Concert recorded this, just one of a number of new works featuring these once-suppressed instruments that are being nurtured back to life by artists such as Richard Nunns, Horomona Horo, Ariana Tikao and Alistair Fraser.

At the heart of the arts
RNZ Concert is uniquely positioned to lead a more representative arts experience in a way no other radio station in New Zealand is equipped to do. It is an active partner in a number of collaborative projects such as Resound, which is responsible for amassing a treasure trove of live concert videos of New Zealand music, hosted on YouTube and Vimeo.

It produces documentaries and interviews, presents educational programmes, and has recently expanded its coverage to include musical practices that defy the dominance of mainstream commercial pop – such as jazz, Māori music, experimentalism, sonic art and non-Western music. While these are currently only a small part of Concert’s programming, they could expand and flourish.

Having had a stay of execution, RNZ Concert now deserves a new kind of strategic leadership that can develop an innovative, exciting brand of musical diversity.
It needs a new vision to set it at the heart of 21st-century music-making in Aotearoa.

Michael Norris is associate professor, programme director (composition), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

Philippines court orders arrest of Trillanes, 10 others on sedition charge

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 05:44:12 +0000

By Lian Buan in Manila

A Philippines court has issued arrest warrants against former senator Antonio Trillanes IV and 10 other people for conspiracy to commit sedition, the court confirmed.

The branch clerk of Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) Branch 138 confirmed today that the warrants had been issued by Judge Kristine Grace Suarez to all 11 charged in a case over the so-called Bikoy Ang Totoong Narcolist (The True Narcolist) videos.

The accused, including two priests, will be arraigned on Monday at 2 pm.

As many as three people have posted bail at P10,000 (about NZ$310) each, said the clerk. The clerk refused to disclose their identities but two of those who posted bail were priests Flaviano Villanueva and Albert Alejo.

A copy of the warrants were also not provided.

Besides Trillanes, the 10 others charged are:

Peter Joemel Advincula, alias Bikoy
Fr Flaviano Villanueva
Fr Albert Alejo
Yoly Ong-Villanueva
Boom Enriquez
Jonnell Sanggalang
JM Saracho
Eduardo Acierto
Vicente Romano
A certain “Monique”

Last year, Advincula accused members of the opposition, as well as ranking figures in the Catholic Church and human rights lawyers, of conspiring to oust President Rodrigo Duterte through what he claimed was an operation code-named Project Sodoma, which involved producing and releasing the narcolist videos.

Robredo cleared
On Monday, February 10, the Department of Justice filed charges against Trillanes and 10 others over the Bikoy videos but cleared Vice-President Leni Robredo, senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former senator Bam Aquino, former Magdalo representative Gary Alejano, and Otso Diretso candidates Erin Tañada, Chel Diokno, and Florin Hilbay.

All complaints against human rights lawyers, bishops, and members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines were also dropped.

Trillanes, a fierce critic of Duterte, was first arrested under the Duterte administration on September 2018, when he was a sitting senator, for the charge of rebellion. This stemmed from Duterte’s Proclamation No. 572 which sought to revoke the amnesty granted to him in connection to the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

The opposition and human rights groups slammed the September 2018 arrest as part of the Duterte government’s crackdown on vocal critics.

Published under a Creative Commons licence.

Bikoy vs Bikoy – the video tapes controversy

Philippines defence chief breaks silence on post-pact US ties

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 08:15:38 +0000

By JC Gotinga in Manila

After days of silence, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana today finally made a public statement on the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the US, saying Philippine and American forces will cease to have joint exercises after the repeal takes effect in 180 days, or 6 months.

“With the formal serving of the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement, this year’s planned military exercises with the Americans shall proceed as scheduled within the 180 days that the VFA remains in force. However, our American counterparts may opt to discontinue the scheduled exercises before the 180 days are up,” Lorenzana said.

“Once the termination is final, we will cease to have exercises with them,” he added.

The Philippine and US militaries hold an average of 300 joint activities every year, many of them exercises and trainings meant to increase interoperability, or the familiarity that enables both sides to work seamlessly together.

Among those activities are the annual Balikatan exercises, set for May this year, which involves all of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) service branches: the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy, which includes the Marines.

Balikatan
This year’s Balikatan exercises fall within the 6-month interim following President Rodrigo Duterte officially ordered the repeal of the VFA on Tuesday, February 11.

The VFA states that its termination takes effect after 180 days of the issuance of a notice from either party.

Besides the Balikatan, major joint activities between the AFP and the US military include the Kamandag exercises of their marine corps, the MTA Sama-Sama involving their navies, the Salaknib exercises of the two armies, and the Bilateral Air Contingent Exercise between their air forces.

AFP generals have credited these trainings with the advancement of Filipino troops’ warfighting capabilities, and exposure to advanced technologies and assets. The US Armed Forces is among the most formidable militaries in the world.

On Monday, US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper told reporters that joint military exercises between the Philippines and the US would “be reduced or disappear” if the VFA were to end.

Easy entry
The VFA allows for the easy entry of US troops into the Philippines by waiving regular immigration requirements such as passports and visas for US servicemen and women on official business.

It also sets rules on the entry and movement of US assets, and jurisdiction and trial proceedings for US military members accused of crimes committed while in the Philippines.

Ending the VFA would entail a major drawdown of US military troops in the Philippines.

It may also affect the implementation of the 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty between the two countries, and their Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement on the placement of military troops and assets in certain Philippine bases.

Background on the Visiting Forces Agreement

Media ‘impartiality’ on climate change ethically misguided and dangerous

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 02:03:42 +0000

By Denis Muller in Melbourne

In September 2019, the editor of The Conversation, Misha Ketchell, declared The Conversation’s editorial team in Australia was henceforth taking what he called a “zero-tolerance” approach to climate change deniers and sceptics. Their comments would be blocked and their accounts locked.

His reasons were succinct:

Climate change deniers and those shamelessly peddling pseudoscience and misinformation are perpetuating ideas that will ultimately destroy the planet.

From the standpoint of conventional media ethics, it was a dramatic, even shocking, decision. It seemed to violate journalism’s principle of impartiality – that all sides of a story should be told so audiences could make up their own minds.

But in the era of climate change, this conventional approach is out of date. A more analytical approach is called for.

The ABC’s editorial policy on impartiality offers the best analytical approach so far developed in Australia. It states that impartiality requires:

a balance that follows the weight of evidence
fair treatment
open-mindedness
opportunities over time for principal relevant perspectives on matters of contention to be expressed.

Weight of evidence
It stops short of saying material contradicting the weight of evidence should not be published, which is the position adopted explicitly by The Conversation and implicitly by Guardian Australia.

Guardian Australia’s position is to concentrate on presenting the evidence that human-induced climate change is real and is having a detrimental effect on global heating, wildlife extinction and pollution. It states that this is the defining issue of our times and fundamental societal change is needed in response.

The position of Australia’s other big media organisations is far less clear and rests on generalities applicable to all issues.

The former Fairfax (now Nine) newspapers, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, have separate codes. The Age code does not mention impartiality but requires its journalists to report in a way that is fair, accurate and balanced. The Herald’s does mention impartiality but confines it to an instruction to avoid promoting an individual staff member’s personal interests or preferences.

Both say, however, that comment should be kept separate from news.

News Corp Australia’s editorial professional conduct policy is quite different from all these. It states that comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable in [news] reports to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s standpoint is on the matter being reported.

Its journalists are told to try always to tell all sides of the story when reporting on disputes.

Misleading publication
However, the policy also states that none of this allows the publication of information known to be inaccurate or misleading.

Markedly different as these positions are, they have one element in common: freedom of the press does not mean freedom to publish false or misleading material.

From an ethical perspective, this is a bare minimum. The ABC requires that its journalists follow the weight of evidence, which is a substantially more exacting standard of truthfulness than anything required by the Fairfax or News Corp newspapers. The Guardian Australia and The Conversation have imposed what it is in effect a ban on climate-change denialism, on the ground that it is harmful.

Harm is a long-established criterion for abridging free speech. John Stuart Mill, in his seminal work, On Liberty, published in 1859, was a robust advocate for free speech but he drew the line at harm:

[…] the only purpose for which power can be exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.

It follows that editors may exercise the power of refusing to publish climate-denialist material if doing so prevents harm to others, without violating fundamental free-speech principles.

Other harms too provide established grounds for limiting free speech. Some of these are enforceable at law – defamation, contempt of court, national security – but speech about climate change falls outside the law and so becomes a question of ethics.

Climate change harm
The harms done by climate change, both at a planetary level and at the level of human health, are well-documented and supported by overwhelming scientific evidence.

At a planetary level, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a report last year on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.

It stated that human activities are estimated to have already caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels, and that 1.5°C was likely to be reached between 2030 and 2052 if it continues to increase at the current rate.

At the level of human health, in June 2019 the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners published its Position Statement on Climate Change and Human Health.

It stated that climate change resulting from human activity “presents an urgent, significant and growing threat to health worldwide”.

Projected changes in Australia’s climate would result in more frequent and widespread heatwaves and extreme heat. This would increase the risks of heat stress, heat stroke, dehydration and mortality, contribute to acute cerebrovascular accidents, and aggravate chronic respiratory, cardiac and kidney conditions and psychiatric illness.

At both the planetary and human-health levels, then, the harms are serious and grounded in credible scientific evidence. It follows that they provide a strong ethical justification for the stands taken by The Conversation and Guardian Australia in prioritising Mill’s harm principle over free speech.

Limited internal guidance
Aside from these two platforms and the ABC, journalists are offered very limited internal guidance about how to approach the balancing of free-speech interests with the harm principle in the context of climate change.

External guidance is nonexistent. The ethical codes promulgated by the media accountability bodies – the Australian Press Council and the Australian Communications and Media Authority – make no mention of how impartiality should be achieved in the context of climate change. The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance’s code of ethics is similarly silent.

These bodies would serve the profession and the public interest by developing specific standards to deal with the issue of climate change, and guidance about how to meet them. It is not an issue like any other. It is existential on a scale surpassing even nuclear war.

As I write in my study at Central Tilba on the far south coast of New South Wales, the entire landscape of farmland, bush and coastline is shrouded in smoke. It has been like that since before Christmas.

Twice we have been evacuated from our home. Twice we have been among the lucky ones to return unhurt and find our home intact.

The front of the Badja Forest Road fire (292,630 ha) is 3.6 km to the north, creeping towards us in the leaf litter. A northerly wind would turn it into an immediate threat.

From this perspective, media acquiescence in climate change denial, failure to follow the weight of evidence, or continued adherence to an out-of-date standard of impartiality looks like culpable irresponsibility.

Dr Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

NZ coronavirus evacuees from Wuhan to be quarantined at unknown location

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 21:40:56 +0000

By RNZ News

New Zealanders evacuated from Wuhan amid the coronavirus outbreak will be quarantined in Aotearoa – not on Christmas Island like the Australians.

As efforts to co-ordinate evacuations continue, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said New Zealanders would be brought back home, but where to remained a question to be answered.

“We are looking at the quarantine options within New Zealand already, we are working on that.” He said the government would be able to provide information on where when it had made a choice.

There are 53 New Zealanders registered as being in Wuhan and Peters said extracting them was a complex issue. The criteria for getting on an evacuation flight were still being worked out.

The timeframe depended on the Chinese government’s permission to allow an aircraft to be used for extraction.

LISTEN TO RNZ MORNING REPORT: ‘We are looking at the quarantine options within New Zealand already’

A domestic aircraft would be a quicker solution than a military aircraft.

Peters said the mission would require the agreement of whoever flew and staffed the plane. Health safety measures would be put in place for them as well, he said.

When asked if New Zealand would pull consular staff out of China he said “that’s a fair question” but that “we don’t want to overreact until we know what we are reacting to and what the issue in terms of medical rescue is all about … it’s a major concern and all aspects of the problem known now and potentially are being looked at”.

New Zealand and Australian diplomats are meeting in Wuhan today to finalise a plan to get trapped residents out.

Travel cancelled and insurance warning
Meanwhile, travel companies in New Zealand are cancelling tours to China amid the coronavirus outbreak. It comes after a directive from the Chinese government.

One of those is Flight Centre, which has dropped all planned tours until April.

Its head of product, Victoria Courtney, said if people had left already for a tour it would go ahead as planned.

“Our advice at this stage … is to come in, talk to your travel consultant and we will reaccommodate people. We are working with all of our preferred partners on the ground to reaccommodate people wherever possible onto other itineraries or other holidays if possible and work to postpone or reschedule trips if that’s what customers choose to do.

“I think our advice would definitely be looking at the safe traveller information which is evolving daily … avoid all unessential travel to china and try to either cancel, postpone or reschedule.”

Courtney warned people to check their travel insurance if they were still going.

“Travel insurance will cover customers … if they get sick and they need to be repatriated or they have any medical expenses that they incur through the coronavirus … but most travel insurance itself won’t cover situations of communicable disease so it’s really good at this time to look at your travel insurance policy.

“There are some … which do cover situations like this, but it’s really worth talking to your travel insurance company or your travel adviser and we can work through the fine details.”

This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

PNG police issue arrest warrant for former PM Peter O’Neill

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:56:16 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Papua New Guinea police have issued a warrant for the arrest of former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

According to EMTV News, the Waigana district court issued the warrant which was based on evidence previously compiled by police investigators.

Acting Police Commissioner David Manning said he could not reveal the details of the charges but said the warrant was issued last Friday.

“Investigations into this particular case involving the former Prime Minister have been ongoing and the weight of the evidence that came to light before the police detectives necessitated an application to be made to the courts for a warrant of arrest.

“We have made it very clear when we came into office that we will look into all outstanding criminal cases of national significance including police shootings as well as high level corruption cases,” Manning said.

Police located O’Neill at the crown hotel in Port Moresby but he has so far refused to cooperate.

According to RNZ Pacific, O’Neill has responded in a statement that he was not informed or presented with a warrant from any member of the police force.

“If this was a serious matter, not a political power play, a formal process would be in place that would have seen legal representation made to my office,” O’Neill said.

He said the corruption claims were “false and fabricated in a clumsy way by the Police Minister (Bryan Kramer) and relate to renovations to the Yangaum Health Centre in Madang”.

O’Neill said he would be available at any time to hear the complaint, “but I warn any member of the RPNGC who might be part of the Police Minister’s political unit, to think carefully and respect and honour the oath you swore to our Nation”.

Commissioner David Manning has appealed to O’Neill to cooperate and “avail himself to investigators.”

Taiwan’s Pacific allies dwindle as Kiribati follows Solomons’ China switch

Pacific Media Centre — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 04:43:29 +0000

By Jamie Tahana of RNZ Pacific

Taiwan suffered two major diplomatic blows in the Pacific this week with both the Solomon Islands and Kiribati severing their ties in favour of China.

In just four days, Taiwan’s diplomatic allies fell from 17 to 15, further isolating the island as Beijing aggressively courts the handful of countries that still recognise the government in Taipei.

The Pacific had been a stronghold of support for Taipei as its diplomatic allies steadily dwindled. Until this week, six countries in the region recognised Taiwan over China. But in terms of population, Solomon Islands and Kiribati were the biggest.

The first domino to fall was Solomon Islands. Since the government of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was re-elected last year, there had been persistent murmurings about a potential switch that only grew louder when a taskforce formed by Sogavare recommended a change in relations.

On Tuesday, Taipei tried to front-foot an imminent announcement from Sogavare, declaring that ties with Solomon Islands had been severed with immediate effect.

At 11:30am, the Taiwanese flag in Honiara was lowered, and the plaque removed from the embassy entrance. A plane was on its way to take their diplomats home. All technical and medical personnel would be leaving, too.

“This is a choice the Solomon Islands government has made, leaving us with no other option but to respond in this way,” said Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen.

On Friday, the second domino fell.

Kiribati President Taneti Maamau made an announcement on national radio. His country would also be switching to China. That, too, brought swift rebuke from Taiwan.

In a statement, foreign minister Joseph Wu said Taiwan “deeply regrets and strongly condemns the Kiribati government’s decision” and accused Maamau of holding “highly unrealistic expectations regarding China.”

The statement said Maamau had recently sought financial assistance from Taiwan to help buy airplanes for the national airline, Air Kiribati. The Taiwan government had suggested lending money to buy the planes, but the Kiribati government had instead demanded a donation.

“According to information obtained by Taiwan, the Chinese government has already promised to provide full funds for the procurement of several airplanes and commercial ferries, thus luring Kiribati into switching diplomatic relations,” the statement read.

Maamau and the Kiribati government were unable to be reached for comment on Saturday.

Taiwan is ruled by the Republic of China government in Taipei, where it has been based since it lost a civil war on mainland China to Mao Zedong’s communist forces in 1949. Beijing considers the island its own territory – a renegade province – and neither Beijing or Taipei will maintain diplomatic ties with countries that recognise the other.

Reaction and Justification

As the flag lowered outside the Honiara embassy on Tuesday morning, a large mournful crowd had gathered to farewell the ambassador, Oliver Liao. Local staff were in tears as Liao embraced them a final time on his way to the airport.

“Our friendship continues, especially our friendship with the civil society, we continue to regard you as really good friend,” Liao told the crowd. “Over the past few years, in my tenure serving this embassy, I have been so deeply touched by your support and your friendship.”

“We really love you,” he said ruefully.

Later on Tuesday, a crowd marched through central Honiara protesting the decision by the Sogavare government.

The premier of Malaita province, Daniel Suidani said his people were not happy with the switch, with the change the latest touchstone for the independence movement there. Suidani said he would push for independence to maintain ties with Taiwan, if there was backing from Malaitans.

An opposition politician in the national parliament, Peter Kenilorea Jr, said the government’s hasty decision was “regrettable.”

Kenilorea, who is the son of the country’s founding Prime Minister, was once the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is the current chair of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, said the signs for the future were already ominous.

“The reality is that we will be expecting a lot of interest now from such a dominant partner, and the fact that we are already marching to their drumbeat … is an ominous sign that they are already dictating our every next moves,” he said.

In Kiribati, there was a similar reaction there, too.

“We cannot understand the decision,” said Sir Ieremia Tabai, a former President who is now a leading opposition parliamentarian. “At the last election they said to the public that there would be no change in terms of recognition of Taiwan, so we are very surprised that they made the decision now.”

“They don’t have the mandate to change the recognition,” Sir Ieremia said.

But unlike Solomon Islands, it is not the first time Kiribati has changed colours. For 23 years from 1980, Kiribati maintained relations with Beijing, even hosting a Chinese satellite tracking station on South Tarawa, near a similar US facility in the Marshall Islands.

That was until former President Anote Tong switched to recognise Taiwan in 2003, and the Chinese satellite facility and embassy in Tarawa were promptly abandoned.

Sir Ieremia said that if the opposition was elected to government in elections that are due to be held in Kiribati next year, then diplomatic recognition would be switched once again.

The Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, was adamant that there would be no going back. In an 11-page statement released to media on Friday night, he defended his cabinet’s move, saying any decision otherwise would have been irresponsible.

“While we cannot deny the longstanding friendship we have maintained with Taiwan, the future stability and wellbeing of Solomon Islands depends on our own ability to engage at the international level with development partners capable of advancing our national interests,” he said.

Sogavare stressed that recognising China would not mean taking on risky loans or falling into a debt trap, as Taiwan’s President warned in her announcement.

Blow for Taiwan

Losing its two largest diplomatic allies in the Pacific is a significant blow for Taiwan and its President, Tsai Ing-wen, ahead of elections on the island in January. Since she was elected in 2016, seven allies have fallen to Beijing amid rising tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The latest decisions by Solomon Islands and Kiribati are likely to ripple through domestic politics there, analysts have said, with elections less than four months away.

Tsai, a pro-independence politician, will be fighting for re-election against Han Kuo-yu, an opponent who is friendlier towards China.

But that local dynamic was one of the justifications given by Sogavare in his statement.

“The Solomon Islands is better served making a decision that reflects our long-term development interests rather than being uncertain over what might happen should one day Taiwan democratically decide to reunite with mainland China,” he said.

For now though, Taiwan’s remaining allies in the Pacific are remaining steadfast in their support.

The Marshall Islands and Palau, both countries in free association with the United States, have confirmed their continued backing for Taipei, and Tuvalu’s new Prime Minister, Kausea Natano, on Friday affirmed his country’s continued support.

However, the government of Nauru’s new President Lionel Aingimea is yet to comment publicly about his country’s relations with Taiwan.

But that doesn’t mean Taipei and Beijing won’t continue hustling.

At a news conference on Friday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, was asked whether China was pushing for Tuvalu to switch recognition.

“China’s position is consistent and clear,” he said. “We stand ready to develop friendly cooperative relations with countries around the globe on the basis of the ‘One China’ principle.”

This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand

Morrison’s attitude ‘neo-colonial’, says Tuvalu PM

Pacific Media Centre — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 01:48:44 +0000

By RNZ Pacific

Tuvalu’s Prime Minister has condemned the Australian Prime Minister’s conduct at last week’s Pacific Islands Forum, calling Scott Morrison’s attitude “unfortunate” and “neo-colonial,” and questioning Australia’s future in the 18-member body.

In an interview with RNZ on Sunday, Enele Sopoaga also threatened to pull Tuvaluan labour from Australia’s seasonal worker programme in light of comments by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who was recorded saying people from Pacific countries threatened by climate change – like Tuvalu – would survive because “many of their workers come here and pick our fruit”.

Australia’s High Commissioner to Tuvalu would be summoned to explain the comments on Monday, Sopoaga said, and he would cancel the programme if he wasn’t satisfied. He would also encourage the leaders of the other Pacific countries – including Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga – to do the same.

“I thought the Australian labour scheme was determined on mutual respect, that Australia was also benefiting,” said Sopoaga. “We are not crawling below that. If that’s the view of the government, then I would have no hesitation in pulling back the Tuvaluan people as from tomorrow.”

“I don’t think the Tuvaluan people are paupers to come crawling under that type of very abusive and offensive language,” he said. “If New Zealand is thinking the same way, we’ll have no other option but to do that [there too].”

McCormack’s comments came after the region’s leaders – including Sopoaga, Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – met for a marathon 12 hours on Tuvalu’s main island, Funafuti, on Thursday with Australia, the region’s largest economy and emitter, pitted against the Pacific.

The Pacific countries wanted strict commitments to cutting down greenhouse gas emissions, a phase out of coal power stations, support in replenishing the UN’s Green Climate Fund and a strong and united communique that they could take to international climate talks at the UN next month.

But Australia refused to budge on certain red lines, which included insisting on the removal of mentions of coal, a commitment to limit global warming to under 1.5C and drafting a plan for achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

It succeeded. Late on Thursday night, a watered-down communique was released, although some are now questioning at what cost.

Australia is meant to be in the midst of a so-called “step-up” in the Pacific, and Morrison came to the meeting stressing the vuvale (family links) between Australia and the region as Canberra gets increasingly jittery about China’s presence.

Pacific trip-up
But if the reaction from the region’s leaders in the past few days has been anything to go by, the step-up has tripped and tumbled some way down the stairs.

Vanuatu’s foreign minister, Ralph Regenvanu, described the meeting as “tense” and “very frank,” revealing that the talks almost broke down twice.

Marshall Islands Foreign Minister David Paul tweeted “Stepping-up means showing up. It means showing you are willing to play your own part in fighting the greatest threat to the Pacific and to the world.” That was later followed by: “The Pacific’s survival – and the Australian fruit industry – requires leadership on the greatest threat to our region and to the world.”

But the most cutting criticism was from Fiji’s Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, who said on Saturday that Australia had taken a “big step backwards” in its relationship with the Pacific. That came after he told The Guardian on Friday that Morrison’s approach during Thursday’s meeting was “very insulting and condescending.”

Voreqe Bainimarama … “I thought Morrison was a good friend of mine; apparently not.” Image: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

‘Insulting’ statements
“I thought Morrison was a good friend of mine; apparently not,” said Bainimarama, who was attending his first forum in more than a decade, after being suspended in 2009.

“The Prime Minister at one stage, because he was apparently [backed] into a corner by the leaders, came up with how much money Australia have been giving to the Pacific. He said ‘I want that stated. I want that on the record’. Very insulting.”

After playing it diplomatically in a news conference on Friday morning, where he was seated side-by-side with Morrison, Sopoaga didn’t hold back on Sunday, backing Bainimarama’s comments.

“We were overwhelmed by the promises of the step-up policy by Australia,” Sopoaga said. “Very un-Pacific, it was. I certainly hoped the leaders would come together and recognise the culture, the Pacific way of life.”

Words ignored
Referring to a speech by two youth leaders who called for action to save their homeland, Sopoaga said: “One leader was … shedding tears, he told me, ‘the words of those girls are cutting through my heart.’ Unfortunately one didn’t hear these words, and pretended not to hear these words. One guy, one guy deliberately decided to ignore these words.”

“If that is the case one has to ask if there is any place for them to be in the forum. If there is any place for them to be in this grouping, in this collectivity.”

Sopoaga told the story of his days as a young diplomat in the early 1970s, in what was then the South Pacific Commission. The commission evolved into the forum as many countries became independent from colonisation. In those days, he said, independence leaders were frustrated that they couldn’t talk about their issues like environment, decolonisation or nuclear testing because “these colonial masters were pushing us down.”

“And I see now after so many years of us coming away to set up the Pacific Island Leaders Forum, we are still seeing reflections and manifestations of this neo-colonialist approach to what the leaders are talking about,” Sopoaga said.

Pacific not understood
“The spirit of the Pacific way is not understood by these guys. I don’t think they understand anything about [it]. And if that is the case, what is the point of these guys remaining in the Pacific Island Leaders Forum? I don’t see any merit in that.”

Scott Morrison left Tuvalu asserting that the Australian government was committed to helping the region in its fight against climate change, and that there were efforts being made in Australia to curb emissions. He also announced an A$500m fund to help fund climate adaptation in Pacific countries.

And Australia did make some concessions in the communique. It backed a separate climate change statement committing countries to working in solidarity to combat it.

It also signed on to address climate financing, a commitment to phase out reliance on fossil fuels, and pledged to try to meet a target of 1.5 degrees. However, the wording is vague, and all references to coal have been scrubbed. And a “climate crisis” is only referred to for the small island states, not the whole region, which would include Australia.

Sopoaga said that despite the setbacks, he was still happy with what came from the forum. “It’s not perfect, but it is good,” he said. “I certainly believe we could have done much better.”

“We really need to step-up our game.”

This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand

Iwi against Ihumātao occupation social media pages shut down

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 08:55:17 +0000

By Charlotte Muru-Lanning in Auckland

Controversial social media pages belonging to the New Zealand iwi opposing the occupation at Ihumātao were shut down this morning.

The Twitter and Facebook pages named “Protecting Ihumātao” were set up by Te Kawerau a Maki, the Auckland iwi opposing the occupation lead by the SOUL group at Ihumātao.

The social media pages have been criticised for being misleading by looking too similar to SOUL’s social media pages which use the similar name “Protect Ihumātao”.

A spokesperson for Te Kawerau a Maki, Pita Turei, said that he was at the meeting where the “Protecting Ihumātao” social media campaign had been discussed.

He said that the similarity of the pages to SOUL’s social media was done on purpose and was a “tactical move” by the iwi authority.

The pages which appeared online on Monday shared articles and quotes in support of the Fletcher Building development and the deal made between Fletcher and Te Kawerau a Maki.

Kelly Marie Francis, a spokesperson for SOUL said that it was obvious that the online pages had been made to look like SOUL’s social media.

She said that she believed that the pages were shut down because of the negative response.

“They would have been receiving too much flack for it,” she said.

Although the Facebook and Twitter pages for “Protecting Ihumātao” have been deleted, the website is still active. Te Kawerau a Maki has been criticised for paying for this website to sit above SOUL’s website in Google search results relating to Ihumātao.

Te Kawerau a Maki’s “Protecting Ihumātao” website shares a similar title with the SOUL campaign’s. Image: Screenshot Protecting Ihumātao

Charlotte Muru-Lanning is Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato Tainui. She is based in Auckland, New Zealand. She has a BA in sociology and film and media studies and is currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism at Auckland University of Technology

PNG tribal warlord surrenders to police to ‘restore peace and harmony’

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 02:34:24 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

An influential warlord in PNG’s Hela province has handed himself in to security forces in the wake of mass killings last month, reports The National.

Libe Koi of Pujaro village in Tagali surrendered himself and apologised to the people who have been affected by the tribal fighting in the Highlands region.

Last month at least 20 people, including two pregnant woman, were killed in two seperate inter-tribal attacks.

Libe Koi … “I appeal to two other warlords in the recent massacre to surrender themselves and weapons.” Image: EMTV News

Koi also urged two other warlords still in hiding to come out before he exposed them.

“I appeal to two other warlords in the recent massacre to surrender themselves and weapons because I will disclose their hideouts (if they fail to surrender),” he said

“If I can surrender myself, why don’t you two also come out for us to find an amicable solution to restore peace and harmony in Hela?”

He described his part in the fighting as retaliatory between himself and another warlord known as Okiru over the past six years, and his actions were in defence of his family.

However, during a televised news conference, EMTV reported him saying that after two decades he was tired of the conflict and wanted an end to it.

While he didn’t claim responsibility for last month’s massacre, his translator, Hela Province deputy provincial administrator Eddie Yuwi said that he knew the two warlords involved and was handing himself in as an example.

WATCH: Libe Koi urges other warlords to hand themselves in

He also threatened to reveal the location of the warlord’s arms and ammunition depots, reported the PNG Post-Courier.

Hela police commander chief inspector Teddy Agwi has called on the other fighters to surrender to police, saying that the prolonged fighting had shut down schools, hospitals and disrupted the normal way of life in the region.

The developments in Hela have come in the wake of announcements from both the PNG government, police force and the UN that they will increase presence in the Highlands and take an active role in addressing tribal conflict.

Jokowi’s investment vision worrying environmental activists

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 00:48:54 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s threat to pursue anyone who impedes investment has worried environmental activists who said that such actions could criminalise those fighting for the environment, reports CNN Indonesia.

Jokowi made the threat during his July 14 “Vision Indonesia” speech, in which he said he would chase and “soundly thrash” those who obstruct Indonesian investment.

“Slow or complicated permit processes, especially illegal levies. Be careful, going forward I guarantee that I will chase, I will control, I will check and I will soundly thrash [them] if necessary! There should no longer be any obstructions to investment because this is the key to creating more jobs,” said Widodo in the speech.

The head of The Indonesian Forum for the Environment, Khalisa Khalid, said such language could implicate anyone defending their livelihoods.

“When Jokowi uses threatening diction like that, then the apparatus underneath him will pursue it, so we are worried that it will increase the violence and criminalisation of people who are fighting for their livelihoods and the environment.”

She said that this narrative was worrying because ever since the New Order regime of former president Suharto people who have defended their sources of livelihood and the environment have been accused of obstructing investment.

“On the other hand investment permits which have been issued recklessly since the New Order regime have resulted in hundreds of thousands even millions of people losing their sources of livelihood.”

She said this kind of investment has forced farming communities to become factory workers or plantation labourers. Land evictions have also resulted in traditional communities losing their local identity.

“The culture of saving and holding the environment sacred is being sacrificed for the sake of pursuing macro-economic growth,” she said.

Khalid called on president elect Widodo and his new vice president Ma’ruf Amin not to play around with environmental issues and to start implementing the political pledges made in Nawa Cita (Widodo’s nine point priority program).

“This is not about me or you, it’s also not about us or them. But this is about the fate of the environment and the future of the nation’s next generation,” she said.

Translated by James Balowski of the Indoleft News service. The original title of the article was Walhi Risau Diksi Jokowi Kriminalisasi Pejuang Lingkungan

New ‘anti’ force shakes up New Caledonian political landscape

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 17 May 2019 23:08:47 +0000

By Duke Menango in Noumea

The provincial elections last Sunday have shaken the political landscape in New Caledonia with an upheaval in the Southern province that will influence developments leading up to the next two referendums on independence.

The poll results – especially in the most populated Southern province – have stunned the Pacific territory for three reasons:

• After three terms and 15 years in power, Caledonia Ensemble and its emblematic leader Phillipe Gomès have lost heavily in the South – and also their majority in the legislative Congress.

Anti-independence leader Sonia Backès … elected Southern provincial president. Image: Caledonia TV screenshot/PMC

• The anti-independence leader Sonia Backès and her new l’Avenir en Confiance (Future with Confidence) coalition have won by a landslide in the South and yesterday she was elected president of her province.

• A Polynesian political party, L‘Éveil Océanien (Oceania Awakening), emerged for the first time, supported by the Wallis and Futuna community, and by winning three seats in the Congress it now holds the balance of power.

The turnout was far lower than the historic referendum on independence last November, barely reaching 60 percent.

New Caledonia’s elected provincial presidents elected yesterday (from left) … Paul Neoutyine (Northern), Jacques Lalie (Islands) and Sonia Backès (Southern). Image: Caledonia TV screenshot/PMC

The right-wing 43-year-old Backès ran a campaign by criticising the previously entrenched Caledonia Ensemble (Caledonia Together) and promoting strong anti-independence and security views.

Independence opposed
When Caledonia Ensemble proposed negotiations and talks with the pro-independence groups, Backès and her coalition opposed any notion of independence.

Her coalition won more than 28,000 votes out of 72,000 in the Southern province. That won it 16 seats out of the 32 seats dedicated to the South province in the 54-seat Congress.

Caledonie Ensemble gained 7 seats, the pro-independence FNKS 7 seats and Eveil Oceanien 3 seats.

The final lineup in the New Caledonian Territorial Congress in Noumea. Image: PMC screenshot

Eveil Oceanien were regarded as outsiders, completely unknown in political life and now the party is going to play a balancing act between pro and anti-independence blocs – and also within the new anti-independence bloc.

Yesterday’s election of Sonia Backès as the new president of the Southefn province after two voting rounds highlighted that role.

In the Northern province, the charismatic President Paul Neoutyine keeps the majority and his presidency.

However, as in 2014, the race between his Union National (UNI) list for independence and another major pro-independence party, Union Caledonienne-FLNKS, was tight.

Uni won in North
In the end, out of the 15 seats dedicated to the Northern province in the Congress, Uni won 7 seats, UC-FLNKS 6 seats and 2 went to the non-independence Agissons Pour Le Nord.

In the Loyalty Islands province, once again the participation rate was low. Many people did not turn out to cast their ballots resulting to a 66 percent participation rate.

Also many Islands province voters have moved to the Southern province for work.
The voters retained UC-FLNKS in power.

Yesterday, its representative Jacques Lalie was elected as the provincial president.

Out of the 7 Congress seats allocated to this province. UC-FLNKS won 3 seats, the challengers Palika made significant progress to gain 2 seats, the Labour party won 1 seat and so did Omeyra Nisseline for her Liberation Kanak Socialiste party.

Despite just her first appearance in politics, Nisseline won 1536 votes.

For the voters the choice was difficult as there were 8 lists running for the Island province with 21,000 registered voters – 7 of them being pro-independence.

Slim majority
The majority in the Congress is really slim with 28 anti-independence seats and 26 for independence.

The 3 Oceanian seats are going to play a critical role as New Caledonia shapes up for the next two political referendums in independence next year and in 2022 under the Noumea Accord.

Duke Menango is a journalist for the independent northern-based Caledonia Television. He filed this special report for the Pacific Media Centre.

A voter at Mont-Dore. Image: Duke Menango/PMC

Voting in the New Caledonian provincial elections. Image: Duke Menango/PMC

Five PNG ministers have now quit as O’Neill government hit by crisis

Pacific Media Centre — Sat, 04 May 2019 00:53:20 +0000

EMTV News reports on the latest defections from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s government.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

The latest group of Papua New Guinea MPs who have defected from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s government include three senior ministers, making a total of five to quit the ruling People’s National Congress Party coalition.

They held a news conference in Port Moresby yesterday slamming O’Neill’s leadership.

Health Minister Sir Puka Temu, Defence Minister Solan Mirisim and Forests Minister Douglas Tomuries announcing their resignation from their portfolios, and from the PNC party, reports EMTV News.

They joined former Finance Minister James Marape and Justice Minister and Attorney-General Davis Steven who resigned last week.

Six other MPs also quit the party yesterday.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill … asked to resign. Image: PMC screenshot/EMTV News

According to reports today, rebel government factions of government MPs had gathered at Port Moresby’s Laguna Hotel and already numbered about 57 in the 111-seat Parliament ahead of the no confidence vote due on Tuesday. The Opposition numbers about 24 seats.

Mirisim, who is also the member for Telefomin, called on other MPs to leave the coalition.

PM asked to resign
He told the news conference that during the PNC caucus meeting on Wednesday, Sir Puka Temu had asked Prime Minister O’Neill to resign as he had “lost the confidence” of the cabinet.

The negative response from O’Neill led to the defections and resignations.

In other developments in the ongoing parliamentary crisis, 15 Pangu MPs have resigned from the party effectively killing the party’s parliamentary wing of the country’s oldest political party, reports EMTV News.

The move is meant to put an end to the ongoing conflict between the executive arm of the party led by President Patrick Pundao and General Secretary, Morris Tovebae.

Lae bureau chief Scott Waide reports that in the 2017 elections, “a long running feud evolved into a tit-for-tat power play” when the executive wing had nominated candidates for the same seats contested by those endorsed by party leader, Sam Basil, who is now part of the O’Neill government.

Prime Minister O’Neill is yet to issue an official response to the ongoing exodus of coalition members.

He was attending the National Lands Forum in Port Moresby when the three ministers and other MPs announced their resignations.

The Pacific Media Centre republishes news items in collaboration with EMTV News.

30 arrested in Honiara post-election riots as calm returns to capital

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 03:00:00 +0000

Police say some people decided to take the law into their own hands and marched through some streets of the capital, fighting, causing public disturbances and property damage, reports the Solomon Star.

RNZ Pacific reports that an uneasy calm has returned to the capital while Sogavare rejected accusations his past governments have “failed” Malaita over project implementation.

More reports, pictures on ABC Pacific Beat

A police officer speaks to a youth during yesterday’s disturbances in Honiara. Image: Solomon Star

Significant damage was caused at the Pacific Casino Hotel and many vehicles were also damaged.

These crowd marches were illegal and investigating police are expected to arrest more suspects.

Five Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) and four Correctional Services officers were injured and needed medical attention, the Star reports.

Commissioner Matthew Varley called on residents to stay home unless it was “extremely necessary” to avoid further trouble.

Police operation
“I have ordered a large police operation to conduct more high visibility patrols across Honiara tonight and police will stop anyone that is causing trouble around the city,” he said.

Manasseh Sogavare speaking to media yesterday after being elected prime minister again. Image: Solomon Star

“People engaged in disorderly conduct will be searched and dealt with.

“I have also ordered a number of road blocks and checkpoints to be put in place to reduce traffic in the city.”

Commissioner Varley said: “This is necessary to ensure we maintain security across Honiara tonight. The RSIPF will not take any chances when it comes to public safety.

“If you are a law abiding citizen, then you have nothing to fear.

“Police are in control and we are continuing to respond to any incidents of disturbance around the city.

“But anyone who is planning to carry out any illegal activity can expect police to deal with you sternly.”

Swift action
The Police Response Team (PRT) officers and riot squad officers have been ordered to take swift action against anyone using violence.

“I urge all law abiding citizens to stay at home tonight and stay off the streets,” Commissioner Varley said.

“We need peace in our families, our communities and in our nation.”

Reports from RNZ Pacific and the Solomon Star.

Solomon Islands police in riot gear during yesterday’s post-election disturbances in Honiara. Image: Melanesian News Network

AUT communication studies awards – the full 2018 list

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 23:28:19 +0000

The 2018 School of Communication Studies Awards presented at last night’s 2019 annual ceremony.

School of Communication Studies Award for Top Student in the Certificate in Communication Studies: Madie Freeland

School of Communication Studies Award for Top Year One Bachelor of Communication Studies: Samuel Wat

Professor Wayne Hope presenting the top Year 2 Bachelor of Communication Studies award to Irra Lee. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

School of Communication Studies Award for Top Year Two Bachelor of Communication Studies: Irra Lee

School of Communication Studies Award for Excellence in Communication Theory: Amy Willemse

Communication Studies Postgraduate Scholarships: Lenny Hyde, Mark Rasquinha, Leilani Sitagata, Catherine Theunissen

Dean’s Award for Best Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies:Nicky Jonas

Dean’s Award for Excellence in Master of Communication Studies – Thesis: Carmel Rowden

Geraldine Lopdell Award for Diversity in Communication: Malia Latu

Radio NZ Pacific Award for Asia-Pacific Journalism: Sri Krishnamurthi

Oceania Media’s SPASIFIK Magazine Prize and the Pacific Media Centre’s Storyboard Award for Diversity Reporting: Blessen Tom

The Radio Bureau Award for Top in Applied Radio Techniques: Matilda Phillips

The Radio Bureau Award for Top Radio Student: Brad Hemingway

NZ Herald Award for Top Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism: Nicky Jonas

NZ Herald Award for Award for the Outstanding Graduate in the BCS Journalism Major: Jamie Ensor

Public Relations Institute of New Zealand Award for the Top Year 2 Public Relations Student:
Amy Wang

The winners of the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand Paul Dryden Tertiary Award 2018: Michael Bain, Amelia Cheng, Elizabeth Osborne, Cathrine Pierce

Public Relations Institute of New Zealand President’s Award AUT Top Public Relations Undergraduate Project Award 2018: Kelsey Schutte, Rita Lennon, Gabrielle Lum, Margot Rudolphe, Brittany Dustin

Public Relations Institute of New Zealand President’s Award AUT Top Public Relations Postgraduate Project Award 2018: Isabel Gailer, Belinda Morris, Sophie Sager

Public Relations Institute of New Zealand President’s Award for the Top Academic Student in the Public Relations Major: Hayley Smith

Fonterra Annual Public Relations Internship Award: Isabel Gailer, Kasper Humphrey, Katie Pettigrew

The Postgraduate Public Relations Global Virtual Team Winner (2018): Ayesha Asif

FCB Change Agency Award for Digital Media Excellence: Olivier Longley

School of Communication Studies Award for All-round Excellence in the Creative Industries Major: Ella Leilua

School of Communication Studies Award for Academic Excellence in the Creative Industries Major: Hannah Dowsett

QMS Awards for Advertising Creativity:
QMS Art Director of the Year: Gina Morgan
QMS Creative Strategist of the Year: Kezia Lynch
QMS Copywriter of the Year: Ambrose O’Meagher
QMS Creative Team of the Year: Gina Morgan & Eliza Romanos

Francis Porterfield Memorial Award for Excellence in Multi-Camera Production:
Niamh Swannack

School of Communication Studies Award for Achievement in Screen Production:
Emma Orchard

School of Communication Studies Award for Top Student in Screen Production:
Catherine Theunissen

Police guard Ponsonby mosque as ecumenical mourners mark tragedy

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 06:59:27 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Hundreds of Auckland mourners shared prayers and tears today for those who lost their lives in New Zealand’s double mosque attack on Friday in an ecumenical service in Ponsonby’s Sacred Heart Church.

The mourners included Asians, Māori, Pakeha and Pacific Islanders as well as many people of Muslim faith.

Then the mourners crossed Vermont Street to the Ponsonby Mosque and shared their grief in a colourful, floral but subdued and respectful ceremony.

Catholic bishop of Auckland Patrick Dunn led the way across the street carrying a wreath of flowers.

Many speakers from several religions vowed that the massacre on Friday that has left 50 people dead, including a young child, would not divide the country. On the contrary, it would strengthen a united resolve.

Meanwhile, RNZ reports that Police Commissioner Mike Bush said today a heavy police presence around the country tomorrow will ensure New Zealanders’ safety after the terror attacks.

At a press conference in Wellington, Bush reiterated Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s statement that victims’ bodies would begin to be returned to their families this evening, a process that would hopefully be completed by Wednesday.

“We have in excess of 200 police staff [in Christchurch] doing a number of roles.

“We have medical forensic staff, highly trained police staff, all working to enable the chief coroner to have this process commenced and completed as soon as possible out of respect for their loved ones.”

He said he was working with top police on deployment, “to deploy them in a way that allows people to feel safe to go about their business”.

Auckland Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn carrying a wreath from Sacred Heart Church across the street to Ponsonby mosque today. Image: David Robie/PMC

Ponsonby mosque mourners today. Image: David Robie/PMC

An armed policeman guarding the outside of Ponsonby mosque today. Scenes like this are rare in New Zealand where police do not normally carry firearms. Image: David Robie/PMC

Flowers at the Ponsonby Al-Masjid Al Jamie, New Zealand’s oldest mosque, in Auckland today. Image: David Robie/PMC

Sasya Wreksono: We mourn, reflect and face up to NZ’s ‘fragment of darkness’

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 02:04:56 +0000

OPINION: By Sasya Wreksono in Auckland

In the 20 years I’ve lived in New Zealand since I was little, I’ve never felt unsafe or been discriminated against for being an immigrant or for my beliefs as a Muslim. I’ve always felt grateful for being able to live in a country where people are generally kind, warm and understanding.

Going on road trips with my family around the country, if we couldn’t pray at a mosque we would pray where we could – at train stations, in fields, on the side of the road. While working on set or on location I would pray out in the open.

No one would ever bat an eye.

Sasya Wreksono … “we can ensure something like this never happens again.” Image: FB

But just because I’ve never personally experienced discrimination here, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. As much as I love New Zealand and as amazing as it is, it’s far from perfect – because nothing is.

This is a country that was built on colonialism, that disregards its native Te Reo Māori language as inferior and that scorns immigrants for rising house prices and decreasing job opportunities.

This little country of ours is known around the world for being a clean, green, warm and welcoming safe haven. While I myself have never experienced otherwise, perhaps underneath the surface there’s always been a fragment of darkness that’s now manifested in the ugliest way imaginable – a piece we clearly now need to acknowledge and change.

Thank you to my fellow Kiwis for their outpouring of support for the Muslim community, especially for those directly affected. We mourn, but we should also reflect and figure out how we can ensure something like this never happens again.

What happened on Friday was appallingly, disgustingly atrocious. While we undoubtedly need to hold alt-right politicians and commentators around the West accountable for pushing the rhetoric of white supremacy and Islamophobia, in turn cultivating bigotry and hatred, we can still do something here at home.

Celebrate our similarities
We need to acknowledge our history and celebrate our similarities, not our differences.

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji-un. May Allah SWT grant Jannat ul-Firdaus for our Muslim brothers and sisters who lost their lives, and inshaAllah their loved ones are granted love, warmth and sabr [“perseverance”].

Sasya Wreksono is a New Zealand filmmaker from an Indonesian family who migrated many years ago to this country to make Auckland their home. She is a screen production graduate from Auckland University of Technology. This commentary was originally published on her Facebook account and has been republished by the Pacific Media Centre with her permission.

Young women at Auckland’s vigil yesterday for the Christchurch mosque massacre victims. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

The faces of some of the 50 victims of the Christchurch mosque massacre. Full RNZ report here. Image: PMC screenshot

Gallery: Global media cover historic New Caledonia independence referendum

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 03:06:44 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

About 100 journalists covered the historic New Caledonian independence referendum last weekend, with media from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the Pacific, as well as France and Tahiti, sending crews.

A spokesperson for the French High Commission said 100 journalists had been accredited for the referendum – 40 of them foreign journalists.

Local journalists also filed reports for Radio Canada and RTBF (Belgium).

Featured in these images are some of the news teams at work, including SBS World News reporter Stefan Armbruster and SBS executive producer Christophe Mallet who presented some of the best reporting on the event.

Photos by David Robie

More New Caledonian referendum stories

Media and the vote

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While PNG promotes APEC big money, youth are building grassroots resilience

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 05:57:16 +0000

The countdown to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Papua New Guinea is well underway. As the PNG government finalises preparations for this high-level meeting next month, instability is growing from pressing development issues. But, reports Pauline Mago-King of Asia Pacific Journalism, some of the youth are committed to strengthening their country’s resilience.

The reoccurring theme in bridging various social gaps remains to be sensitisation for young people.

For Papua New Guinea, issues ranging from gender relations to health have worsened over the years, making them a norm for the people.

While the PNG government buckles down for the APEC summit, polio has emerged, tuberculosis persists due to multidrug resistance, and violations of human rights are ever-present as in cases like that of the Paga Hill villagers struggle.

APJS NEWSFILE

Papus New Guinea’s progress may seem obscure. However, this should not overshadow the mobilisation of young Papua New Guineans at the community level.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), around 60 percent of young people under 25 account for PNG’s 8.5 million population.

The disproportionate percentage of young Papua New Guineans calls for more engaging avenues that will translate into overall development at community levels.

Executive director of UNFPA Dr Natalia Kanem says the investment in young people’s capabilities, as well as creating opportunities for them, will build peaceful, cohesive and resilient societies.

Cultural settings
Equally important, these opportunities require sustainability so that they are also contextually relevant to PNG’s diverse cultural settings.

As the PNG government focuses on “unlocking” its economic potential, the mobilisation of youth largely rests with non-governmental and faith-based organisations such as The Voice Inc., Equal Playing Field, Youth Against Corruption Association – to name a few.

Last month, PNG’s Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato told the United Nations General Assembly that the “government recognises the importance of putting in place the building blocks needed to enable inclusive and participatory development.”

He added that it was their priority to create employment opportunities that would match the needs of Papua New Guinean youth.

Concrete action in this area, however, remain bleak, particularly in light of 500 procured APEC-vehicles, outbreak of preventable diseases and drug shortages in hospitals around PNG.

As such, the work of various organisations to equip youth in shaping civic affairs is paramount.

Education at the grassroots level, along with platforms to communicate the acquired information, provide a bridging factor for youth to spread “sensitisation” during a time when governance is questionable.

Changing mindsets
This can be seen in movements such as the newly homegrown project SKILLZ PNG.

Last month, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) PNG in partnership with adolescent health organisation Grassroots Soccer, launched SKILLZ.

The project uses soccer as a vehicle for at-risk youth “to overcome their greatest health challenges… and be agents for change in their communities”.

The same way one manoeuvres a soccer ball, the same can be done in life when it comes to health and gender risks. Image: Pauline Mago-King/PMC

Grassroots Soccer Master trainer Nicole Banister says the project gives participants the platform to express themselves.

“It was incredible for me to see how some of the shyer participants really blossom throughout the training. They really found their voice in terms of facilitating, working with their peers, praise openly and build personal connections across organisations, different sexes, different ages and cultures – all of which are important to build a community in PNG.”

For a country like PNG, SKILLZ offers a continuum of care for youth to combat prevalent issues such as gender-based violence.

In addition, it provides a conducive environment for youth to develop a better understanding of PNG’s health system and their own health needs.

Training of coaches
Over a period of two weeks, 20 youth participants from varying backgrounds underwent SKILLZ PNG’s “training of coaches” workshop.

SKILLZ PNG participants during a session. Image: YWCA PNG

To an outsider, this workshop may seem just any other ordinary event.

It is, in fact, a necessary movement for young Papua New Guineans especially when high levels of violence can provide a sense of “disillusionment”, as stated by The Voice Inc.’s chairperson, Serena Sumanop.

For Joshua Ganeki, a 27-year-old participant, SKILLZ PNG gave him a chance to do something purposeful.

Having graduated from Port Moresby Business College in 2014, he found it difficult to secure employment and thus resorted to doing odd jobs, and then eventually volunteering with YWCA.

His passion for helping young people led him to SKILLZ PNG and prompted a self-reflection on gender expectations.

Rights, responsibilities
“One thing I learnt is our society has gender expectations, especially for women and that is wrong. We need to break these norms and become equal team players and partners in life.

“SKILLZ PNG is trying to make us more aware of our rights, responsibilities as men and women.”

For others such as 21-year-old Kevlyne Yosia, the training strengthened her confidence in being an agent of change.

“Back in year 11, my class was having a discussion on politics and a male classmate told me that my place was in the kitchen so I have no place talking about such things. It made me feel bad because I knew other women are told the same thing.

“But it also made me stand my ground that I have a right to voice my opinion, and so do other women,” said Yosia.

She added that the training enabled herself and others to realise that support and appreciation for genders is essential in fostering healthy relationships.

Development goals
While projects such as SKILLZ PNG are vital, so are their alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

For YWCA PNG, its work with Grassroots Soccer has empowered more youth to be SDG champions in a political climate that is self-serving.

SKILLZ PNG’s coverage of goals such as “good health and wellbeing”, “gender equality” and “partnership for goals” means that more young people will feel empowered and equipped to participate in civic engagements.

Although this project has seen only one group graduate onto becoming coaches in their communities, Grassroots Soccer master trainer Alex Bozwa said: “I’m incredibly optimistic for the work that these people will be doing with other young people.”

SKILLZ PNG is currently limited to the capital of Port Moresby but it is a positive step towards leveraging Grassroots Soccer’s large success in the African continent, so that youth on a national level can also participate.

In the meantime, hope remains in young people like Kevlyne Yosia.

“I want to see a better PNG, where I can feel safe as a woman.”

Pauline Mago-King is a masters student based at Auckland University of Technology and is researching gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea. She compiled this report for the Pacific Media Centre’s Asia-Pacific Journalism Studies course.

Twitter: @iamatalau04

40 luxury Maseratis for PNG, but little effort put into climate change

Pacific Media Centre — Wed, 17 Oct 2018 01:25:10 +0000

Papua New Guinea has shown unwavering commitment to next month’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit with its controversial purchase of 40 Maserati luxury sedans. While preparations for APEC take priority, climate change plans are in crisis, reports Pauline Mago-King of Asia-Pacific Journalism.

Early in March, Papua New Guinea began its chairmanship of next month’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit by receiving many senior officials for the opening set of planning meetings.

The lead-up to the APEC summit, expected to become a key opportunity for PNG to unlock its economic potential, has been inundated with talks on trade and investment.

As the smallest and poorest member of APEC, Papua New Guinea has framed its chairmanship as an opportunity to cash in on the digital revolution and its benefits in connectivity and employment.

The chair of APEC Senior Officials, Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu, underlined PNG’s participation in APEC as “leverage” to maintain its domestic policies according to the group.

“The work that has come out of APEC has allowed investors to come on shore and be part of our business community. You really need to think in terms of what sort of structural reform and ease of business activities we’ve been doing and that have made it possible for new investments in PNG. Those are pegged on important APEC principles.” Pomaleu told APEC Bulletin.

He added that conversations surrounding connectivity, particularly in sustainable development and climate change, were important to PNG.

A month before the summit, however, this agenda has seemingly been neglected with the import of 40 Maserati Quattroporte luxury sedans to be used by APEC leaders.

One of the controversial Maserati cars that have arrived in Papua New Guinea for APEC 2018. The market value is about re[orted;y about K229,000 (NZ$110,000) each. Image: EMTV News

Condemned purchase
The revelation of the PNG government’s purchase of these vehicles, which range in cost between $209,000 and $345,000 in Australia, has been widely condemned as an example of poor governance at a time when the country faces pressing health, education, law and order, and environmental issues.

While PNG’s APEC Minister Justin Tkatchenko has told media that the costs of the Maseratis will be recovered via prospective buyers, this remains to be seen.

A common sight of Papua New Guinean villagers travelling by canoe. Image: Sally Wilson/Pixabay Creative Commons (CC)

While the minister has not disclosed the initial costs of both the fleet and cars, PNG has unveiled plans underway to build a 400 million kina (NZ$180 million) coal-powered plant – a far cry from its attentiveness to sustainable development.

According to the Post-Courier, a memorandum of agreement has been reached “to build a coal-fired power plant in Lae”, Morobe province.

Although this agreement is a step towards meeting the energy needs of Lae consumers, it takes PNG two steps back in its commitment to mitigating climate change.

PNG’s gravitation towards cheap, non-renewable energy such as coal signals a complete disregard of its pledge to the Paris Climate Agreement.

PNG is already experiencing the effects of climate change which can be seen in the need to relocate Carteret Islanders and the dwindling access to clean drinking water, to name a few issues.

Defiant action
Despite these effects and coal being a key driver of climate change, Energy Minister Sam Basil is defiantly going ahead with building the electricity plant.

According to The National, Basil said that PNG had “been denied that right (to burn coal) for a very long time”.

He added that “big nations are not reducing [coal emission]”, thus PNG needs a quota for burning coal to provide cheaper electricity which would subsequently lead to more jobs.

Chris Lahberger from the anti-coal group, Nogat Coal PNG, told Radio NZ that this move was uneconomical despite the developer Mayur Resources’ claims of increased employment and investment in a sustainable research institute.

Although PNG is not the only developing country to have resorted to coal as a source of low-cost electricity, it does have a responsibility to its people considering the Climate Investment Fund’s investment of $25 million.

As reported by Devex, this funding is the largest with a focus on delivering “transformational change in addressing the current and future threats from climate change and related hazards in” PNG.

A snapshot of the Climate Investment Fund’s assistance to PNG indicates a key focus on building resilience in the agriculture sector along with the mitigation of climate extremes.

Climate accountability
Consequently, this begs the question of accountability in climate change aid as plans like the Mayur Resources’ coal-fired power plant are counteractive.

There is a pattern of financial aid being confined to large institutions and governments while communities suffer, as noted by Caritas New Zealand director Julianne Hickey.

“We’ve heard time and time again from the Solomon Islands through to Tonga, to Papua New Guinea, that it is not reaching those who need it most and those who’ve done the least to cause the issues of climate change,” Hickey told Radio NZ.

Apart from PNG’s plan to burn coal for electricity, it has an alarming rate of illegal logging which has adverse effects for its indigenous communities.

According to Global Witness, “tens of thousands of Papua New Guinean people are having their land stolen by their own government”.

PNG’s Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato, however, refuted this claim in an interview with Radio NZ.

He emphasised that the PNG government has taken appropriate measures with regard to the illegal logging and that a policy is underway via the Minister for Forests.

Summit talking point
Looking at climate change efforts as a whole, the minister added that it is a talking point for the APEC summit.

“It’s one of the key issues there, and what we’re doing and how the world can connect. That’s why we’ve asked the rest of the Pacific Island countries, their leaders to come so that each of them can tell their story in their own way to the leaders of the world… because the impacts of climate change are unique to each country. It’s not the one and the same.”

Talking point or not, PNG’s implementation efforts are lacking and greater accountability is required of the government.

If PNG’s absence from the High Ambition Coalition is anything to go by, it indicates poor governance to the Papua New Guineans feeling the impact of climate change.

With Fiji and the Marshall Islands leading the way in climate change efforts, PNG’s status as “big brother” not only wanes but projects corruption at its very core.

Twitter: @iamatalau04

Fijian students design superheroes to challenge ‘Silence’ in comic contest

Pacific Media Centre — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 22:34:51 +0000

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Advocacy groups have called on children and young people to defeat the “ultimate supervillain” – silence – to help end violence in and around schools.

The Holy Trinity Primary School students’ superheroes will be entered in this global competition organised by UNICEF and Comics Uniting Nations.

During the workshop at Holy Trinity Primary School, UNICEF Pacific ambassador Pita Taufatofua said: “Every child in Fiji, in the Pacific islands and throughout the world, has the right to go to school and feel safe.

“Superhero” Love Walker. Image: UNICEF

“Let’s talk about the kind of superpowers that your superhero might have that will help every child feel safe in school.”

The students also had the chance to work with Tui Ledua, from Kanalevu Animation and Illustration.

“How will we create a superhero to prevent bullying?” Ledua told the students.

He responded to the students’ ideas on the characteristics his superhero should have and brought this character to life right in front of their eyes, a superhero complete with a sasa broom to be used as a magic wand to create a peaceful world.

Silencing children
Silence is a supernatural character that uses its powers to stop children from speaking up and taking action against violence in and around schools.

Children and young people aged 25 years and under have been invited to design their own comic superhero that will defeat Silence and help keep children safe in school.

UNICEF Pacific representative Sheldon Yett said: “From fighting and bullying to sexual harassment and corporal punishment, violence in and around schools can have devastating, long-term consequences for children.”

The Silence superhero comic contest will encourage children and young people in
Fiji and around the world to be part of UNICEF’s global campaign to shed light on and spark action to #ENDviolence in schools through the creative medium of comic design.

The top submissions in the contest will be chosen after the closing date on October 25 by a special panel of judges, including comic artist Gabriel Picolo and last year’s comic contest winner Sathviga “Sona” Sridhar.

The public will then have the opportunity to vote online for their favourite comic hero between November 16 and 25.

The winner will be announced in December and will work with a professional team to turn their winning idea into a full-length comic book. Their comic will be presented to World Leaders at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations in July 2019, as well as distributed to schools and children worldwide.

The Superhero contest

Memo NZ: ‘Get on the right side of history’ over West Papua

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 03:12:10 +0000

Vanuatu says New Zealand should get on the right side of history and support West Papuan self-determination. However, reports James Halpin of Asia Pacific Journalism, Indonesian diplomacy with its Pacific allies Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea are defiantly undermining Pacific “solidarity” on the issue.

Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister Ralph Regenvanu has called on New Zealand to get on the right side of history when it comes to West Papua.

Reaffirming Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas’ remarks at the UN General Assembly late last month, Regenvanu told Asia Pacific Report that the “people of West Papua have never had the opportunity to exercise their right of self-determination, which is an unalienable right under international law, and they must be given that opportunity”.

Vanuatu was one of three countries – four less than in 2016 – whose leaders gave UN strong messages in support of West Papuan self-determination.

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNALISM STUDIES – APJS NEWSFILE

Independence for Vanuatu was achieved from the co-colonisers France and the United Kingdom in 1980.

West Papua had been a colony of the Dutch New Guinea but was annexed by Indonesia with UN and Western support and a so-called Act of Free Choice in 1969 described by critics as fraudulent. This followed an unsuccessful Indonesian “invasion” by paratroopers in 1962.

Asked why Vanuatu has taken the lead in advocating for West Papua, Regenvanu says:

“We take this position because of our historical solidarity with the people of West Papua – we were once together and the struggles as colonies trying to become independent; we achieved ours and we will not forget our brothers-and-sisters-in-arms who have not got theirs.”

Forum failure
For Prime Minister Salwai and Regenvanu, the recent Pacific Islands Forum was a failure at gaining Pacific support for West Papuan self-determination.

“We are disappointed at the position of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Australia to vocally oppose self-determination for West Papua. We are pleased that most other countries support self-determination, however.”

Regenvanu also criticises New Zealand for not following the advice that it gives to Pacific Island countries.

New Zealand should, “actively support with actions on this issue the ‘international rules-based order’ it is always promoting to PICs”.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group, which shares an ethnicity with the people of West Papua, has also failed at achieving solidarity over the issue.

“PNG and Fiji have strong ties to Indonesia and work actively to ensure the MSG does not address the issue.”

End colonialism call
Prime Minister Salwai introduced the issue of West Papua to the UN General Assembly this year.

Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas addressing the UN General Assembly about West Papua. Video: UN

“For half a century now, the international community has been witnessing a gamut of torture, murder, exploitation, sexual violence, arbitrary detention inflicted on the nationals of West Papua perpetrated by Indonesia.”

“We also call on our counterparts throughout the world to support the legal right of West Papua to self-determination.”

For Prime Minister Salwai, it is an issue of justice and equality for the people of West Papua,

“I would like to get back to the principles in the charter of the United Nations to reaffirm that we believe in the fundamental rights of human beings in dignity and worth of the human person and in equality of rights between men and women and nations large and small.”

Prime Minister Salwai has been the flag bearer of West Papuan self-determination. His aim is for West Papua to be placed back onto the decolonisation list under the UN charter.

However, Prime Minister Salwai was supported by two other Pacific leaders, Marshall Islands’ President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands, and Enele Sopoaga of Tuvalu.

Sopoaga said: “The United Nations must also engage with the people of West Papua to find lasting solutions to their struggles.”

Constructive engagement
President Heine staid that Pacific Island countries supported constructive engagement on the issue.

At the 2016 UN General Assembly, seven countries stated their supported for West Papuan self-determination. These were: Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, Palau.

Decolonisation has become an important part of foreign relations in the Pacific with the New Caledonian independence vote on November 4.

After hundreds of years of European colonisation, the UN has provided a platform for and facilitated the self-determination of indigenous peoples across the world.

The Indonesian delegation denounced Vanuatu at the UN General Assembly just days ago. The Indonesia delegation used the entirety of their second right of reply in the general debate to deplore Vanuatu’s support for West Papuan self-determination.

“Although being disguised with flowery human rights concern, Vanuatu’s sole intention and action are directly challenging the internationally agreed principles of friendly relations between state, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” UN General Assembly Vice-President Muhammad Kalla said on behalf of his country.

UN General Assembly Vice-President Muhammad Kalla giving his speech. Video: UN

He said: “Like any other country, Indonesia will firmly defend its territorial integrity.”

The Indonesian representative, Aloysius Taborat, said: “respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is the cardinal rule in the relation among nations and in the United Nations”.

However, critics say Indonesia’s handling of West Papua’s vote in the 1969 Act of Free Choice “was rigged” so that West Papua would vote to join Indonesia. Therefore, many see hypocrisy in Indonesia’s words, including in their reputation over press freedom.

Human rights abuses are a common occurrence in West Papua, according to human rights organisations. Simply raising the West Papuan flag can result in 15-years imprisonment.

James Halpin is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies course at AUT. He is filing articles in the Asia-Pacific Journalism Studies paper.

Climate change advocacy calls for more ‘action’ response to Ardern’s UN plea

Pacific Media Centre — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 22:33:01 +0000

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently addressed the UN General Assembly about the reality of climate change in the Pacific, and the threat inaction holds for the island nations. Maxine Jacobs reports for Asia Pacific Journalism that while climate and energy commentators welcome her leadership, they call for an even stronger “action” approach.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s challenge to United Nations members last month to reflect on the impact climate change is having on the Pacific has been welcomed by social justice advocates.

But they would like to see the rhetoric matched by even stronger action to give the world its best chance of coping with climate change.

The Prime Minister spoke of Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands as the Pacific’s most at risk nations which have contributed least to global emissions but are facing the full force of their consequences.

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNALISM STUDIES – APJS NEWSFILE

“Our actions in the wake of this global challenge remains optional, But the impact of inaction does not,” she told the UN.

“If my Pacific neighbours do not have the option of opting out of the effects of climate change, why should we be able to opt out of taking action to stop it?”

Ardern said that in the South Pacific there was a reality of rising sea levels, increases in extreme weather events and negative impacts on water supply and agriculture.

“For those who live in the South Pacific, the impacts of climate change are not academic, or even arguable.

‘Grinding reality’
“We can talk all we like about the science and what it means … but there is a grinding reality in hearing someone from a Pacific island talk about where the sea was when they were a child, and potential loss of their entire village as an adult.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s speech at the United Nations. Video: UN

Although New Zealand represents less than 0.2 percent of global emissions, the Prime Minister then vowed to “play our part” in continuing to decrease in emissions and support the global climate change battle.

Goals have been set of:

• 100 percent renewable energy generation by 2035;
• zero emissions by 2050;
• a halt on offshore oil and gas exploration permits;
• a green infrastructure fund to encourage innovation, and
• a 10-year plan to plan one billion trees.

“These plans are unashamedly ambitious [but] the threat climate change poses demands it.”

Real commitment
A few days before her address to the UN in New York, the Prime Minister announced a $100 million increase to its global climate finance – an increase from $200 million, which will be spread in $25 million blocks over four years.

The Prime Minister said the additional funding would focus on practical action, helping Pacific states to build resilience and adapt to climate change.

“The focus of this financial support is on creating new areas of growth and opportunity for Pacific communities. We want to support our Pacific neighbours to make transition to a low carbon economy without hurting their existing economic base.”

The Prime Minister said she planned to bring greater attention to the impact of climate change alongside Pacific leaders and ensure global awareness of the cost of inaction.

“We recognise our neighbours in the Pacific region are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“We have a responsibility to care for the environment in which we live, but the challenge of climate change requires us to look beyond our domestic boarders.”

Communications accounts manager for the Ministry for the Environment, Karen Goldsworthy, says two thirds of the global climate funding would be going towards Pacific nations to help adapt to their warming climate.

“We recognise that New Zealand alone cannot fix the challenge climate change poses to our region: it is a global problem that requires a global solution.

“New Zealand will continue to work actively to contribute to an effective global response to climate change through which Pacific resilience improves … and lose work more widely to encourage ambition through our leadership.”

A global model
Renewable energy and climate change consultant Dr Bob Lloyd, a former director of energy studies at Otago University, says New Zealand’s commitment to climate change is a show of leadership to the rest of the world of what is achievable.

Lloyd called New Zealand a small-scale model of what can be achieved on a global scale, however this issue is one which cannot be resolved by one small nation.

“It’s up to countries like Australia, New Zealand, Europe and unfortunately the US to bring their emissions down.

“The big dilemma at the moment is that a lot of the poor countries want to increase their emissions and they’re not going to consider bringing their emissions down unless the big countries bring their emissions down first.

“The other onus is on the rich countries to actually help the poor countries come down, which means they need to transfer money to them to achieve their goals.”

Lloyd said the extra $100 million from New Zealand towards the global climate change fund was a good effort but would not have a huge impact. To achieve emissions reductions, developing countries would need trillions of dollars.

“The amounts of money which are needed just for the Pacific region – which are tiny compared to the rest of the world – are enormous,” he said.

Putting over ideas
Although Lloyd, a self-proclaimed pessimist, thinks the world would not be able to outrun climate change he does not want to “hamper people from trying”.

“Without some countries trying, then the poorer countries and other countries will give up completely, so I think it’s extremely good that Jacinda is putting these ideas over and they’re trying to help as much as possible.

“She’s doing a remarkable effort. It’s also enthusing government. I was pleasantly surprised at how much influence Jacinda and the Labour Party is having on both New Zealand and internationally.”

Dr Kevin Clements, the foundation professor of Otago University’s National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS) and current director of the Japan-based Toda Peace Institute, says the Prime Minister’s plea for climate change awareness has powerful emotional and normative appeal, but at the end of the day it is a numbers game.

“Every little bit helps. New Zealand’s voice on its own isn’t going to change Donald Trump or the behaviours of the major US multinational companies, but on the other hand it’s all part of creating a normative order which acknowledges the centrality of climate change and what it’s doing to us.”

Dr Clements says the Pacific is feeling the brunt of global emissions and has little capacity to do anything about it. However, the moral weight of New Zealand and the South Pacific can help larger nations become more proactive.

The Prime Minister advocating for climate change issues humanises her, says Dr Clements, but she needs to be stronger to be seen as a serious political leader on these issues.

“She really needs to make sure she’s coupling her soft power appeal and her own personal charisma with some hard-headed arguments and evidence based research so she is seen both as a wonderful human being but equally as a hard-headed negotiator on the issues that matter.”

Maxine Jacobs is a postgraduate student journalist on the Asia Pacific Journalism Studies course at AUT University.

Listen to Pacific ‘voices’ or climate will spark conflict, say advocates

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 05:25:14 +0000

Policy makers, academics and NGO representatives discussed the urgent issue of climate change in the Pacific, where many communities have been forced to relocate. However, Michael Andrew of Asia Pacific Report, found that participants in last weekend’s workshop believe the Pacific voices of those most affected must be heard if conflict is to be avoided.

The gap between policy and people was a key topic at the last week’s Climate Change and Conflict in the Pacific workshop when experts from Western and Pacific countries gathered to share stories and studies.

The Auckland event – hosted by the Toda Peace Institute and the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS) at the University of Otago – sought to bridge the gap by connecting Western, scientific policies with the deeply spiritual customs and beliefs of Pacific life.

Workshop facilitator and Toda director Professor Kevin Clements, who is also founding director of NCPACS, says it is an opportunity to understand Pacific perspectives and respond creatively to an existential threat.

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNALISM STUDIES – APJS NEWSFILE

“We in New Zealand and Australia have a deep responsibility to listen,” he says.

“If we don’t understand the Pacific way of thinking, we will begin to undermine relationships in unanticipated, unconscious ways.”

Relationships were a major theme throughout the workshop, with many participants affirming the unique relationship Pacific people have with their land.

Vanua philosophy
Fijian teacher Rosiana Kushila Lagi says the traditional Fiji philosophy of Vanua reflects the absolute interconnectedness between people, land and sea.

Working in Tuvalu, Lagi is engaging communities to use the principals of Vanua to mitigate the destruction caused by climate change. The behaviour of animals, plants and the weather are all useful indicators of environmental change and can be used to prepare for extreme events.

However, she says many communities are losing this traditional knowledge when they are physically separated from the land, something that also contributes to a loss of identity.

Participants of the Climate Change and Conflict in the Pacific workshop in Auckland last weekend. Image: Lynley Brown

Tuvaluan minister Tafue Lusama shared a similar perspective, stressing the importance of traditional knowledge in the Tuvalu way of life.

“Indigenous knowledge is the way we focus our relationship to everything, to the land, to the sea, to each other and to all living things,” he says.

“It is our way to communicate with the clouds, birds, plants, animals; this includes communicating with the spirits of our ancestors.”

With an average height of 2m above sea level, Tuvalu is particularly vulnerable to the affects of climate change. Rising sea levels not only threaten property but also food and water sources.

Storm surges
Storm surges can sweep inland, flooding deep-rooted crops like taro and coconut and contaminating fresh water reservoirs.

Yet for many communities who have already relocated, the struggles of adjusting to a new home can be just as harsh.

Discussed at the workshop were the people from the diminishing Carteret Islands, who in recent years have been relocated to land donated by the Catholic Church on mainland Bougainville.

Managed by grassroots organisation Tulele Peisa, the initiative sees every family given a hectare of land on which they can live and grow crops for trade and sustenance.

While the relocation project has been considered successful, there are concerns for the Cataract Islanders living in a region recovering from a bloody civil war over the Panguna copper mine. Even today, violence is widespread.

According to Volker Boege, a peace and conflict academic who has worked extensively in the region, there have been reports of attacks on the Carteret Islanders and their property.

He says this has a lot to do with tribal competition over limited land, much of which is customary.

Establishing relationships
“Before the relocation, Tulele Peisa put in a lot of work establishing relationships with the Bougainville community and engaging in discussions with the chiefs. Nevertheless, land is scarce,” Boege says.

“The policies don’t take into account the complexities between the indigenous people and the fighting that can occur between tribes when relocated.”

Despite predictions that the Carteret Islands will be completely underwater by 2040, he says some of the people are choosing to return home from Bougainville.

For these people giving up home, identity and starting a new life in a foreign land is simply too much to ask.

While other Pacific communities are on the list for relocation, there was a commitment among the workshop participants to factor in the values, customs and wishes of both the relocating and the receiving communities into any polices moving forward.

Future collaboration between the many organisations present would also allow an inclusive, dynamic approach where information could be easily shared from the top down and vice versa, connecting the grassroots to the researchers and policy makers.

Ideal outcome
For Paulo Baleinakorodawa, this was an ideal outcome of the workshop. As operations manager of Fiji-based NGO Transcend Oceania, he has worked extensively with relocated and relocating communities, resolving conflict and trying to make the process as peaceful as possible.

However, he says that plans for cross-organisation collaboration have stalled prior to the workshop.

“I was hoping that coming in here I would find an opportunity to actually push that into more actions,” he says.

“It’s been wonderful because there has been a lot of information, a lot of networking and commitment from people that are actually doing something about climate change.”

“And so now Toda, Transcend Oceania, the Pacific Conference of Churches, and the Pacific Centre for Peace Building are going to be partnering together to continue that project.”

While climate change and its affects will only continue to worsen, the workshop was an encouraging show of unity and compassion that will be needed if further suffering in Pacific is to be prevented.

Most importantly, it opened an essential conversation in which the many different voices could be heard.

“This is only the beginning of that conversation,” says Baleinakorodawa.

Michael Andrew is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

Lost at sea – the race against time to save the Carteret Islands from climate change

Professor Kevin Clements facilitating the Climate Change and Conflict in the Pacific workshop. Image: Michael Andrew/PMC

Draft family law progressing but more action needed on violence

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 03:47:04 +0000

New Zealand steps up campaigns through supporting non-government organisations and groups to raise awareness and groups and help support victims of domestic violence. But, writes Mike Mohr, of Asia Pacific Journalism Studies, in spite of a draft family violence law making its way through Parliament much more needs to be done.

Violence against women is an issue that has troubled Pacific communities for many years both in the islands and in New Zealand.

The United Nations has highlighted the issue of women experiencing violence in the Asia-Pacific region and has tried to improve the quality of life for women in troubled communities.

An estimated 68 percent of girls and women in the Asia-Pacific region are victims of violence, according to figures released by the UN.

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNALISM STUDIES – APJS NEWSFILE

The enormity of the situation in the region has led the UN to start initiatives in Asian and Pacific countries to combat violence against women and in New Zealand the Family and Whānau Violence Legislation Bill is hoped to “break the pattern”.

Ending Violence Against Women Programme (EVAWG) is an initiative that “aims to help women and girls live a life free from violence”. EVAWG is being implemented in nations regarded as high risk in the region with the hope of reducing the numbers of women being harmed.

New Zealand, a developed First World country, has had issues with domestic violence throughout its history, and the government has been raising awareness and providing assistance to NGO groups to help support victims of domestic violence.

Figures show New Zealand has a major problem with girls and women experiencing violence in all age groups.

‘OK to ask for help’
In 2016, between 33 to 39 percent of females experienced some form of violence in their life growing up in New Zealand. Also an estimated 79 percent of harmed women do not report their experience of violence.

The campaign “it is ok to ask for help” has provided a lifeline to victims who are seeking support for their love ones seeking help.

The most common form of violence in New Zealand is physical and sexual violence – women are more likely to be assaulted by an intimate partner than a random stranger, according Associate Professor Janet Fanslow of the University of Auckland as cited by the Women’s Refuge.

It has disappointed advocates in the frontline of the fight against violence aimed towards women that the most likely offender is someone intimately close to the victim.

The impact of domestic violence in New Zealand has a negative impact on society such as physical harm of young girls and women, mental health risks on victims and negative economic impact on the economy.

Hun, a social worker based in South Auckland, believes the issue of domestic violence has reduced slightly over the past few years, and this is thanks to the raising of awareness in the community in South Auckland and through television campaigns.

Some low social economic areas in New Zealand are considered high risk for domestic violence.

Tackling a myth
Māori and Pacific communities in New Zealand are the most likely to suffer and become victims of domestic violence in their homes.

However, it is a myth to believe that violence against girls, women and domestic violence in general is a problem exclusively in low social economic areas, says Hun.

“It is occurring in every level of society in New Zealand.”

The devastation that domestic violence towards women has led to campaigns in New Zealand to reach out to both the victims of violence and the offender.

More financial resources are needed to fully engage the most affected communities in the country, New Zealand ranked in the top 5 in domestic violence in developing countries.

“More work needs to be done to drive the message home,” says Hun.

Promising improvement
Communities that have been targeted with campaigns over the years have shown promising improvement with less and less incidences of domestic violence being an issue.

“Preventing is better than fixing,” says Hun.

The most effective way to deal with domestic violence against women is to teach, inform and raise awareness in young people at an early age that violent behaviour is not acceptable in New Zealand society.

The current Labour-led Coalition government is prioritising family violence and addressing the issue with new legislation. It is at the top of the agenda for the government in the hope of reducing the problem.

Mike Maatulimanu Mohr is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

USTKE fights for Kanak rights in defiance of ‘dishonest’ referendum

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 04:21:14 +0000

As New Caledonia’s November 4 referendum on independence approaches, both pro and anti-independence groups are ramping up their campaigns. But, as Michael Andrew reports, some groups are choosing not to participate, arguing that the referendum is “unfair and dishonest”.

For many Kanaks, the upcoming independence referendum is a chance to reclaim control of New Caledonia, or “Kanaky”, and establish a new independent nation in the Pacific.

For pro-independence labour organisation USTKE (Union of Kanak and Exploited Workers), however, the November 4 referendum is undemocratic and should be treated as a non-event.

On a visit to New Zealand this week, Leonard Wahmetu, general secretary of the mines and metals section of the USTKE, said his organisation and its political arm, the Labour Party, would not be participating in the referendum as it had been tailored to favour an outcome of remaining with France.

APJS NEWSFILE

Referring to the period preceding the 1988 Matignon accord – the first step in France’s promise of eventual sovereignty for the Kanaks – Wahmetu said that the demographics of Kanaky were significantly altered when the French government encouraged mass migration from mainland France, eroding the Kanak’s voting majority in subsequent referenda.

Although participation in the November 4 voting excludes anyone who came to live in the territory after 1998, Wahmetu argued that the referendum’s credibility had been comprised by those historical events.

“The vote is not sincere, it is not honest, it is not true,” he said.

Sylvain Goldstein of France’s CGT and Leonard Wahmetu of USTKE … New Caledonia’s referendum’s credibility has been compromised by recent historical events. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Discrepancies in the roll
The referendum voting roll has also come under scrutiny, with the USTKE and other pro-independence parties claiming many Kanaks have not been included.

According to an RNZ Pacific report, pro-independence groups feel Kanaks should be automatically included on the roll, but the electoral law states that voters must register to cast a ballot.

Wahemtu argued that the vague and complex administrative process makes registration difficult for Kanaks, many of whom can’t access the documents to prove their eligibility.

According to Australian academic and journalist Dr Lee Duffield, a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre, this lack of familiarity with the Western democratic process may also be a reason why many Kanaks believe the referendum is stacked against them.

“French conservative parties and Caldoche interests are the most at home with persuasive negotiation, lobbying, campaigning and advertising. The Kanak system is more community based and not so at home with modern-day politicking,” he said.

However, he did stress that the French government had made access to the roll very open for Kanaks, citing an instance where a Kanak who had been living abroad for a long time was allowed to enrol.

Despite its stance of non-participation, the USTKE is staunchly pro-independence and has fought emphatically for Kanak workers’ rights since the early 1980s, when it was a key component of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS).

1980s protest action
During that period, anti-colonial sentiment was high among Kanaks, mainly due to France’s harsh policies of military action and assassinations to repress the indépendentiste movement. Violent protest in response was not uncommon.

After the tragic 1988 massacre on Ouvéa Island where 19 FLNKS militants were killed after taking a group of gendarmes (district police) hostage, the French government was forced to seriously consider the Kanaks quest for independence and the negotiation of the Matignon Accord ensued. After having signed it with the FLNKS, the USTKE detached from the FLNKS in respect of the separation of trade unionism and politics.

It continued its campaigning for Kanak workers’ rights alongside the Confederation of Labour (CGT), the largest workers’ union in France.

While the CGT supports the indépendentiste movement, it respects the USTKE’s decision not to participate in the referendum.

CGT’s Asia Pacific director of the international department, Sylvain Goldstein, explained that regardless of the referendum, the aim of the USTKE was not to evict the French, but rather achieve a more inclusive and prosperous society.

“There is not a will to end relations with France, not at all. It’s more to rebalance the rights and consider everything that needs to be considered for a better situation and open up to Pacific neighbours,” Goldstein said.

For the USTKE, a better situation would also include fairer representation and employment for Kanaks, especially in the lucrative nickel mining industry.

Promises eroded
Despite the industry being one of the largest in the world, Kanaks are grossly under-represented; something that Leonard Wahmetu said went against promises laid out in the Matignon Accord.

“There was an agreement that a lot more Kanak people will be trained to have more responsibility. Now only 50 are involved in the mining because they give the training to the people from mainland France,” he said.

Yet even skills and expertise are often not enough to guarantee employment in an industry that Wahmetu claims, is rife with discrimination.

“Even if the young people are well trained they cannot find a job because they are Kanak,” he said.

Environmental protection is another key aim of the USTKE, which would see mining companies and other multinationals held to account for their impact on Kanaky’s natural resources.

According to Sylvain Goldstein, unauthorised expansion by mining companies can imperil the natural environment, leading to conflict with Kanak tribes who have a duty to protect the land.

Protester blockade
This has occurred most recently in the town of Kouaoua, where protesters have blockaded the SLN mining company in an effort to protect endemic oak trees. The mine has since been shut down, reports RNZ.

For Leonard Wahmetu, this kind of activism is exactly what’s needed to exact change in a system where the democratic processes are not fair or impartial.

While the USTKE and the Labour Party will still be working in the political arena for policy changes and fairer electoral rolls, he stresses the importance of strong action.

“Political pressure and protest go together. We can’t just talk in the office, we must protest out in the field,” he said.

“Without this we wouldn’t be heard.”

Michael Andrew is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

New Caledonian trade union representatives visit Auckland University of Technology this week … pictured are (mid-rear) Leonard Wahmetu, general secretary of the mines and metals section of the USTKE union; Sylvain Goldstein (to his left), CGT Asia Pacific director of the international department of France’s CGT, and (far right) NZ’s First Union representative Robert Reid. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Refugees, journalist detention in Nauru ‘overshadow Pacific issues’

Pacific Media Centre — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 01:05:04 +0000

Support was widespread for journalist Barbara Dreaver’s detention at the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru earlier this month. But, reports Maxine Jacobs for Asia Pacific Journalism, some commentators argue journalists should abide by their host nation’s reporting regulations and the Nauru refugee crisis is not as important to Pacific nations as it is to New Zealand and Australia.

While controversy dogged Nauru’s detention of TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver during the Pacific Islands Forum earlier this month, some critics question how the reporting “overshadowed” climate change and other critical Pacific issues.

New Zealand journalists have expressed their outrage against the holding of Dreaver during the summit, but Massey University’s Pasifika director Associate Professor Malakai Koloamatangi says reporting of important issues discussed at the forum was sidelined by attention focused on media freedom.

“Because of what happened to Barbara Dreaver, and the lack of access to refugees, it was kind of a distraction and it detracted from maybe covering the main business at the forum,” he says.

APJS NEWSFILE

Dr Koloamatangi says issues such as climate change, regional security, immigration and trade are significant concerns for the Pacific and the forum.

However, these issues had been overshadowed by Dreaver and Nauru’s refugee camps.

“The refugee issue is probably not as important in the Pacific as it is in New Zealand and Australia, that’s really the reality of the situation.

People here and Australia have a lot of time to be concerned about the refugees in Nauru and Papua New Guinea, but unfortunately for Pacific Islanders themselves there are other pressing issues like poverty and domestic violence, third world diseases and so on that they are probably more concerned about.”

Detained, released and then reinstated TVNZ Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver … Nauru government “displeased” with NZ reporting on the refugee issue. Image: Barbara Dreaver/Twitter

Highly sensitive
Dr Koloamatangi says the refugee issue is a highly sensitive one for Nauru.

He says he does not condone limiting press freedom, but it is a sensitive and complicated issue which needs to be looked at from many points of view.

“All journalists need to be respectful of the laws and regulations of the countries where they work…but on the other hand you have people who have decided that this is the way they’re going to work, regardless of the fact that they will be punished by the law.

“Some of them have been to prison, so it’s a choice.

“Obviously when Barbara decided not to follow the directions given by the Nauruan government she was obviously taking a risk, and with risk come possibilities of penalties and punishment…but it’s what makes her the quality journalist that she is.”

Nauru issued a statement explaining Dreaver’s detention by police, saying her accreditation and access for the Pacific Islands Forum had been revoked due to a breach in visa terms, but was reinstated the next day.

Dreaver said the interview she held with a refugee was outside a restaurant, not inside a camp.

Detained three hours
However during the interview she said she was questioned by police and held at a police station for three hours for breaching her visa.

“I was under the impression, and I know, we were allowed to talk to refugees. I think it probably shows that things are a wee but sensitive here. In fact, a lot sensitive.”

Nauru’s statement said the government expected media to portray the detention of Dreaver as preventing press freedom.

“We have only asked for co-operation from the media in order to preserve public safety, and this is not unreasonable.”

Nauru President Baron Waqa said media attending the forum were not interested issues in the Pacific – only issues for their own nations and they should have had a stronger focus on the forum.

“How many leaders here? But we’re having to deal with these other issues which do not even touch on the concerns of the Pacific and the rest of the leaders. It disappoints us,” he said.

“Don’t tell me about refugees being an issue. How can it be an issue for Tonga, for Kiribati? No, it’s an issue for Australia and for all those refugee advocates out there.”

‘Selling news’
President Waqa said journalists were invited and came to Nauru to report on the forum but chose to report on other issues on the island.

He said the “media are impressing your will on us” and “sell our news”.

However, Radio New Zealand journalist Gia Garrick, who reported on the forum, rejected the President’s statement.

“Sell the stories? For money? Well, being part of [public broadcaster] RNZ I would completely refute that.

“It’s kind of a double standard from the President because on the first day he invited journalists to go and talk to refugees in the community, saying things along the lines of the refugees here live harmoniously, they live in the community, we’re not going to stop access to them, we invite you to talk to them and you’re more than welcome.”

A journalist who attended the forum provided Pacific Media Centre with the guidelines issued to journalists covering the event which states:

“You are only authorised to report on, or take photos or videos of, the PIF (Pacific Islands Forum). Any other subjects must be approved by the RON (Republic of Nauru).”

Mixed messages
Garrick said journalists were sent mixed messages from the get go because guidelines were vague and as the refugee situation was raised at the forum it was not clear what the restrictions were.

“There was no way a set of very vague visa guidelines and a direction from the media person was going to stop us from reporting the story.

“We still covered the forum as we would previous years, but there was also the matter of the refugees, the 900 refugees that they were keeping in detention centres on the island.”

New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT) supported Dreaver after her detention by Nauru police, stating in a release that her detention was unacceptable.

MFAT spokesperson Todd McClay said: “Freedom of the press is a fundamental part of any democracy and journalists must be free to tell important stories.”

Union E Tū, stood by the TVNZ Pacific correspondent, welcoming the support shown by MFAT, while challenging Australia for its alleged role in her detention.

“This is a story of huge public interest to audiences across the world and Barbara did not shy away from tackling it, even though it has always been clear authorities in both Nauru and Australia are not keen on a light being shone on the issue, E Tū said.

“While Barbara was detained by Nauru police, Australia too must take some responsibility for this attack on press freedom.”

Maxine Jacobs is a postgraduate student journalist on the Asia Pacific Journalism Studies course at AUT University.

Nepal’s new legal codes spark medical, media protests and divide nation

Pacific Media Centre — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 00:14:27 +0000

Nepal has recently updated its legal system with new civil and criminal codes. However, writes Rahul Bhattarai of Asia Pacific Report, failure to consult properly with stakeholders has led to protests and a strike by doctors.

Two new legal codes – civil and criminal – have been introduced in Nepal, threatening the medical profession and media industry, and dividing the country over the consequences.

Global and local media freedom groups have condemned the penal code because of limitations imposed on the freedom to provide news and information in the public interest.

Doctors went on strike over the new penal code earlier this month in protest against the criminalising of medical negligence and lodged a petition with more than 6000 signatures to the Nepal Medical Council.

The government has agreed to address the issue and opened negotiations with the Nepal Medical Association.

The Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has protested to the Nepalese authorities about the implications for news organisations, saying the new law constitutes an “unacceptable censorship tool”.

Journalists in Nepal could face up to three years in prison if they publish information deemed to be “confidential” under the new criminal code, says RSF.

Protection of privacy provisions also pose a “serious threat” to journalism.

Showing ‘disrespect’
“Sections 293, 294 and 295 criminalise publishing private information, recording conversations or taking pictures without permission,” says RSF in its review of the law.

“Under article 306.2, showing ‘disrespect’ towards someone either directly or through satire is also punishable by up to three years in prison.”

Critics of the new laws – replacing the general code, nationally known as Muluki Ain – say there was no consultation on the draft provisions before they were enacted.

Two people given the responsibility to draft the two laws were Khil Raj Regmi, a former de facto Prime Minister of Nepal and former Chief Justice Khel Kalyan Shrestha. Neither of them had discussed the the laws with relevant stakeholders before adopting them.

The two codes were implemented on August 17, replacing a 55-year-old law, which was created during the previous Panchyaat Kall self-government political system in the early 1960s.

The two new codes were passed without any formal discussion with stakeholders – journalists, lawyers and medical doctors, this has led to protests from doctors and journalists.

Doctors protest
“Halting medical services, hundreds of doctors — both government and private — participated in a protest march … The protesting doctors, who were joined by retired doctors as well, wore aprons and stethoscopes,” reports The Himalayan Times.

Reporting on the September 2 rally, The Times quoted senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC as saying the new law would directly affect patients rather than doctors.

“Instead of proposing tougher penalties, it will be more prudent to thoroughly investigate negligence on the part of doctors during treatment,” he was quoted as saying.

After the strike, the government agreed to start talks with the Nepal Medical Association.

But there has been some negative feedback from the public arguing that the government should not have come under pressure to change the penal code as it was undermining government credibility.

Nepal’s media industry has boomed since the monarchy’s overthrow a decade ago after a brutal civil war, spawning dozens of newspapers and TV news channels that have played a key role in the transition towards democracy. Image: Prakash Mathema /AFP/RSF

The government has also taken steps to communicate with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and has decided to amend certain legal provisions in the laws to protect the freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

The government had failed to discuss the laws before passing them through Parliament, says Radheshyam Adhikari a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of Nepal.

Stakeholders unconvinced
Also, after passing the codes, the government had failed to convince stakeholders about the new laws.

“In reality [the] penal code has not affected the civil code, although – due to the current government misusing the law by suing people under cyber law – there has been widespread panic within Nepal’s doctor community and the FNJ as well,” says Adhikari.

“Furthermore, the law regarding the press is different and this is a civil law, if we were to choose between the press law and civil law, we will have to choose the press law.

“Press law is the same old law, which clearly states that the journalists shouldn’t be prosecuted for expressing their freedom of speech,” Adhikari says.

“In the press, there is a civil law, that law is not created to target the journalists. Rather, it’s a law to change the relationship among the civilians in order to protect the right to privacy.

However, now there is a new privacy law separate from civilian law.

Government has agreed to the demands of the press and implemented more liberal provisions under the privacy law too, which should “protect the press,” says Adhikari.

‘No need for panic’
“There is no need for much panic over these laws.”

But the major concern in regard for journalists is that when an article is “shared on social media by someone once it is in the public domain, the sharer will be jailed rather than the government questioning the publisher of the content,” says Adhikari

Raju Basnet, editor-in-chief of Khojtalas Weekly and Khojtalasa.com, was arrested on September 10 over alleged cybercrime because of a report exposing an attempt to transfer the ownership of land by Harisiddhi Brick Industries in Lalitpur to a few private individuals.

It was alleged that the transaction of the land had the involvement of the Nepal Communist Party’s (NCP) lawmaker Pampha Bhusal and other leaders in the party, reports Myrepublic.

“I have spoken against this bill in the Parliament, and now the government has taken a high road and the journalist Raju Basnet has been released,” says Adhikari.

“A different person has been jailed for sharing information on social media,” he adds.

The government has taken matters into their own hands and have started prosecuting people.

Misuse of the law
“It is not right for the state to prosecute the individual by using the police force,” he says.

“Should there be an issue of defamation, we can always work under the defamation law. But without evoking the defamation law, going against the constitution is not a right thing,” says Adhikari.

“If there is an issue of defamation and if the subject doesn’t want to take a legal process, there is always an option to express your grievance to the Press Council”, says Adhikari.

“People are not being prosecuted due to the law, however, it is due to the misuse of the law, that has created panic in the country”, says Adhikari.

But Gopal Basnyat, news editor at Radio Nepal, says the new law makes a journalist “reveal their sources,” which is not only a threat to the press but also a threat to whistleblowers.

“We cannot reveal the sources as a journalist, it is our duty to protect them, it is against our press code of conduct,” says Basnyat.

Risk of prosecution
Under the new law, “if we don’t reveal the source, we risk being prosecuted.”

“It does affect free speech. The FNJ has been protesting against this law,” says Basnyat.

Many other journalists who have been protesting against this law, which some describe as more draconian than the Nepali law during the Panchyaat Kall era.

A Practising Advocate at the Supreme Court, Ashish Adhikari, says that the “Act in itself is good but the implication of the Act [by the government] part is questionable”.

He adds: “The first publisher isn’t being convicted but, the person who shares information that is already in the public domain is being charged and prosecuted.”

Rahul Bhattarai is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

Japanese development aid funding splits Pacific unity on key WHO post

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 01:30:42 +0000

The Western Pacific post for the World Health Organisation is a vitally important role for the region. However, reports Sri Krishnamurthi for Asia Pacific Journalism, the earlier unity over a strong Pacific candidate has slipped.

All the headlines at the recent Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru were political so the upcoming nomination for the election next month for the key role of World Health Organisation regional director for the Western Pacific went largely unnoticed.

The Pacific’s endorsement of Colin Tukuitonga, a New Zealander of Niuean descent and proposed by New Zealand, was resounding and support for his nomination from all countries had seemed to be a fait accompli.

He along with three others – Dr Narimah Awin, proposed by Malaysia; Dr Takeshi Kasai, proposed by Japan; Dr Susan Mercado, proposed by the Philippines – were then in the running for the nomination which will take place during the 69th session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines, on October 8-13.

APJS NEWSFILE

“Yes, all health ministers agreed and endorsed me at the WHO Regional Committee Meeting held in Brisbane in October 2017.

“They agreed to have one candidate and five ministers approached me to stand,” Tukuitonga told Asia-Pacific Report.

At the forum in Nauru he learned that the endorsement from the Pacific Island states was not as united as first thought.

“Since then, we are aware that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have expressed public support for the Japanese candidate [Dr Kasai],” he says.

Most of Pacific supportive
“We understand that this is in exchange for Japan paying for developments in country. We also understand that Vanuatu has made the same decision.”

“We understand that all other Pacific nations remain supportive, including New Zealand and Australia as well as other nations.”

The Director-General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community says it is a positive for the role being at the PIF, it provided an opportunity to network with the leaders.

“All regional agencies – the council for regional organisations in the Pacific (CROP) decisions and priorities are influenced by forum leaders decisions. It is also a good opportunity to meet Pacific leaders and others.

“PIF presents a lot of opportunities to meet bilaterally with donors and those that are present. It also a critical forum”.

He does have a view on the 120 children in the detention camps on Nauru and their mental state but does not want to air it publicly.

But he is happy to voice his concerns about the health of Pacific people.

Diabetes, heart disease major problem
“Non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as diabetes and heart disease are the major cause of death and disease,” says the former chief executive of NZ’s Ministry for Pacific Island Affairs.

“NCDs are fuelled by poor diets, low levels of physical activity, high rates of smoking and high prevalence of obesity.

“In some Pacific nations, child health diseases remain high due to lack of clean water and sanitation. All Pacific health systems are fragile and underfunded leading to high preventable deaths and disabilities.

“Continuing high fertility rates putting pressure on government services in all Pacific countries. PNG also has high rates of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria,” says Dr Tukuitonga.

Making matters worse for the people of the Pacific is the very realistic issue of climate change.

“A clear and present danger for all Island nations, threatening lives and livelihoods, we have five of the 15 countries most vulnerable to disasters are in Pacific,’’ he says.

“Climate change causes less dramatic impacts such as ocean acidification, causing coral bleaching and threatening the food chain and it provides 80 percent of the protein source for Pacific communities which come from fish and seafood.

Big deal
“Threats on food security is a big deal for the Pacific. Significant negative health impacts such as spread of mosquito-borne dengue fever and other diseases.

“Climate change aggravates existing problems, so preparedness is key for example, outbreaks post disaster is the result of existing organisms, not new organisms.”

He has worked for WHO before and finds it “challenging” but not a mission impossible.

Sri Krishnamurthi is a journalist and Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies student at Auckland University of Technology. He is attached to the University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme, filing for USP’s Wansolwara News and the AUT Pacific Media Centre’s Asia Pacific Report.

Vanuatu steps up UN bid for West Papua rights, new referendum

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 06:33:17 +0000

West Papua has been sidestepped by both the the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Islands Forum. But, reports James Halpin of Asia Pacific Journalism, Vanuatu is undeterred as leading champion for the West Papuan cause and is pressing for United Nations support.

After the failure of the Pacific Islands Forum to move on the issue of West Papuan self-determination earlier this month, Vanuatu is now taking the issue to the United Nations next week

Vanuatu raised the plight of political prisoners charged with treason at a UN working group of arbitrary detention and involuntary disappearances, reports RNZ.

Ninety three West Papuans have been arrested this month for their involvement in peaceful protests.

APJS NEWSFILE

Simply peacefully raising the Morning Star flag representing an independent West Papua risks 15 years’ imprisonment.

Vanuatu has traditionally been the major supporter for West Papuan self-determination but has recently stepped up his diplomacy with the appointment of Lora Lini, daughter of the late founding prime minister Father Walter Lini, as special envoy for West Papua.

Port Vila wants West Papua to be added to the UN decolonisation list. Netherlands New Guinea had previously been on the UN decolonisation list but was annexed by Indonesia in 1969 in controversial circumstances.

The UN decolonisation list, or officially the United Nations List of Non-Self-Governing Territories, engages member states in charge of those territories to move towards granting self-determination.

Tokelau on list
Currently, Tokelau, which is a dependency of New Zealand, is on the decolonisation list.

Support from the Melanesian Spearhead Group bloc is divided with the Papua New Guinean government declaring this week it would not support Vanuatu, reports the PNG Post-Courier.

The Pacific Islands Forum has failed to bring change for the issue of self-determination and West Papua.

“I can’t say there’s been a huge amount of success,” says Marie Leadbeater, spokesperson of West Papua Action Auckland and author of a recent book See No Evil: New Zealand’s Betrayal of the People of West Papua.

Vanuatu brought a draft resolution for the UN to the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru, reports the Vanuatu Daily Post.

The draft was labelled the “Realisation of the right of Papuan peoples’ self-determination in the former colony of the Netherlands New Guinea (West New Guinea)”.

However, the West Papua issue was not supported by other Pacific nations and was left off the outcomes document of the Forum, reports Asia Pacific Report.

Limited goals
The Forum has been a place to push for limited goals, such as fact-finding when it comes to West Papua.

Leadbeater says New Zealand following Vanuatu’s lead could be a “game changer”, but it is not willing to challenge Indonesian sovereignty.

Similarly, on the recent issue of returning the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius, New Zealand did not support the case to be considered by the International Criminal Court.

Leadbeater is critical of the Ardern government not shifting policy towards West Papua self-determination, “realistically, so far they haven’t.”

At a meeting in Nauru as part of the Forum, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand recognised Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua.

Peters added that New Zealand would follow PNG’s lead as its nearest neighbour, reports the Vanuatu Daily Post.

“I think as a Polynesian, or Melanesian or Pacific concept, the first person I’d be consulting on an issue like that is the nearest neighbour to the issue that might be a problem, namely PNG.”

Support from NZ MPs
However, Leadbeater did identify a large number of NZ government MPs who would support West Papuan self-determination, including all of the Greens and high profile Labour MP Louisa Wall.

Associate Professor Stephen Hoadley of the University of Auckland says that since West Papua’s integration into Indonesia in 1969, the cards have been stacked against them.

“You have to go back to 1963. The UN urged Indonesia to hold an act of free association. Indonesia allegedly manipulated the vote.”

Indonesia claimed that Papuans were not advanced enough to deal with democracy and instituted a meeting of tribal elders.

“They handpicked tribal leaders. This vote was contested by local folk who accused Indonesia of manipulation, bribes, and intimidation.”

After the flawed vote, Indonesia instituted a policy of transmigration into West Papua where Javanese were moved from Java to colonise less populated provinces around Indonesia, including West Papua. This policy was ended by current president Joko Widodo in 2015.

However, discrimination against the indigenous Melanesians had become endemic. For example, the courts were stacked with Javanese judges and Javanese got favourable preference.

Little appetite for criticism
Because of examples such as this, an independence movement sprang up in 1963 called the Free Papua Movement.

In the realm of international relations there was no appetite to criticise Indonesia in the 1960s.

Indonesia was sidelined during the cold war and US mining multinationals hadn’t started drilling in the province yet, says Professor Hoadley.

But, things haven’t changed in the past 50 years.

Dr Hoadley says liberal Western countries such as the Australia, New Zealand, United States, and the United Kingdom are status quo powers.

“If you redraw one boundary, then all boundaries are up for change. Better to leave things as they are.”

A consensus among Western nations is that Indonesia has “things under control” and their transgressions against human rights in West Papua are not bad enough to consider attention, claims Dr Hoadley.

Success story
After the end of the Suharto regime in 1999, Indonesia was seen as a success story; a Muslim country that has adopted political parties, elections, and freedom of the press.

“The US thinking is that they’re on a good track and we shouldn’t criticise them too much,” he says.

Ominously, nothing has come of the Rohingya genocide and there is no foreseeable future for West Papuan self-determination unless outside international influence or domestic upheaval forces Indonesia to start the process of decolonising.

James Halpin is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

West Papuan flag-raising at an undisclosed location. Image: Wenslaus OPM/FB

Compulsory Te Reo Māori debate fails to address key problems, say critics

Pacific Media Centre — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 06:03:32 +0000

Māori language week was celebrated last week and the key issue in the media was a debate on whether Te Reo Māori should be made compulsory in New Zealand schools. Mike Mohr of Asia Pacific Journalism reports.

Amid the debate over the issue of compulsory Te Reo Māori lessons in New Zealand schools that intensified last week, many arguments and opinions for and against were voiced.

Many New Zealanders support the idea of te reo being introduced more widely into schools, with overwhelming media coverage in support for compulsory Te Reo be implemented into the New Zealand core school curriculum by 2025.

But the question that has not yet been answered is whether it is possible or realistic, and the views of some who do not agree with the notion of compulsion have not yet been fully voiced.

Nauru media ban on ABC targets Australian detention centre gag

Pacific Media Centre — Sun, 12 Aug 2018 03:21:42 +0000

There has been much wringing of hands over Nauru’s ban on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for next month’s Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ summit. But, reports Sri Krishnamurthi of Asia Pacific Journalism, even more perplexing is Canberra’s relative silence.

The elephant in the room about the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ban that has people tip-toeing through the frangipani and whispering in hushed tones is the Canberra’s asylum seeker detention centre in the small Pacific state of Nauru.

Nauru is the host of the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ summit on September 3-6 and the ban on the ABC has been widely condemned by media freedom groups, including the Pacific Media Centre.

The Nauru detention centre has become a significant part of Nauru’s economy since 2001, and in the wake of the strip mining of phosphate (guano) which left it bereft of resources and finances.

“Nauru’s Australian-managed detention camp is a disgrace, just as the one on Manus island was (now closed). It shows the profound hypocrisy of both Australian and Nauruan authorities,” says Daniel Bastard, head of the Asia-Pacific Desk for Reporters with Borders (RSF).

“Canberra outsources its absurd anti-immigration policy and washes its dirty hands in paying huge amounts of money to Yaren which, in exchange, accepts to carry on human rights violations.

“For sure, Nauruan authorities don’t want journalists to investigate this issue, to report on the living or surviving conditions of the refugees and to interview the numerous men, women and children arbitrarily detained in the camp,” he told Asia Pacific Report.

“And the Australian government doesn’t want this hypocrisy to be exposed either, since Canberra is responsible for this matter.”

No illusion
Veteran New Zealand journalist Michael Field, who has covered the Pacific for three decades, is under no illusion why Nauru has banned the ABC and imposed restrictions on the accredited media that will be covering the Forum.

“It is hardly surprising given the way Nauru has been turned into an Australian concentration camp – Nauru and Australian authorities are desperate to avoid an independent view of it all,” says Field.

“Australia has treated Nauru as a colony long after independence. But the current Nauru government is strongly opinionated and has a deep sense of its own point of view.”

Associate Professor Joseph Fernandez, a media law specialist and academic at Curtin University, Western Australia, and an RSF correspondent, believes Canberra should use its influence to get Nauru to back down on its ban.

“This kind of attitude from governments towards the media should be checked and it should be done convincingly. After all, Australia does provide financial aid to Nauru,” Dr Fernandez says.

“It should use this as a leverage to ensure such governments do not behave in an unacceptable way especially when Australian interests are at stake.

“The Australian public are entitled to not have a representative from their public broadcaster denied permission to cover the event only on the grounds that the host government is not happy with the broadcaster’s previous coverage.”

Not surprised
He is not surprised by Canberra treading warily around the issue.

“It is disappointing that the Australian government has not been more active in opposing this ban, but it isn’t surprising because our leaders tend to take a ‘softly, softly’ approach,” Dr Fernandez says.

He does think that Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull should be a bit more vocal on ABC’s banning from a free media point-of-view, than washing its hands of the affair and claiming Nauru has “sovereign” rights.

“Yes, of course. Even though Nauru may be right to say that it should have the final say about who it grants an entry visa to, in the present case the grounds for such refusal are very flimsy and an affront to the notion of a free press,” says Dr Fernandez.

The ABC more than any other media organisation in the Pacific has arguably covered Nauru better than the rest, and by doing so has got under the thin veneer of democracy of Baron Waqa’s presidency.

“The ABC has a history of investigation in Nauru. In 2015, it investigated a bribery scandal of President Waqa by an Australian phosphate dealer,” RSF’s Bastard says.

Michael Field says: “I guess it is simply because the ABC has covered Nauru more than other news outlets.”

‘Fearless reporting’
Dr Fernandez explains: “The ABC is well regarded for its fearless reporting, not just in Australia but also on other countries.

“The ABC coverage of Nauru has been quite critical in the past and this is not something countries with less established democracies are comfortable with.

“Those in power sometimes allow that power to go to their heads. If the Nauruan government has a complaint about specific ABC reporting it should use the proper channels to take these complaints forward.

“The ABC has one of the most elaborate complaints mechanisms in the country. That aside, if something is legally actionable they should take action through the courts. After all, governments and their leaders are better placed to seek redress through the courts.”

Bastard bluntly states that the Nauruan government is authoritarian in its outlook.

“Nauruan authorities don’t have a strong history of promoting freedom to inform, especially since 2013. What with the US$8000 fee to apply for a visa (waived for the Forum), with no guarantee of approval, the blocking of Facebook for almost three years, increasing cases of blatant censorship on domestic media in the recent years…

“There is nothing to gain in acting like this if you want to build a long-term democracy. But if the current government wants to remain in power…?”

To boycott or not?
The news media appears divided on the proposed boycott of the Forum, as threatened by the Australian Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery president David Crowe last month.

Bastard agrees with the boycott: “Yes, absolutely,” he says.

“Media and journalists have to show solidarity with their colleagues. If a government doesn’t want to abide by democratic rules in letting the press do its work freely, then the press as a whole doesn’t have to abide by authoritarian decisions.”

But, says Field: “Journalists should report the news – not boycott it…. And if there are handicaps in that reporting, then tell the readers. Not run off into the corner and have a cry.”

News Corp in Australia has already rejected the boycott, and while the New Zealand Press Gallery sympathises with its Australian counterparts it will not be boycotting the Forum.

“We share the concerns expressed by our Australian counterparts in the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery about the Nauru Government’s decision to ban the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from the Pacific Islands Forum,” says Stacey Kirk, chair of the NZ Parliamentary Press Gallery.

“There is no intention for the NZ Parliamentary Press Gallery to boycott the forum at this stage,” she told Asia Pacific Report.”

With only a matter of weeks to the Forum there is water to run under the bridge yet.

Sri Krishnamurthi is a journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Digital Media) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

Torokina – a cryptocurrency with a dream to ‘rescue’ Papua New Guinea

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 11:24:26 +0000

Cryptocurrencies are a controversial phenomenon that have risen from a technical experiment, with zero monetary value, to an industry with a combined market capitalisation of US$225 billion – after shedding more than $30 billion this week. Their future is uncertain, with analysts ranging from enthusiasts to sceptics, but James Halpin of Asia Pacific Journalism profiles a bold scheme for Papua New Guinea.

Cryptocurrencies give developing nations the ability to bring payment systems to people in remote locations, bypassing commercial banks. Torokina, a cryptocurrency in development out of Papua New Guinea, will do just that, says creator David Eri.

Eri, an employee at Oilsearch Limited, is in the process of securing funding to launch Torokina.

After attending the Kumul Game Changers incubator, which brought together startups from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, and learning how to start a start-up with little to no capital, Eri was selected out of that cohort.

Sponsored by Oilsearch Limited to attend Draper University through its Citizen Development Programme, which aims to give high-performing Papua New Guinean citizens pathways into leadership roles within the company, Eri was able to present Torokina to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

He says he received positive feedback.

“I got excellent feedback and have a ways to proceed so I have been working on my project since then,” he says.

Now back in Papua New Guinea, Eri faces the daunting challenge of getting his dream off the ground.

Kina weakness
One of the big issues Eri wants to solve is the weakness in the kina’s value overseas.

“When Papua New Guineans take K1000 overseas they usually get US$250 or A$350. Our kina loses 75 percent of its value as soon as it leaves our shores.”

One way to ensure the stability and attractiveness of Torokina is to take advantage of Papua New Guinean’s natural endowment and peg Torokina to the price of gold.

“One thing we are abundantly blessed with is our natural resources, particularly gold. PNG accounts for 0.7 percent of the world’s gold. Relatively minor but this adds up to US$2.1 billion extracted a year,” he says.

“The aim of Torokina was to combine our natural resources and combine it with current technology to create a gold backed cryptocurrency that performs on par with major currencies like the USD, AUD, JPY, GBP etc in trade and commerce.

“And by pegging the cryptocurrency with a valuable commodity hedges the volatility of the cryptomarket.”

A gold-backed cryptocurrency would work by x amount of the cyrptocurrency representing one unit of gold. If the cryptocurrency increases in price, then more currency is needed to buy the same amount of gold. If the cryptocurrency doesn’t increase in value, then it is unlikely to go below the price of gold.

Gold buying reserves
However, backing the cryptocurrency to gold does force Torokina into actually having to buy or have reserves to buy the gold, forcing purchasers to put their faith in Torokina’s ability to be able to survive a run on selling Torokina.

Gold-backed cryptocurrency has precedents though, and has been done before with the cryptocurrency E-gold emerging as the forerunner in 1995.

Remittances are a minor part of PNG’s GDP at just under US$3million, according to the World Bank. One reason for this is the 10 percent fee that the government takes from remittances.

Using blockchain technology, Torokina would be able to remove the fee barrier for Papua New Guinean nationals sending money back to PNG. This would also remove the remittance firm’s cut and increase income received by families in PNG, of which 75 percent live on subsistence.

Cryptocurrencies give criminals another avenue with which they can move money. However, because of the blockchain they are completely anonymous.

Eri recognises this negative view of a cryptocurrency in a developing country that is prone to money laundering.

Cryptocurrency dangers
A 2014 US Department of Homeland Security report outlined the dangers of cryptocurrencies.

“Cryptocurrencies offer cyber-criminals, corrupt officials, transnational criminal organisations, and foreign terrorist organisations the ability to conduct pseudonymous financial transactions outside of traditional banking channels.”

The report adds that cryptocurrency can be used for “laundering money, fraudulently investing, and buying prohibited goods and services on the Deep Web”.

Torokina’s way of solving this issue would be to have large scale buyers being forced into signing up onto a secure database. While this would limit large scale crime, small transactions would still go unnoticed.

Bank of PNG cautious
The Central Bank of Papua New Guinea is cautious about cryptocurrencies and recently released an advertisement to warn people of investing in them.

Authorised by the Governor, Loi M. Bakani, the advertisement states that cryptocurrencies do not hold any legal standing as they are not regulated by the bank.

The Central Bank has also been looking into blockchain as a technology platform. At a conference in 2017 it was announced the central bank was setting up a PNG Digital Commerce and Cryptocurrency Association.

“This will allow PNG to join the global blockchain forum… there is no reason why PNG can’t be a leader for emerging markets,” Bakani said.

Currently 85 percent of Papua New Guineans live outside the conventional banking system, being able to access cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology would allow remote Papua New Guineans to catapult over having to deal with commercial banks.

Without having to pay fees for commercial banks, remote Papua New Guineans would be more willing to keep their savings as currency rather than as material items, building wealth.

Eri recognises these hurdles to solve before the launch of Torokina.

“It’s an idealistic dream but one I intend on seeing through,” he says.

“Whether it succeeds or fails will be dependent on factors I have looked at and hopefully took into careful consideration and mitigating the risks as best I can.”

James Halpin is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

New Caledonian independence ‘in their hearts’, but also a ‘scary’ future

Pacific Media Centre — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 08:59:44 +0000

Kanaks and long-time New Caledonian settlers get to vote on their future on November 4. But, as Michael Andrew of Asia Pacific Journalism points out, if Kanaks don’t get their wish for independence this time around, they have two more chances in 2020 and 2023 to vote for a new nation.

In Noumea, two main flags fly outside the Territorial Congress building of New Caledonia: the national Tricolore of France and the flag of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, or FLNKS.

With the long-awaited independence referendum set for just three months away – on November 4 – New Caledonia will have an opportunity to move into the future with the Kanak flag flying solo.

In keeping with the 1998 Noumea accord, the upcoming referendum is part of France’s promise to restore political power to the original, indigenous population – the Kanaks. If the result is no for independence, there will be an opportunity to vote again in 2020 and 2023.

If the result is yes, the French territory will become a new Pacific country.

According to local woman Delphine Afchain, however, the consequences of such an outcome are causing concern and doubt in some sections of the community.

“The people don’t know what will happen,” she says. “The politicians haven’t exposed to us what will happen if we get independence. It’s a bit blurry to us.”

Afchain lives in Kone, the provincial seat of the Northern Province of the main island, Grande Terre. Since the 1980s, the north, along with the Loyalty Islands has been administered with relative autonomy by the Kanaks, who elect representatives to the Territorial Congress.

Kanak pride, identity
Although Kanak pride and identity is widespread throughout the province, Afchain says many people have grown accustomed to the perks of French influence.

“Our young people are going to university in France to do studies. And they come back here to get jobs. That’s the normal way,” she says.

French education is one of several benefits granted Kanaks since the signing of the Noumea accord, and its predecessor, the Matignon accord, in 1988. Under those agreements – established to reduce historical unrest and division – Kanaks have been granted full French citizenship, special land rights, custom identity and access to healthcare and infrastructure in the wealthiest island state in the Pacific.

If the vote for independence succeeds, critics fear some of those those benefits will be swept away.

Yet some Kanaks believe this is a necessary cost if it means they can have their own country. For these indépendantistes, too much has been sacrificed to falter so close to their goal.

Jaimie Waimo is a Kanak journalist who works for the territorial television channel Caledonia. He explains that although he doesn’t know exactly what will happen if independence is achieved, he will still vote “yes” to honour the historical struggles of his people.

“As a Kanak person, I have the duty to follow what has been fought for in the past,” he says through a translator. “My choice is there to mark the respect to the dead Kanaks who fought for it.”

Hienghene massacre
The grievous deaths of independence campaigners in the 1980s remain a powerful reminder of the true cost of the campaign; in 1984, 10 unarmed Kanak militants were slaughtered by a group of white and mixed-race settlers, or Caldoches, in a premeditated ambush known as the Hienghene massacre.

A few years later, 19 Kanaks were slaughtered on Ouvéa Island after an offensive by the French military to free captured gendarme hostages.

Political leaders have even been assassinated; Jean-Marie Tjibaou, then leader of FLNKS, and his deputy Yeiwene Yeiwene were gunned down in 1989 not long after negotiating the Matignon Accord.

Another Northern resident, Sylvie Brier, likens the conflict during that period to civil war. However, she says much of it was necessary to enact the changes that came with the Matignon and Noumea accords.

“Since the Matignon-Oudinot agreement, there has been the creation of a training plan with funds for improving skills of the Kanak community in many sectors – public administration, business management, and teaching,” says Brier.

Working for a Northern-based economic development organisation, she is neither pro nor anti-independence. She belongs to a third group who are in favour of independence but believe the move would be economically unwise at this time.

“I think we don’t have enough information about the days after the referendum.”

Crucial role
Economics plays a crucial role in the independence debate; New Caledonia is one of the five biggest producers of nickel in the world. Currently, five mines operate throughout the territory with the total output accounting for more than 80 percent of all export commodities and almost 10 percent of the GDP.

A “yes” vote for Kanaky poster. Image: Kanaky Online

While pro-independence parties would like to use such wealth for the new country’s benefit, some Kanaks are wary about doing this without the technology, investment and expertise provided by France.

The loss of French financial support in general concerns all parties involved in the independence debate.

For fourth generation Caldoches Stephane Nea and Cheryl Young, this is the main reason they will be voting “no”. They say that although they don’t have much allegiance to France and are proud to be from New Caledonia, the ramifications of independence are too unpredictable.

“No one has told us how they will replace the money France gives every year,” they say through a translator.

“We’re scared of the future.”

This uncertainty is reflected in the latest opinion polls. Conducted in late April through I-Scope, the results show a “no” vote is likely with 22.5 percent for independence against 59.7 percent opposed and 17.8 percent undecided.

Peace outcome
However, according to academic and journalist Dr Lee Duffield, a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre and who visited New Caledonia last month, this result will not silence many indépendantistes.

“If it’s no, it’s the peaceful outcome of continuity but it doesn’t solve the problem of the Kanak spiritual feeling,” he says.

“They haven’t got their own country. They can’t take an equal place in the Melanesian world as a free sovereign state.

“Also they’re very dissatisfied that they’re poorer than the French.”

With another referendum set for 2020 and many of these issues unlikely to be resolved by then, the quest for a sovereign country under one flag is certain to go on.

“They’ve got that burning fire,” says Dr Duffield.

“It’s in the hearts and in the passion.”

Michael Andrew is a student journalist on the Postgraduate Diploma in Communication Studies (Journalism) reporting on the Asia-Pacific Journalism course at AUT University.

New Caledonia’s referendum vote – what you need to know