A New Zealand politician and human rights activist with a strong connection to Tonga’s Democracy movement and other Pacific activism has been farewelled after dying last week aged 80.

Keith Locke served as a former Green MP from 1999 to 2011.

While in Parliament, he was a notable critic of New Zealand’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan and the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002, and advocated for refugee rights.

• READ MORE: Other obituaries, reports on Keith Locke

He was appointed a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to human rights advocacy in 2021, received NZ Amnesty International’s Human Rights Defender award in 2012, and the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand’s Harmony Award in 2013.

Locke was often a voice for the Pacific in the New Zealand Parliament.

In 2000, he spoke out on the plight of overstayers who were facing deportation under the National Party government.

As the Green Party’s then immigration spokesperson, he supported calls for a review of the overstayer legislation.

Links to Pohiva
“We are a Polynesian nation, and we increasingly celebrate the Samoan and Tongan part of our national identity,” Locke said at the time.

“How can we claim as our own the Jonah Lomus and Beatrice Faumuinas while we are prepared to toss their relations out of the country at a moment’s notice?”

Locke had links to Tonga through his relationship with Democracy campaigner and later Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who died in 2019.

Locke defended Pohiva in 1996 when he was a spokesperson for the Alliance Party. He said he was horrified that Pohiva and two colleagues had been jailed for comments in their pro-democracy newspaper Kele’a.

He criticised the New Zealand government for keeping silent about what he described as a “gross abuse of human rights.”

In 2004, Locke called on the New Zealand government to speak out about what he called the suppression of the press in Tonga.

Locke, who was then the Greens foreign affairs spokesman, said several publications had been denied licences, including an offshoot of the New Zealand-produced Taimi ‘o Tonga newspaper.

Vale #KeithLocke, tireless and fearless campaigner for peace, justice and a sustainable future for a green planet … I’ll also remember him for friendship and commitment to independent truth publishing and OneWorld progressive bookshop. – @DavidRobie, editor, #AsiaPacificReport pic.twitter.com/SC0obJzfOA

— David Robie (@DavidRobie) June 21, 2024

Tribute by Asia Pacific Report editor David Robie.

‘Speak out as Pacific neighbour’
“We owe it to the Tongan people to support them in their hour of need.  We should speak out as a Pacific neighbour,” he said.

In 2007, ‘Akilisi was again charged with sedition, along with four other pro-democracy MPs, for allegedly being responsible for the rioting that took place following a mass pro-democracy march in Nuku’alofa.

“As the Greens’ foreign affairs spokesperson I went up to Tonga to support ‘Akilisi and his colleagues fight these trumped-up charges. I was shocked to find that the New Zealand government was going along with these sedition charges against five sitting MPs,” Locke said in an interview.

“I was in Tonga not long before the 2010 elections with a cross-party group of New Zealand MPs. We were helping Tongan candidates understand the intricacies of a parliamentary system.

“At the time I remember ‘Akilisi being worried that the block of nine ‘noble’ MPs could frustrate the desires of what were to be 17 directly-elected MPs. And so it turned out.

“Despite winning 12 of the popularly-elected 17 seats in 2010, the pro-democracy MPs were outvoted 14 to 12 when the votes of the nine nobles MPs were put into the equation.

“However, in the two subsequent elections (2014 and 2017) the Democrats predominated and ‘Akilisi took over as Prime Minister. I am not qualified to judge his record on domestic issues, except to say it couldn’t have been an easy job because of the fractious nature of Tongan politics.

“And ‘Akilisi has been in poor health.

‘Admirable stand’
“As Prime Minister he took an admirable stand on some important international issues, such as climate change. At the Pacific Island Forum he criticised those countries which stayed silent on the plight of the West Papuans.”

Locke said that Tonga may not yet be fully democratic, but that great progress had been made under Pohiva’s “humble and self-sacrificing leadership.”

Keith Locke was also an outspoken advocate for democracy and independence causes in Fiji, Kanaky New Caledonia, Palestine, Philippines, Tahiti, Tibet, Timor-Leste and West Papua and in many other countries.

His remembrance service was held with whānau and supporters at a packed Mount Eden War memorial Hall on Tuesday.

Dr Philip Cass is an editorial adviser for Kaniva Tonga. Republished as a collaboration between KT and Asia Pacific Report.

Pacific media associates have paid tribute to the late Tongan Prime Minster ‘Akilisi Pohiva, who died in New Zealand earlier this week.

An enduring symbol of democracy in Tonga and the Pacific, Pohiva died at Auckland hospital after a long struggle with various health problems.

“He fought for many years for real change in the Pacific’s only kingdom against at many times daunting odds from the establishment,” said Pacific Media Centre director Professor David Robie.

WATCH: Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s history on Tagata Pasifika

“But he persevered and eventually opened the door to fundamental changes a decade ago.

Dr Robie said the former school teacher faced a new set of challenges as Prime Minister.

“While he found being in office as Prime Minister more complex and conflicted, he had an impassioned vision for such critical and existential Pacific issues such as climate change and self-determination for West Papua.”

Pohiva spoke passionately on both topics at the last Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, delivering unprecedented emotional pleas to his fellow Pacific leaders to act on climate change and condemn Indonesia for its treatment of West Papua.

Friend and former editor of Taimi ‘o Tonga Kalafi Moala said his death would not have surprised many Tongans due to the long deterioration of Pohiva’s health in recent years.

“He was not a healthy man. In recent years, prostate problems, and more recently diagnosed with liver cancer.”

Nevertheless, Moala said he was saddened by the loss of a friend despite the political differences between the two over their three-decade relationship.

“[He was] very intense, and treated most things, especially political issues as ‘life and death’.”

“Because of his focused and intensive nature, he tended to be feisty at times. He liked being viewed that he was leading a revolution.”

Pohiva and Moala along with Filokalafi Akau’ola were jailed for contempt of parliament in 1996, after Moala published in Taimi ‘o Tonga details of parliamentary proceedings that Pohiva had leaked.

Their 26-day incarceration prompted Dr Robie and journalist Peter Cronau to cover the story intensely in order to raise awareness and have the “Tongan three” released from prison.

This saga was the genesis of the Pacific Media Watch project and its role as “watchdog” to support regional journalists facing adversity.

After his release, Pohiva continued campaigning for democracy, clashing with the government and monarchy before becoming the first democratically-elected Prime Minister in the country’s second democratically-elected parliament.

Moala said that despite Pohiva’s later years as Prime Minister, when he was unable to produce the things he had promised in his campaigns, his years of fighting the monarchy for the rights of Tongan people will stand out.

“People will remember him as the best opposition leader ever in Tonga, and he helped shape Tongan politics, and helped bring about the 2010 [constitutional] reforms, in partnership with King George V,” he said.

The government of Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has planned an audience with the King of Tonga after a New Zealand legal expert advised that the king had no right to judge the merits of legislation passed by Parliament.

A government spokesperson said the plan was made after cabinet accepted the New Zealand lawyer Dr Rodney Harrison’s recommendations.

Pōhiva told Kaniva News in a recent interview that six Amendment Bills were submitted by the Tu’ivakanō government in 2014 and were passed by Parliament.

However, when submitted to King Tupou VI in Privy Council for his approval and signature he rejected the new laws.

These amendments included Acts of Constitution of Tonga (Amendment Bill) 2014, Judicial and Legal Service Commission 2014, Tonga Police (Amendement Bill) 2014, National Spatial Planning and Management (Amendment Bill) 2014, Magistrate Court Amendment Bill 2014 and Public Service Amendement Bill 2014.

Pōhiva said the Amendment Bills 2014 were submitted by the Tu’ivakanō government after the constitution was reviewed by a Commonwealth constitutional law expert, Peter Pursglove.

As Kaniva News reported, Pursglove said that Tonga’s 2010 constitution did not uphold democracy, the Privy Council lacked any democratic composition or accountability and the judiciary lacked accountability and transparency.

Amendment bills left
Pōhiva said when his government came to power in November 2014, the Tu’ivakanō government had left these amendement bills for them to complete working on them.

He said they pursued some of these bills, including some that concerned the assignment of the Attorney-General to the Privy Council, which Pursgrlove said was unconstitutional.

In a response to a request by the Prime Minister’s office for an opinion on the legality of the Royal Assent Order 2011, Dr Harrison said it appeared there was a misconception that the king had the “power to grant or refuse the Royal Assent conferred by Clause 56 of the Constitution”.

Dr Harrison recommended that the government try to get the king to alter his views on his powers by “reasoned persuasion”. Seeking a judicial ruling is also an option.

The government spokesperon said the Prime Minister wanted to talk to the king first as he wanted to make sure the constitution was correctly interpreted and followed through.

He said the Prime Minister believed the king would consider Dr Harrison’s advice favourably.

Vetoed by king
Minister of Justice Vuna Fa’otusia said many of the amendments to laws and the constitution passed by Parliament were vetoed by the king because of the Judicial Committee.

The Judicial Committee was comprised of some law lords and was chaired by Lord Dalgety of Scotland. The minister said if the committee did not agree with laws and amendments to the constitutions which were already passed by the Parliament the king would reject those laws.

Dr Harrison said the Law Lords played no specific constitutional role and they did not have any constitutional function or role as scrutineers of legislation or the legislative process.

Royal Assent 2011:
56 Power of Legislative Assembly

The King and the Legislative Assembly shall have power to enact laws, and the
representatives of the nobles and the representatives of the people shall sit as one
House. When the Legislative Assembly shall have agreed upon any Bill which has
been read and voted for by a majority three times it shall be presented to the King
for his sanction and after receiving his sanction and signature it shall become law
upon publication. Votes shall be given by raising the hand or by standing up in
division or by saying “Aye” or “No”

This article is republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

Tonga’s Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva disagrees with a decision by his Minister of Education to ban girls from Tonga High School boxing or playing rugby.

He said the decision was not in line with his government’s policy.

“It is the government’s responsibility to provide opportunities for all the students to participate in all sports,” the Prime Minister said.

“It is for the individual students and their parents to decide whether or not they should participate in a particular sport like rugby and boxing.”

Education Minister Penisimani Fifita and his education authority had imposed the ban.

Meanwhile, a former Catholic principal said that if Catholic schools agreed with the Ministry’s decision it would be “a disgrace” for the church.

Fr ‘Aisake Vaisima, who was principal of ‘Apifo’ou College before he left Tonga for Fiji for a new role in January, told Kaniva News the Catholic church’s education authority had not banned its school girls from taking part in boxing and rugby.

The comments came after a controversial letter from the Ministry of Education and Training was leaked to news media, sparking an outrage that polarised international news as far away as New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Majority not affected
It is understood the ban does not affect the majority of school girls in Tonga, especially at the church and private schools which are attended by 90 percent of all students in the kingdom.

In the letter, an education authority told the principal of Tonga High School, a government-sponsored institute, that a decision had been made by the Director of Education to ban its girls from participating in rugby and boxing.

The letter, which was written in Tongan, was dated March 15.

It Tongan it said:

“Ko hono ‘uhinga he ‘oku fepaki ia mo ‘etau ‘ulungaanga fakafonua ki hono tauhi ke molumalu ‘a ha’a fafine, ‘o taau mo e tala tukufakaholo na’e fatu’aki ‘a e fakava’e na’e fakatoka talu pea mei ono’aho ‘o kehe ai ‘a Tonga pea mei ha toe fonua ‘i he Pasifiki pea mo mamani.”

This translates into English as: “The reason is because it is against our culture to keep women dignified so it still upholds the tradition of which its basis had been set out since the olden days making Tonga exceptional in the Pacific and the world.”

Prime Minister Pohiva, said the letter from the Ministry of Education and Training to Tonga High School “purporting to ban girls from participating in rugby and boxing is not Tongan Government policy,” his office said in a statement this afternoon.

“Sports is good for the health and the wellbeing of the people and this government, like previous governments, actively encourages the participation of every Tongan student in all sports without discrimination.”

International reaction
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed her disapproval over the ban.

Ardern said New Zealand’s aid support for sports in Tonga would not be threatened, but she disagreed with the directive.

“As a school student I played touch rugby and I would encourage all young women to engage in whatever sporting code they are interested in,” Ardern said.

“We provide funding via MFAT to Tonga to encourage children’s participation in sports. A young woman will still be able to do that through their villages, even if this dictate is made by these schools.”

The New Zealand-funded Sports for Health Rugby Programme was launched at Kolomotu’a Community Rugby Field in February.

Known as Quick Rip, it was intended to focus on girls and boys aged 13 – 18 years of age.

New Zealand provided NZ$4 million to support efforts in four Pacific countries, including Tonga, to reduce the rate of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific.

Some people on Facebook supported the ministry’s move and said rugby and boxing were sports for men only and Tongan girls should not take part in them.

Kaniva News has a sharing arrangement with Asia Pacific Report.

• More Tongan news

Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva told his supporters that if he had really wanted to take away people’s land and the royal powers he would have made himself Minister of Defence and Minister of Land at the last election.

Pōhiva made the revelation on Tuesday night when he spoke in front of hundreds of his Tongatapu 1 constituents at the Uaiselē Hall at Sipu Road in Kolomotu’a before Thursday’s snap general election, which boosted the Democrats with a landslide win.

He was rejecting claims by his political opponents that he had a secret agenda to take away people’s rights to their land and give it to the nobles.

Kaniva News was unable to publish anything on his speech immediately because of Tonga’s electoral law which prohibited the publication of any material that could promote a candidate within 24 hours of Thursday’s election.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said he struggled in 2014 to choose a minister for the Ministry of Land and His Majesty’s Armed Forces.

Pōhiva, who was re-elected to Parliament in Thursday’s election, said he lay down at home at night and “thought deeply” about the problem.

‘Fragile’ future
He said he knew how “very fragile” the future of land and the defence services seemed in some people’s minds, especially the nobility and the royals while he – a man who had called for significant changes to the status quo in the past 30 years – was leading the country.

He finally made up his mind to appoint Lord Ma’afu from the nobility to the posts.

He thought the noble’s appointment could show the nation his ambition to bring about reforms that could bring more stability to Tonga.

He said politicians who campaigned against him during the snap election misled the people by telling them he was trying to unnecessarily remove the king’s power.

“That was not right,” Pōhiva said.

Protecting His Majesty
Pōhiva, whose critics accused him of wanting to “become king”, said he understood the way he wanted to protect the king put him and his government in a delicate situation.

The Prime Minister was referring to submissions from Cabinet to amend the constitution, including a proposal to reinstate the former Privy Council structure in which the king met with cabinet ministers in Privy Council.

The move was described by the Minister of Justice Vuna Fā’otusia as an attempt to make sure the king was directly informed first hand about government matters by the ministers because they were the ones who did government’s administration work.

Fā’otusia said the current structure was not secure because the Privy Council was filled with people who were not elected by the people and were not accountable to the public.

Pōhiva explained that amending the law would benefit the king and the people, but unfortunately his critics had twisted and demonised their intentions.

‘Dirty politics’
He described it as “dirty politics” and thanked his followers for helping defeat his rivals in the three decades he had been involved in Tongan politics.

Tuesday night’s meeting was repeatedly interrupted by applause and yells of support from the audience.

As Kaniva News reported on Friday, Pōhiva and his Democratic Party won 14 parliamentary seats which enabled them to form the next government without needing the help of the nobility or the independents.

It is understood Pōhiva and his cabinet were due to meet this weekend, although the line-up of the cabinet has not been announced yet.

Asia Pacific Report republishes Kaniva News stories with permission.

Tonga’s Democrats have won 14 seats today in the snap election in the only Pacific kingdom, giving them enough seats in Parliament to form the next government without needing the support of independents.

Kaniva News editor Kalino Latu, who is covering the elections from Tonga, reports that
supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki confirmed a moment ago that the Democrats had added
five more seats to their tally.

Vuki said the Democrats had won two seats in Ha’apai, two in Vava’u and one in Niua.

The Democrat Party had already won a landslide victory in Tongatapu in today’s elections.

The only seat they lost is Tongatapu 3, which was won by former Deputy Prime Minister
Siaosi Sovaleni who was re-elected as an independent.

The 17 People’s Representatives:
Tongatapu 1 – ‘Akilisi Pohiva

Tongatapu 2 – Semisi Lafu Sika

Tongatapu 3 – Siaosi Sovaleni (Independent MP)

Tongatapu 4 – Mateni Tapueluelu

Tongatapu 5 – Losaline Ma’asi

Tongatapu 6 – Poasi Tei

Tongatapu 7 – Sione Vuna Fa’otusia

Tongatapu 8 – Semisi Fakahau

Tongatapu 9 – Penisimani Fakahau

Tongatapu 10 – Pohvia Tu’i’onetoa

‘Eua 11 – Tevita Lavumaau (Independent)

Ha’apai 12 – Mo’ale Finau

Ha’apai 13 – Veivosa Taka

Vava’u 14 – Dr Saia Piukala

Vava’u 15 – Samiu Vaipulu (Independent)

Vava’u 16 – Akosita Lavulavu

Niua 17 – Vavatau Hui

Huge support for Pohiva
There has been huge personal support for Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Pohiva won in spite of being challenged by 10 candidates.

A total of 86 candidates stood today, including 15 women, for 17 open seats.

About 146 police officers were assigned to polling stations.

As Kaniva News reported earlier today, all but two of the Noble’s Representatives in Tonga’s Parliament have been re-elected.

Lord Vaha’i took the third Tongatapu seat coin toss after winning a coin toss with Lord Vaea.

Massey University director of Pasifika Dr Malakai Koloamatangi told Radio New Zealand the
importance of the vote could not be overstated.

“The first election was okay, 2010, it was testing the waters and so forth. 2014 was to see whether the mechanisms and machinery was in place,” he said.

“But this election, I think more than the others, even before 2010, will be the real litmus.”

Media academic Dr Philip Cass is a Kaniva News adviser and research associate of the Pacific Media Centre.

• Full results at Matangi Tonga Online
• Other Tongan stories

A coin toss was used to decide whether Lord Vaea or Lord Vaha’i today won the third seat of members of the nobility to Parliament in the kingdom of Tonga’s snap election.

Lord Vaha’i won the seat in provisional early results.

Meanwhile, Losaline Ma’asi of the Democratic Party was leading the Tongatapu 5 race by 971–908 votes against sitting MP Dr ‘Aisake Eke. The provisional results from ‘Atatā electorate have yet to be announced to give Tongatapu 5 outcome.

Dr Eke had secured the seat in the last two elections.

Other Democratic Party candidates were leading the race in their Tongatapu constituencies.

They were current Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva (Tt1), Semisi Lafu Sika (Tt2), Mateni Tapueluelu (Ttp4), Poasi Tei (Tt6), Vuna Fa’otusia (Tt7), Semisi Fakahau (Tt8), Penisimani Fifita (Ttp9) and Pohiva Tu’i’onetoa (Tt10)

Former Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni has been reelected by Tongatapu 3.

Seven nobles elected
The king’s 33 nobles have reelected seven nobles to Parliament, including the Speaker Lord Tu’ivakano and a minister in Prime Minister’s ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s government, Lord Ma’afu.

Vava’u, Niuas, Ha’apai and ‘Eua people provisional election results have yet to be announced.

More than 59,000 voters were registered for the election and there were 15 women candidates, the largest ever female cohort contesting the vote.

Noble’s Representatives 2017:
Tongatapu:
1. Lord Tu’ivakano 12 votes

2. Lord Ma’afu 11

3. Lord Vaha’i 7

Vava’u
1. Lord Tu’ilakepa 6 votes

2. Lord Tu’i’afitu 5

Ha’apai
1. Lord Tui’ha’angana 5 votes

2. Lord Fakafanua 3

‘Eua
1. Lord Nuku 10 votes

Ongo Niua
1. Lord Fusitu’a 3 votes

• Other Tongan election stories
• 10 things you need to know about the Tongan election

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned moves by Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s government to “gag” the Tonga Broadcasting Commission prior to the general election on November 16.

RSF says it joins those who have criticised a decision to deprive two senior public broadcasting journalists of all editorial responsibility in what it says is an “apparent government move to seize control of the state media”.

“Ever since it took office in late 2014, the Pōhiva administration has been trying to intimidate those within the TBC who don’t toe the line,” said Daniel Bastard, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk in a statement.

“The prime minister needs to understand that public service broadcasting does not mean government propaganda.

“If guarantees of media independence are not given quickly, international bodies, including the Commonwealth, will have to reconsider the aid they provide to Tonga,” Bastard added.

RSF’s condemnation comes after TBC’s chief editor Laumanu Petelō and news manager Viola Ulakai were controversially transferred out of the newsroom and into a marketing and sales department known as “NGO Services”, as reported by Pacific Media Watch.

The decision was made by TBC’s new chairman Dr Tevita Tu’i Uata, who has said the broadcaster’s restructure came due to a news failure.

Uata Pohiva’s ‘ally’
“The problem is that the content is not popular, that’s why it ran at a loss,” he told Kaniva News.

RSF states Dr Uata’s appointment a month ago was the “first step” to seize control of the TBC, which oversees two state TV channels and two state radio stations, as he is an “ally” of Pōhiva.

Petelō and Ulakai’s lawyer, Clive Edwards, said the transfer was illegal as it violates their contracts.

Edwards said the move was also dangerous due to Dr Uata’s attitude of using his position for campaigning and accused the government of “trying to control the media”, RSF reports.

Both Petelō and Ulakai had had run-ins with Pōhiva, with his administration launching several legal actions against the senior journalists in the past three years.

Ulakai was suspended in April 2015 on the recommendation of the minister of public enterprises after asking Pōhiva “too many tough questions”.

Petelō told the prime minister during a press conference in March “we are not your enemy” following comments by Pōhiva the role of the media was to “facilitate the work of government”.

Tonga is ranked 49th out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2017 World Press Freedom Index, after falling 12 places in the space of a year.

• Tongan journalists who clashed with PM reshuffled out of TBC newsroom
• Tongan broadcasting chief blames TBC shake-up on news failure
• Matangi Tonga condemns state for ‘annihilating’ public broadcasting

Two senior journalists have been ousted from the newsroom for new roles in a shake-up at the state broadcaster,

Laumanu Petelō, editor of Tonga Broadcasting Commission’s (TBC) television and radio, and news manager Viola Ulakai have moved into a new department under the commission’s marketing and sales management.

The restructuring has been made under the direction of TBC’s new board chairman, Dr Tu’i Uata, who replaced ‘Ahongalu Fusimālohi last month.

Kaniva Tonga reports Petelō, Ulakai and Uata did not immediately respond to requests for comments.

However, Kakalu ‘o Tonga editor ‘Ulu’alo Po’uhila told Kaniva News Petelō had been interviewed about the reshuffle.

Po’uhila alleged Petelō and Ulakai were not happy with the shake-up and were seeking help from the Ombudsman’s Office and legal advisers.

The restructure comes after advice that Ulakai should be suspended in April 2016 after Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva was disappointed to learn she had falsely claimed a request for a press conference to answer questions regarding his son had been made on the behalf of the Tonga Media Council.

Run-ins with Pōhiva
In March, Petelō repeatedly clashed with Pōhiva during a press conference in Nuku’alofa after the prime minister accused TBC for reporting negatively against his government.

Kaniva Tonga reports the rows between the government and TBC staffers reached a crisis after the Minister of Public Enterprises warned that the automatic renewal of its former general manager Nanisē Fifita’s contract with the broadcaster in May was void.

The minister wanted the post to be advertised.

Fifita took the minister to court but the judge ruled in favour of the government.

• More Tongan news

Tongan interim Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva says he suspected his rejection of a proposal by the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister to spend T$60,000 on the opening celebration of the St George Palace government building had turned the duo against him.

Pōhiva sacked Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and Minister of Finance Tēvita Lavemaau on Friday before he left for Samoa to attend the Pacific Leaders Forum this week.

His son and personal assistant, Po’oi Pōhiva, told Kaniva News the Prime Minister had submitted the letter of their dismissals to the king on Friday evening.

He said they received a message from the Lord Chamberlain saying that he had handed in the letter to the King.

Po’oi said the Prime Minister was expecting a response from the King yesterday.

Lavemaau and Sovaleni proposed to the cabinet that TP$60,000 be allocated to help fund the preparations for the opening ceremony of the St George Palace on Friday.

Pōhiva said he and some of the ministers who attended a cabinet meeting did not approve the proposal as they thought it was a huge amount of money to be spent on the ceremony.

Parliament dissolved
King Tupou VI, who suddenly dissolved Parliament on August 24 and put Pōhiva and his government in caretaker mode, opened the new multimillion pa’anga St George Government Building on Friday.

He was welcomed by the Prime Minister during the ceremony and they shook hands before the King left the event.

The T$28 million building project was funded by the Chinese government in an agreement signed in 2012.

The fully equipped building with a floor area of around 5745 sq m has housed the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Cabinet Chambers.

The interim Prime Minister alleged Sovaleni and Lavemaau knew about the plan of the King and Speaker, Lord Tu’ivakano, to dissolve Parliament, but they did not warn him because they were holding a grudge against him after their proposal had been rejected, he told Radio Tonga Broadcom and Tonga Daily News on Sunday night.

Pōhiva said he was disappointed with Sovaleni and Lavemaau’s action in that they should have warmed him about the dissolution.

He implied that if he had been warned of the plan to dissolve the House he might have approached the King first.

He said he found out when he arrived in New Zealand on his way to Samoa last week some people in New Zealand knew the King was going to dissolve Parliament.

Other concerns
Pōhiva said there were other things he was concerned about towards the two ministers but he did not reveal them.

It appeared the dismissals did not go through cabinet before they were made, as they shocked some of the ministers who only found about the decision from Kaniva News on Saturday morning.

It appeared Pōhiva did not approach Lavemaau and Sovaleni about their dismissals and the Prime Minister did not say whether he had proof the ministers knew about the plan to dissolve Parliament.

The two dismissed cabinet members reportedly said they knew nothing about their dismissals.

Dr Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa, who was appointed as replacement Minister of Finance, did not know about his appointment.

He said he only knew about it from Kaniva News and he had not received any message about it.

Pōhiva confirmed on Sunday night he had also appointed Lord Ma’afu as Deputy Prime Minister and oasi Tei to the MEIDECC.

Lord Ma’afu told Radio New Zealand he was unaware of his appointment and the reshuffle.

Pōhiva said he would not appoint new ministers from outside cabinet after the dismissals of Sovaleni and Lavemaau.

Acting Attorney-General ‘Aminiasi Kefu told the radio Pōhiva still held the power to dismiss any of his ministers while the government was in caretaker mode.

• More Tongan crisis stories

Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has fired Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni and Finance Minister Tēvita Lavemaau, says a cabinet spokesperson.

It is understood Sovaleni and Lavemaau were dismissed effective from yesterday at 5pm.

Pōhiva was “very disappointed” with the ministers, the spokesperson said today.

The ministers were allegedly involved in a conspiracy which led to King Tupou VI’s decision to dissolve Parliament and order a fresh general election in November to replace the current MPs and cabinet.

Lord Maʻafu has been appointed the new Deputy Prime Minister while Poasi Tei took over Sovaleniʻs Ministry of MEIDECC.

Dr Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa is the new Minister of Finance.

The dismissals came after state-owned Tongan Broadcasting Commission (TBC) news producer Viola Ulakai asked Pōhiva during a press conference in Nukuʻalofa on Tuesday whether it was true some of his ministers were being investigated.

Investigation denied
The caretaker Prime Minister denied this. Pōhiva said he was satisfied and calm. All the ministers were still in cabinet.

Ulakai told Pōhiva his son-in-law, Police Minister Māteni Tapueluelu, had told TBC News some ministers had been investigated.

Pōhiva said if anything would come up it will be “dealt with accordingly”.

Sovaleni and Lavemaau have been contacted by Kaniva News for comment.

Justice Minister questions Speaker role
Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice has told Kaniva News there was no clause in the Tongan Constitution which said the king could dissolve Parliament on the advice of the Speaker.

Minister Sione Vuna Fā’otusia said this meant there was room to challenge in court the involvement of the Speaker in the decision.

King Tupou VI dissolved Parliament after he had received a recommendation from the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Lord Tu’ivakanō, who was Prime Minister before  ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

Acting Attorney-General Aminiasi Kefu had said the decision to dissolve Parliament was part of the king’s royal prerogatives and it could not be challenged in court.

However, Fā’otusia disagreed and said the decision by the king, based on a recommendation from the Speaker, was not a royal prerogative, but was statutory.

“The Acting Attorney-General does not think so. But I think that there is a ground for judicial review as the decision was not royal prerogative, but statutory,” Fāʻotusia told Kaniva News.

“There is nothing in the constitution to allow the king to dissolve the house based on the recommendation of the Speaker.”

Tongan news is republished by Asia Pacific Report with the permission of Kaniva News.

• More Tongan news

The government of dismissed democracy Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva has been urged to take legal actions against King Tupou VI’s decision to dissolve Parliament, with a former political adviser to government disagreeing with the Acting Attorney-General’s claim the royal order could not be challenged in court.

Lōpeti Senituli, who was also a former government CEO, was responding to a request from Kaniva News today about a post he made on Facebook last night saying:

“If I had a say in matters, I would advise the Hon Prime Minister to seek an immediate injunction and the judicial review of His Majesty’s proclamation. God Bless Tonga!”

The rest of his response is published verbatim below:

Advice for an injunction
“I stand by my opinion that the Hon Prime Minister and Cabinet should apply to the Supreme Court for an immediate injunction on the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly and for a judicial review of His Majesty’s proclamation to ensure that it is constitutional.

“I say that with the greatest of respect to the Acting Attorney-General and his opinion that His Majesty had exercised his Personal Royal Prerogative which he says is beyond judicial scrutiny.

“I disagree with the Acting Attorney-General. The basis of my disagreement is the decision of the Supreme Court in 2016, (which was later endorsed on appeal by the Privy Council in 2016) relating to His Majesty’s decision to appoint the current Chief of Defence Staff of His Majesty’s Armed Forces to the Hereditary Noble title of Lord Fielakepa.

“The Supreme Court declared His Majesty’s appointment as null and void. Part of their reasoning was that although it was His Majesty’s Personal Royal Prerogative to appoint Nobles of the Realm, he still had to make those appointments according to the law (the Land Act) and the Constitution.

“So I agree that His Majesty in dissolving the Legislative Assembly was using his Personal Royal Prerogative, and is not required by the Constitution or any law to disclose reasons. However, it is my opinion His Majesty must use that Personal Royal Prerogative according to the letter and the spirit of the constitution and laws of the land.

“The Legislative Assembly is the highest democratic mechanism in the Kingdom of Tonga and the current structure was adopted after the reforms in 2010 with the full approval of His Majesty’s predecessor.

“The functioning of the Legislative Assembly therefore should only be disturbed or interfered with in extreme circumstances where the sovereignty and integrity of the country as an independent nation state is being threatened.

“I do not regard the eight reasons that the Hon Speaker had released as good enough to warrant the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. They do not amount to a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and integrity as an independent state

“I classify the Hon Speaker’s eight reasons into two groups. The first group I have classified as:

Alleged threats to His Majesty’s Royal Prerogatives.
“The draft Bill to review or amend clause 41 of the Constitution which grants His Majesty’s authority to assent to all legislation adopted by the Legislative Assembly before they become law.

“The government’s earlier plans to sign and ratify CEDAW thereby bypassing His Majesty’s authority under clause 39 to make treaties and sign conventions on behalf of the country
The government’s earlier signing of the PACER Plus agreement which is a regional convention without prior authorisation by His Majesty in accordance with clause 39.
The draft Bill to amend the Constitution to remove His Majesty’s authority (clause 31A) to appoint the Attorney General and to appoint the Police Commissioner (under the Police Act) and transfer these powers to the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“In my view the draft Bills that the Hon Speaker referred to should be allowed to be tabled and discussed by the Legislative Assembly and if necessary the Legislative Assembly should conduct public and community meetings to discuss these proposals so that the whole country can express an opinion on it.

“Dissolving the Legislative Assembly because of the fear of these alleged threats to His Majesty’s Prerogative is an extreme knee-jerk reaction of people who are afraid of the democratic process! We should let the people hear and express their opinion on these proposals through their elected representatives in the Legislative Assembly as well as in public meetings on these proposals.

“In respect of CEDAW and PACER Plus, Hon Prime Minister Pohiva and Cabinet acted in accordance with legal advice it was given by legally qualified people in government. (I know this because I was responsible for the CEDAW initiative.)

“If that advice clashed with advice given by His Majesty than that can be resolved by going to court for a declaration as to which advice is correct. It does not warrant dissolving the Legislative Assembly.

“The second group of reasons I have classified as:

Mismanagement by Hon Prime Minister and Cabinet
“Lying to the Legislative Assembly that Hon Etuate Lavulavu would be punished and not delivering on it.

“Misleading the Leg Ass on the Pacific Games 2019 and continuing to collect the foreign exchange levy though hosting the Games had been cancelled.

“Raising their own salaries in response to a tax increase whilst the rest of the country carry the extra tax burden.

“Petitions of impeachment not worth of the Legislative Assembly’s time and resources.

This second group of reasons I regard as specious. These could have been dealt with by the Hon Speaker as he has considerable powers under the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Assembly and under the Constitution (clause 70) to punish members who behave in contempt of the Legislative Assembly.

They certainly do not warrant the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly!”

Kaniva News items are republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

• More Tongan political crisis stories

For Australian observers of the unfolding crisis in Tonga, there are inescapable parallels between the events of August 25, 2017, and November 11, 1975.

Shortly after lunch on that November day, Australians learned that the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, had sacked the Labor government of Gough Whitlam.

Parliament was dissolved and after an often violent election campaign, Labor was defeated, but the bitterness engendered by The Dismissal, as it became known, left a permanent stain on Australian politics.

Like King Tupou VI, the Australian Governor-General was acting legally and within the powers granted to him by the constitution.

However, his action was seen by many Australians as an unwanted interference in the democratic process.

Kerr was the representative of Australia’s Head of State, Queen Elizabeth II, and conspiracy theorists claimed that the dismissal was part of a royal plot.

Others claimed that Kerr was working for the CIA and it emerged long after Kerr’s death that during the political crisis leading up to the dismissal on November 11, 1975, he had met regularly with the head of the CIA station in Sydney.

Political visionary
Like Tongan dismissed Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva, Whitlam was a visionary who swept into power on a tide of popular approval in 1972, fought and won a second election in 1974 and overturned decades of rule by conservative politicians who were often criticised for acting as if they thought they had a right to rule.

Whitlam introduced new rules that brought greater equality and freedom to Australians, introduced free tertiary education, supported the arts, strengthened Australian’s sense of pride and national identity, gave proper recognition to Aboriginal Australians and supported the campaign for women’s rights.

But for all his achievements, his government was fatally damaged by Whitlam’s inability to control his cabinet, catastrophic misjudgements of public opinion and major errors of judgment on international issues.

He was accused of sometimes acting as if he was the only member of the government and was blamed for the deterioration of the Australian economy in the wake of the global oil crisis.

Whitlam left Parliament after a series of defeats by Liberal Party leader Malcolm Fraser, who had engineered the 1975 political crisis by refusing to pass the Whitlam government’s budget.

Fraser left Parliament after he was defeated by Labor’s Bob Hawke. In the years that followed, the enmity between Fraser and Whitlam cooled and they became political allies on a number of causes, particularly the push to make Australia a republic.

The dismissal of the Whitlam government by the Governor-General in 1975 strengthened the support for a republic among many Australians who felt angry that a royal representative could interfere in their country’s political life.

Dr Philip Cass is an Auckland media academic and adviser to Kaniva News. He is also a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre.

• Other Tongan crisis stories

King Tupou VI has proclaimed ʻAkilisi Pōhiva’s cabinet will continue on as Tonga’s caretaker government, which will run the kingdom until after the upcoming general election in November.

The Lord Chamberlain made the announcement yesterday.

“His Majesty commanded that new representatives of nobles and the people to be elected to enter the Legislative Assembly at elections to be held in no later than November 16,″ the Lord Chamberlain said in a statement.

“Until those elections take place, the present government will continue as caretaker government.

“During this time, the administration of government services, especially Health and Education services to the people, should remain a priority”.

Pōhiva and his cabinet were dismissed on Friday after King Tupou VI had dissolved Parliament.

NZ troops in Tonga come home
Meanwhile, the New Zealand SAS troops in Tonga will be brought home as soon as possible, the New Zealand government announced.

A group of 20 SAS soldiers are in Tonga, where the Prime Minister has suddenly been dismissed by the King.

Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee told The New Zealand Herald the troops were there for a routine exercise, and yesterday confirmed they would be pulled out of the country as soon as possible.

“Rather than continuing on to do their scheduled training exercise, we’ve concluded this is a time for Tonga to have some clear air, uncomplicated by the coincidental presence of NZDF personnel in the country.”

Pōhiva to stand again
ʻAkilisi Pōhiva plans to run for Parliament again in the November election, his son and personal assistant Poʻoi Pōhiva confirmed to Kaniva News.

The dissolution of the Parliament came after the king was advised by his Privy Council and the Speaker of Parliament.

In an interview with Pōhiva three years ago, the long-time democratic veteran campaigner said he would stand for election one last time in the 2014 general election.

The revelation of Pōhiva’s plan could give his great number of supporters in the kingdom and abroad a sense of relief, after many of them were devastated by his dismissal.

Po’oi Pōhiva did not give further details about his father’s plan but most of ‘Akilisi’s supporters had called on him to stand again for Parliament since his dismissal.

His supporters do not believe there were solid reasons for the king to dismiss the people’s first elected Prime Minister.

The Privy Council has yet to give any reasons why it made the surprising royal command.

ʻAkilisi Pōhiva’s supporters have questioned the Privy Council and the Speaker of the House over their advice to dissolve Parliament given they were only elected to their positions by the king and the only 33 members of the nobility.

• NZ troops to be brought home
• Other Tongan crisis stories

By Philip Cass in Auckland

There was disappointment and fears of violence early today in the aftermath of King Tupou IV’s dismissal of Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee said the possibility of civil unrest was a concern.

A leading Tongan academic said last night there was “a very real fear of violence” following the dismissal of Pohiva.

Dr Malakai Koloamatangi, Pasifika director at Massey University, said Pohiva had a lot of support among the people of Tonga.

Dr Koloamatangi told TVNZ last night that while the kingdom had been moving towards a more democratic government, King Tupou IV’s dismissal of the Prime Minister was ”highly unusual”.

Radio New Zealand described the move as the downfall of Pohiva and noted that his government had been marred by controversy and allegations of incompetence.

As Kaniva News reported yesterday afternoon, the dismissal followed an approach by the Speaker of Parliament to King Tupou VI and a decision made by the Privy Council.

According to the government gazette, fresh elections must be held by November 16.

High hopes for change
Former parliamentarian Dr Sitiveni Halapua said the people had high hopes for Pohiva’s government, but had not seen any real fruits from the democratic change.

“It’s a great disappointment all round,” Dr Halapua said.

Tongan publisher Kalafai Moala said the King’s decision was a setback for democracy, but told Agence France-Presse the dismissal had support.

“Pohiva has a core of supporters and they’re out there on social media expressing disappointment,” he said.

“But I think most people are happy and felt like this had been coming for some time.”

Meanwhile, Brownlee said New Zealand SAS troops that were in the kingdom were confined to barracks.

He said it was a complete coincidence the troops were in the kingdom.

Brownlee told The New Zealand Herald the government had had no indication the royal intervention was coming.

“We will be trying to work out over the next couple of days what it is going to mean for democracy in Tonga and what the implications will be for New Zealand,” he said.

Dr Philip Cass is an Auckland media academic and adviser to Kaniva News. He is also a research associate of the Pacific Media Centre.

• Tongan king sacks democracy PM
• TVNZ One News Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver analyses ‘volatile’ Tonga

Acting Attorney-General ‘Aminiasi Kefu has confirmed the royal command.

The Crown Law website said King Tupou VI made the decision after he had received advice from the Speaker, Lord Tu’ilakepa.

The announcement was made on the Crown Law website yesterday afternoon.

As Kaniva News reported earlier yesterday, when the Prime Minister’s Office was contacted and some noble MPs for confirmation, they said they were unaware of the dissolution decision.

The announcement:

WE, TUPOU VI, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OF TONGA, KING:

HAVING CONSIDERED Advice from the Lord Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and

HAVING REGARD to Clauses 38 and 77(2) of The Act of Constitution of Tonga (Cap. 2) DO lawfully dissolve the Legislative Assembly with effect from Thursday 24 August 2017 at 1700 hours and DO Command that new Representatives of the Nobles and People be elected to enter the Legislative Assembly at Elections to be held no later than 16 November 2017.

DONE by Us at Nuku’alofa, this Twenty Fourth day of August in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Seventeen and in this the Sixth Year of Our Reign.

An earlier Kaniva News report said:

The Members of Parliament were told this morning to return home as the House was closed down for the rest of this term.

The Prime Minister’s Office was unaware of any decision the King has dismissed the Prime Minister, a spokesperson from the Office told Kaniva News.

She said the Office was inquiring and would release a statement soon.

Reports on social media this afternoon cited Tangata Pasifika correspondent John Pulu as saying the King had “dissolved” Parliament and “dismissed” Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

But Pulu told Kaniva News “ I am still waiting on official word from Tonga – will keep you posted…”

Lord Tu’iakepa has confirmed they were told tto go home but when he was told it had been reported the King had dissolved the Legislative Assembly he said they have yet to receive any official statement about it.

“Ko e tala mai pe ia ke mau foki ki ‘api ‘e tapuni e Fale Alea ki he ta’u ni ko ia pe,” Tu’ilakepa said. (Translated: “We were told to go home the Parliament will be closed down for this year that’s it”.)

Lord Tu’ilakepa was unaware of any decision to dismiss Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

A lady in Parliament said the Chief Clerk and the Speaker were in a meeting.

When she was told that Kaniva News wanted to talk to one of them she hung up the phone.

The New Zealand Herald reported that 20 New Zealand SAS troops were in Tonga for a “routine exercise”.

• King of Tonga dismisses prime minister as Kiwi SAS troops in country

Radio New Zealand International’s presenter of Dateline Pacific, Don Wiseman, has suggested Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva’s son read the New Zealand broadcaster’s website more carefully before accusing it of media bias.

This comes after an attack on the region’s media by Siosiua Po’oi Pohiva, who acts as his father’s personal assistant.

In a press release, the prime minister’s personal assistant demanded journalists critical of his father’s government apologise to King Tupou VI and the Tongan people.

Siosiua singled out RNZI, Taimi o Tonga and publisher Kalafi Moala, Pacific Freedom Forum head Monica Miller and Pacific Islands News Association’ Moses Stevens for their coverage and comments on the removal of former Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) General Mananger Nanise Fifita.

Wiseman, who is also RNZI’s deputy news editor, said he found Siosiua’s version of events “extraordinarily partial”.

“There are a number of statements from your father and other people that you have chosen ignore. I think a more thorough read of our website will help,” he said.

Fifita’s removal has been widely seen by the Pacific media as being the result of Prime Minister Pohiva’s feud with the TBC over what he perceives as biased reporting against his government.

Tongan integrity ‘damaged’
Siosiua has painted those who have been critical of the removal of Fifita as being aligned with the government’s enemies.

He said they should also apologise to his father and the Tongan government “for the damage they had caused on Tonga’s integrity”.

“Journalists and media groups in Tonga, New Zealand and the Pacific region began attacking the prime minister and his government, accusing them of threatening media freedom in Tonga,” he said.

“Those who were pro-establishment and who did not support the democratic reforms led by ‘Akilisi Pohiva are now those of who are against the new government and its new administration.”

Siosiua accused the prime minister’s critics of using the issue of media freedom to increase their profits and help their friends in the TBC.

In his press release, Siosiua referred to Lord Chief Justice Paulsen’s findings on Fifita’s application for a judicial review. The review examined the Minister of Public Enterprise’s declaration that her reappointment was void and the notice of TBC advising her of that decision.

Siosiua quoted Lord Chief Justice Paulsen as saying her reappointment was void because it required the minister’s approval, which was never obtained.

Sympathy for Fifita
However, as Kaniva News reported at the time, Lord Chief Justice Paulsen also said he had considerable sympathy for Fifita.

“She has, by all accounts, been an excellent employee,” he said.

The judge described her as “a long term, loyal and able servant of TBC” who had been general manager since October 2008.

In his report on the case, the judge said he made no comment as to whether she might still have remedies available to her in respect of any failings of the board of TBC to obtain the minister’s approval to her reappointment.

Dr Philip Cass is a research associate with the Pacific Media Centre and associate editor of Pacific Journalism Review. He is a senior lecturer at Unitec Institute of Technology and is a regular contributor for Kaniva Tonga.

• Former TBC head loses Supreme Court case over dismissal from top job
• Turmoil in media industry as three senior leaders dismissed

The future of Tonga’s Democracy Coalition remains uncertain as next year’s election looms, a Nuku’alofa-based educator has concluded in a public seminar in Auckland last night.

Dr Michael Horowitz, academic dean of Tonga’s ‘Atenisi Institute, told the audience at his seminar titled Can the Democracy Coalition retain power in Tonga? the fate of the party – and with it the election due late next year — was impossible to predict.

This is largely due to the fact no survey research is conducted, continuing Tonga’s “big surprise” election-day tradition, Dr Horowitz said.

Dr Horowitz, also a visiting research scholar with Auckland University of Technology’s Pacific Media Centre, said the Democracy Coalition may just hold on to power despite a bumpy term littered with controversy.

These controversies included a petition in 2015 for Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva to surrender his education portfolio over the so-called “raw marks” policy controversy and the “cloudy issue” of state-owned Tongan Broadcasting Commission head of news Viola Ulakai’s suspension over alleged false representation, which prompted questions about Tonga’s media freedom status across the Pacific.

‘Dragging feet’
Pōhiva stepped down as Education Minister last week following months of international condemnation by global media freedom groups, although the pressure was primarily over the educational marks controversy.

Pōhiva’s administration is the first democratic government led by a commoner in Tonga’s history and came to power by a narrow margin in the 2014 election.

Dr Horowitz also highlighted the fact that Pōhiva’s government had failed — like those before it — to address Tonga’s poor economic situation, noting it was “dragging one’s feet to change the situation”.

A host of figures cited from the Ministry of Finance attest to the situation highlighted by Dr Horowitz, revealing much of Tonga’s gross domestic product (GDP) is comprised of remittances from family members living overseas (22 percent to be exact), and foreign donations to the tune of US $116 million in the fiscal year 2015 to 2016, meaning Tonga remained “dependent on the people’s generosity”, Dr Horowitz said.

‘Sense of some hope’
Dr Horowitz did, however, note the Democracy Coalition’s term had not entirely been clouded by scandals and economic downturn.

“People have a sense of some hope, some improvement.”

The “change of style” introduced by the Democracy Coalition to Tonga’s politics was something the people could still support despite the “hiccups”, Dr Horowitz noted.

Dr Horowitz also speculated that if the Democracy Coalition should fall, he would not be surprised if another prime minister emerged from the ranks of the nobles, although he did contend highly qualified Finance Minister Dr ‘Aisake Eke and Deputy Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni could be in the running.

Lecturer and filmmaker Paul Janman, present in the audience and the man behind the popular 2012 education documentary Tongan Ark, shared Dr Horowitz’s views, noting “2018, no one can tell”.

Janman, who also teaches screen production at AUT, reflected following Dr Horowitz’s talk that it had been “quite a revelation”, with much of the information Dr Horowitz shared having been only anticipated by the filmmaker after Tonga’s transition to democracy.

‘Democracy gaining traction’
“It’s been very enlightening to see the latest.”

Janman also said “the idea of democracy that has been aired and advocated for by schools such as ‘Atenisi is gaining traction”, despite persistence by what he described as “reactionary elements” present “in all kinds of different areas”.

A massive question mark looms over the Democracy Coalition’s future and its outcome in the November 2018 election.

Dr Horowitz said “one doesn’t know” how the votes would go.

• Tonga’s ‘transparency’ prime minister violates media freedom over questions
• Condemning harassment of Tongan journalist Viola Ulakai
• Fifita new education minister in Tongan cabinet shake-up
• Vote of no-confidence a possibility in Tonga

At a meeting of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua in the Houses of Parliament, a new declaration was made yesterday calling for an internationally supervised vote on the independence of West Papua.

The meeting was attended and supported by Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva the Prime Minister of Tonga; Bruno Leingkone, Minister for Foreign Affairs in Vanuatu; Rex Horoi, MSG Special Envoy on West Papua, Solomon Islands; Ralph Regenvanu, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in Vanuatu; Gary Juffa, Governor of Oro District, Papua New Guinea; Lord Harries of Pentregarth, UK House of Lords, Jeremy Corbyn, MP, Leader of the UK Opposition; and Benny Wenda, international spokesperson of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua and several other British MPs.

The Prime Minister of Tonga offered his country’s full support for the ongoing struggle of the people of West Papua. He explained how it was the responsibility of the United Nations to ensure human rights were upheld in West Papua and how he would continue to push for this.

Jeremy Corbyn spoke of his personal interest in West Papua and his role as a UN observer in East Timor. He talked of the need for justice and human rights to be delivered to the people of West Papua and stated that the world could either continue having this conflict or could choose to live in a world of peace and justice which would come from the recognition of human rights for everybody – a cornerstone of foreign policy.

He reiterated his support for the struggle for freedom of West Papua and how he would like this to be written in the policy of the British Labour Party.

A statement by the Prime Minister of Guyana, Moses Nagamootoo was read by Melinda Janki, an international human rights lawyer. He offered his country’s ongoing support of the right to self determination for the people of West Papua.

Ralph Regenvanu told of Vanuatu’s long term support for West Papua. He spoke of how the first Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Father Walter Lini, had stated that “Vanuatu would not be truly independent while any other Melanesian country is not”.

MSG commitment
He spoke of the commitment by Melanesian countries to bring West Papua into the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and that Vanuatu was working for West Papua to gain full membership of the MSG at its upcoming meeting.

Rex Horoi special envoy from the Solomon Islands highlighted the key areas of the Solomon Islands support for West Papua which involved: urgency of stopping Human rights abuse in West Papua, recognsising the political identity of the ULMWP and the strategic engagement of the Solomon Islands government with neighbours in the Pacific and around the world. He also redefined the importance of the Pacific by renaming the “small island states” as the “big ocean states”.

Gary Juffa also mentioned his personal connection with the people of West Papua. He told of how his father had captained the first boat of refugees from West Papua and how he promised them that he would do everything he could to fight with them for their freedom.

He explained that regrettably PNG still recognised Indonesian sovereignty but a large movement in PNG was emerging in support of West Papuan freedom and that he would continue to be one of the main political voices of this movement.

Lord Harries remembered meeting Benny Wenda when he first came to the UK in 2003, how the issue was almost unknown at this time and what a long way it had come today with representatives from the “big ocean nations” championing the cause.

He continued to read out a statement of support by Reverend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu:

“Dear people and friends of West Papua. Please accept, from the southern tip of Africa, the love and blessings of a retired fellow-traveller for justice. Human rights and justice are universal values. It has been very heartening to witness the growth of the movement to secure justice for the people of West Papua. Your call for an internationally supervised vote to determine the will of the people of West Papua has my support. God bless you.”

Finally Benny Wenda, described his feelings around being here now after a long journey, declaring that the Indonesian occupation is illegal and must be ended now.

He finished by reading out the declaration that was signed by all international parliamentarians present.

The secretary-general of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Octovianus Mote, rounded it off thanking everyone, including the various generations of freedom fighters for Papua represented here.

The declaration reads as follows:

Westminster Declaration for an Internationally Supervised Vote in West Papua

We the undersigned Members of Parliament, being members of the International Parliamentarians For West Papua:

I. Declare that continued human rights violations in West Papua are unacceptable.

II. Warn that without international action the West Papuan people risk extinction.

III. Reiterate the right of the people of West Papua to genuine self-determination.

IV. Declare the 1969 ‘Act of Free Choice’ to be a gross violation of this principle.

V. Call for an internationally supervised vote on self- determination in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 1541 (XV).

Palace of Westminster, 3 May 2016

• Other West Papua reports

#LiveUpdatesPapua Tweets

Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva was a member of Parliament who leaked information to the media in 1996 resulting in a contempt of Parliament case, in which he was jailed together with the two journalists who published the information.

But as Tonga’s Prime Minister 20 years later, elected on a platform of democratic “transparency”, Pohiva issued an order on Wednesday to his Minister of Public Enterprises, Poasi Tei, to suspend veteran journalist Viola Ulakai “until further investigation”.

Minister Tei is responsible for the Tonga Broadcasting Commission through a selected board of directors.

The Prime Minister has accused Ulakai of being too insistent with her questions, particularly with issues regarding reform that he as Minister of Education is bringing about in the Ministry of Education.

The fallout and a mess in the Ministry after the 2015 exam results has been a confusing issue at the centre of much public discussion.

Ulakai has been a journalist with the Government Broadcasting for 26 years. She is now the head of news at Tonga’s largest news organisation.

Press conference
In the past few weeks, Ulakai has been trying unsuccessfully to set up a press conference between the media and the Prime Minister to answer questions regarding education.

Meanwhile, a press release was issued last week by the Prime Minister’s Office accusing Ulakai of trying to set up the press conference as something endorsed by the Tonga Media Council, while it was allegedly only a personal arrangement of her own.

The Tonga Media Council chair, Lady Luseane Luani, responded in support of the Prime Minister’s Office, saying Ulakai was “not doing it for the Media Council”, a statement that has been widely regarded by other journalists as a betrayal of Ulakai.

Ulakai is on the board of directors of the Tonga Media Council, and she herself has been the one that set up previous press conferences on behalf of the council.

Other directors of the Media Council, like Filo ‘Akau’ola, owner of the Talaki newspaper, has come out in support of Ulakai, stating that there was an understanding Ulakai would organise the press conferences.

Pohiva, since the beginning of his administration in January of 2015, has consistently been aloof and selective over the media he would talk to, and who would interview him.

Because Ulakai was the head of news at the Government Radio and Television, she usually did the interviews with the leaders of government. But the Prime Minister took exception to her hard questioning.

Another angle
He claimed that Ulakai usually takes another angle to ask the same question when he had already provided the answer.

The Prime Minister’s Office offered the notion that Ulakai was opposed to the Prime Minister, and that she was backed by opponents to his reform programme at the Ministry of Education.

Ulakai shared publicly her frustration at not being given the opportunity to ask questions that have not been answered or even spun to support a perspective in question.

“I am only trying to do my job,” she told reporters in Nuku’alofa.

Ulakai did not break any laws, neither did she breach any work ethics in accordance with her contract at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission.

She is being persecuted for doing her job. And a man who promised press freedom to Tongans is driving that persecution.

As this report goes out, it is understood Viola Ulakai has been suspended from the Tonga Broadcasting Commission – from yesterday – on order from the Prime Minister.

Tonga is due to commemorate World Media Freedom Day on May 3. In the 2016 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index released this week, Tonga had improved its global ranking seven places to 37th out of 180 countries surveyed.

The author, Kalafi Moala, is publisher and editor of the Taimi ‘o Tonga, Tonga’s first independent newspaper. He and his then deputy editor were jailed for contempt of Parliament along with ‘Akilisi Pohiva in 1996.