Pacific Report

End Of Vanuatu Rebellion

The rebellion on the Island of Espiritu Santo, which had threatened the stability and unity of the new Pacific nation of Vanuatu, ended with the intervention of 400 Papua New Guinea troops at the request of the Vanuatu Government (see pl 9). The nominal leader of the rebels, Jimmy Stevens, was arrested and is one of more than 100 rebels who have been charged with a wide range of offences. Prime Minister Walter Lini believes it will be many months however before the island is fully back to normal, and the resettlement of refugees will be a major task. PNG’s involvement, together with a degree of technical support from Australia, brought bitter criticism from French territorial sources in the Pacific. In one incident 17 PNG crewmen of a visiting fishing ship had to receive police protection in New Caledonia because of threats and demonstrations against them. Some Papua New Guineans at home also opposed their country’s involvement. Nonetheless •the operation emerged as highly successful, restrained and properly managed. It clearly forged a special link between PNG and Vanuatu and enhanced PNG’s regional position among the Pacific new nations. Commenting on the outcome a Vanuatu government spokesman said ‘lt is significant that PNG and Australia have stood by us’.

Kenilorea Back With New Ministry

Peter Kenilorea, the foundation prime minister of Solomon Islands, has been returned to office following the first general elections since independence. Two-thirds of the members of parliament lost their seats at the election (PIM Sept p 9). The elections themselves did not leave a clear-cut political situation and there were two nominations for the parliamentary vote to elect a prime minister. Mr Kenilorea, leader of the United Party, carried the vote by a decisive 25 to 5 over the leader of the People’s Alliance Party Solomon Mamaloni. The additional support which Mr Kenilorea received to enable his election came from a group of independents led by Francis Hilly. The United Party and the independents then formed a coalition government in which Mr Hilly is deputy prime minister and health minister. The other portfolios, equally divided between the two groups, are: Finance, Benedict Kinika (U); education, G Beti (I); natural resources, Paul Tovua (U); agriculture and lands, Waeta Ben (I); trade, industry and labour, Pu[epada Ghemu (U); transport and communications, Moffat Bonunga (U); home affairs, Philip Kapini (I); law and information, Lawry Wickham (I); youth and cultural affairs, Denis Lulei (I); works and public utilities, Tom Harehiru (U). Policies towards foreign and regional affairs are unlikely to change under the new government, but there are indications that decentralisation may receive higher priority.

Four Newcomers At Delhi Chogrm

Four new South Pacific countries in September attended their first Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting (CHOGRM). They were Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati and Vanuatu. Welcoming the new members in New Dehli, Common wealth Secretary-General Sir Shridath Ramphal said he wanted ot offer a special welcome to Vanuatu ‘as a member country that has emerged out of travail to join us’, Sir Shridath said that the Vanuatu experience provided a valuable lesson to the regional grouping in the way regional solidarity could cope with such changes. Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Fr Walter Lini said it had been touch and go for a while whether Vanuatu would be born in time to attend the meeting. But he said the rebellion that had threatened its security at independence was now over.

N-Waste Dumped U.S. Report

According to a Los Angeles report records were found in July indicating that more than 12 000 barrels of radio-active waste have been dumped in the Pacific at several previously undisclosed sites. The claim was made in a statement by an official of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Japanese Tour, Talk On N-Waste Plan

A Japanese Government team toured South Pacific countries in September in an attempt to convince their governments of the

safety of Japan’s plan to dump low-level radio-active wastes in the Pacific. The likely site is in 6 km of water 900 km south-east of Tokyo and 500 km from the nearest land the Japanese owned Ogasawara Islands. The Japanese propose a trial operation next year involving the disposal of 5000 to 10 000 steel drums of low-level wastes solidified in concrete. Among points made by the Japanese spokesmen was that Britain has been dumping low-level wastes in the Atlantic since 1949, and some other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members have been doing so since 1967. At its last meeting in July, the South Pacific Forum condemned any action that represented further exploitation of the Pacific for nuclear purposes in ways that disadvantaged the people of the Pacific.

The Japaneseteam’sfinal call was at Port Moresby, where Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Noel Levi said all countries in the region had openly expressed opposition to the trial operation, and that Japan should abandon its plan. In Canberra, the Japanese team assured Australian officials that disposal would not begin until Japan had ratified the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Waste and Other Matter, commonly called the London Dumping Convention, and guidelines set by the OECD’s Nuclear Energy Agency.

Noumea Demo Supports Santo Secession

Several hundred demonstrators marched through Noumea late in August calling for French paratroopers to be sent to Vanuatu to protect the French community there. The demonstrators included some Frenchmen evacuated earlier from the former secessionist island of Santo.

Png In Formal Protest To France

Papua New Guinea late in August formally protested to the French Government over the ‘continued inflammatory involve ment of French citizens in the affairs of Vanuatu’. PNG’s Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Paulias Matane handed a protest note to the French resident charge d’affaires in Port Moresby, Jean-Paul Schricke. In a prepared statement after the meeting, Mr Matane said the PNG Government was displeased with France over a number of matters, all of which had arisen as a result of the Vanuatu situation. These were: anti-PNG and Vanuatu broadcasts over radio Noumea; continued collabor ation of expatriate French citizens with rebel elements on Espiritu Santo; and harassment of PNG fishermen by French citizens in Noumea on the previous weekend. In recent weeks radio Noumea had broadcast totally inaccurate statements alleging PNG troops had committed atrocities, including the raping and brutal treatment of women, in Vanuatu. Mr Matane expressed his government’s disappointment that France had not taken any positive action to clearly state the facts of what was happening in Vanuatu. ‘By its silence,’ he said, ‘the French Government has given credence to propaganda, distortion of facts and blatant lies broadcast over radio Noumea.’

Vanuatu: Maxime Carlot Is Speaker

In a highly significant post-independence move, Vanuatu’s Rep resentative Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to elect Maxime Carlot as first speaker of the country’s parliament. All MPs’ votes went to Mr Carlot, except one which was invalid. In addition to serving as speaker, Mr Carlot will act as president in the absence of President Ati George Sokomanu. Mr Carlot is one of three members of the Representative Assembly who form the so-called Independent Opposition. The others are Fr Gerard Leymang and Vincent Boulekone. All three are French speaking. Unlike the secessionist forces, members of the Independent Opposition recognise the legitimacy of the Vanuaaku Party government headed by Prime Minister Fr Walter Uni, and have fulfilled their parliamentary duties since the November 1979 poll. The election of Mr Carlot can only favour a broader political unity in the new nation. In a statement after his election Mr Carlot expressed a deep wish to serve the country. It was an honour to hold such high office, he said. The post of speaker became vacant with the resignation of Pastor Fred Timakata, who took office as minister for home affairs.

Mara Wants Advisory Service

Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has proposed the setting up of a South Pacific Regional Advisory Service. The pro posal envisages a scheme under which specialists in trade, law, audit, economic planning and industrial development would be available to South Pacific countries at their request. He made the proposal while introducing discussion on the special needs of South Pacific Island countries at the opening session of the

Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting in New Delhi in September.

’Bl Cpa Meeting For Fiji

The 1981 meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associ ation is to be held in Fiji.

Fire Guts Santo’S Copra Mill

Fire gutted Santo’s copra mill in August. Occurring just a few days before the secessionist revolt on the island was put down, the fire at the S6OO 000 mill is thought to have been started by supporters of the secessionist ‘Vemarana’ movement.

Australia-Vanuatu Air Link

Australia and Vanuatu have agreed to establish a regular air ser vice between the two countries. An early announcement of ser vices and fares was expected.

Facts On Spec-Spc Merger Idea

Dr Gabriel Gris, director of the South Pacific Bureau for Econ omic Co-operation (SPEC), has set the record straight on the proposal for a merger of his organisation and the South Pacific Commission (SPC) (PIM Aug p 17). In a letter to The Fiji Times correcting a statement on the matter by one of the paper’s re porters, he wrote: ‘The report which recommended the amalga mation of SPEC and the SPC into a single regional institution . . . was not a SPEC presentation but a report of an independent joint committee. This committee, which was created as a result of a decision by the 10th South Pacific Forum held in Honiara, Solomon Islands, July 1979, consisted of three Forum member governments (Australia, Cook Islands and Solomon Islands), three SPC member countries/territories (American Samoa, New Hebrides Vanuatu and French Polynesia for France), and an independent chairman, nominated by the director of SPEC and the secretary-general of SPC. Its primary function was to investigate the possible rationalisation of institutional arrange ments between SPEC and SPC with a view to ensuring that overlapping of responsibilities was minimised and that the re sources available to the region were utilised most effectively.

In accordanmce with the Forum directive, the committee tabled its report at the recent 11 th South Pacific Forum, held in Tarawa, Kiribati, in July, through its chairman Tuala Karanita Enari of Western Samoa. The report will also be tabled at the 20th South Pacific Conference to be held in Papua New Guinea in October.’

Ordeal Of A French Baron

A French nobleman, Baron Arnaud de Rosnay, suffered a gruel ling ordeal in September on an 11-day solo voyage on a sail powered surfboard in French Polynesian waters. After being washed ashore on a tiny atoll, the baron was flown to Papeete in an exhausted and badly sunburned condition.

Png Gets A Weekly Times

A new Pacific weekly newspaper was born in September when Wantok Publications of Port Moresby launched The Times of Papua New Guinea. The weekly promises ‘an authoritative and varied view of the passing scene in PNG’. The first 32-page issue indicated the promise could be kept. Editor of the new paper is Franzalbert Joku, a former political and general writer with the daily Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.

Siting Of French Oil Refinery

An early decision is expected from Paris on whether a planned oil refinery will be established in French Polynesia or in New Caledonia.

William Bodde On Fiji’S Role

The new United States ambassador to Fiji sees the country as having a key role in the Pacific region, and as a force in world affairs, with its participation in the Law of the Sea Conference and its role with the United Nations peace-keeping force in Lebanon. William P. Bodde Jr told The Fiji Times in an August statement that his aim was ‘to broaden and deepen relations between America and Fiji’. One way he hoped this could be done was through more Fiji students, particularly graduates, studying in the USA.

Two More Nomads For Png

Australia is to give two more Nomad aircraft to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. The cost of the Australian-built planes, along with spare parts and technical support for three years, is estimated at almost SA4 million. Australia’s Defence Minister Mr Killen said the Nomads, provided under Australia’s Defence Co-operation Programme with PNG, had been asked for by PNG to supplement three Nomads provided two years ago.

New Dish Antenna For W. Samoa

A Hercules aircraft flew to Western Samoa in September with a replacement dish antenna for the one damaged during an erection accident at Afimalu in August (RIM Sep p 10). The first reflector, part of the country’s European Economic Community funded Earth Satellite Station project, was damaged beyond re pair. It is reported to be covered by insurance. The Hercules also carried special lifting gear to avoid another similar accident.

Six skilled riggers were to be brought out from Scotland to do the job.

Burnt Feet For Firewalkers

Several devotees suffered burns during a religious firewalking ceremony at Suva’s Maha Devi Kalliaman Temple in August.

Some firewalkers blamed the accidents on two priests vying for supremacy. A new priest was appointed this year by the temple committee to lead the firewalkers. A devotee who has been walk ing on the hot coals each year for the past five years said: ‘His ways of doing this are different from what we have been practis ing and I could feel something was wrong.’

Papeete Hotel Fire

At least three people died in September when fire broke out at the Kon Tiki Hotel, Papeete. Guests were evacuated from the seven-storey building by ladder.

Pina Manual Plan Off The Ground

A long-planned project of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) for a training manual for beginner reporters finally moved a step forward with the recent arrival in Honolulu of Dr Frederick T. C. Yu, vice-dean of the Columbia University School of Jour nalism in New York. Dr Yu has been seconded to Honolulu’s East-West Center. After a familiarisation tour of Island countries, Dr Yu is to prepare a first draft of the manual before distributing copies to members of PINA for suggestions. The manual will appear in two parts: Part I will contain straightforward instruction on the writing of stories, and Part II exercises drawn from Islands newspapers themselves. The work is expected to be completed by mid-1981.

Nz: Polynesians ‘Losing Popularity’

Polynesians in New Zealand continue to lose popularity there, according to a September report from Mike Field in Wellington appearing in the Apia newspaper The Observer. Field writes: They face the prospect of a strong European backlash against them following a brutal sexual assault and murder of a six-year old Auckland girl two weeks ago.’ The New Zealand police have issued descriptions for two Polynesian men wanted in connec tion with the murder.

Honolulu, Sydney Papers On Pim’S ‘Soth’

PlM’s August 50th anniversary issue was commented upon not only by Islands political leaders, whose messages were in most cases solicited by us, but also by another breed some case hardened folk of the media, who had no obligation whatsoever to do so. The comments, therefore, of the editorial writer in The Honolulu Advertiser (August 16) are all the more appreciated.

The Advertiser's editorial of that date said in part: ‘Without a doubt, the most important regional publication in the Pacific Islands in the past half-century has been a monthly magazine published in Sydney, Australia. Pacific Islands Monthly has made major contributions to the sense of awareness and regional unity now found among South Pacific islanders. So it is fitting that PIM celebrates its 50th anniversary this month with a smashing souvenir edition of 182 pages . . . The Islands will ... be for tunate if they continue to get the kind of understanding PIM has shown in a time when this vast ocean area has been coming of political age.’ For an editorialist in the weekend edition of the Australian national daily The Australian (August 23-24); ‘This month has seen not only the independence of Vanuatu, but another Pacific landmark, the 50th anniversary of Pacific Islands Monthly, a magazine which has had as profound effect as any government or official policy-maker in helping achieve a sense of unity and community in the Pacific region. Its founder, the redoubtable R. W. Robson, is now 95 and living in somewhat fretful retirement on the NSW central coast. He deserves, as does his small but devoted and long-serving staff, high praise and congratulations for their long and most significant contri bution to Pacific affairs.’

Sleepy Croc Stops Flights

A main runway at Port Moresby International Airport was closed to traffic for 20 minutes on September 11 after a crocodile was found sunning itself in the middle of the tarmac.