Pacific Report

Palau Tangle After Plebiscite

President Reagan’s personal representative to the Micronesian political status negotiations Fred M. Zeder was reported on his way to Palau in mid-February for talks with Palauan officials in an effort to sort out the tangle resulting from the plebiscite on future status held earlier in the month (PIM Feb. p. 5). With most ballots counted, it was clear that 60 per cent of voters were in favor of autonomy (under the so-called Compact of Free Association with the United States). But it was equally clear that the vote in favor of overturning the part of the Palauan constitution banning the presence of nuclear weapons in the territory was under 50 per cent, well short of the 75 per cent figure required by the constitution. Palauan officials had said earlier that unless this percentage was reached, the compact itself could not go into force. Replying to a third and final question, as to what the 15,000 Palauans should do if the compact failed to win approval, 60 per cent of voters opted for independence.

Kiribati Goes To The Polls

The voters of Kiribati went to the polls on January 12 and 19 to elect a new parliament following the fall of the previous government of President leremia Tabai (PIM Feb. p. 13). Ten members of the previous parliament lost their seats, including two Cabinet ministers: Ataraoti Bwebwenibure (Marakei), former minister for health and family planning, and leremia Tata (Butaritari), former minister for the Line and Phoenix group.

Former President leremia Tabai was returned in his Nonouti constituency with 75.4 per cent of the vote in the first round.

Next step is to bring all the elected members to Tarawa where, from among their number, they will elect not fewer than three and not more than four candidates for the presidency. Then, sometime in late February, the nation will hold a referendum to choose the next president. If Mr Tabai is again elected, it will be for a third term. Unless the constitution is changed, he will never be permitted to be president again on the expiry of that term.

Billy Schutz in Tarawa.

Kiribati, Nauru Oppose N-Dumping

Opponents and advocates of nuclear dumping at sea clashed at a February international meeting on the London Dumping Convention, which regulates disposal of waste in the oceans.

The small Pacific Island States of Nauru and Kiribati, opposing Japanese plans to dump nuclear waste in the Western Pacific, called for a world ban on radioactive dumping. But the bigger States, including the United States, the Soviet Union and Japan, spoke against the proposal and suggested instead a scientific review to assess the harm done by nuclear dumping. Spain proposed a suspension of dumping and the Nordic countries suggested a gradual phasing out of dumping by 1990. The talks were adjourned despite strong objections by Spain. Last year, the only countries dumping nuclear waste at sea were Britain, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands. Their use of a dumping ground off north-west Spain has led to numerous protests in that country.

Diplomatic Ties For Indonesia, Solomons

Indonesia and Solomon Islands have agreed to establish diplomatic relations. The move followed a January visit to Indonesia by Solomons Minister for Foreign Affairs Dennis Lulei, during which he visited East Timor. With his Indonesian counterpart, Dr Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, Mr Lulei also discuss ed technical co-operation, trade and industrial relations between the two countries. The official Indonesian Newsletter, reporting the visit, left no doubt as to who, it thought, was the major beneficiary of the deal. Its headline said “Solomon Islands Gains Diplomatic Recognition’’. The newsletter noted approv ingly that Solomon Islands “had abstained during the voting on the East Timor question in the United Nations General Assem bly in 1981, but had voted in favor of Indonesia in 1982’’

Refugees Quit Irian Java For Png

More than 1000 refugees are reported to have fled the Indone sian province of Irian Jaya into Papua New Guinea in January- February. The flow of refugees follows reportedly increased Indonesian military action against the Irian Jaya rebel move

ment. Other reasons offered for the refugee flow are Indonesia’s plans to resettle Javanese in the border area, and drought, which is affecting both Irian Jaya and PNG. PNG’s Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Tony Siaguru told parliament in February that up to 1500 Irian Jayan refugees are now in border areas of West Sepik province. But he said the government’s policy was that whatever happened in Irian Jaya was In donesia’s responsibility. It is reported that the refugees are crossing the border in small groups, and that many are in poor health and need medicines, food and shelter. PNG may seek help from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Across the border in Irian Jaya Governor Izaac Hindom has denounced rebel leaders such as Seth Rumkorem as “idiots”, and appealed to the population “to rise with the Indonesian armed forces and wipe them out once and for all”. He said the easternmost province of Irian Jaya was an inseparable part of the Indonesian Unitary State. As such, like the other provinces of the country, Irian Jaya was open to every Indonesian citizen, especially to transmigrants.

Fiji’S New G-G Sworn In

Fiji’s new Governor-General Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was officially sworn in in February. Ratu Sir Penaia, the former deputy prime minister, takes over from Fiji’s first local governor general, Ratu Sir George Cakobau. Ratu Sir Penaia was sworn in as governor-general by Fiji’s chief justice, Sir Timoci Tuivaga.

Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara said Fiji’s decision to have its second local governor-general was proof of the country’s maturity. Ratu Mara later announced he would not appoint a new deputy prime minister. A government statement said the prime minister had assumed responsibility for the Fijian affairs section of the portfolio held by his former deputy. The other section, covering rural development, had been given to the minister of state without portfolio, Apisai Tora. The statement added that while Ratu Mara travelled overseas in future, ministers would act in his place by rotation.

Muldoon Arouses Png Minister’S Ire

Papua New Guinea’s Justice Minister, Tony Bais, has strongly criticised the New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon over comments he made in Port Moresby during his recent visit about New Caledonian independence. At a meeting with several senior PNG ministers, Mr Muldoon said he didn’t think anything positive could be gained by putting pressure on France to decolonise. Mr Muldoon said he believed New Caledonia and the other French Pacific territories would be independent within two decades and he felt it was better to let things take their course. But Mr Bais claimed Mr Muldoon was trying to dictate to PNG what its foreign policy should be. He said Mr Muldoon supported racism in South Africa by allowing the Springbok rugby union team into New Zealand in 1981. He claimed that because of this, Mr Muldoon should be the last one to tell PNG to go slow on the decolonisation issue.

Matthew Hunter: France Reaffirms Claim

France has reaffirmed its ownership of two uninhabited islands which are also claimed by Vanuatu (PIM Feb. p. 5). French Ambassador to Fiji Robert Puissant said in February that his country regarded as “incontestable” its sovereignty over Matth ew and Hunter islands. The two small islands lie east of New Caledonia and south-east of Vanuatu. Mr Puissant said that Vanuatu’s former rulers, Britain and France, had told the government in Port-Vila at independence in 1980 that the islands had always been regarded as part of New Caledonia. He said Vanuatu had not replied to notes about the matter. Vanuatu raised claims to the islands last December after Fiji and France announced an agreement on the demarcation of 200-mile economic zones putting Matthew and Hunter islands inside the New Caledonian limit. Fiji later said the agreement did not mean it accepted the French claim to the islands, but Vanuatu Prime Minister Father Walter Uni complained strongly, and said his government would raise the issue in Paris and Suva.

Cooks Minister Visits Nz, Oz

The Cook Islands Minister for Economic Development Vincent Ingram arrived in Auckland in February for a two-week visit to

New Zealand and Australia to discuss bilateral aid. Mr Ingram said he expected aid to be held at current levels, in spite of the serious drought that has hit the country’s agriculture. He said his country, which faces a general election March 30, has made considerable economic progress during the past four years.

New Zealand provided almost $lO million in aid last year, while Australia provided $2 million in a three-year period ending in June.

Png’S Namaliu Injured In Plane Crash

Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Rabbie Namaliu was injured in a military aircraft crash in February. The PNG Defence Force Nomad crashed on take-off from Daru airstrip in Western Province. Of the six people aboard, three suffered broken arms, including Mr Namaliu, and one pilot suffered a fractured pelvis. The foreign minister was about to start his first tour of government posts along the border with Irian Jaya. Australia moved rapidly to dispel fears over the safety of its Nomad aircraft, following criticism from PNG. PNG Defence Minister Epel Tito has said he personally does not want any more of the aircraft because of their “appalling” safety record in PNG. Australia has given PNG five Nomads under a defence co-operation program. One crashed late in 1981, killing two pilots. Mr Tito said another privately-owned Nomad had also crashed. But senior officials from Australia’s defence depart ment say the Nomads’ safety record throughout the world has been particularly good. They say a Nomad which crashed in 1981 was flown into a blind valley in bad weather, and there has never been any suggestion that the plane was at fault. The officials added that the most recent crash was still being investigated by authorities in PNG.

Scientists Against Dam, For Herbarium

A major international scientific body has called on the Australian Federal Government to impose a three-year moratorium on building a hydro-electric dam on the Gordon River in southwest Tasmania. The 15th Pacific Science Association Congress held in Dunedin, New Zealand, in February, called on the Federal and Tasmanian governments to accept the moratorium, recom mended by an Australian Senate committee late last year. The meeting’s resolution was sent to Australian Prime Minister Fraser, and other political leaders. One delegate said inclusion of the dam site on the World Heritage List had put the region on a par with other ancient wonders of the world. The Congress also appealed to the Papua New Guinea Government to do everything possible to maintain the National Herbarium and Botanical Garden at Lae. Association members said the her barium and garden had taken hundreds of thousands of hours’ work to create, and was the only one of its kind in PNG or the world. They said the collection of plants would be lost if they were not constantly looked after. The association said it is the world’s best collection of living PNG plants. ‘‘BACK TO THE FARM” SAYS U.N. MAN The United Nations’ resident representative in the South Pacific, Mr Halcombe, says it is essential that both the public and private sectors in the region vigorously support investment in industries based on agriculture. Speaking in Suva, in February, Mr Halcombe said studies had shown that the region’s rural areas offered the greatest prospect for absorbing the unemployed. He added that the drift of people to urban areas was looming as one of the main trends likely to frustrate orderly social and economic development in the South Pacific. Mr Halcombe was speaking at the launching of a U.N.-sponsored community development program. The two-year project will cost about $lOO,OOO.

Png Cuts Out Horserace Broadcasts

Papua New Guinea’s national radio network has suspended its horse-racing coverage following criticism of its cost and the effects of gambling on the people. The network has been broadcasting Australian races since last May. But new chairman of the NBC Austin Sapias, in one of his first decisions in the job, has suspended the relays indefinitely. The race broadcasts were introduced by former chairman Leo Morgan. The new chairman says the race call service has been dropped pending a review of its cost and consideration of recent public criticism that the service encourages gambling and contributes to social breakdown in PNG.

Port-Vila: Would-Be Escaper Sentenced

An Australian, Ken Cassel, 52, who escaped from Port-Vila prison last September with secessionist leader Jimmy Stevens (PIM Oct. ’B2 p 7), has been sentenced to another three years.

Cassel was already serving a three-and-a-half year sentence for stealing the trading vessel Glenelg from Port-Vila harbor in December 1981 (PIM Feb ’B2 p 6). In the breakout last Septem ber, Stevens, Cassel and four others, stole a tourist launch and forced the night watchman overboard. They were recaptured within 12 hours. Stevens has already been tried and sentenced to another two-and-a-half years for his part in the escape bid.

“Free Thursdays” Plea By Jailed Minister

A Solomon Islands government minister has begun serving three months in jail for having caused bodily harm to another man. The minister, John Ngina, is responsible for com munications,transport and government utilities. He went to prison after losing an appeal against his sentence but im mediately asked to be let out each Thursday to attend cabinet meetings. The opposition says this would be a mockery of justice. At last report the government was still considering the matter. The story began when police told Mr Ngina that they wouldn’t be taking any further action on a complaint he’d made against a man for malicious damage. The minister said he would enforce the law himself, chased the man through Honiara market, knocked him down and kicked him.

Fishing Vessel Seized In Solomons

Solomon Islands authorities in February detained a foreign fishing vessel suspected of fishing illegally near Anuta island in the country’s eastern province of Temotu. The vessel was believed to be Taiwanese-owned and operating out of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu. Vanuatu licenses a fleet of Taiwanese fishing boats but they have no rights to fish in Solomon Island waters.

The trawler was escorted by the Solomon Islands vessel Vutai, to the provincial headquarters at Lata.

Png Parliament Opens With A Blast

Papua New Guinea’s parliament met for its 1983 inaugural session on February 14 but adjourned soon afterwards because none of the planned legislation was ready to be presented. The leader of government business, Minister for Broadcasting and Information Boyamo Sali, said he was furious and would reprimand the heads of the government departments involved. Mr Sali said cabinet had approved the final version of a number of important bills but the departments responsible had not been able to prepare the bills in time for the parliamentary session

Loneuness Of A Long-Distance Yellowfin

A yellowfin tuna released near Fiji in 1980 has been caught by an American vessel in the eastern Pacific 3806 nautical miles away. The catch sets a new distance record for tuna migration.

The American ship has returned a tag attached to the fish under the South Pacific Commission’s tuna and billfish assessment program, which is aimed at helping Island nations by increasing knowledge of migratory habits of the two species.

Solomons Squad For Rugby Union Event

A team from Solomon Islands is to take part in the international seven-a-side rugby union competition in Hong Kong for the first time this year. The Cathay Pacific tournament, held each March in Hong Kong, has become one of the most important events in the international rugby union calendar. Twenty countries are expected to take part this year. A spokesman for rugby union in Solomon Islands, the third South Pacific country to enter the tournament, said the squad for Hong Kong had already been chosen, and was training hard. Papua New Guinea and Fiji have been playing in the competition for a number of years. Fiji has won it three times.

Cheat Charges Delay Fiji Exam Results

Allegations of cheating during the New Zealand school certifi cate examinations last year have held up the results of students at two Fiji secondary schools. The examination is controlled by New Zealand’s education department and is taken by a large number of Pacific Islands students. Suva said the New Zealand authorities are still investigating the allegations and will send their report to the two schools involved and the Fiji education ministry. All other schools in Fiji have received their results.