Brothers Behind Bars

Davidßobie reports on Vanuatu’s "politicalprisoners”.

ACROSS the barbed wire fence be hind the closed Vanuwespa stu dios in Port Vila, once the headquarters of one of the South Pacific’s most popular and radical music groups, is a drab, two-storeyed concrete villa. In the main room upstairs, the scene is depressing.

Five-year-old Virei Ayamiseba and three of her school-age playmates lie on the floor drawing on scraps of paper. They are barred from school.

Virei’s grandfather Dick, in his late 70s, sits dejectedly at a bare table and stares out the window. Virei’s mother, Mariana, doesn’t feel well and doesn’t want to talk to the foreign journalist. The stress is tak ing its toll. So Virei’s elder sister, 15-year old Isadora, and her aunt Emily, wife of percussionist William Ayemiseba, tell the story of their hardship since five of the seven men in the household musicians from the Black Brothers were arrested by the Vanuatu police two months ago and carted to the overcrowded Port Vila prison.

Refugees from Irian Jaya, the Black Brothers have been detained without

charge or trial. They and their 18 depend ents have become stateless people even their music has become blacklisted, in cluding their latest album. Border Cross ers, dedicated to the West Papuan refu gees who slip across the border into Papua New Guinea. “We have nothing; we have no food, no money. . . all our possessions have been sold,” says Mariana Ayami seba, finally agreeing to talk. “Noboby from the Government has visited us. No body cares.”

In walks her husband Andy, manager of the group and one of the detainees. He can only stay for a few minutes: he is being taken back to jail after being treated in hospital for a stomach illness.

“It’s the beginning of the end in this country,” Andy Ayamiseba says. He has no faith in promises made by the Lini Government.

The Black Brothers were first invited to Vanuatu by Hilda Lini, sister of the Prime Minister and now a Government MP, in 1979. They left Holland in 1983, were helped to set up in Port Vila by rebel cabinet minister Barak Sope, and became

fund-raisers for the ruling Vanuaaku Pati.

Their plight began in the wake of the May 16 riot and the power struggle between Lini and Sope. The Black Brothers were ac cused (without proof being advanced) of taking part in the riot.

Agust Rumwaropen, 39, and drummer Stevie Mambor, 35, were arrested during the post-riot purge but were later freed without charge. However, the group was served with expulsion orders on June 6.

When they failed to leave by the five-day deadline, the police jailed Andy Ayami seba, his brothers William and Christo pher, Rumwaropen and Mamboro. Only bass guitarist Benny Bettay, 35, remained free it is not clear why.

Prime Minister Lini and Government officials have been reluctant to discuss the issue. Though Australia is considering taking the group, it is understood key For eign Affairs officials in Canberra are op posed to such a move in case it offends Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Black Brothers remain imprisoned without trial, waiting on the whim of officialdom. □