Nauru’s million-dollar war

NAURU is going to proceed with its long-signalled court action in a bid to get As 72 million (US$54 million) out of the Australian Government for rehabilitation of the is land after more than 84 years of phos

phate mining.

The island state has filed a 10-volume case with the International Court of Jus tice in The Hague against Australia which administered Nauru’s phosphate mining on behalf of the other partners, New Zealand and Britain. The countries held joint United Nations trusteeship of the island; it had become a League of

Nations mandate in 1919 as a former German territory. The German-owned

Pacific Phosphate Company had begun

mining Nauru in 1906.

Nauru wants compensation from Au stralia, New Zealand and Britain to reha bilitate three-fifths of the 21 sq km is land, which has been left like a moons cape, with rock pinnacles left standing amidst the vast holes where phosphate once lay. It is expected the Government of President Bernard Dowiyogo will take similar action against New Zealand and Britain. In the meanwhile, Australia has until January 21, 1991, to file its reply.

The action comes at a time when Nauru probably the richest country in the world on a per capita basis is feeling the economic pinch as the re

maining phosphate deposits start to run

out. It has been estimated that rehabilita tion of the island could cost AS2lb mil lion (US$l62 million) and the bulk of the evidence lodged with the Interna tional Court of Justice consists of mate rial presented to a committee of enquiry set up by the Nauru Government to ex amine the island’s future requirements.

The As 72 million claim against Australia was based on a recommendation of that committee.

Australia has previously rejected the compensation claim. □