murders not

Political murders not unknown in the Pacific

* Tupua Tamasese Lealofi m was call ing for peace on an Apia street on Decem ber 29, 1929 when a New Zealand police man got him in the sights of his .303 rifle and squeezed off a bullet.

Before he died the next day, the high chief said: “My blood has been spilt for Samoa. I am proud to give it. Do not dream of avenging it, as it was spilt in maintain ing peace. If I die, peace must be main tained at any price.” * On August 17, 1953, New Zealand’s Resident Commissioner on Niue, Hector Larsen, was hacked to death by three Niueans as he lay in his bed. It turned out he had beaten and abused hundreds of Niueans in his time.

The Queen Mother signed the death warrant for the three and they were flown back from New Zealand, sitting on the gal lows that were to hang them. They were spared at the last moment. * In New Caledonia, Kanak militants Eloi Machoro and Marcel Nonaro were killed by French soldiers on January 12, 1985.

On May 4, 1989, president Jean-Marie Tjibaou and Yeiwene Yeiwene of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front were shot dead on the island of Ouvea, in the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. * Palau’s founding President Haruo Remeliik was shot dead in a gangland style assassination on June 30, 1985. The cir cumstances and background of that death have never been fully explained. * During the Bougainville war, the province’s Premier Theodore Miriung was shot dead as he ate dinner with his family on October 12, 1996. Later inquiries point ed strongly at PNG soldiers carrying out the act because they believed he was lean ing towards the island’s rebels. ■