By Ryan L. Maness
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji –Despite calls from the Pacific Island Forum not to do so, Fiji has suspended suspended talks with the Forum Joint Working Group.  After the suspension the Ministry of Information acting deputy secretary, Major Neumi Leweni, was unequivocal that talks had not been terminated, only that they were suspended for the moment.  The suspension arose after the government of New Zealand imposed a travel ban against businessman Robin Storck soon after his appointment as chief executive of Fijian Holdings Limited.  New Zealand has been categorical in imposing travel bans against anyone associated with the interim government; however, when pulling out of the Working Group, interim Prime Minister Bainimarama credited the “hypocritical” stance of New Zealand and Australia.

The other members of the working group have expressed their hope that the dialogue with Fiji will renew and a path to return Fiji to democracy will be charted.  The chairman of the group. Tonga’s Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele. has called on Bainimarama to return to the table for next month’s scheduled meeting, despite his absence from the meeting this past week.  Without Fiji’s presence in the working group, Sevele said, there isn’t much point for continuing to meet.  Sevele went on to say that, while he hoped Fiji would return, he was sure that they will have conditions for coming back.”

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has said that the travel bans will not be relaxed from their current configuration.

For more information, please see:
Fijilive — Travel bans remain, NZ tells Fiji — 29 June 2008

Fijilive — Pacific Forum chair pushes Fiji to rejoin — 29 June 2008

Fiji Times — Remain engaged in dialogue, Fiji urged — 26 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — New Zealand Foreign Minister hoping for re-engagement with Fiji regime next month — 26 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Chair of Pacific Forum says Fiji must be encouraged to return to dialogue — 26 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Uncertainty over Fiji/Forum meeting after Fiji boycott — 26 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji’s interim Prime Minister suspends talks with Forum Joint Working Group — 22 June 2008

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SUVA, Fiji — Daryl Tarte, the chairman of the Fiji Media Council, says that the media in Fiji is under severe threat of governmental regulation.  Speaking at the launch of the Media and Developement Book this week, Tarte said that statutory regulation would harm Fiji’s media and that it would be better to have the media regulate itself.  The Fiji Media Council recently met with the interim PM, but Tarte said that he is looking forward to another meeting.

Perhaps worrying to those who oppose governmental media regulation, on 22 June members of the Fiji police began investigating an interview done for Close Up program to determine whether or not inciteful comments were made by  Suva Lawyer Rajendra Chaudhry and Close Up Show Host, Anish Chand.  The Fiji Police said that they received credible information that the tape contained inciteful comments, but have not yet taken either Chaudhry or Chand in for questioning.  The tape containing the interview was not played prior to the police seizure, but neither has it been returned to the television station, despite requests that it be.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Times — Police keep tape — 27 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji Media Council says media independence threatened — 24 June 2008

Fiji Times — Media faces State wrath — 24 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji Media Council Chair says media faces threat of regulation — 23 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji police probe Fiji TV programme — 23 June 2008

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SUVA, Fiji — The Fiji Human Rights Commission created a report, which was leaked to the Sunday Star Times, which dealt with the recent deportations of newspaper publishers Evan Hannah and Russell Hunter.  According to the report, the deportation of the two men was not only appropriate, but actually long overdue.  In finding that none of Hannah or Hunter’s rights were breached, it went on to saw that both men, as well as New Zealand High Commissioner in Fiji Michael Green, were making persistent attacks on the administration of Justice in Fiji.  According to the report, although Green was made persona non grata in Fiji last year, he continues to interfere in Fiji’s internal affairs.

The New Zealand government has denied any attempts to infiltrate the Fijian government or to interfere with the administration of justice.

The report was commissioned after ousted opposition leader Mick Beddoes filed a complaint with the FHRC.

Opposition leaders in Fiji have condemned the findings in the report.  Beddoes told Radio Fiji that the substance of the report was in large part irrelevant to what he had originally asked about.  He also said, “I’m deeply concerned that someone who must administer matters concerning the rights of people in this country has such an obvious leaning toward a particular political party and to the government.”

For more information, please see:
Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited — Military looks into FHRC report — 25 June 2008

Fiji Times — Commission report irrelevant: Beddoes — 25 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Editor of Fiji Times expresses renewed concern over Human Rights Commission — 22 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji’s ousted opposition leader says report into deportation backs backs move of military regime — 22 June 2008

Fijilive — NZ diplomat interfering in Govt, Fiji claims — 22 june 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji’s Human Rights Commission claims interim regime right to deport publishers — 20 June 2008

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SAIPAN, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — Northern Mariana Islands Governor, Benigno R. Fitial, is preparing to sue the U.S. Federal government over labor provisions in the federal immigration law.

In a pre-recorded statement, Fitial argued that the U.S. is imposing a new immigration law that violates the document set up between the two countries describing the U.S. and the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) political relationship, or the “Covenant.” By its terms, the Covenant ensures CNMI the right to self-government, and provides that the U.S. promote the CNMI’s economic growth and development.

Fitial’s main concern is that the new immigration law will violate the U.S.’s commitment to the CNMI through the Covenant. The current cap on foreign workers allowed in CNMI has hurt major construction projects, and many foreign investors have backed out of projects due to the uncertainty of CNMI’s workforce.

The new immigration law calls for 20,000 foreign workers in CNMI to obtain federal visas by at least December 31, 2014. At present, very few foreign workers hold U.S. working visas, and the fear is that these workers will no longer qualify once the federalization law is in place.

“Let me be clear. We do not question the authority of the Congress to apply the existing federal immigration laws that apply to every other part of the United States except American Samoa. We agreed to that in the Covenant. Our complaint focuses on the labor provisions of the legislation, which are not, and never have been part of the federal immigration laws,” Fitial said.

Fitial plans on suing unless his attorneys in a U.S. based firm advise him otherwise.

For more information, please see:
Pacific Magazine — Governor To Challenge Washington Takeover In Courts — 25 June 2008

Saipan Tribune — Fitial poised to sue US govt — 25 June 2008

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HONIARA, Solomon Islands — Public servants are planning a nation-wide strike Friday in response to dissatisfaction with Prime Minister, Derek Sikua’s government.

A Solomon Islands Public Employees Union (SIPEU) is behind the proposed strike. According to a SIPEU representative, the Union is upset with the Government ministers’ performance. The Union is demanding a 49 percent wage increase, and has given the government 14 days to address their concerns.

Paul Belande, general secretary to SIPEU, confirmed that public servants will walk off their jobs this Friday in a nationwide strike.

“[T]he current government miserably failed to fulfill some of its planned obligations which we, the workers, will feel and know if a certain government is not actively driving things forward,” Belande said.

Some sources have said workers will walk off their jobs Thursday. If demands are not met, a full strike will take place Friday.

For more information, please see:
Solomon Star News — Gov’t workers say they’ll walk off jobs Friday — 25 June 2008

Solomon Star News — Govt Workers Planning National Strike, Newspaper Reports — 20 June 2008

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SAIPAN, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands — An international leasing firm will put in a bid for $6 million to end electricity outages that have plagued Saipan.

Aggreko, an International firm from the Netherlands, will provide 15 units of one-megawatt generators, personnel, and materials as part of a one-year contract for $6 million. In return, the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) will run the generators on its own diesel fuel.

Poorly maintained generators and finance troubles have plagued the CUC, and by extension has troubled residents for some time. The new generators will arrive from Singapore in roughly 26 days and should provide a stable source of electricity to residents.

For more information, please see:
Saipan Tribune — $6M Deal To Lease Power Generators For Saipan — 24 June 2008