By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

DILI, East Timor – A number of bodies were unearthed from the construction site of a luxury hotel seven miles outside of Dili.

A Singaporean company began construction on the foundation of a five-star, beach front hotel when, last month, workers uncovered nine bodies on the site.  Experts believe they are East Timorese freedom fighters who were blindfolded and buried in a mass grave during the early years of the Indonesian occupation.  When they were uncovered, not only were all the bodies wearing what appeared to be remnants of blindfolds, but two of the bodies also had Portuguese military uniforms.

In 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor, which had been a Portuguese colony for more than 400 years.  It occupied East Timor until 1999, when it achieved its independence.  This twenty-four year period was a particularly brutal one in East Timor’s history.

During the occupation, freedom fighters wore the military uniforms and later on also used stolen Indonesian equipment.

A professor of international studies at Deakin University in Australia also believes that the bodies are those of freedom fighters who had been captured by the Indonesian army (also known as TNI), brought to Dili for interrogation, and then executed.  TNI would only bury such individuals if they had been executed.  On the other hand, freedom fighters who died in combat were often hung from trees to deter locals from taking up arms.

East Timor has appointed a government commission, which is responsible for searching for victims of the period in which Indonesia occupied the nation.

A representative of the government commission, Gregorio Saldanha, called the nine “heroes of our country”.  The commission continues to search for additional victims.

An estimated 180,000 individuals died during Indonesia’s occupation. After Indonesia left East Timor, many unmarked graves were unearthed, including a mass grave holding eighteen individuals at Dili’s airport runway.  Archeologists continue to search the area for more unmarked graves.

Hotel construction has been postponed due to archeological work on the site.

For more information please see:
Daily Commercial News – Bodies found during building of hotel in East Timor – 23 March 2010 http://dcnonl.com/article/id38072

The Age – Mass grave halts Timor hotel work – 14 March 2010 http://www.theage.com.au/world/mass-grave-halts-timor-hotel-work-20100313-q52c.html

Associated Press – Grave likely holds East Timorese freedom fighters -12 March 2010 http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIiPYCqSMHJerbFKlj-ofEEO5KNQD9ED2H180

By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORT VILA, Vanuatu – A recent report by Vanuatu’s Coroner, in connection with the death of a man being held in police custody, recommended that the government make changes to the Vanuatu Mobile Force, the nation’s police paramilitary unit.

A man recently died while being held by the VMF. As a result, the Vanuatu Coroner, Justice Nevin Dawson, issued a report, which included comments criticizing the VMF.  Dawson described the paramilitary unit as elitist and having a ‘culture of violence and no respect for the law’.

The report said that the Force uses intimidation tactics to get to its opponents.  Dawson recommended that the government control this police unit more.

Government officials claim that his has been a major issue in Vanuatu for many years and were happy to see this issue being addressed.

Ralph Regenvanu, a MP for the government, said, “[t]he fact that there are elements within our Police Force and Vanuatu Mobile Force who have no respect for human rights, they think they are above the law.  This has been mainly with regard to brutality against young people, against detainees.  The way they deal with or do not deal with domestic violence.”

He further commented that although this is the way the VMF has been for many years, the situation hasn’t improved due to continued funding efforts from Australia.

Vanuatu’s government demands that this funding must be cut off since it has done nothing to reverse the trend of violence in Vanuatu.

Academics predict that if the death of this man is not investigated properly, the culture of violence will become worse.

Dr. Andrew Ladley, an adjunct professor at Wellington’s Victoria University, has worked on constitutional and electoral issues in the Pacific region.  He believes that this police force will continue to behave improperly and that Vanuatu could in fact experience a crisis.

Politicians responsible for taking action in light of this incident recognize the fact that the VMF uses intimidation tactics.  Ladley said, “[t]his is potentially a very big crisis looming for Vanuatu, if it isn’t tackled properly”.

For more information please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Australia urged to stop funding Vanuatu’s VMF – 19 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Vanuatu MP welcomes report which slams police culture and attitudes – 18 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Vanuatu govt moving delicately over Coroner’s report for fear of a coup says MP – 18 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – VMF actions could spark Vanuatu crisis, warns academic – 17 March 2010

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Solomon Islands says more witnesses have volunteered to testify at future hearings into the ethnic tensions.

The Commission recently held its first public hearing regarding the ethnic tensions. The first hearing’s main concern was the conflict that has left 100 people dead and 20,000 displaced between 1998 and 2003.

The Commission says it will hold seven more public hearings this year, with the next to be held on the island of Malaita on April 10, 2010.

The chairman of the Commission, Reverend Sam Ata, says victims of ethnic tensions are calling on their perpetrators to come forward so they can be reconciled.

Amnesty International has called on the government to protect those who speak publicly because it says there is a “danger of reprisals.”

But Ata says rather than expressing fear of reprisals, the victims have “issued a powerful message of reconciliation to the perpetrators of violence.”

Ata stated: “That’s the message they have put across to the country, that they are willing to forgive them and reconcile with them, so I don’t know if there is a fear there after the victims have made a plea for these people to come forward, then that is something else.”

Ata worries that reprisals would be difficult, but he acknowledged the possibility.

Jo O’Brien, correspondent for a news station in Solomon Islands, reported: “The first hearing into the conflict…concluded yesterday. Nineteen witnesses gave testimony, including a woman who lost her husband, brother and niece, a man whose father was tortured by militants, and a Guadalcanal woman who was attacked because she married a man from Malaita. During the hearing there were calls for perpetrators to come forward and tell their stories, and the Commission’s chairman, Father Sam Ata said it will invite them to testify because they also need to heal.”

The Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace, Sam Iduri, says the “level of public support and interest in the hearing has far surpassed the ministry’s expectations.”

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – More volunteers to testify at Solomons Truth Commission – 11 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Solomons Truth Commission advocates reconciliation – 11 March 2010

Impunity Watch – Solomon’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission Plans to Have its First Hearing – 07 March 2010

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – The Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, based in Australia, has expressed its concern about a former parliamentarian, Peceli Rinakama, who has not been seen in almost a week.

Reports from Fiji say the whereabouts of Rinakama are unknown. He was reportedly seized by the military and it is not know where he has been taken.

Attempts to get information from the interim government have been unsuccessful. The military and the interim government have declined to comment on the matter.

During the recent trial of eight men accused of plotting to kill the Fiji Prime Minister, a witness stated that Rinakama was gathering ex-military personnel for the case.

Rinakama was accused of being involved in the plot back in 2007, when the conspirators were first arrested. However, Rinakama was released and the charges against him were dropped. The other conspirators were recently convicted.

As Rinkama’s whereabouts remain unknown, a representative from the Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, Usaia Peter Waqatairewa, has accused the interim regime of failing to guarantee the safety of its citizens.

Wagatairewa states: “We are very concerned that this politician has disappeared for five days going on to six days now, and we have not had any word from anybody.”

He further expressed his concerns about the military’s actions. He stated: “They can’t guarantee the safety of the people. This regime has failed in its duty as the government of Fiji under the International Declaration of Human Rights to guarantee the safety of its citizens.”

For more information, please see:
Solomon Star – No trace of Fiji politician Rinakama seized by military – 11 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – As Fiji regime stays silent, concern grows over politician seized by soldiers – 11 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – Fiji Freedom Movement concerned about politician not seen for six days – 11 March 2010

Radio New Zealand International – No trace of Fiji politician Rinakama seized by military – 10 March 2010

By Cindy Trinh
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – The first public hearing by the Solomon Islands Truth and Reconciliation Commission is to be held this week.

The first national public hearing of the Commission comes almost a year after the Commission was established in April last year. The Commission was formed to end the chaos and violence in the Solomon Islands from 1997-2003, mainly because of conflict between gangs from the islands of Malaita and Guadalcanal.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s primary function is to promote national unity and reconciliation.

In a public announcement, the Commission says the national public hearing is “one of the most significant activities of the Commission’s work plan to accomplish their mission.”

The public hearing allows victims and witnesses of crimes committed during tensions in Solomon Islands the opportunity to give testimony regarding their experiences.

The Commission stated that “the public hearings will give voice to victims of the ethnic tensions who have had to silently endure abuses and crimes impossible to describe.”

The ethnic tensions have claimed 100 lives so far, and displaced about 20,000 persons in the Solomon Islands.

The Commission hopes to end the “silence” and make the country “recognize their sufferings and feel their tragedy that has long been denied.”

The hearing is expected to last for two days. During these days, victims and witnesses from Guadalcanal, Malaita, Western Province, and Choiseul are expected to appear before the Commission to offer their testimony.

The victims will not be allowed to name individuals, but they are allowed to name the groups that have abused them.

The hearings will take place at the Forum Fisheries Agency offices in Honiara on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 9-10, 2010.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – First hearing of Solomons Truth and Reconciliation Commission this week – 07 March 2010

Solomon Times Online – First TRC Public Hearing Next Week – 05 March 2010

Three Rivers Episcopal – Archbishop Tutu launches Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the Solomon Islands – 20 May 2009