By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea– The Governor of the National Capital District in Papua New Guinea, Powes Parkop, wants to be sure that residents from Port Moresby’s squatter settlements are rehoused in communities that are not structured around ethnic lines.  Mr. Parkop insists that the Tete settlement must be closed permanently.  Much of the Tete settlement was destroyed under police direction after the brutal murder of a PNG businessman highlighted the violence of the settlement.  Though six were arrested, critics of settlement communities called for tougher action.

The Governor officially made his stand at a press conference at Unagi oval, “Tete settlement has seen some of the most heinous of crimes ever committed in PNG’s history and in the interest of the security of the majority of our people, we must close this settlement permanently.  If we do not close it, we will live to regret it in the future as we have seen in the recent past.”  Mr. Parkop continued, “I neither condemn nor condone the action of the police in razing down the settlement but am adamant that this settlement must be closed permanently.”  He said innocent persons have been affected but the rights and freedom of the majority of the community of the city who wish to live in peace and security were paramount.

Mr. Parkop said he was advised that Tete is state land and it was the NCDC that allowed the settlement to be established in the early 1990s.  The settlers will be relocated and NCDC will make parts of Morata and Duran Farm at Laloki available for resettlement.  NCDC will also assist with the initial cost of relocation and in setting up temporary accommodations for settlers willing to resettle, the NCDC will call on the government to support this.  Addressing the ethnic balance, Mr. Parkop said, “The resettlement exercise will follow the principle of ensuring that there is ethnic balance in the new locations the residents find themselves.  There will no longer be a settlement or community where a particular ethnic group dominates or is a major community among others.  This has been the problem with Tete in the past.”

Mr. Parkop said the cycle of violence must be stopped in similar squatter settlements or the perpetrators will be removed from the city.  The settlements are described as a mixed blessing, blamed as a source of a lot of the problems in urban areas but also where a large portion of the workforce lives by choice or necessity.

For more information, please see:
Post-Courier – Parkop set to remove Tete – 31 December 2008

Radio New Zealand International – Port Moresby Governer advocates for new settlements that are not along ethnic lines – 31 December 2008

TVNZ – Bulldoze PNG’s settlements due to crime, business boss says – 18 December 2008

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

PAPEETE, French Polynesia – A veteran French Polynesian politician has called allegations against him “scandalous” after a letter was found in his home describing the abduction, torture, and murder of a journalist.

In 1997, journalist, Jean-Pascal Couraud, disappeared. Four years ago, members of the Couraud family alleged that Jean-Pascal was murdered after Mr. Vetea Guilloux, a former spy for prominent French Polynesian politician, Gaston Flosse, claimed that the Grupement d’Intervention de La Polynesia (GIP) drowned the journalist off the coast of Tahiti.

Flosse originally created the GIP intervention force when he was president of French Polynesia to employ young men not only domestically but also in the Cook islands, Tonga, and Niue. The Force quickly grew and was criticized for becoming, what some saw, was a private army used for spying and intimidation.

In 2004, Flosse publically stated before a Tahitian assembly that he never ordered Couraud’s death.

Three months ago, a letter describing Couraud’s murder was found during a search of Flosse’s home. AFP news source reports that a former member of the GIP, Vetea Cadousteau, wrote the letter. Mr. Cadousteau’s body was found in a Tahitian valley five years ago. Experts are trying to determine the authenticity of the letter.

In addition, the letter implicates a GIP member as an accomplice in Couraud’s alleged murder. That accomplice, however, also died under circumstances yet to be investigated.

Flosse, meanwhile, has issued a statement claiming that the media’s persistence in attacking him is ridiculous. Flosse argues that not even the judiciary are pursuing him.

Following recent reports on the letter, Flosse has declined to respond.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Veteran French Polynesian politician says ongoing JPK speculation is scandalous – 31 December 2008

Radio New Zealand International – Letter’s discovery widens mystery around missing French Polynesian journalist – 30 December 2008

Island Business News – We Say: FRENCH POLYNESIA

By Sarah E. Treptow
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – James Tanis, a former guerilla fighter, has been elected President of the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville.  Former National Government Cabinet Minister, Sam Akoitai, says he is happy with the choice of Mr. Tanis because he was instrumental in the peace process.  He has urged the ABG under Mr. Tanis’ leadership to prioritize weapons disposal and the referendum which are both key issues in the Bouganville peace agreement.  Mr. Tanis took up arms against supporters of the Panguna Copper Mine says Bouganvilleans have been isolated from decision making processes over the last few years.  Irreconcilable differences over the mine divided the landowners and local communities before it was closed in 1988 during the provinces 10 year long civil war.

Monica Taga of the Bougainville InterChurch Women’s Forum says she is happy with the victory and says there is a need to finish peace building in the formerly war-torn province.  She says there are three pillars within this, “The first pillar being peace building in regards to weapons disposal – that is incomplete.  And also rehabilitation, thinking about, if weapons are disposed, how do you rehabilitate those that own the guns right now.  The ex-combatants and the civilians who are victims at this time and also the reconstruction of the essential services.”

Mr. Tanis, the former separatist, beat 13 other contenders for the post made vacant by the death of Joseph Kabui in June this year.  The Post Courier newspaper reports he was nearly two thousand votes ahead of the second highest polling candidate, Mr. Akoitai.  In the first election for President in 2005 Mr. Tanis finished third behind Mr. Kabui and former Governor John Momis.

Meanwhile, Mr. Akoitai says many Bougainvilleans were denied their democratic rights in the poll because their names were not on the common roll.

For more information, please see:

Pacific Islands Report – Tanis Elected President of Bougainville – 29 December 2008

Radio Australia – James Tanis new Bouganville President – 29 December 2008

Radio New Zealand International – Finishing peace building process likely main task for new Bougainville President – 29 December 2008

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Following threats to expel New Zealand’s acting High Commissioner, Caroline McDonald boarded a flight bound for Auckland this morning.

Ms. McDonald, NZ’s High Commissioner, was accompanied by her husband, Simon Mark, who is also New Zealand’s Trade Commissioner. The two left this morning after 11 months of working to establish better foreign relations with Fiji.

McDonald has made clear, however, that she is still a friend to Fiji, “despite the sadness I feel,” she said.

This morning, British and American embassy cars provided a special diplomatic escort for the couple. The two boarded a 10:20 am Air New Zealand flight to Auckland.

Friends and family gathered at Nadi Airport in Fiji to see the couple off. In Auckland, several members of the media and foreign affairs personnel awaited Ms. McDonald and her husband’s arrival.

Five days ago interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced plans to expel Ms. McDonald to show the interim government’s anger over travel sanctions. Both New Zealand and Australia set travel restrictions affecting Fiji interim officials as punishment for the bloodless military coup of Fiji’s federal government in 2006.

New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister, Murray McCully, says he will meet with Ms. McDonald to discuss Fiji’s political situation in the next few days.

For more information, please see:
Matangi, Tonga – Alarm sounds again for media freedom in Fiji – 22 December 2008

Fiji Times – NZ still a friend of Fiji, says McDonald – 29 December 2008

Fiji Times – Diplomat backs democracy for Fiji – 29 December 2008

Radio New Zealand News – NZ hopes Forum will help to resolve dispute with Fiji – 29 December 2008