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

SUVA, Fiji — On Thursday evening immigration officials arrived at the home of Fiji Times publisher, Evan Hannah, where they took him into custody and transported him to Nadi airport.  The officials were under orders of the interim Defense Minister and the ministry’s permanent secretary to deport Hannah, an Australian citizen, to Sydney.  Hannah was alleged to have violated the terms of his visa to be in Fiji by publishing articles in his newspaper.

Soon after, Fiji Times lawyers petitioned the High Court for an injunctive order to delay the deportation.  In response to the request, Justice Filimone Jitoko ordered that the authorities produce Hannah for a hearing at 3 pm on Thursday.  However, despite the Court’s order, however, Hannah’s deportation was still processed.  The Fiji Times reports that while newspaper lawyers were stationed at the entrance of the Nadi airport waiting to serve the habeas corpus, the authorities took Hannah to an alternate entrance and were therefore not served with the paperwork.

While Parmesh Chand, Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office refused to comment in the wake of the deportation, Mahendra Chaundry, Fiji Labour Party Leader, that the media must play by the rules.  Chand said that the media must “be held accountable and responsible in a fragile society still struggling to achieve national unity and progress.”  He also said that the media has enormous power, but that it had been showing a distinct political agenda by distorting and selectively reporting on certain issues.

Hannah’s deportation brought on the instant condemnation of foreign powers.  The United States issued a statement taking note of the fact that Hannah was the second newspaper publisher deported in ten weeks and urging Fiji’s interim administration to respect the human rights of all of Fiji’s citizens.  The New Zealand PM, Helen Clark, called this another effort by the interim administration to “muzzle the media and close down freedom of speech.”  She also said, “the manner of the deportation also suggests disregard for the rule of law.”

Stephen Smith, the Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, echoed the United States’ and New Zealand condemnation, but he also called upon the interim government to provide an explanation for why Hannah was deported.  “Unless the interim Fiji Government can provide some satisfactory explanation it can only be seen as another blatant attack by the illegal Fiji Interim Government on the media in an attempt to muzzle freedom of speech,” he said.

Hannah, was not able to fly to Sydney directly from Suva, instead he was forced to fly by way of Seoul, South Korea.  He was scheduled to arrive early on Friday.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Times — Media not a law unto itself, Chaundry says — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Expulsion dismays NZ Prime Minister — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — ‘Deportation disturbing’ — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Court calls for answers: Citizens condemn publisher’s deportation — 03 May 2008

Fiji Times — Hannah expulsion concerns US — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Australian Government disturbed at Fiji Times’ boss treatment — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Chand refuses to answer questions — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Court order disobeyed, Hannah deported — 02 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Deported Fiji Times publisher to be flown to Australia via Seoul — 02 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji newspaper chief in police custody — 01 May 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji court orders detained publisher to appear before it this afternoon — 01 May 2008

SUVA, Fiji — After the Pacific Island Forum’s condemnation of Fiji for a lack of progress towards democratic restoration, the interim government has called for a political forum to discuss Fiji’s electoral process.  Interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who is currently in Singapore on a fact finding mission, called for the nation’s politicians to gather to work together for the betterment of Fiji.  Particularly, Bainimarama has appealed to deposed PM Lasenia Qarase to engage in talks in order to tackle of question about Fiji’s democracy and to improve their failing economy.

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

DILI, East Timor — Twelve rebels suspected of masterminding the assassination attempts on East Timor’s President and Prime Minister in February, surrendered today after hiding in the jungle for more than two months. President Jose Ramos-Horta has declared the peaceful resolution a turning point in East Timor’s violent history.

The surrender comes after rebels shot and seriously wounded the President on the morning of February 11th. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao was also targeted in a separate attack, but escaped unharmed. The President returned to his duties last week after a two month recovery in Darwin, Australia.

This morning, the twelve, including rebel leader, Gastau Salsinha, and the President’s named shooter, Marcelo Caetano, met with President Horta in an emotional ceremony at the Presidential Palace. Cameras captured a tearful Caetano kiss the President’s hand and ask for forgiveness. In an interview, Salsinha apologized for causing the East Timor people grief. “My men surrendered for the people of this country. … They are ready to face justice,” Salsinha said.

The President has expressed forgiveness, but remains committed to seeing the ends of justice met. “I am happy our sons returned to Dili and surrendered their weapons,” President Horta said. He added, “The truth will be established by the court.”

Prime Minister Gusmao praised the Timorese police and military for their efforts in conducting the two month long manhunt in cooperation with other state institutions. This week Australia announced it will withdraw 200 troops from East Timor, in part due to the improvement in security. Although, since the small country gained its independence in 2002, roughly 2,500 foreign troops have remained to help maintain stability.

In 2006, the twelve rebels were a part of some 600 military members who were fired for protesting alleged discrimination. In the bitter dispute, the army divided into factions, causing 37 deaths and forcing 150,000 from their homes.

President Horta believes today marks an end to the violence that has plagued East Timor since its hard won independence.

For more information, please see:
Associated Press — 12 East Timor rebels suspected in attacks surrender — 29 April 2008

BBC News — Surrender ends troops’ rebellion — 29 April 2008

Christian Science Monitor — East Timor rebel leader surrenders — 29 April 2008

Reuters, UK — East Timor rebel leader surrenders — 29 April 2008

The Sydney Morning Herald — East Timor rebels surrender — 29 April 2008

TVNZ — E Timor rebel leader surrenders — 29 April 2008

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga — Pro-democracy candidates won more than half the available seats in Tonga’s Parliament in Thursday’s elections. The newly elected members are, meanwhile, facing sedition charges for alleged participation in riots that destroyed Tonga’s capital in 2006.In Tonga’s political system, the people elect nine Parliamentary members, nobles appoint another nine, and the King appoints 15, which include all the country’s ministers.

Of the nine MPs popularly elected, the pro-democracy candidates won six seats. The pro-democracy movement’s leader, Akilisi Pohiva, garnered the most support, winning 11,290 votes. The second most popular candidate attracted some 4,000 fewer votes. Thursday’s election saw a record number of people register, 68,0000, to elect the nine representatives.

“I think the message is clear now. The outcome of the election is like a referendum because the government has been doing its very best, using all its resources, and dominating all the media outlets trying to destroy us, but the battle is over now,” Pohiva said.

Thursday’s election is the first since 2006, when the pro-democracy movement turned violent, causing the death of eight and destroying Tonga’s capital city, Nuku’alofa. The riots erupted after the Legislative Assembly of Tonga adjourned for the year without employing promised reforms. Five of the six newly elected candidates, including Pohiva, are currently facing criminal charges for their alleged involvement in the riots.

One Australian resident, Inoke Fotu Hu’akau, who was unsuccessful in the election warned, “Pro-democracy is getting to be more like a cult than a political party. It is getting harder to counter it as time goes by.”

Although Tonga is presently a constitutional monarchy, the growing pro-democracy movement has urged King George Tupou V to make good on his proposed democratic reforms. Among its reforms, the Government has proposed giving the majority of legislative seats, now mostly occupied by the King’s ministers, to popularly elected officials during the 2010 elections.

The King appears willing to support a more democratic Tonga, but the pro-democratic movement wants his commitment in writing. Although the details of the 2010 reforms remain hazy, the people of Tonga have made their preferences for a more representative government abundantly clear.

For more information, please see:
The Australian — ‘Rioters’ poll best in Tonga — 26 April 2008

TVNZ — Tongans back democracy campaigners — 26 April 2008

BBC News —  Tongans elect pro-democracy MPs — 25 April 2008

ABC Radio Australia — Tonga MPs call on king to keep promises over political involvement — 25 April 2008

ABC Radio Australia — Tong’as pro democracy movement wants King to back political reform — 25 April 2008

ABC News — Tongan MPs urge King to lessen political influence — 25 April 2008

The Sydney Morning Herald — Tonga pro-democracy MPs claim mandate — 25 April 2008