Oceania

Fiji’s Military Dictator Announces Democratic Elections

June 30, 2014

by Max Bartels

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Savu, Fiji

Fiji has been under the control of a military dictator since Rear Admiral Bainimarma seized power during a military coup in 2006. The island nation of Fiji has had a troubled political past with four military coups in the past decade. The international community has since put pressure on Fiji in order to push it toward democracy. Fiji is heavily reliant on tourism as a source of income and a stimulus for their economy. Both Australia and New Zealand introduced travel bans on Fiji in order to motivate political change in the country. The United Kingdom suspended Fiji’s Commonwealth Status, denying it the benefits of association with Great Britain.

IW #6 Fiji Elections — Bainimarma addresses the U.N ahead of the September elections
(Photo curtesy of news.com.au)

In March Bainimarma announced that he would be stepping down as dictator and stating that he will run for re-election as a civilian and a member of Fiji’s “First Party”, which he now supports. Bainimarma claims that his coup in 2006 was necessary to ensure the restoration of democracy and to purge the rampant corruption that plagued the previous Fijian government. He says that he now looks to implement his plan for a better Fiji by holding open elections. In the wake of these statements the international community has reacted positively, praising Bainamarma for his decision. The government’s of Australia and New Zealand have lifted the travel bans on the island nation. The United Kingdom has also said they will reinstate commonwealth status if elections are successful.

However, there are still many issues with the upcoming elections, while Bainimarma announces they will be free and democratic there are some troubling events that have happened behind the scenes. Fiji has a history of restraining human rights and free speech; after recent constitutional change the military government heavily restricted these freedoms. There were incidents last year where protesters protesting the new constitution were arrested for failure to have a permit. There are many other stories of the regime arresting human rights defenders, journalists and trade union leaders. Critics in the press are skeptical of the upcoming elections and say that Bainimarma’s actions have no real teeth and will not effect change.

Despite the many instances of limiting the freedoms of the Fijian people, Bainimarma is extremely popular amongst the voters. He has implemented policies such as free education, free transportation for children and price controls on staple foods, all of which have made the military leader popular amongst the lower socioeconomic classes. In addition to these policies he has greatly improved the infrastructure of the islands making him popular amongst the rural population as well. It remains to be seen whether the elections will affect change in Fiji but Bainimarma has stated his intentions, his campaign is popular and the election in September will show whether he is sincere or not.

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch — Rights Abuses Continue in Fiji — 9 April 2014

ABC Australia News Network — Fiji Welcomes Lifting of Travel Bans by Australia, NZ — March 31 2014

ABC Australia News Network — Frank Bainimarma Appears to have Widespread Support Ahead of Elections — 28 May 2014

The Telegraph — Fiji’s Military Dictator Swaps Uniform for Suit — 6 March 2014

Fiji Asks For Help to Fight the Affects of Climate Change in the Pacific

June 22, 2014

by Max Bartels

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Savu, Fiji

The Government of the island nation of Fiji is accusing the international community, pointing mainly at Australia, of being selfish in regards to climate change policy. Fiji, like many other pacific nations is suffering greatly from the rising sea levels; these small island nations contribute very little to global carbon emissions but are suffering the consequences of the rest of the world’s high level of carbon output.

Fiji Village — Fijian village is abandoned as sea water seeps through the ground
(Photo Curtesy of Fiji Times)

In a climate change summit hosted by Fiji, interim Prime Minister Bainimara said the global will to combat climate change is receding. He further pointed at Australia, saying that since the election of conservative Prime Minister Tony Abbot there has been a distinct change of attitude in Australia toward climate change policy. Abbot has been quoted as saying that he will not support any climate change policy in Australia that would negatively impact the Australian economy.

The interim Prime Minister of Fiji issued a harsh statement to the world, pointed at Australia and Prime Minister Abbot, saying that history will judge them harshly if they do nothing to effect policy change and allow the islands of the pacific to sink below the ocean. He further stated that leaders need to see the situation is dire for Fiji and other island nations and that leaders need to risk minor economic impact to save lives.

Indonesia was invited to the climate change summit in Fiji and pledged support to Fiji in combating climate change. Indonesia also has a strong incentive to mitigate the effects of climate change in the pacific. Indonesia has offered $20 million to Fiji to help fight the effects of climate change and has offered further support in the form of increased trade agreements with Fiji to boost trade revenue by a targeted $1 billion in the future.

The situation in Fiji is so serious that entire communities have had to be relocated since January 2014. The village of Vaunidogola had to be relocated to higher ground due to rising sea levels; the relocation affected 50 families whose ancestors had lived on that land for generations. The government of Fiji has also identified 600 villages across the Fiji islands that are at risk from the rising sea levels. The government predicts that over the next 10 years 40 settlements will have to be relocated due to the rise in sea levels, the pollution of the ground water and the destruction of agricultural land.

For more Information, please see:

Australia Network News — Fiji Accuses Global Community of Abandoning the Pacific on Climate Change, Singles out “Selfish” Australia — 19 June 2014

The Fiji Times — Climate Change Challenge — 21 June 2014

ABC News Australia — Pacific Nations Urge Climate Change Action, Ask Australia for Help — 27 May 2014

SBS News Australia — Rising Sea Levels Prompts Relocation in Fiji — 31 January 2014

UN Urges Papua New Guinea to Take Action to Stop Vigilante Witchcraft Killings

June 15, 2014

by Max Bartels

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is under heavy criticism by the UN for doing little to combat the killing of women and sometimes men for suspected sorcery. Across the country deaths and illnesses are often blamed on sorcerers, those suspected of sorcery are often subject to vigilante killings. UN investigations have concluded that sorcery is often used in PNG to mask violence against women. Even though the PNG government has taken steps to combat the violence they have not been effective, impunity is often still given at the local level to those who kill alleged sorcerers.

papua-new-guinea_2481073b — Woman is burned at the stake for suspected sorcery in a PNG village
(Photo Curtesy of The Telegraph)

These problems in PNG were brought to the forefront of the international community a year ago when a 20-year-old woman was killed for alleged witchcraft when a young boy died of illness. The town’s people blamed the young woman for the death, she was striped naked, tortured and burned alive at the stake. Even though the attack was over a year ago no one has been brought to justice for the killing. Since this disturbing murder the number of vigilante attacks on suspected witches has increased sharply, causing an increase of violence and unrest.

The PNG government has responded to the UN demands to deter these attacks by repealing the Sorcery Act of 1971, which created the defense of sorcery for defendants on murder charges. The country has also responded by reinstating the death penalty for murder and rape in hopes that it will deter these violent attacks on women. The UN has criticized the reinstatement of the death penalty, saying that the death penalty does not help deter the violence in anyway. Instead the UN advises that prompt investigation and trials would be effective in halting the attacks.

Even with these heavy-handed measures to combat the violence, bringing those responsible for the killings to justice proves difficult. At the local level, those who kill witches or sorcerers are not deemed to be criminals by the population. Arresting them and convicting them is difficult when their local communities do not think of them as criminals. Since the death penalty reinstatement not one person has been given the capital punishment, the deterrence is not effective if the punishment is never given out for the crime.

The UN has recently held a conference in Port Moresby, the capital of PNG to discuss these issues with the PNG government. The PNG Deputy Secretary for Legal and Justice Affairs has stated that the UN conference should form the basis for legislative reform in the country. Other government agencies have also voiced their support for the UN conference and possible policy and legislative reforms to combat the issue of witchcraft killings.

For more information, please see:

BBC News — UN Urges Action on Papua New Guinea Sorcery Attacks — 13 June 2014

Yahoo News — UN Urges End to Impunity for PNG Sorcery Attacks — 13 June 2014

News.com.au — Papua New Guinea Slammed by Amnesty International for Lack of Actions in Socery Killing — 6 February 2014

MSN News NZ — UN Urges Action on PNG Sorcery Attacks — 13 June 2014

World’s First Climate Change Refugee Denied Asylum in New Zealand

June 8, 2014

by Max Bartels

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Wellington, New Zealand

A Man from the small Pacific islands of Kiribati applied as a “climate refugee” in New Zealand. Mr. Teitiota is the first to apply for such a refugee status. A New Zealand Judge dismissed Mr. Teitiota case and denied him and his family refugee status. This ruling was appealed the New Zealand Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the lower court. Mr. Teitiota and his family have been living illegally in New Zealand for the past seven years, after his initial visa exprired he applied for refugee status. Since Mr. Teitiota’s case and appeal have failed in the New Zealand courts, he and his family are to be deported back to Kiribati. Mr. Teitiota is married with three children, all three children were born in New Zealand; however, New Zealand does not recognize the offspring of illegal immigrants born in the country as citizens.

The New Zealand court held that under international law Mr. Teitiota does not qualify as a refugee. The UN Refugee Convention of 1951 states that a refugee must fear persecution if they returned home, the courts determined that this is a criterion that Mr. Teitiota does not meet. The court went on to say that if refugee status were granted, the floodgates would open for all medium-term environmental deprivation or damage refugees, which would create an influx of refugees. The court further said that Mr. Teitiota and his family would be able to resume their prior subsistence life with dignity in Kiribati.

The islands of Kiribati are quickly being swallowed by the Pacific Ocean. Projections show that the Island will cease to exist by the end of this century. However, the island will become uninhabitable even earlier due to the rise in the rise in the sea-level combined with a more severe storm cycle that will contaminate the water table and with it all the agricultural land. The main atoll, Tarawa is six square miles in total, crammed into this space are 50,000 islanders and that space is quickly shrinking.

The President of Kiribati is exploring options for a mass migration and the Kiribati government hoped that the case in New Zealand would give them that option. Other options the government is pursuing include the purchase of land in Fiji as a possible resettlement option. The government has also explored the option of building a man made island to resettle the population. In total there are over 100,000 people in Kiribati that will eventually be displaced by the rising sea level. With any option the government pursues it will be difficult to relocate such as large group of people.

For more Information, please see:

The Guardian — New Zealand Refuses Climate Change Refugees- Mass Action is Now Needed — 12 May 2014

The Independent — World’s First Climate Change Refugee’ has Appeal rejected as New Zealand Rules Loane Teitiota Must Return to South Pacific Island Nation of Kiribati — 12 May 2014

Australian International Business Times — New Zealand Denies Asylum to World’s First Climate Change Refugee; Court Orders Deportation of Kiribatian — 13 May 2014

The New Zealand Herald — World’s First Climate Change Refugee has Appeal Rejected — 13 May 2014

Marshall Islands Sues U.S and Other Nuclear- Armed Countries in U.N’s Highest Court

June 1, 2014

by Max Bartels

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands

The tiny island nation of the Republic of Marshall Islands has sued a number of nations in the United Nations highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The nations involved in the suit include the Unites States, China, North Korea, France, India, Israel, Pakistan, Russia and the United Kingdom. The Marshall Islands accuses these nations of not fulfilling their obligations with respect to the cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament.

Mushroom Cloud of Bikini Atoll Explosion
(Photo Curtesy of The Guardian)

The lawsuit is particularly pointed at the United States, which used the different atolls of the Marshall Islands as a testing ground for their nuclear programs between 1946 and 1958. During that 12 year span the U.S detonated 67 nuclear weapons of varying potency.

The inhabitants of Bikini Atoll were evacuated in 1946 to make way for the testing. Then in 1954 the atoll was vaporized by a 15- Megaton hydrogen bomb. The inhabitants of the atoll were allowed to return to in the early 1970s but were again removed in 1978 after ingesting high levels of radiation from eating local foods grown on the atoll.

The people of Rongelap Atoll were exposed to severe nuclear fallout from U.S nuclear testing in 1954. It is estimated that the people of Rongelap were exposed to three times the external dose of the people most heavily exposed to the Chernobyl accident. The U.S government did not evacuate the people of Rongelap until two days after the explosion. The people of the Marshall Islands that have been exposed to the radiation of the testing sites have suffered many adverse effects such as tissue destructive effects and latent radiation diseases. In 2005 the National Cancer Institute reported that the risk of contracting cancer to those exposed to fallout is one in three.

Under an Agreement between the U.S and the Marshall Islands a Nuclear Claims Tribunal was formed to award damages to the victims of the nuclear tests. However, the tribunal has never had the funds to fully compensate the damage done. The Tribunal has awarded about $2.15 billion in damages but only about $150 million was paid because the U.S compensation fund was exhausted. The U.S claims that it is continuing to work with the Marshall Islands to provide health care and environmental monitoring.

The nuclear-armed countries named in the lawsuit will most likely argue that they have been making progress in certain areas or that they support the start of negations toward disarmament. The lawsuits state that Article VI of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) requires states to negotiate in “good faith” on nuclear disarmament. It will be up to the ICJ to decide if the nuclear- armed countries, including the U.S have sufficiently complied with International law.

For more information, please see:

News.com.au — Marshall Islands Sues U.S, Others Over Nuclear Arms — 25 April 2014

Aljazeera America — The Pacific Island Nation, Site of Many Nuclear Tests, is Taking its Case to the ICJ and U.S Courts — 24 April 2014

The World Post — The Legacy of U.S Nuclear Testing in the Marshall Islands — 23 May 2010

Newsweek — Tiny Pacific Islands and Nuclear Testing Site Sues Nations for Failing on Nuclear Disarmament — 24 April 2014

The Guardian — Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test: 60 Years Later and Islands Still Unlivable — 2 March 2014