Political Reviews

0LFURQHVLDLQ5HYLHZ,VVXHVDQG(YHQWV-XO\ WR-XQH david w kupferman, kelly g marsh, samuel f mcphetres, tyrone j taitano

3RO\QHVLDLQ5HYLHZ,VVXHVDQG(YHQWV-XO\WR-XQH lorenz gonschor, hapakuke pierre leleivai, margaret mutu, forrest wade young

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169 political reviews ‡ micronesia 177 guam-little-apprehension-north-koreas who has apparently made the issue the -threatened-attack [accessed 9 Oct 2013] primary focus of his cabinet portfolio. Saipan Tribune. Daily. Garapan, Saipan. At the United Nations climate meeting http://www.saipantribune.com/ in Doha, Qatar, in December 2012, de Brum announced that the theme of Washington Post. 2013. Anthony Babauta: Why He Matters. 29 January. the September 2013 Forum meeting http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ was to be climate change, and specifi- anthony-babauta/gIQAorLkAP_topic.html cally how the Pacific Island heads of state can take a greater leadership role on the issue globally (MIJ, 21 Dec 2012). De Brum followed this up with an appearance at an “Arria-formula” Marshall Islands meeting of the UN Security Council The period under review in the Repub- on 15 February 2013. (Arria-formula lic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) meetings are not officially classified as was focused largely on the impacts meetings by the United Nations, and of climate change, both physical and records or transcripts of the proceed- political, as well as on preparations ings are not kept.) Despite the infor- for hosting the 44th annual Pacific mal nature of the meeting, which was Islands Forum in Majuro in Septem- organized by the United Kingdom ber 2013. Additionally, clear lines and Pakistan, de Brum’s speech was were drawn within the RMI national available on the Internet and a video government, specifically in terms of report about the meeting was picked government spending, as well as in the up by the online video magazine Slate context of relations with the United V (2013). In the speech (and repeated States, which continued to be strained in Slate’s report), de Brum arguably over the past twelve months largely made a dubious connection between due to tensions surrounding concerns the drought in the northern atolls that about funding under the Compact of had begun in January 2013 and the Free Association and a US Department water company’s rationing schedule in of State report on human traffick- Majuro, which was unaffected by the ing. One bright spot was the seem- drought at the time of the speech. The ing progress toward a constitutional minister then announced the drafting convention, which, while put on hold of a Majuro Declaration, which he due to the upcoming Forum, appears said would call on all nations to com- likely to take place some time in 2014 mit, through their own actions, to lim- and, unlike the climate-change situ- iting global warming to less than two ation, may give the Marshall Islands degrees (de Brum 2013). The Marshall the opportunity to produce tangible Islands will present the declaration for results. formal approval at the 2013 Forum. The topic of climate change was The drought in the northern foremost on the minds of the RMI atolls did worsen, and in May RMI government, and especially Minister President Christopher Loeak’s cabinet in Assistance to the President and declared it a disaster area, after which Kwajalein Senator Tony de Brum, relief in the form of money and sup- 178 the contemporary pacific ‡ 26:1 (2014) plies began to pour into the country. areas and knocking down a section of The Republic of China (Taiwan), the seawall along the airport runway, Japan, and the Asian Development leading to flight cancellations (John- Bank each donated $100,000 to the son 2013; MIJ, 28 June 2013). relief efforts in May, as did Australia Yet despite the sustained talk (which then sent another $385,000 lamenting the very real effects of in June). Most significant was the climate change, the RMI government move by US President Barack Obama, pushed ahead with the $15.7 million who signed a disaster declaration on airport runway expansion project 14 June 2013, which was followed funded by the US Federal Aviation shortly thereafter by $1 million in Administration (usfaa), resulting rapid-response aid from the United in the continued dredging of healthy Nations, announced by UN Emer- coral reefs in Majuro Lagoon. This gency Relief Coordinator Valerie action in turn decreases the dynamic Amos, to be available by the end of natural capacity of the atoll to respond the month. A few days later, RMI to rising sea levels. The project had National Water Adviser Tom Vance been temporarily halted due to the described the situation in Enewetak efforts of Dr Dean Jacobson, a long- and Utrik atolls as “dire” and time marine science instructor at the reported that tensions among Islanders College of the Marshall Islands (cmi), were rising. In response, the minister who had been waging a one-person of foreign affairs and trade, Majuro campaign to halt the destruction of Senator Phillip Muller called Vance’s the healthy reefs. However, the RMI comments “an overstatement” and Environmental Protection Author- suggested that the Marshall Islands ity (rmiepa) in mid-2012 approved was doing all it could to deliver relief an environmental impact assessment to the northern atolls (pir, 20 June that allowed the dredging to continue 2013). and authorized the use of a two- While rains returned to the north- hundred-ton crane (MIJ, 3 Aug 2012). ern atolls at the beginning of July, At the end of August 2012, the usfaa the total cost of the drought relief approved the rmiepa’s environmen- was estimated at $4.7 million, which tal impact assessment and use of the ultimately cost the RMI government crane, and contractor Pacific Interna- more than $900,000 after all interna- tional Inc (pii) resumed work on both tional aid had been taken into account dredge sites. On 31 August, rmiepa (MIJ, 21 June 2013). In a sign of things Acting General Manager Lowell Alik possibly to come for low-lying islands filed a complaint with the national should climate change advance, on 25 police, alleging that Jacobson had June, as the drought in the northern stormed into his office on that day and atolls was in full swing, a series of began swearing at him and claiming high waves—compounded by excep- that Alik had lied on the environmen- tionally high tides and swells of six to tal impact assessment. On 4 Septem- eight feet from a local storm—flooded ber, Pacific International Inc filed a Majuro’s southern shore, washing similar complaint, alleging that the completely across the road in some previous day Jacobson had taken cmi political reviews ‡ micronesia 179 students on a snorkeling trip within the government that the Marshalls the boundaries of one of the dredge would not have enough hotel rooms sites and began swearing at pii work- to meet the needs of the number of ers (MIJ, 7 Sept 2012). Although the delegates and other visitors connected students who were there denied that to the Forum, especially as the previ- Jacobson had done anything improper ous year’s meeting in the Cook Islands and the complaint was set aside, pres- had been heavily attended, due in part sure was put to bear on cmi President to the appearance of then US Secretary Carl Hacker, who on 31 May 2013 in of State Hillary Clinton. By the end of an open letter to the public finally dis- June, with the Forum budget projec- sociated himself and the college from tion at $2 million, the government had any of Dr Jacobson’s actions advocat- received from donors $800,000, as ing for the protection of the reef (MIJ, well as fifteen cars, almost all of which 31 May 2013). In late August 2013, will become official RMI vehicles fol- Jacobson was informed that his con- lowing the conclusion of the Forum tract would not be renewed beyond (MIJ, 28 June 2013). the 2013–2014 academic year. Mean- Considering Secretary Clinton’s while, the reef dredging continues, and participation in the 2012 Pacific delegates to the Pacific Islands Forum Islands Forum in Rarotonga a new who arrive in Majuro to discuss the precedent for high-level talks with need to protect low-lying islands and the United States at the meeting, the atolls from the ravages of climate RMI government formally invited US change and sea-level rise will, on their Secretary of State John Kerry and UN way into town, first drive by the crane Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (MIJ, dredging some of the last healthy coral 29 March 2013). The United States, from the lagoon. however, delayed confirming the Preparations for the September attendance of any high-level cabinet 2013 Forum, which is only the second members; in early August 2013, a pif meeting hosted by the Marshalls, frustrated Minister in Assistance de were well underway by mid-December, Brum gave an interview with Fox as New Zealand and Australia each News while in Australia and stated provided us$200,000 in aid to assist that “if [Secretary of State Kerry] does with the hosting of the meeting (MIJ, not attend it would be a slap in the 14 Dec 2012). In late January 2013, face and like the United States would Aqua Hotels and Resorts was con- be reversing its so-called pivot to tracted to assist with renovations to the Pacific” (MIJ, 9 Aug 2013). Such the Marshall Islands Resort (which rhetoric only seemed to increase in the had originally been built in 1996 for run-up to the Forum meeting, and it the first Forum hosted by the Mar- is unclear how (or whether) the RMI shall Islands), but by the end of May government will react to the absence Aqua Hotels had pulled out, alleging of Secretary Kerry, should he not that terms of the contract had not attend. been met by the RMI government Indeed, the relationship between the (MIJ, 31 May 2013). There was some Marshall Islands and the United States concern among the organizers within seemed to have hit a rough patch 180 the contemporary pacific ‡ 26:1 (2014) for most of the tenure of the Loeak the report was “totally baseless” (MIJ, administration, starting with the visit 26 July 2013). Coupled with the prop of US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt reset button and Minister de Brum’s Campbell to Majuro in August 2012. declaration that US Secretary of State Taking his cue from then Secretary of John Kerry’s absence from the upcom- State Clinton’s attempt to “reset” rela- ing Pacific Islands Forum would be tions with Russia in 2009 using a prop a “slap in the face,” the response to button, Minister Muller produced the Trafficking in Persons Report a similar contrivance with the word appears to demonstrate that there is “Harmony” next to a panel with red much work for both sides to do in and green buttons (MIJ, 10 Aug 2012). order to decrease the impassioned Tensions flared again in late June rhetoric coming out of the Loeak 2013 with the release of the US administration. Department of State’s Trafficking in Adding to the tension between Persons Report, which downgraded the Marshall Islands and the United the Marshall Islands from “Tier 2” to States is the issue of compact fund- “Tier 2 Watch List,” citing the Mar- ing, much of which was placed under shalls as “a destination country for enhanced scrutiny by the United States women from East Asia subjected to during the year. And while there was sex trafficking” and noting the lack of no official acknowledgment of the implementation of any existing legisla- event or its significance, the period in tive safeguards to combat such prac- review marked the halfway point of tices (US Department of State 2013, the current round of compact funding, 257). The downgrade to Tier 2 Watch with now less than ten years left on List means that the Marshalls has two the clock. In December, the financial years to demonstrate that it is making situation in terms of compact funds significant progress in implementing broke new ground, as the US Depart- and enforcing regulations to combat ment of Interior requested the return human trafficking; should it fail to of $26,224 in Supplemental Educa- do so, it will be downgraded further tion Grant money from fiscal year to Tier 3, at which point all non– 2010 that had been flagged during compact-related funds from the United a previous audit. Additionally, the States could be taken away (MIJ, 26 United States also questioned spend- July 2013). In response, Minister ing noted in a separate audit in the Muller responded quickly, if hastily, by amount of $171,600 from fiscal year denying any human trafficking within 2011, marking the first time that the the Marshalls; his reasoning rested on United States has attempted to recover the notions that Marshallese culture funds due to dubious spending on is matrilineal and that women are the part of the Marshall Islands (MIJ, “the backbone of our society.” Muller 7 Dec 2012). These amounts quickly also denied that there is prostitution escalated, however, as the Ministry of in Majuro, claiming instead that “the Education had to return $74,726.37 ship captains and fishing masters bring in Supplemental Education Grant their families in from their countries to funds from fiscal year 2011, and it visit with them” and concluding that was reported that the Marshalls had political reviews ‡ micronesia 181 not spent over $390,000 in compact Senator Ruben Zackhras pointed out funds during fiscal year 2012 (MIJ, 1 had already been painted in AMI’s Feb 2013). By March 2013, it turned colors. Meanwhile, Jaluit Senator out that over the previous two fiscal Alvin Jacklick reported to the Nitijela years, the Marshalls had $1.2 million (the RMI legislature) that the plane’s in unspent compact funds, monies that certificate of airworthiness from the under normal circumstances would Kenya Civil Aviation Authority had roll over into future fiscal years. How- expired on 18 January 2013 (MIJ, 1 ever, the United States has put a hold Feb 2013). It was not until late June on all unspent funds until the Mar- 2013, however, that the government shall Islands is able to justify over $5.2 revealed that an agreement of sale million in spending that is now under had been signed by Kejjo Bien and the scrutiny from audits dating back to owner of the Dornier during Bien’s 2008 (MIJ, 29 March 2013). initial trip to Nairobi on 5 December A pair of questionable non–com- 2012 and that the sale was for the pact-related purchases by the govern- plane “as is where is” (MIJ, 28 June ment also left people scratching their 2013). The following week, several heads. In early December 2012, Air cabinet ministers claimed that they Marshall Islands (ami) Board Vice had not known about the purchase Chairperson and Ambassador-at-Large in principle of the Dornier, and that a Kejjo Bien led a delegation to Nai- number of ami board members had robi, Kenya, to explore purchasing a opposed the deal (MIJ, 5 July 2013). It 1986 Dornier for $1.4 million that the is not clear at the time of this writ- government thought could supplement ing whether the Loeak administration the current ami fleet of two planes (a will actually follow through with the Dornier and a Dash-8), both of which purchase or whether it will be able often are out of commission. At the to recoup its $10,000 deposit for the same time as the trip to Nairobi, ami plane if it does not. was ordered by the RMI High Court The other conspicuous purchase by to pay $1.4 million in late social the Loeak administration was Ann’s security and health benefits payments Palace, a three-story building across (MIJ, 7 Dec 2012). Later that month from the Marshall Islands Resort, the German engineer hired by ami to which has stood empty for the bet- inspect the Dornier gave it an excellent ter part of the past decade. Owned review, but by January 2013, Minister by Yong and Ann Ji, the building de Brum publicly stated that neither was offered for sale at $2.5 million, ami nor the government had enough even though in 1999 the Ministry of money to purchase the plane (MIJ, 18 Public Works had valued the property Jan 2013). Two weeks later, Minister (then new) at between $861,000 and of Transportation and Communica- $961,000. The government purchase tions and Jaluit Senator Rien Morris, of the building for $1.5 million in late under questioning from opposition April 2013 was authorized by Presi- senators, said that the government still dent Loeak in his capacity as acting had not made up its mind on the pur- minister of finance; he claimed that chase of the plane, which Ailinglaplap he had not seen the Ministry of Public 182 the contemporary pacific ‡ 26:1 (2014)

Works report prior to agreeing to the the building’s roof. While Japan had purchase price (MIJ, 10 May 2013). funded the replacement of the ecc The government’s purchase of Ann’s floor in the mid-2000s, the funding Palace, coming in the middle of the request this time around was denied disaster-relief efforts for the drought, for two reasons: because the RMI was publicly criticized by Jaluit Sena- government had missed the deadline tor Alvin Jacklick, who argued that to submit funding proposals, despite the Loeak administration “has its a Japanese assessment team’s report priorities wrong.” In response, Presi- that was given to the RMI govern- dent Loeak suggested that the RMI ment shortly after the roof collapsed; government will need the extra office and because the Marshall Islands had space afforded by Ann’s Palace for the failed to budget for the gym’s main- ministries of education and finance tenance since its construction (MIJ, and that “even without the building 26 July 2013). It remains to be seen purchase, the government still couldn’t whether such funding requests will afford the cost” of the drought relief continue to be denied, and, if so, what efforts (MIJ, 21 June 2013). that might mean in terms of donors In a troubling sign of things to placing further restrictions on aid in come, and in light of both the return the future. of compact funds to the United States The period under review also saw as well as the looming end of the the passing of a number of high- current round of funding in 2023, profile political and public figures. the Marshall Islands suffered two On 18 August 2012, Lijon Eknilang, embarrassing funding request denials a member of and longtime vocal from non-US donors. In 2012, Japan advocate for the nuclear-affected turned down a request from the RMI community of Rongelap, passed away government to fund the construction after an extended battle with nuclear of a campus for the University of the testing–related cancer at the age of South Pacific center currently operat- sixty-six. While living on Ailingnae ing in Majuro; the Marshall Islands as a young girl, she had been a wit- then asked Australia to fund the ness to the Bravo Test on 1 March project, but in June 2013, Australia 1954, one of the original eighty-two also denied the request (MIJ, 14 June Rongelapese to have been exposed to 2013). Perhaps of more concern was the massive fallout that resulted from the denial of the Marshall Islands’ that test. On 18 November 2012, Alik request to have Japan restore the ecc, Alik died in Texas. Alik had served a facility built by the Japanese in 1997 as a senator from Jaluit from 1991 that was given top priority in the RMI to 1995, elected as a member of the funding requests to Japan in late 2012 Ralik-Ratak Democratic Party in (MIJ, 14 Dec 2012). Originally called opposition to then President Amata the Educational and Cultural Center, Kabua, and then as a member of the the ECC had functioned effectively as United Democratic Party, representing the national basketball arena until the Majuro from 1999 until his retirement summer of 2012 when termite dam- in late 2011. Alik also served as vice age resulted in a partial collapse of speaker of the Nitijela from 1999 to political reviews ‡ micronesia 183

2011, through the administrations responsibility of the Speaker’s office of Kessai Note and Litokwa Tome- to initiate such a report on a potential ing and most of Jurelang Zedkaia’s Con-Con and referendum. Consider- administration. In early December, ing that there have been two Con- Botlong Loeak, a multiple-term judge Cons to amend the Constitution since on the Traditional Rights Court and the founding of the republic in 1979, brother of both President Christopher in 1990 and 1995, many in the Mar- Loeak and Council of Iroij Chair- shalls felt that this process was long man Kotak Loeak, passed away. In overdue. Indeed, the Constitution has mid-April, original Nitijela member only been amended twice, to clarify Abner Luckner, who served in vari- the official name of the Govern- ous cabinet positions under President ment of the Republic of the Marshall Amata Kabua, died in Majuro. On Islands and to verify that the Marshal- June 4, Beverly Chutaro unexpectedly lese-language version of the docu- passed away. She first came to the ment supersedes the English version Marshall Islands from Ohio in 1968 in cases of dispute. The moves made as a teacher and shortly thereafter by the current Speaker, Likiep Senator married Chuji Chutaro, a representa- Donald Capelle, have so far been the tive in the Congress of Micronesia most promising in at least a decade, who later served as a senator from and there is widespread consensus Mili Atoll and who was a leading that one of the major issues that such member of Ainiken ri-Majol (Voice of a Con-Con and referendum should the Marshallese), the major opposition address is that of the direct election group that challenged Amata Kabua of the president (MIJ, 17 May 2013). in the 1970s and 1980s. Two weeks Since the RMI system of government later, Kaname Yamamura, the father is based on a Westminster parliamen- of current Minister of Public Works tary model, the president currently and Utrik Senator Hiroshi Yamamura needs only 17 votes (including her or and father-in-law to Jabat Senator his own) to secure a majority from the and former President Kessai Note, 33-member chamber. died at the age of ninety-three. Yama- The first public hearings held by mura had been an ardent supporter of the Speaker’s appointed nine-member Ainiken ri-Majol, and was one of the committee, chaired by Helkena Anni, primary nonelected proponents behind on the subject of the Con-Con began the opposition movement. on 15 April 2013, and suggestions Perhaps the one bright spot in the for amendments from those in atten- period under review was the push, dance included the creation of the both from within the government positions of an independent special and from the community at large, for prosecutor and an ombudsman (MIJ, a Constitutional Convention (Con- 19 April 2013). By May, a number Con). Under Article XII, Section 6, of of additional public hearings were the RMI Constitution, the Nitijela is convened, and while Anni was quoted required to “report on the advisabil- as saying “The most popular proposal ity of amending” the Constitution at is for direct election of the President,” least once every ten years, and it is the another suggested amendment that 184 the contemporary pacific ‡ 26:1 (2014) was promoted by various women’s -february-2013-rmi-minister-tony-de groups and was gaining traction -brum-speech-at-the-un-security-council among the general public by the end [accessed 24 Oct 2013] of the period under review was the Johnson, Terrell. 2013. Are Simultaneous reservation of five seats in the Nitijela Floods, Drought an Omen in the Pacific? to be held by women (MIJ, 10 May The Weather Channel, 1 July. http://www 2013). .weather.com/news/science/environment/ While there is some hope that posi- marshall-islands-climate-change-happening tive change may come from a potential -now-20130630 [accessed 1 July 2013] Con-Con, there is also concern that MIJ, Marshall Islands Journal. Majuro. the results from a popular referendum Weekly. may yield little more than pro-forma pir, Pacific Islands Report. 20 June 2013. amendments, as happened during the RMI Government Denies Social Unrest previous two Con-Cons. As the Mar- During Drought. http://pidp.eastwestcenter shall Islands, and Majuro in particular, .org/pireport/2013/June/06-20-06.htm narrows its focus on the politics and [accessed 20 June 2013] logistics of hosting the Pacific Islands Slate V. 2013. Don’t Talk to Us About Forum in September 2013, there has Your Sinking Island: How the U.N. yet to emerge any sort of direction Security Council Takes a Pass on Global as to where the country is heading as Warming. 2.43-minute video on The it moves into the second half of the World Decrypted. http://www.slate.com/ current (and possibly final) round of articles/video/slate_v/2013/02/u_n_global compact funding. Climate change is _warming_why_the_united_nations_won indeed a threat to the islands, but its _t_make_bold_proposals_on_climate.html effects might not be felt as dramati- [accessed 22 Feb 2013] cally or as immediately as the socio- US State Department. 2013. Country economic impacts that may result if Narratives: J–M. In Trafficking in Persons certain decisions regarding a post- Report, 210–273. June. Washington, dc: 2023 Marshall Islands are continually US State Department. http://www.state put off until tomorrow. .gov/documents/organization/210740.pdf [accessed 1 July 2013] david w kupferman

References Commonwealth of the Constitution of the Republic of the Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands, 1979. Available for download from the RMI Embassy in the Throughout 2012, signs became quite United States website: http://www clear that something was very wrong .rmiembassyus.org/Constitution.htm in the Northern Marianas. Investors [accessed 24 Oct 2013] were coming in quickly and leaving De Brum, Tony. 2013. Arria-Format Secu- just as fast. Crime was up and tourism rity Council Meeting—February 15, 2013. was way down. During the course of Available for download from Independent the year, more and more people were Diplomat website: http://www becoming fed up with the way things .independentdiplomat.org/news/15 were going. The governor was issuing