THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC. SPRING 1990
Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1988 to 30 June 1989
formed the Coalition for Open, Honest BELAU and Just Government in mid-1988. The tragic suicide ofPresident Lazarus Their objective was to present a united E. Salii in August 1988, the republic's front in opposition to Salii in the 1988 third general election three months presidential election. Among the host later, and a new Compact of Free Asso ofproblems facing Salii were charges ciation subsidiary agreement with the ofintimidation and violence during the United States were key events during furlough period; the resentment ofhigh the year in Belau. clan women in Koror opposed to his The ten years since the completion attempts to amend the constitution; the ofthe constitution have been politically IPSECO power plant default; allegations unpredictable and even explosive ones of bribe payments by the builder ofthe for Belau, which remains the last trust plant to Salii, his brother, and several eeship ofthe United Nations. Salii associates; and his failure to have the defeated interim President Alfonso compact approved according to Belau's Oiterong in a special 1985 election constitutional processes. called after the assassination ofPresi Salii's death was an enormous politi dent Haruo Remeliik during his second cal and emotional shock. Belauans term in office. The crime remains were saddened, shamed, and angered. unsolved. Ironically, Salii died before The opposition coalition broke apart, completing the Remeliik term, which with four presidential candidates was left to Vice President Thomas O. emerging from its ranks. Three Salii Remengesau. The presidential deaths supporters-Ibedul Yutaka Gibbons, of1985 and 1988 punctuated a series of John Ngiraked, and Ngiratkel Etpison six unsuccessful referenda on the Com -also entered the race. With seven pact ofFree Association agreement candidates fragmenting the vote, Etpi with the United States, and a tense son took a very narrow, thirty-one three-month furlough period for gov vote plurality win from Roman Tme ernment workers that involved some tuchl, who had also finished second in violence and intimidation. the 1980 and 1984 races. A three-man team ofinternational In the race for vice president, jurists visited Belau in early 1988 and Kuniwo Nakamura, a senator in the documented the breakdown ofthe rule first and second national congresses, oflaw and fundamental institutions convincingly defeated Kazuo Asanuma during the furlough period. The jurists' ofthe powerful east Babeldaob faction. report, along with information from There were five newcomers in each other credible sources, caused the US house ofthe thirty-seat bicameral Congress to put pressure on the Salii national congress. With two-thirds of administration, complementing efforts the congress made up ofincumbents by Salii's political opponents, who who opposed the former Salii adminis- POLITICAL REVIEW. MICRONESIA 149 tration and dominated the leadership United States may use for military pur positions, the incoming president faced poses; and the use of compact dispute a skeptical legislature. resolution procedures in situations President Etpison and Vice Presi where the government is unable to dent Nakamura had a cautious begin make land available for military use ning. While Etpison had done well in within the specified period. The agree private business and was very knowl ment also provides funds for a new edgeable about Belauan political and hospital and medical referrals; prison social customs, he was inexperienced improvements; drug enforcement, at leading a government bureaucracy. treatment, and educational programs; He relied on Vice President Nakamura, and offices of special prosecutor and a very able young man who also served national auditor. as minister of administration, to run These provisions are designed to many ofthe day-to-day affairs. Etpison address severe financial and social met frequently with the Council of problems in Belau and are likely to Chiefs, which is constitutionally man unite the major factions sufficiently to dated to advise him on traditional mat gain the necessary approval of 75 per ters, and with the state governors and cent ofthe voters for the compact. This other community leaders. But by the goal eluded both presidents Remeliik end ofthe period under review, he had and Salii and will, if achieved, end a yet to demonstrate his ability to act tumultuous period in recent Belauan independently ofthose who fashioned political history. his electoral victory and were influen DONALD R. SHUSTER tial in both the Remeliik and Salii gov ernments. COMMONWEALTH OF THE Recognizing that the political status NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS issue was critical, President Etpison established the broadly based twenty The election campaign for governor five-member Commission on Future began in mid-1988 when Froilan Teno Palau-United States Relations soon rio, the commonwealth's resident rep after he took office. In May 1989, the resentative in Washington DC, declared commission's chairman, Vice President his candidacy. Tenorio defeated Her Nakamura, seven ofits members, and man R. Guerrero and Antonio S. Guer James Berg, director ofthe Office of rero in the Democratic primary held on Freely Associated States, met on Guam 8 April 1989. Despite speculation to the and signed a subsidiary compact agree contrary, incumbent Governor Pedro ment. The agreement provides an addi P. Tenorio announced in late June that tional US$9.3 million and many ofthe he would not seek reelection for a third improvements pushed for by Belauan term. His departure from the race left leaders in mid-1988. The key elements incumbent Lieutenant Governor Pedro ofthe Guam agreement include the A. Tenorio and former Senate and authority to use compact funds to settle Constitutional Convention President the IPSECO power plant debt; addi Lorenzo Guerrero to contest the tional compensation for land the Republican candidacy in a primary on