Political Reviews
michael lujan bevacqua, elizabeth (isa) ua ceallaigh bowman, zaldy dandan, monica c labriola, nic maclellan, tiara r na'puti, gonzaga puas
peter clegg, lorenz gonschor, margaret mutu, salote talagi, forrest wade young
187 political reviews • micronesia 213
Nauru protest. Not surprisingly, a further focus of media criticism has been the Over the past two years, Nauru has Nauru government’s combative rela- raised its regional and international tions with overseas journalists and profile, as the government led by restrictions on access for many media President Baron Divavesi Waqa and organizations, including the Australian Minister for Finance and Justice David Broadcasting Corporation (abc). Adeang sought to address a range of The Micronesian nation of eleven economic, political, and social chal- thousand people faces many devel- lenges at home. opment challenges. A quarter of the In January 2018, Nauru celebrated population lives below the national its fiftieth anniversary of independence poverty line, according to data from as a sovereign nation. A key part of the Asian Development Bank (adb the anniversary year was hosting the 2018). forty-ninth Pacific Islands Forum in Education standards and truancy September. The government’s unity, continue to be major problems. In however, ended with national elections 2018, only 60 percent of students in August 2019, when Waqa lost his attended school for the midyear exam- seat in the Boe constituency, opening inations, and of these, less than half the way for a new era of governance. of the students in years 1–8 passed the Throughout 2018–2019, the Waqa examinations. Of year 8 students, only government was engaged in domestic 14 percent passed mathematics, 32 reforms, introducing new economic percent passed science, and 54 percent policies, major changes to superan- passed English (Nauru Bulletin 2018c, nuation, and fundamental reforms 7). The government is seeking to to the courts and judicial system. address the poor results through schol- On the international stage, President arships and teacher training, sending Waqa was active, speaking out at the students to the University of New United Nations, chairing the Forum, England in Australia to earn teaching and strengthening diplomatic and credentials and school principals to economic ties with Taiwan at a time Fiji, Kiribati, and Marshall Islands for when the People’s Republic of China professional training. is increasing its regional influence. Nauru also has some of the poor- Despite these initiatives, the Waqa est health indicators for noncommu- government also received adverse nicable diseases (ncd) in the Pacific international attention for some Islands. Nutrition is a central element domestic policies. A focus of criticism of the country’s 2014–2020 ncd has been the government’s ongoing action plan, which includes initiatives support for Australia’s refugee policy, to address obesity, diabetes, and a with Nauru hosting an offshore junk-food epidemic. The strategy plan asylum seeker processing center. A reports that before current initiatives, second issue has been the treatment of Nauru ranked second to Afghanistan the “Nauru 19,” a number of senior in the age-standardized mortality rate politicians and community leaders for these diseases (Government of charged with offenses after a 2015 Nauru 2014, 5). 214 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020)
Dr John Auto, a Solomon Islander by December 2018” (Nauru Bulletin who coordinates public health pro- 2018c, 5). grams for Nauru’s health ministry, The dominant economic, social, reported on surveys that have high- and moral issue facing Nauru is the lighted the difficulty of growing fruit hosting of Australian offshore asylum and vegetables and the high cost seeker processing, which continues to of importing nutritious, fresh food be a source of tension in regional and aboard Nauru Airlines planes: “We international relations. The presence have who [World Health Organiza- of hundreds of asylum seekers and tion] standards like ‘are there servings refugees in the Nauru Refugee Pro- of fruit and vegetable in the diet?’ But cessing Centre (rpc) has placed an 95 per cent of Nauruans in that survey extra burden on the local population reported not having the recommended and opened the way for Australia to amount of vegetables and fruits” promote structural adjustment policies (Auto 2018). in Nauru’s economy and administra- In an interview, Nauru Secretary tion (Maclellan 2013). for Commerce, Industry and Environ- Australia first opened offshore ment Berilyn Jeremiah stated that food processing camps in 2001 under the production is affected by climate vari- so-called “Pacific Solution,” which ability and natural disasters affecting closed with the election of a Labor the country: “Nauru is susceptible to government in 2007 (Maclellan droughts which, in the past, have had 2002a, 2002b). In June 2011, Nauru significant impacts on health, food signed the instruments of accession to security and the economy, as it can the 1951 Refugee Convention and its put a strain on our national budget. 1967 protocols. The camps reopened Enhancing water security is fundamen- in 2012 and continue to this day. Four tal to reducing vulnerability to climate days before Christmas 2012, Nauru’s change. Food insecurity is also a major Parliament passed the Asylum Seekers risk for Nauru, given our dependence (Regional Processing Centre) Act 2012 on imported foods and its geographi- to legalize a greater role in processing cal isolation” (Jeremiah 2018). (Maclellan 2013). Nauru’s vast resources of phos- The arrival of hundreds of asylum phate are nearly exhausted. Primary seekers since 2012 once again placed phosphate mining was wound down pressure on Nauru’s administration. after shipments in August and Septem- Seven years on, many have not been ber 2018, with the Republic of Nauru resettled, although campaigning by Phosphate Corporation (ronphos) doctors and human rights groups has only able to continue secondary meant all families with children have mining of limited resources around now been medically evacuated off of limestone pinnacles. Mining Minister Nauru. As of 28 August 2019, 288 Aaron Cook told Parliament in August individuals remained (Refugee Council 2018 that “ronphos expects primary of Australia 2019). phosphate mining to be exhausted The Australian government has by the end of October, with produc- spent more than a$5 billion (a$1.00 is tion solely from secondary mining approximately us$.67) on the Manus political reviews • micronesia 215 and Nauru detention centers since Waqa government wanted Eigigu Solu- 2012, with the 2018–19 Australian tions Corporation, a subsidiary of the budget allocating a further a$759.58 locally owned Eigigu Holdings Corpo- million. While much of this money ration, to take over services currently goes to Australian corporations and provided by the Australian corpora- health providers, the Nauru govern- tion Canstruct Services International. ment relies on revenue from visa fees The legislation allows for the creation and administration contracts for the of a new special purposes account to rpc. In October 2018, Finance Min- allow Australian funding for the rpc ister Adeang told Parliament that the to be monitored separate from existing government had raised an extra a$6 Nauruan treasury budgets. million from hosting asylum seekers In February 2019, Nauru’s Parlia- and refugees in the 2017–18 financial ment passed the Health Practitioners year, including a$5 million through (Overseas Medical Referrals Com- the Nauru Regional Processing Centre pliance) Regulations 2019 in an Corporation and a further a$1 million attempt to override Australia’s 2018 through payment of employment tax “Medevac” legislation. The Austra- arrears (Nauru Bulletin 2018c, 3). lian law established an independent Influenced by the Australian panel of doctors to assess the need to government, the Nauru Parliament transfer asylum seekers to Australia made a series of legislative changes for medical treatment. to refugee legislation in 2018–2019. Under an agreement between During the October 2018 parliamen- the Australian government and the tary sitting, Justice Minister Adeang Obama administration, the United presented the Refugee Convention States agreed to take 1,250 asylum (Amendment) Bill 2018, which limits seekers from Australia’s offshore the liability of the exercise of powers processing centers on Nauru and by the secretary of multicultural Manus Island, subject to US vetting affairs and allows the secretary to processes. Although he criticized this grant temporary settlement visas and Obama-era deal in his inaugural tele- also recognize any declaration, deci- phone call with then Australian Prime sion, or record determining an asylum Minister Malcom Turnbull (Miller, seeker under the laws of the country Vitkovskaya, and Fischer-Baum 2017), to be recognized as a refugee. A sec- President Donald Trump has contin- ond piece of legislation, the Asylum ued the process. Seekers (Regional Processing Centre) During 2018 and early 2019, US (Amendment) Bill 2018, changed Resettlement Support Center teams the definition of a “protected per- arrived on Nauru to interview and son” under the 2012 legislation that process approved refugees for resettle- reopened Australia’s detention centers. ment in the United States, although Other legislation, the Commer- people from some Muslim-majority cial Operations and Services Fund countries will not be accepted. By Bill 2018, allows the government of 28 August 2019, 330 people had left Nauru to take over commercial opera- Nauru for the United States. However, tions and services at the rpc. The another 151 people on Nauru have 216 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020) been rejected for resettlement by the played a crucial role in establishing the US authorities—almost half of these offshore processing program. Today, (91 people) were from Iran, with as a sharp critic of the Waqa govern- others from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and ment, Batsiua believes that the gov- Somalia (Refugee Council of Australia ernment has overwhelmingly focused 2019). They remain in limbo, with on refugee processing at the expense Australia rejecting a New Zealand of investing in permanent industries: offer to resettle 150 refugees. “When the numbers dwindle, and they The status of asylum seekers and will, the government hasn’t paid any refugees remaining on Nauru—many attention to our local industry. All the in their seventh year on the island— industries that were thriving when has been a source of debate and they took over—the rehab, the phos- criticism, with human rights and phate mining, the fisheries—they are medical groups regularly reporting all struggling. In the phosphate indus- on the abuse of detainees by locals try, the number of buyers has gone and a spiraling health crisis (Amnesty down, certainly the tonnage has gone International 2016; Refugee Council right down, there’s a lack of capital of Australia 2018; msf 2018). equipment and they’ve had to retrench The Waqa government expelled people” (Batsiua 2018). Research- Médecins Sans Frontières (msf, Doc- ers Richard Curtain and Matthew tors Without Borders) on 5 October Dornan agreed that Nauru’s economy 2018. The medical nongovernmental is highly vulnerable to shocks, includ- organization had been providing psy- ing a decline in fishing license revenue chological and psychiatric health care and economic activity that results for both citizens of Nauru and foreign from the rpc: “Were that Centre to refugees since November 2017, in be disbanded in the future, the Nau- cooperation with the Nauru Ministry ruan economy—including employ- of Health. With growing public debate ment—would be impacted severely. . . . over Australia’s offshore processing, Migration would be unlikely to suffice however, the Waqa government told as an alternative source of employ- msf that their services were no longer ment, given the limited number of required and that they must cease Nauruans with post-school qualifica- activities within twenty-four hours tions and the current underutilization (Government of Nauru 2018). Two of unskilled or low-skilled migration months later, msf released the first pathways for Nauruans to Australia independent medical data demonstrat- or New Zealand” (Curtain and Dor- ing the extreme mental health suf- nan 2019, 14). In response to these fering on Nauru, with almost half of criticisms, the government points to msf’s patients having been diagnosed a series of recent economic reforms, with psychosis and many requiring including the creation of an Intergen- psychiatric hospitalization that is not erational Trust Fund in 2015 to build available on Nauru (msf 2018). up a capital base for post-phosphate Former chief secretary of the revenues. Donors like Australia, government and Opposition Minister Taiwan, and—since May 2019—New of Parliament (mp) Mathew Batsiua Zealand have made contributions to political reviews • micronesia 217 the fund, which held a$84.4 million as security, but the government lacks of 30 June 2018. the resources to implement it. The In July 2018, Nauru Airlines Environment Department is seeking to appointed a new chief executive offi- increase the number of reverse osmo- cer, Peter Sheehan. Based in Brisbane, sis units, install solar water distilla- Australia, Sheehan faces a major chal- tion systems in schools, and increase lenge improving financial performance capacity for rainwater collection or and customer relations for the trou- household collection. However, in bled airline. A new route to Solomon times of drought and water shortage, Islands commenced in 2018, although desalination plants are costly to run regular flights to Guam, first mooted and difficult to maintain. in 2017, have yet to be established. One major achievement was a The government also introduced successful application to the Green a superannuation scheme on 1 July Climate Fund (gcf) for port infra- 2019, in cooperation with the New structure funding. At present, many Zealand fund SuperLife. The rees- ships have to transfer goods manually tablished superannuation program from beyond the coral reef, and these requires a mandatory contribution of transfers can be difficult during storm 5 percent from both employers and surges and bad weather. In October employees. 2017, at its meeting in Cairo, the gcf The cost of power generation in board approved a us$26.9 million Nauru is very high due to the heavy (a$35 million) grant to Nauru. This reliance on imported fossil fuels. Only sum is 35 percent of an estimated 3 percent of Nauru’s electricity is pro- a$100 million project, with other vided by renewable energy—a small contributions from the Asian Devel- amount compared to that of other opment Bank (28 percent), Australia small island states in the region. Based (18 percent), and Nauru (19 percent). on the Republic of Nauru’s Frame- When the gcf board made its work for Climate Change and Disaster decision on the port project, there Risk Reduction and the Nauru Energy was opposition from some developed Road Map, Environment Secretary countries, which saw the initiative Berilyn Jeremiah said the govern- as an economic rather than climate- ment has set ambitious priorities for specific project. Japan and France 2020: “We aspire to achieve 24/7 grid questioned whether the Green Cli- electric supply with minimal inter- mate Fund should focus instead on ruptions and to achieve 50 percent of adaptation or emissions reduction. grid electricity supply from renewable The United Kingdom initially argued energy sources” (Jeremiah 2018). against approving the project, but it Nauru also has a number of bowed to lobbying from Australia and infrastructure projects in the pipe- other delegates. The UK government line, including a proposed submarine officially recorded its reservation to Internet cable and proposals for solar the final resolution, noting that the power and improved electricity and port was not value for money given water supply. Nauru has developed the significant cost (Maclellan 2018c). a twenty-year master plan for water Minister for Finance Adeang 218 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020) acknowledged Australia’s role in star- Korea vessels currently flagged on ing down opposition from other coun- Pacific shipping registers, with Aus- tries on the gcf Board: “One of the tralian and New Zealand intelligence keys to our success was the assistance agencies identifying illegally flagged of Australia. Australia supported our North Korean vessels on Nauru’s delegation in Cairo to help make our register (Maclellan 2017). With case that the port genuinely needs to the passage of the Nauru Shipping be upgraded due to Nauru’s suscepti- (Registration of Foreign Vessels) Act bility to the effects of global warming. 2018, Nauru is seeking to expand its This is further evidence of our ongoing flag of convenience operations, despite mutual cooperation” (Government concerns that Nauru-flagged vessels of Nauru 2017). Environment Secre- have been used by North Korea to tary Jeremiah argued that there are evade international sanctions. At a environmental benefits to reducing legal conference in Nauru, maritime the time to unload vessels arriving off legal specialist Stefan Pedersen noted the island: “The port is an important that the Shipping Act poses challenges development project for us. It’ll help under the UN Convention on the Law with reducing the prices of food and of the Sea (unclos): “It’s your flag, lowering our reliance on fossil fuels, it’s your nation, it’s your reputation. because it will reduce the time for You have to ensure that whoever sits trans-shipment.” (Jeremiah 2018). in Hong Kong administering your flag Nauru hosted the thirteenth annual does it properly to ensure you comply summit of the Parties to the Nauru with those regulations, those require- Agreement in July 2018 and served as ments under unclos” (Nauru Bulletin chair of the regional fisheries agency 2018b, 2). in 2018–2019. President Waqa noted: Nauru joined the World Bank and “Nauru is blessed with vast tuna International Monetary Fund in 2016 resources—our waters are rich with and has now expanded relations with skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye and the Asian Development Bank. On yet so far we have not been able to 29 October 2018, Finance Minister develop our own fleet of fishing vessels Adeang signed an agreement with the to catch that tuna” (Nauru Bulletin Asian Development Bank to establish 2018c, 10). The Nauru government an in-country office in Nauru. This then joined with the South Korean indication of support for the Asian fishing company Silla Co Ltd to allow Development Bank reflects renewed purse seine tuna fishing in Nauru’s concern from Australia and the United Exclusive Economic Zone. Under flag States that China’s Asian Infrastruc- of convenience legislation, two fish- ture Investment Bank and Export- ing vessels, Naoero Star and Naoero Import Bank are attracting interest in Sun, will now carry the Nauruan flag the Pacific after the failure of private in a joint venture with the Korean investors to support infrastructure corporation. development in many Pacific Small At the 2017 Forum in Apia, lead- Island Developing States. ers committed to deregistering any A central pillar of the fiftieth Democratic People’s Republic of anniversary year was the hosting of political reviews • micronesia 219 the forty-ninth Pacific Islands Forum attending even multilateral meet- in September 2018. The gathering of ings in China aren’t issued visas but Forum leaders debated the regional are expected to travel on ordinary “Blue Pacific” agenda and climate, passports. They too know that. But trade, oceans, and security policy. we’ve allowed them to come and A major outcome was the adoption we’ve issued them a visa” (Maclellan of the Boe Declaration on regional 2018a). security, an update of the Biketawa Nauru and Taiwan first established Declaration first adopted at the 2000 diplomatic relations on 4 May 1980, Forum in Kiribati. The Boe Declara- although their relationship has not tion looks to an “expanded concept of always been untroubled, with Yaren security inclusive of human security, recognizing the People’s Republic of humanitarian assistance, prioritizing China between 2002 and 2005. Since environmental security and regional 2006, Nauru has hosted a Taiwanese cooperation in building resilience to technical mission involved in agri- disasters and climate change, includ- culture, energy, scholarships, and ing through regional cooperation and training. This work has been extended support” (pifs 2018a). A crucial pro- since Taiwan established the Interna- vision notes that all leaders “reaffirm tional Cooperation and Development that climate change remains the single Fund. Today, under President Waqa, greatest threat to the livelihoods, Nauru remains one of Taiwan’s most security and wellbeing of the peoples active boosters. In June 2018, the of the Pacific and our commitment to two countries agreed to a visa waiver progress the implementation of the scheme allowing free movement for Paris Agreement.” citizens. In support of Australia’s Chinese diplomacy took a hit processing of asylum seekers in after the unprecedented behavior of Nauru, the Waqa government a Chinese official during the official sought to send refugees to Taipei for Forum dialogue session (Maclel- medical and psychological treatment lan 2018a). The Chinese delegate rather than allow them to set foot in demanded the right to speak in prefer- Australia, even for urgent medical ence to Tuvalu Prime Minister Enele care. Sopoaga, challenged President Waqa At the end of 2018, Waqa was as session chair over procedure, and received with great fanfare dur- eventually stormed from the room. ing a visit to Taiwan, as he sought The dispute followed a pre-Forum to extend programs in health care, decision by President Waqa that the energy, agriculture, and culture (Taipei Chinese delegation must travel on Times 2019). Taiwan’s President Tsai personal rather than diplomatic pass- Ing-wen made an inaugural state visit ports: “It so happens that Nauru has to Nauru on 24–26 March 2019 and no diplomatic relations with China. addressed the Parliament, calling We have a reciprocal arrangement Nauru a “super good friend” of Tai- which has been there for a long, long wan (Government of Nauru 2019b). time where they expect us to travel Members of Parliament (mps) passed on our ordinary passports. Ministers a historic resolution rejecting Beijing’s 220 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020) one China principle and “one coun- change is a risk factor that could try, two systems” framework, while undermine stability” (rnz 2019). recognizing Taiwan’s sovereign rights. In May 2019, President Waqa After the furor at the Forum, President chaired a special meeting at the Pacific Waqa took a veiled swipe at China Islands Forum Secretariat in Fiji during his speech to the UN General with UN Secretary-General António Assembly in September: “There are Guterres, who made his first visit those who have their own agendas to the region with stopovers in Fiji, for their own interests and benefits, Tuvalu, New Zealand, and Vanuatu. and it is most unfortunate when they Waqa has previously highlighted the impose their will and arrogance on the difficulties for Small Island Developing Pacific people. Those who disrespect States within the UN system, noting: the conduct and the will of Pacific leaders must understand that they For the smallest countries—the micro- states—conventional pathways to devel- will be disregarded. It is a Forum for opment are not available to us. We sim- the Pacific people and it is imperative ply cannot offer the profit potential that that this is understood and respected” private investors are seeking. Therefore, (Waqa 2018, 4). we must look to public institutions—to As incoming Forum chair in the United Nations—to create an envi- 2018–2019, President Waqa was ronment in which the rest of us can grow active on the international stage, and prosper. When viewed through the traveling to the fifth Oceans Confer- lens of conventional economics, our lack ence in Indonesia on “Our Oceans, of scale is a problem. Therefore, if we Our Legacy” and the November 2018 are to address the challenges of small Asia-Pacific Economic Community islands, we have to abandon the conven tional wisdom. We’ll have to think about summit in Papua New Guinea. During scale differently. Once we take that leap, the September 2018 opening of the our small size can become our greatest UN General Assembly, Waqa raised advantage. (Waqa 2018, 3) the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States and joined other Despite Nauru’s success in accessing Pacific leaders to continue lobbying funding from the Green Climate over climate change and security, Fund, government ministers con- with Nauru and Germany cohosting tinued to lobby for Small Island a UN Group of Friends on the issue Developing States’ increased access (Maclellan 2018b). He called on the to international sources of finance UN secretary general to appoint a for adaptation and resilience and for dedicated UN special representative replenishment of the Green Climate on climate and security, stating that Fund after 2020. At a 2018 ministe- “this mandate should grow over time rial meeting of the Alliance of Small to include facilitating regional and Island States, Health Minister Char- cross-border cooperation on issues maine Scotty stated: “I emphasize that that might be affected by climate climate finance is the linchpin of the change, engaging in preventive diplo- Paris Agreement and that for nations macy, as appropriate, and supporting like Nauru, lack of ambition and the post-conflict situations when climate political will to address climate change political reviews • micronesia 221 are not the problem, but rather, lack as guaranteed to every Nauruan in of resources is the problem” (Nauru the country’s constitution, being the Bulletin 2018a, 3). supreme law of Nauru” (Pareti 2018). The past year has seen a special Describing the case as “a shameful focus on policing and major reforms affront to the rule of law,” Muecke to Nauru’s court system. Nauru has said the government was “willing to received extensive support for the expend whatever resources, including Nauru Police Force from Australia, financial resources, as are required to Taiwan, and Fiji. In October 2018, achieve that aim,” including operating Nauru’s police commissioner renewed an unwritten blacklist to ensure the a 2015 memorandum of agreement Nauru 19 were unable to find work with Fiji to allow Nauru police to on the island, rent houses, or, in some train in Suva, with six new officers cases, leave the country. For example, graduating during the year. However, the family and doctor of former a burglary of the police armory and President Dabwido claimed the Nauru the theft of firearms in late 2018 led to government delayed attempts to travel widespread concern about the pres- to Australia for cancer treatment until ence of pistols in the community and it was too late, and he died in Sydney prompted criticism of the government, in May 2019. with President Waqa also serving as Muecke’s 2018 ruling was over- minister for police (Nauru Bulletin taken, however, by major reforms to 2018a, 2). the Nauru court system. The agree- Throughout 2018–2019, the con- ment between Australia and Nauru troversial prosecution of the Nauru that gave the High Court of Australia 19 continued. The case involves a jurisdiction over appeals cases was group of nineteen protestors arrested terminated in March 2018 (Gans and charged after a 2015 rally outside 2018; O’Sullivan 2018). This agree- Parliament in response to the expul- ment allowed applicants in Nauru to sion of three mps who had criticized lodge an appeal with the High Court the government in media interviews. of Australia and therefore provided The group included a number of an important oversight mechanism. In former politicians, including Squire place of this mechanism, the Nauru Jeremiah, Matthew Batsiua, and government appointed a panel of former President Sprent Dabwido. On respected Pacific Island jurists to 21 June 2018, Supreme Court Justice serve as the Court of Appeal, includ- Geoff Muecke ruled that the Nauru ing Sir Albert Palmer, chief justice government must meet the legal costs of Solomon Islands; Sir John Muria, of the defendants’ lawyers in the long- chief justice of Kiribati; Michael Scott, running case, amounting to nearly former chief justice of Tonga; Vincent a$224,000 (us$163,000). In August, Lunabek, chief justice of Vanuatu; the same judge issued a permanent Nicholas Kirriwom, from the National stay of proceedings, finding that the and Supreme Courts of Papua New “executive government of Nauru” did Guinea; and Jiten Singh, previously of not want the “defendants to receive the High Court of Fiji. Justice Minister a fair trial within a reasonable time Adeang said the government is proud 222 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020) of these reforms to the nation’s justice adverse publicity” (Mercer 2019). As system: “The former system which media manager, Mercer has dis- saw only one judge and one magistrate puted reports of refugees in distress was open to corruption and cronyism, and incidents of self-harm, rape, or but we have created arguably the attempted suicide. most transparent and accountable At the 2018 Forum, Minister Scotty justice system in the Pacific, and have told the author: “Unfavorable overseas appointed several highly respected reporting risks making the Nauruan international judges to serve in our people afraid of the refugees. All this court” (Government of Nauru 2018a). hyped-up news about the refugees The Court of Appeal held its first calling Nauru hell on earth and all sitting in December 2018, presided these kind of things. Nobody wants by its president, Nauru Chief Justice their country to be called that in the Filimone Jitoko. In June 2019, the new international media. This was making Court of Appeal overturned Justice the transition between the locals and Muecke’s permanent stay of the case the visitors very hard” (Scotty 2018). against the Nauru 19, opening the This anger over international report- way for further litigation (Government ing goes back some years—in his 2015 of Nauru 2019a). Christmas statement, President Waqa The Nauru government has said: “We have taken bold steps to responded angrily to international reform our systems of government and criticism of the harassment of the strengthen our democracy despite the Nauru 19 and the country’s role in lies spread by some foreign media like refugee processing, as well as allega- the Australian Broadcasting Corpo- tions of corruption against President ration, who refuse to recognize the Waqa and Minister Adeang. Tense advances we are making and continue relations with the international their dishonest political campaign media resulted in the introduction of attempting to influence Nauru’s of a nonrefundable visa application domestic politics” (Government of fee of us$5,000 for journalists seek- Nauru 2015). ing to visit Nauru. This fee serves to In line with standard practice discourage media access to report on for the 2018 Forum leaders’ sum- the welfare of refugees on Nauru, as it mit, Nauru waived the visa fee for is not refunded if a visa is refused. accredited journalists. However, it The government continues to take limited the number of media workers a forthright position on media rela- who could attend, banned report- tions, fiercely rejecting criticism and ers from the Australian Broadcast- defending its record. Nauru uses ing Corporation, and introduced the Brisbane-based public relations unprecedented restrictions on the company Mercer pr, founded by stories journalists could cover outside former journalist Lyall Mercer, which of the formal Forum agenda. These assists clients “to manage their public “guidelines” highlight the paranoia in messages, achieve real outcomes and Canberra and Yaren over media cover- develop proactive media strategies. age of asylum seekers and refugees on We also assist our clients to minimize Nauru, and Television New Zealand political reviews • micronesia 223 journalist Barbara Dreaver was briefly ———. 2019. Nauru’s Former President detained by police after talking with Sprent Dabwido Condemns “Torture” a refugee. Despite these guidelines, of Refugees. Media release, 18 April. most journalists (including the author) https://www.amnesty.org.au/naurus wrote stories on the mental health of -former-president-sprent-dabwido -condemns-torture-of-refugees/ refugees and were criticized by host President Waqa for reporting “fake Auto, John. 2018. Interview by author news” (Maclellan 2018d). with Dr John Auto, public health coordi- In a positive change, however, the nator, Nauru Ministry of Health, Yaren, government has reversed its 2015 ban September. on the use of Facebook in Nauru. Batsiua, Mathew. 2018. Interview by Addressing Parliament in October author with Mathew Batsuia, Boe, Nauru, 2018, President Waqa “urged the September. public to be sensible and mindful Curtain, Richard, and Matthew Dornan. of language and content being used 2019. A Pressure Release Valve? Migration on social media” (Nauru Bulletin and Climate Change in Kiribati, Nauru 2018c, 1). and Tuvalu. Development Policy Centre After national elections in August Report. Canberra: Crawford School of 2019, the Nauru Parliament met to Public Policy, The Australian National elect a new President, with Lionel University. https://devpolicy.org/ Aingimea defeating David Adeang publications/reports/Migration-climate twelve votes to six. The election defeat %20change-Kiribati-Nauru-Tuvalu.pdf of outgoing President Waqa after six Gans, Jeremy. 2018. High Courts Nauru years in office will transform gov- Jurisdiction Silently Disappears. High ernance in the Micronesian nation, Court Blog, Melbourne Law School, opening a new phase in the country’s 6 April. https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/ regional relationships. opinionsonhigh/2018/04/06/news-high -courts-nauru-jurisdiction-silently nic maclellan -disappears/comment-page-1/ Government of Nauru. 2014. Nauru Non References Communicable Disease Strategic Action Plan 2015–2020. Yaren, Nauru: Ministry All websites accessed 5 November 2019. of Health. https://www.iccp-portal.org/ system/files/plans/NRU_B3_Nauru adb, Asian Development Bank. 2018. %20NCD%20Strategic%20Plan_Final.pdf Basic 2018 Statistics, May, Core Indica- tors: Proportion of Population Living ———. 2015. President Baron Waqa, below the National Poverty Line. Manda- Christmas Message 2015. http://www luyong City, Philippines: Asian Develop- .loopnauru.com/content/nauru%E2%80 ment Bank. %99s-president-baron-waqa-delivers -christmas-message Amnesty International. 2016. Island of Despair: Australia’s “Processing” of Refu- ———. 2017. Australia Acknowledged in gees on Nauru. London: Amnesty Interna- Port Upgrade. Government Information tional Ltd. https://www.amnesty.org.au/ Office media release. http://nauru-news wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ISLAND .com/australia-acknowledged-port -OF-DESPAIR-FINAL.pdf -upgrade/ 224 the contemporary pacific • 32:1 (2020)
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Pareti, Samisoni. 2018. Victory for Nauru ment that would have startled if not 19. Islands Business, 24 September. https:// dismayed those who still believed that www.islandsbusiness.com/component/k2/ politics should be about “ideals” and item/2202-victory-for-nauru-19.html “principles.” Refugee Council of Australia. 2018. US Congressman Gregorio Kilili Australia’s Man-Made Crisis on Nauru: Camacho Sablan, a longtime CNMI Six Years On. https://www.refugeecouncil Democrat who was elected as the .org.au/nauru-report/2/ islands’ first delegate to the US House ———. 2019. Database of Offshore of Representatives in 2008, was seek- Detention Statistics. https://www ing a sixth term. Kilili, as he is known .refugeecouncil.org.au/operation-sovereign in the CNMI, was aligned with the -borders-offshore-detention-statistics/ US Democrats in the US Congress, but he was also a political ally of the rnz, Radio New Zealand. 2019. Pacific Wants Dedicated UN Climate Change late CNMI Republican Governor Eloy Rep—Baron Waqa. 5 July. https://www.rnz S Inos (mv, 31 July 2014). In the 2018 .co.nz/international/pacific-news/393727/ elections, however, Inos’s succes- pacific-wants-dedicated-un-climate-change sor, Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres, -rep-baron-waqa supported the candidacy of a fellow young Republican, CNMI Represen- Scotty, Charmaine. 2018. Interview by the author with Charmaine Scotty, Minister tative Angel A Demapan (mv, 5 Oct for Health, Yaren, Nauru, September. 2017). On 2 July 2018, Kilili endorsed Taipei Times. 2019. Nauruan President the gubernatorial candidacy of one of to Tour Flower Expo on State Visit. his 2010 election opponents, for- January. 9 mer Governor Juan Nekai Babauta, Waqa, Baron. 2018. Speech by Baron a longtime Republican who had Waqa, President of the Republic of Nauru. decided, after four consecutive elec- 73rd Session of the United Nations tion losses (mv, 13 April 2018), to General Assembly, New York, seek office again. This time, Babauta 26 September. was running as an independent, and his running mate was former Educa- tion Commissioner Rita A Sablan, who earlier considered running for Northern Mariana Islands governor herself as a Democrat (mv, The period in review covers one of the 13 April 2018). In 2016, Sablan, who most traumatic events in recent Com- supported the losing gubernatorial monwealth of the Northern Mariana candidate in 2014, announced her Islands (CNMI) history—and we are retirement as education commissioner not referring to the November 2018 and was succeeded by someone more election results, which, for some, were politically aligned with the governor just as distressing. Four months before (mv, 17 Nov 2016). the general elections, CNMI politi- On 4 July 2018, as if foreshadow- cians in power—the “ins”—and those ing the twin disasters that would soon who were not—the “outs”—had, befall the CNMI’s three major islands, more or less, completed a realign- Tropical Depression 10w moved