Political Reviews

0LFURQHVLDLQ5HYLHZ,VVXHVDQG(YHQWV-XO\ WR-XQH david w kupferman, kelly g marsh, donald r shuster, tyrone j taitano

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

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127 political reviews ‡ micronesia 135

Group. Hagåtña, Guam. http://www assist those who had migrated to the .pacificnewscenter.com/ United States. Politico.com. Arlington, Virginia. The most significant political event http://www.politico.com/ of the period was the national elec- tion held on 21 November 2011. In PreservationDirectory.com. Portland, Oregon. http://www.preservationdirectory the run-up to the balloting, numerous .com members of then-President and Iroij ’s administration Reuters. New York. http://www.reuters (including the president) formed a new .com/ political party, Kien Eo Am (kea, Your Saipan Tribune. Daily. Garapan, Saipan. Government), and, in a break from http://www.saipantribune.com/ previous attempts at party politics Stars and Stripes Guam. http://guam. in the , the group stripes.com/ formalized its existence by selecting upi, United Press International. Washing- a party leader, Arno Senator Gerald ton, dc. http://www.upi.com/ Zackios. By the middle of October, kea announced that it had thirteen Wall Street Journal. Daily, New York. members, which, although short of the http://online.wsj.com seventeen-member majority needed Whitman, Frank. 2012. Lobbying to control the Nitijela (Parliament), Group Formed to Promote Guam demonstrated a coordination of politi- Build-Up. Marianas Business Journal, cal determination rarely seen in the 27 February. Reported online at Marshall Islands. This effort appar- http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/ ently was not counterbalanced by the 2012/March/03-07-03.htm opposition senators, most of whom were affiliated with the traditional ruling class from (MIJ, Marshall Islands 14 Oct 2011). Compared to the previous election The period under review for the in 2007, which by all accounts was Republic of the Marshall Islands the worst run in the country’s history (RMI) saw a change in government, (Kupferman 2011), the 2011 elec- controversy over the largest-to-date tion went off largely without a hitch. proposed construction project in the The only last-minute change to the country, and rising tensions with the ballot involved the senate candidates United States over unresolved issues from Kwajalein. Ataji Balos, a former related to the nation’s nuclear history senator and longtime member of the and the Compact of Free Association. opposition to and the At the end of the period, however, it Kwajalein landowners, had been may be fair to ask what, if anything, removed from the ballot in September changed other than the names of those by the chief electoral officer for failing in positions of power, as the new gov- to submit candidacy papers on time. ernment continued to struggle to meet However, on 11 November, the acting the basic needs of the people living in attorney general reinstated Balos on the Marshalls and seemed unable to the ballot, thereby delaying the arrival 136 the contemporary pacific ‡ 25:1 (2013) of accurate postal ballots for Kwaja- one of a number of former senators lein by two and a half weeks (MIJ, 18 who were returning to the Nitijela. Nov 2011). The inclusion of Balos on Others included Jiba Kabua (who the ballot ensured a contested elec- had lost his seat for Namdrik Atoll tion for Kwajalein, as he became the in 1999), defeating Gerald Zackios fourth candidate for three seats in the for the seat for ; Hiroshi Nitijela. Yama mura, who won his seat back On the day of the election, voter from Utrik Senator and Minister of turnout in the early morning hours Health Amenta Matthew after losing was high, and poll watchers expected to her in 2007; and Phillip Muller, record numbers. After the morning who had lost reelection in 1999, this rush, however, the crowds disap- time winning one of the two open peared, and by the time ballots were seats for Atoll. Brand-new counted on Wednesday, it was appar- members of the Nitijela included Tony ent that voter turnout was at a near- Muller, the former general manager record low. The Marshall Islands Jour- of the National Telecommunications nal estimated that on Majuro Atoll, Authority, who won the other open the capital and the first district to have seat for Majuro; Thomas Heine, who its ballots counted, approximately defeated incumbent Rellong Lemari 2,500 votes were cast, representing for Lae Atoll; Wilbur Heine, defeating a mere 30 percent of all registered incumbent Kejjo Bien; Tony voters. Election officials guessed that Aisea, who won the seat for Namu one of the reasons for the low turnout Atoll from incumbent Kaiboke Kabua; was the large amount of out-migration and , who won the open of Marshallese to the United States, seat for Aur Atoll. and they expected an increase in the The loss by Amenta Matthew and number of absentee postal ballots the election of Hilda Heine continued from overseas (MIJ, 25 Nov 2011). a trend in recent elections wherein By 5 December, the deadline for the the only female incumbent loses her arrival of postal ballots in Majuro, bid for reelection and is replaced by a however, only 2,500 overseas ballots new female member, thus maintaining had been received, 350 of which were the male-to-female ratio in the Niti- invalidated for numerous irregularities jela at 32:1. Despite a record number (MIJ, 9 Dec 2011). of women candidates in 2011, the By 28 December, the final senate defeat of Matthew and the election seat was decided. After two recounts, of only Heine seemed to underscore and barely avoiding a tiebreaker an apparent lack of progress in terms (known in Marshallese as kubwe of gender equity at the national level, in kijirik—literally “mouse shit,” a although it should be noted that at reference to the unpleasantness of the local level women made modest breaking a tie), Caios Lucky defeated strides in winning election to a hand- incumbent Frederick Muller for the ful of mayoral and council seats. It seat for Ujae Atoll by two votes (MIJ, remains to be seen whether Heine will 30 Dec 2011). Lucky, who had lost his be able to reverse the political trend reelection bid to Muller in 2007, was and actually win reelection in 2015, political reviews ‡ micronesia 137 which would mark the first reelection when longtime Ailinglaplap Senator of a woman senator in the country’s and Iroij was history. elected president over Iroij Jurelang With the exception of Tony Zedkaia by a vote of 21 to 11 (one Muller, who allied himself with the vote went to ) (MIJ, 6 Jan kea party, the new senators did not 2012). What was also clear was that explicitly align themselves either the presidency remains, at least for the with President Zedkaia’s kea or with time being, the province of the iroij, or the opposition and Kwajalein land- chiefly class, as Loeak is now the fifth owners, nor were they part of the of six presidents to hold that title; the five-member coalition led by former only non-iroij president was Kessai President and Jabat Senator Kessai Note. What is less clear is whether the Note (which included Likiep Senator period of relative instability (marked Donald Capelle, Kili/Bikini/Ejit Sena- by three presidential administrations tor Tomaki Juda, Maloelap Senator in four years) is now over or whether Michael Konelios, and Jaluit Senator the creation of kea, Note’s five- Rien Morris). However, the defeat of member coalition, and the coalescence Gerald Zackios, Frederick Muller, and of the Kwajalein landowners signals Amenta Matthew, all kea members, another round of opposition politics. signaled the relatively weak position Indeed, Loeak’s cabinet reflected of the incumbent administration, and not only the change in government all eyes turned to the election of the favoring the Kwajalein group and the president, Speaker, and vice speaker alliance with Kessai Note but also the as the first order of business when the inclusion of many of the new, non- new Nitijela was seated on 3 January aligned senators. Kwajalein Senator 2012. Donald Capelle, the three-term Tony DeBrum was named minister in senator from Likiep and one of Kessai assistance, marking his fourth return Note’s group, was elected Speaker to the executive branch in twenty by a vote of 20 to 13 over kea nomi- years; Phillip Muller was appointed nee Majuro Senator Brenson Wase; minister of foreign affairs, a post he Senator Tomaki Juda, also part of held previously under the adminis- Note’s group, was elected vice speaker tration of President and Iroij Imata over Ebon Senator and kea member Kabua in the late 1990s; Mejit Senator John Silk, also by a vote of 20 to 13 Dennis Momotaro was named minis- (MIJ, 6 Jan 2012). Capelle replaced ter of finance; Wotho Senator David Jaluit Senator and kea stalwart Alvin Kabua was named minister of health; Jacklick, while Juda succeeded former Hilda Heine was appointed minister of Majuro Senator Alik Alik, who had education; Thomas Heine was named retired from the Nitijela in 2011. minister of justice; Michael Konelios With such obvious victories over was appointed minister of resources kea by Capelle and Juda, it was evi- and development; Wilbur Heine was dent that Kessai Note’s coalition had appointed minister of internal affairs; aligned itself, at least initially, with Rien Morris was named minister of the former opposition and Kwajalein transportation and communications; landowners. It was little surprise, then, and Hiroshi Yamamura was named 138 the contemporary pacific ‡ 25:1 (2013) minister of public works. The Loeak planned thirty-day session, which administration appointed Frederick was to wrap up in early February, Muller as ambassador to Fiji, replac- lasted until 13 April—marking one of ing Amatlain Kabua, who herself was the longest sessions in RMI history. appointed to replace Phillip Muller The change in government seemed as United Nations ambassador. Kejjo to signal only a change in the seating Bien, the defeated incumbent from arrangement in the Parliament, as just Mili Atoll, was named ambassador a handful of bills were presented over at large, while Tom Kijiner, a former the months-long session, and with the senator from Likiep who had failed in exception of a few pro forma resolu- his third attempt in the 2011 elec- tions, none were passed into law. tion to unseat now-Speaker Donald This lack of legislative activity, Capelle, was named ambassador to however, was not without controversy. Japan, replacing returning Arno Sena- Bill 1 (which was later renumbered as tor Jiba Kabua. Additionally, Daisy Bill 2 for procedural reasons), spon- Alik-Momotaro, wife of Finance Min- sored by Senator John Silk, proposed ister Dennis Momotaro, who herself disenfranchising all overseas voters in had run for the Nitijela from Majuro future elections by eliminating voting but lost, was appointed secretary of by postal ballot. Part of the rationale internal affairs, and Amenta Matthew for the bill was to “allow Marshallese was appointed to the Board of Regents citizens who are taxpayers and resid- of the College of the Marshall Islands. ing on the islands to determine the Gerald Zackios was nominated as person or persons to represent them the RMI candidate to head up the in their constituencies” (MIJ, 2 March Forum Fisheries Agency, but he came 2012), with the exceptions of indi- in third in the final selection round at viduals who are medically unable to the ministers’ meeting in July (MIJ, 13 travel to a polling station in the Mar- July 2012). In a bit of irony, Ronge- shall Islands and those RMI residents lap Senator Kenneth Kedi, a former who will be temporarily off-island member of the Zedkaia cabinet who on election day. The bill not only set in early 2011 pleaded no contest to off a firestorm on the Internet among one count of petit larceny and two overseas Marshallese but was also so misdemeanor counts of misconduct in unpopular within the Nitijela that Silk public office stemming from charges was unable to find another sponsor related to misappropriation of public for the bill. The bill never came up funds, was named the chairman of the for a vote during the January session, Nitijela Public Accounts Committee in although public hearings were sched- February (MIJ, 10 Feb 2012). uled in Arkansas, Washington state, Despite the initial hope surrounding and Hawai‘i for August and Septem- the new president and his cabinet, it ber 2012. soon became clear that little was going Perhaps one motivation for the to change. In fact, almost nothing was bill was to ensure that particular done during the Loeak administra- constituencies within the Marshall tion’s first Nitijela session in 2012, Islands (including those of kea party despite the fact that the originally members) would be protected and political reviews ‡ micronesia 139 not overturned by the will of voters the expected count of 55,000–60,000 who both reside outside the country people. The reason given for this small and do not pay RMI taxes, while increase was the fact that approxi- currently retaining the constitutional mately 11,000 Marshallese have left right to vote. Indeed, some races the Marshalls over the past decade, in the election were decided almost the majority of whom have relocated entirely by overseas postal ballots, to the United States (RMI 2011a). including Speaker Capelle’s (who lost For those Marshallese living in the the vote on his home atoll of Likiep United States, life has not necessarily but won the seat thanks to Likiep gotten easier since the current wave voters living abroad), as well as the of out-migration began in the late losses by Gerald Zackios, Amenta 1990s. In June 2012, the Marshall Matthew, Frederick Muller, and Kili/ Islands Journal highlighted the stories Bikini/Ejit mayoral candidate Eldon of a number of young Marshallese Note (MIJ, 9 Dec 2011). In December, men who were awaiting deportation Zackios filed suit on behalf of himself, back to the Marshalls for a variety Matthew, and Note, citing a lack of of crimes ranging from first time required notary affidavits accompany- misdemeanors to federal offenses, ing a majority of the postal ballots in including seven young men who were their respective races (MIJ, 23 March arrested in Kansas for hitchhiking on 2012). Hearing dates for the suits are an interstate highway in May (MIJ, 15 pending at the time of this writing. June 2012). The New York Times also Interestingly, the bill also drew ran an article on the issues faced by attention to the recent numbers of Marshallese living in the United States, Marshallese leaving the country, focused on the community in Spring- as highlighted in unofficial reports dale, Arkansas, home to one of the and summaries of the 2011 national largest number of Marshallese outside census (the official report has yet to the Marshalls, and their difficulties be released to the public). The trend obtaining access to health care and nationwide since the previous census basic legal services (NYT, 5 July 2012). was taken in 1999 suggests that more Should out-migration trends continue people are leaving the outer islands at their current rates, it seems that and migrating to the urban popula- such profiles of the Marshallese as a tion centers of Majuro and Ebeye, community of struggling immigrants and eventually out of the country may only increase. And should Bill altogether. With the exception of 1 become law in the near future, one Jaluit, Lae, and Lib, all outer islands can only imagine what might happen saw a drop in population over the to those RMI citizens living abroad past twelve years, with some, includ- once they and their votes are no longer ing Ailuk, Kili, Namdrik, and Wotho, courted by the RMI government. losing well over 30 percent (RMI Deportation was not only on the 2011b). Indeed, the total popula- minds of US officials and Marshallese tion in 2011 was counted at 53,158, convicted of crimes and misdemean- a mere 0.4 percent increase over the ors, however; despite being unable to population in 1999 and well short of pass legislation during the January-to- 140 the contemporary pacific ‡ 25:1 (2013)

April session, the Nitijela did find the “idiotic” and a continued threat to time to discuss whether and how to the last remaining healthy coral in the deport Dr Dean Jacobson, a US citizen lagoon (MIJ, 28 Oct 2011). rmiepa who has worked for ten years at the Board Chairman Ben Chutaro noted College of the Marshall Islands as a that the agency was still considering marine science instructor. Jacobson the feasibility of the proposed dredg- spent most of the period under review ing site, but by 8 December, Chutaro drawing attention to the negative envi- was removed from the rmiepa Board ronmental impacts that could result by President Zedkaia, who then from a proposed $15.7 million run- urged the rmiepa to approve pending way expansion project funded by the permits to the Ports Authority and pii US Federal Aviation Administration so that the runway expansion could (faa), arguing that the reef area slated proceed immediately. rmiepa, includ- for dredging by contractor Pacific ing Chutaro, who was not yet aware International Inc (pii) to provide the of his removal, conditionally approved fill for the runway contains some the permits the next day (MIJ, 16 Dec of the last healthy coral in Majuro 2011). Lagoon. Jacobson argued that other Two weeks later, however, the areas would be more suitable and project was halted again, this time by would limit the environmental dam- the US epa, suggesting that high-level age. As a result, the faa halted the talks between the US epa and faa largest construction project in RMI could consider the potential envi- history in July 2011, two months after ronmental impacts of the reef dredg- it had broken ground. In response, ing. The US Embassy, for its part, then-President Zedkaia ordered the reminded the RMI government that general manager of the RMI Environ- “US agencies do not have jurisdiction mental Protection Agency (rmiepa) over this federally-funded airport con- to prioritize the runway project, while struction project, and that the decision the RMI Ports Authority requested to move forward rests with the RMI that pii offer feasibility studies of government” (MIJ, 30 Dec 2012). other possible dredging sites (MIJ, 29 Meanwhile, the verbal war between July 2012). Jacobson and pii continued to heat In October, the rmiepa held a pub- up, so much so that the new govern- lic hearing on the matter, at which the ment inserted itself in the debate, RMI Ports Authority and pii presented spending all day on 17 February their findings on alternative dredg- considering how to deport Jacob- ing sites and reminded the public that son. Foreign Affairs Minister Phillip the cost of the project was accepted Muller led the charge, arguing that by the faa only after it included local non-Marshallese do not have the right fill materials, as the original projec- to participate in RMI political affairs. tion of $21 million dollars, including Transportation and Communica- off-island fill, had been rejected by tions Minister Rien Morris wondered the faa as too expensive. The war aloud whether it would be possible for of words escalated during the meet- the Nitijela to simply declare Jacob- ing, with Jacobson concluding aloud son persona non grata, but he then that pii’s new dredging site plan was deferred to recommendations from political reviews ‡ micronesia 141 the cabinet (MIJ, 24 Feb 2012). By the failure to respond to the “changed middle of March, the RMI govern- circumstances” petition submitted to ment and faa officials met in Guam, the US Congress over a decade ago; where the new dredging site was the event included what the Marshall apparently okayed in principle by the Islands Journal called “the most out- faa (MIJ, 16 March 2012), and in the spoken comments from Marshallese middle of June the RMI Ports Author- heard in many years” (MIJ, 9 March ity submitted a report on the new 2012). In late May, discussing the use dredging site, as requested by the faa, of Kwajalein atoll, Minister in Assis- for approval and continuation of the tance Tony DeBrum suggested, “Rela- project (MIJ, 15 June 2012). Jacobson, tions between the United States and whose deportation again took up RMI have deteriorated”; in response, Nitijela time during its August session, US Ambassador Martha Campbell continued his crusade against pii stated, “It is unfortunate that we through online petitions and Facebook learn many of the RMI’s concerns postings, most recently with a series through the press, rather than through of photos of damage already caused direct dialogue” (MIJ, 1 June 2012). to healthy corals by pii’s dredging at And in what appeared to be a bit of the new site, including one of a baby unnecessary theater, Minister Muller puffer fish that his marine science greeted visiting US Assistant Secretary students named “Jerry Kramer” in of State Kurt Campbell in August dubious honor of the pii chief execu- with a “reset” button, reminiscent of tive officer. the attempt by US Secretary of State The relationship between the RMI Hillary Clinton to “reset” relations and US governments also came under with Russia in 2009 (MIJ, 10 Aug some strain, although not directly 2012). It is still unclear what, if any- in relation to the runway project. thing, the Marshall Islands expects Early on, it appeared that the Loeak to gain from this latest round of administration was going to move diplomatic gamesmanship or how the in a direction different from its United States will respond. But with immediate predecessors by taking a the expiration of the funding provi- more aggressive approach with the sions in the compact looming in 2023, United States in terms of the unre- now another year closer, it is evident solved issues surrounding the nuclear that the new government has yet to legacy in the Marshall Islands and suggest a way forward for the people perceived changes in the Compact of of the Marshall Islands. Free Association made by the United david w kupferman States. In January, Foreign Affairs Minister Phillip Muller warned that the United States “keeps making References excuses to change the terms of our Compact” (MIJ, 27 Jan 2012). During Kupferman, David W. 2011. The Republic the Nuclear Survivors’ Remembrance of the Marshall Islands since 1990. Journal Day ceremony on 1 March, the RMI of Pacific History 46 (1): 75–88. government and its supporters staged MIJ, Marshall Islands Journal. Majuro. a well-coordinated protest of the US Weekly. 142 the contemporary pacific ‡ 25:1 (2013)

NYT, New York Times. Daily. complaint and questioning and even a RMI, Republic of the Marshall Islands. lawsuit. But he endured to take other 2011a. The RMI  Census of Popula- positive steps, and with the advice tion and Housing: Summary and High- and consent of the Palau Senate he lights Only. Majuro: Economic Policy, appointed a new five-member board Planning, and Statistics Office. to oversee the Palau Public Utilities http://www.doi.gov/oia/reports/upload/ Commission. Electricity was fully RMI-2011-Census-Summary-Report-on restored by Christmas Day. -Population-and-Housing.pdf In November, President Toribiong ———. 2011b. The RMI  Census joined other Pacific Island leaders and Progress Report. Majuro: Economic Policy, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Planning, and Statistics Office. for a series of meetings on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Coop- eration (apec) Leaders’ Meeting in Republic of Palau Honolulu. The official White House photo from the Pacific Islands leaders’ President Johnson Toribiong is the meeting with President Barack Obama Republic of Palau’s eighth president shows President Toribiong standing since 1 January 1981. To date, he to Obama’s immediate right. The has traveled abroad extensively and sessions addressed fisheries, natural achieved much overseas, and this resources development, climate-change may have diverted his attention from threats, disaster management, and the local problems and issues. He is in the Pacific region’s growing health crisis. fourth year of his presidency and in Secretary Clinton took the occasion to 2012 must stand for reelection during announce a major US policy shift: a September’s primary and November’s pivot away from the Middle East and ninth general elections. toward America’s Pacific Century in On 5 November 2011, a small the Asia-Pacific region. What impact fire in Palau’s main Aimeliik electri- this may have on Palau is unknown. cal power plant raged out of control, US congressional approval of the destroying the facility and its capacity Compact Agreement II between Palau to generate electricity. This in turn and the United States would be an endangered the water supply to Koror excellent step. That agreement has and Airai, impacted Koror’s waste- been languishing in Congress for over water system, and threatened not a year. only the operation of the National President Toribiong greeted New Hospital but also operations at public Year’s Day 2012 with an ecumeni- and private schools and even the cal “Sunrise Prayer Service for the activities of the Palau International Nation” at the magnificent national Airport. President Toribiong declared capitol in Ngerulmud. All of Palau’s a national state of emergency and churches took part, and High Chief took quick and positive action to Reklai closed the services with his restore full electrical power. Like many advice that what each leader wants dramatic actions in Palau, the presi- must give way to both what is right dent’s responses were the subject of and what is their responsibility.