Political Reviews

The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2009 nic maclellan

Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, 2009 david chappell, jon fraenkel, solomon kantha, gordon leua nanau, howard van trease, muridan widjojo

© 2010 by University of Hawai‘i Press

399 The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2009

The suspension of ’s interim and that election is held by the end of administration from membership December 2009” (Forum Secretariat in the (pif) 2009a). dominated regional affairs in 2009. After the January meeting, Baini- With taking over as Forum marama stated: “The Forum has gone chair after the August 2009 Forum beyond its mandate. The Forum was leaders meeting in Cairns, the political never meant to determine what type isolation of Fiji has had impacts on of government members should have. regional aid, trade, and development. Indeed, the Forum was never to decide At the same time, there is increas- when an election in a member state ing debate over the capacity of should be held” (Cooney 2009). regional organizations to respond to Any possibility of an early the challenges of climate change and announcement on elections was the global economic crisis, as donor dashed when the military reacted to countries work to better coordinate the Fiji Court of Appeal ruling in development assistance and Pacific the case of Qarase v Bainimarama, governments extend diplomatic links brought by ousted Prime Minister to new players in the region. Laisenia Qarase. On 9 April 2009, the Throughout 2009, the Pacific faced court ruled that the 2006 coup was a number of natural disasters and the “illegal” and the postcoup creation of year ended with Island governments an interim administration “invalid.” and community organizations raising On 10 April, Fiji President Ratu Sir the profile of vulnerable atoll nations Josefa Iloilo formally abrogated the at the Copenhagen climate negotia- 1997 Fiji Constitution. Backed by the tions. However, most delegates left the military-led interim administration, Danish capital disappointed, as the the president dismissed senior judges summit ended without a legally bind- and statutory officeholders. He then ing treaty to mandate global action on issued a decree allowing himself to the adverse effects of climate change. appoint a prime minister, opening the After Fiji Interim Prime Minister way for the reappointment of Baini- Voreqe Bainimarama failed to attend marama and his interim ministers. the 2008 Pacific Islands Forum in Ruling by decree, the interim , Forum leaders held a special administration moved to extend emer- meeting in on 27 Janu- gency regulations that limit public ary 2009 to discuss the restoration of gatherings and allow media censor- democracy in Fiji. Bainimarama again ship. Over the coming months, these failed to attend, and regional leaders powers were used to harass reporters agreed they would move to suspend and critics of the regime, including Fiji from Forum membership unless the Methodist Church, whose annual “the Fiji Interim Government nomi- conference was banned (Amnesty nates an election date by 1 May 2009 International 2009). With serving

400 pol i t ical reviews • region 401 military officers taking key public ser- Bainimarama stated that the Fiji gov- vice positions (including naval officer ernment would not finalize electoral Esala Teleni as police commissioner), reform until 2012 or hold elections domestic critics faced new restrictions until 2014. Reacting to criticism by that constrained public criticism of the Church and community leaders, the military as well as the right to strike. military extended the ban on Method- Opponents of the regime used blogs ist Church conferences until 2014 and to send information internationally, introduced new decrees to crack down as mainstream media faced censorship on opponents (such as the threat to of any broadcast or publication that, reduce government pensions for crit- according to President Iloilo, “could ics). cause disorder, promote disaffection or In the lead-up to the annual Forum public alarm or undermine the govern- meeting in August, held in Cairns, ment or state of Fiji” (Gordon 2009). Australia, some Pacific leaders As the Forum’s May deadline expressed unease about the regional passed, Forum Chair Toke Talagi, pre- isolation of Fiji, including Sëmoa’s mier of Niue, announced on 2 May: Head of State His Highness Tui Atua “It is with considerable sorrow and Tupua Tamasese and Melanesian disappointment that I confirm the sus- Prime Ministers Derek Sikua (Solo- pension of the current military regime mon Islands), Sir in the Republic of the Fiji Islands, (), and Edward from full participation in the Pacific Natapei (). In Cairns, how- Islands Forum, with immediate effect ever, Forum leaders reaffirmed Fiji’s from 2 May 2009. . . . This decision suspension from the regional body, does not amount to the expulsion of with the proviso that members of the Fiji, as a nation, from its member- Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) ship of the Forum. That proposition could maintain dialogue with Fiji gov- has not been considered by leaders in ernment and officials. their deliberations. As such, the Pacific For months, the Fiji interim admin- Islands Forum remains a 16-member istration refused to back down on its body and the Republic of the Fiji delay of elections, and regional rela- Islands continues to be part of the tions—especially with Australia, New Forum group of nations, albeit with Zealand, and some Polynesian lead- participation of the current regime ers—remained stressed. Travel bans by suspended until further notice” (Talagi the United States, Australia, and New 2009). Zealand on Fiji government ministers, Fiji was also suspended from the officials, judges, and their families Commonwealth in September after the were maintained. In November, the interim administration failed to meet a interim administration expelled the Commonwealth deadline of 1 Septem- Australian high commissioner and the ber for committing to rejoin negotia- third in a series of acting New Zea- tions with the Opposition and to hold land high commissioners from Suva; credible elections by October 2010. in turn, Canberra declared Fiji’s acting In response to domestic and high commissioner persona non grata international pressure, Commodore in Australia. The interim administra- 402 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) tion then ordered Fiji-born Australian By year’s end, only Solomon academic Brij V Lal (one of the team Islands, Australia, and who had developed the country’s 1997 had formally replied to Fiji’s diplo- constitution) to leave the country. His matic initiative on pacer, and Fiji wife, Padma Narsey Lal, was also authorities expressed disappointment refused entry to Fiji to continue her with the “casual stance” of the Forum work on environment and develop- Secretariat in facilitating consulta- ment research in January 2010. tions, as part of its legal obligations By the end of 2009, the New under article 15 of the treaty. Fiji Zealand government indicated that it Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke was willing to engage with the interim Kubuabola protested against the administration, opening the way exclusion of Fiji from pacer-related for new dialogue. But there were a events, including pacer-Plus meetings. number of ongoing disputes, especially In spite of these problems, many over regional trade. Fiji citizens continue to play a role in In June 2009, Fiji invoked provi- regional initiatives; for example, in sions of the 2001 Pacific Agreement May, Sakiusa Rabuka was appointed on Closer Economic Relations (pacer) to replace Dr Lesi Korovavala as the treaty, calling for consultations to new Pacific Islands Forum represen- address its suspension from the tative in , to assist pacer-Plus negotiations (which aim with greater Forum engagement in the to develop a new regional free trade Regional Assistance Mission to Solo- agreement linking Australia, New mon Islands (ramsi). Zealand, and Forum Island countries). Throughout 2009, key donor However, the Australian govern- nations have been promoting ment disputed Fiji’s claim that pacer improved development effectiveness is a stand-alone treaty that is indepen- and aid coordination in the region. dent from the Agreement Establishing This renewed focus comes as Islands the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. export revenue, tourism receipts, and In August, Australian Trade Minister remittances have all been affected by Simon Crean stated that pacer-Plus the global downturn. Western govern- “is completely separate from the ments are also concerned that a range pacer agreement. I recognize the of players—from China and Taiwan similar names (pacer and pacer- to Cuba and Iran—are increasing aid Plus) have the potential to be confus- funding without the conditionality ing. But what is disingenuous in that that Organization for Economic confusion is the attempt by some to Co-operation and Development find a legal link between the two for (oecd) countries demand. the purposes of the Fiji issue” (Crean In April 2009, Australian Prime 2009). In response, nongovernmental Minister Kevin Rudd stood alongside organization activists highlighted a his PNG counterpart, Sir Michael series of statements by the Australian Somare, and acknowledged that government showing that pacer-Plus Australia’s aid program in Papua New is a continuation of the picta-pacer Guinea was top-heavy with consul- process (pang 2009). tants, with too little action on the pol i t ical reviews • region 403 ground: “Too much money has been Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. consumed by consultants and not After developing a local policy called enough money was actually delivered the Pacific Principles on Aid Effective- to essential assistance in teaching, in ness, which was adopted in Palau in infrastructure, in health services on the July 2007, regional leaders endorsed ground, in the villages, across Papua a new statement at the Cairns Forum New Guinea” (Rudd 2009). leaders meeting in August 2009, called This echoed a major speech on the the Cairns Compact on Strengthen- governance of New Zealand’s aid pro- ing Development Coordination in the gram by John Hayes, Chair of the NZ Pacific. Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade The Forum Secretariat is increas- Select Committee, which criticized the ingly integrating its programs with outcomes of aid spending in the Cook key multilateral donors. In March Islands, Niue, and Tokelau: “Much of 2009, the Secretariat and the Asian our aid has been used to grow public Development Bank (adb) signed a services across the region—but the joint cooperation statement (Forum hundreds of millions of dollars spent Secretariat 2009b). This was followed by donors like New Zealand has not in October by a Memorandum of lifted the prosperity of the region in a Understanding (mou) with the World sustained way. . . . What is also clear Bank, with cooperation focused on is that despite the hundreds of millions labor mobility, regional economic of dollars that have been poured into regulation, petroleum supply chain the Pacific in recent decades, there studies, and strengthening of regional has been a relatively modest propor- audit capacities (Forum Secretariat tion spent on essential infrastructure” 2009c). Pacific governments called on (Hayes 2009). the adb to realign its regional activi- The new Obama administration ties to the Pacific Plan and priorities also highlighted aid issues, promising set by Forum Economic Ministers, to double the nonmilitary US foreign including fuel purchase, statistics, aid budget to us$50 billion a year by customs, labor mobility, and economic 2012. By year’s end, US Secretary of regulation. State Hillary Clinton made a major This agency support is crucial for speech on the usaid program and the development of a key regional ini- planned an unprecedented regional tiative—the Pacific Petroleum Program trip to Hawai‘i, Papua New Guinea, for bulk procurement of fuel—in the Australia, and New Zealand in 2010 face of resistance from major energy (which was cut short by the Haiti corporations. The annual Pacific Plan earthquake disaster in January). The progress report notes that “some US government began a review of the sectors of industry . . . have sought to US-Palau Compact of Free Associa- place pressure on the Forum Secretar- tion, as most Compact assistance to iat to halt the initiative” (Pacific Plan Palau was set to expire on 30 Septem- 2009, 8). ber 2009. Pacific governments have contin- Nine Forum member countries ued to debate the restructuring of the have now endorsed the 2005 Paris intergovernmental agencies that make 404 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) up the Council of Regional Organi- Biwako, Japan, in 2002, followed by zations of the Pacific (crop). While the UN Convention on the Rights of the merger of the South Pacific Board Persons with Disabilities in 2006. for Educational Assessment with the Pacific governments have slowly Secretariat of the Pacific Community begun to act on the issue. The Forum (spc) will proceed in 2010, the pro- Secretariat has a full-time regional posed merger of spc and the Pacific disability adviser, and AusAID has Islands Applied Geoscience Commis- increased its support for disability sion (sopac) has been delayed, and programs in the region, with signifi- discussion of the spc’s incorporation cant personal support from Australia’s of the Pacific Aviation Safety Organi- parliamentary secretary for develop- zation is only beginning. ment assistance, Bob McMullan. When the Pacific Plan was first For the first time ever, in Rarotonga announced in 2005, its focus on in October 2009, a Forum Disabil- regional economic integration over- ity Ministers Meeting was held to shadowed community priorities on coordinate initiatives and endorse a better social policy at the national and Pacific Regional Strategy on Disability, regional level. After years of advocacy which will run from 2010 to 2015. by citizens’ and community organiza- Long-time Fijian disabled rights tions, 2009 has seen regional advances campaigner Setareki Macanawai, the in a number of areas of social policy: chief executive officer of the Pacific disability, violence against women, Disability Forum, noted: “We are very education, and traditional cultural pleased that Pacific Island Minis- knowledge and intellectual property ters responsible for disability were rights. so enthusiastic in their support for In spite of this, government-com- a Pacific Regional Strategy on Dis- munity relations were set back ability and we hope that this will be a when Australia and New Zealand useful policy and implementation tool announced major funding cutbacks to to assist countries address national key regional nongovernment networks priorities” (Macanawai 2009). based in Suva, including the Pacific After decades of lobbying and Islands Association of Non-Govern- advocacy by women’s groups, Pacific ment Organizations (piango) and leaders have also made a formal com- the Foundation of the Peoples of the mitment to act on violence against South Pacific International (fspi). women and children—the first policy For many years, there has been on the issue from a Forum leaders’ agitation by health workers and meeting. At their meeting in Cairns, disabled people’s advocacy networks Forum leaders committed to “eradi- for increased resourcing of services for cating sexual and gender-based vio- people living with mental and physical lence and ensuring that all individuals disabilities. The Millennium Frame- have equal protection and access to work for Action towards an Inclusive, justice” (Forum Communiqué 2009). Barrier-free and Rights-based Soci- The communiqué adds: “Sexual and ety for Persons with Disabilities in gender-based violence is now widely Asia and the Pacific was adopted in recognized as a risk to human security pol i t ical reviews • region 405 and a potential destabilizing factor on “education for all” and training for for communities and societies alike. employment. It remains pervasive across the Pacific In November, Forum member and as it is still considered a sensi- countries also adopted a Traditional tive issue in most Pacific cultures, its Knowledge Action Plan, after many prevalence often goes underreported.” years of work on protecting intel- Australia issued a major policy lectual property and culture. Cultural statement on violence against women issues were on the agenda when more and children in the Pacific, follow- than sixty ariki (chiefs) and leaders ing the release of a study on Violence from Polynesia gathered at Whaiora against Women in Melanesia and East Marae in Auckland in September to Timor (AusAID 2008). The report discuss creation of a government for documents the extent of violence the Polynesian nations of the region. against women in the home, in the Customary leaders from Tahiti, community, and in the workplace, and Hawai‘i, , , Fiji, looks at the best solutions, both global and Aotearoa debated land, culture, and local. and proposals such as the removal of As well as increasing women’s passport requirements between Poly- access to justice and also to support nesian countries. services, a key issue is the preven- This subregional awareness is also tion of violence through changing reflected in the growing coordina- community attitudes about violence tion of the larger countries that make and women’s status in the home up the Melanesian Spearhead Group and community. The training and (msg): Papua New Guinea, Solomon resourcing of police and military Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Front forces is another key part of the equa- de Libération Nationale Kanak et tion—especially in cases where the Socialiste (flnks) independence move- disciplined forces have been undisci- ment of New Caledonia. plined in times of conflict. Women’s Funding for the msg office in Port groups are advocating better train- Vila and the proposed Office of the ing for police, as police officers are Chief Trade Negotiator (octa) was not trained as counselors to support a key issue for Melanesian govern- survivors of violence. In countries ments, after Forum leaders agreed in across the region, police forces are Cairns to proceed with negotiation of often understaffed (especially with the proposed pacer-Plus free trade female officers) and lack key resources agreement. like housing, cars, and suitable inter- In the lead-up to the Forum lead- view rooms. ers’ meeting, Pacific Islands leaders Other social policy issues were reiterated their need for more time to on the regional agenda throughout consider the implications of pacer- the year. Pacific education ministers Plus, including conducting national met in March to develop the Pacific consultations prior to the launch of Education Development Framework, negotiations. But in spite of clear which replaces the 2001 Forum Basic statements from some communities Education Action Plan, and will focus that they needed more time to prepare, 406 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) the Cairns Forum in August agreed to ence in the Suva-based office, a trend commence pacer-Plus negotiations identified years ago by University of “forthwith.” the South Pacific academic Sandra In October, Forum trade ministers Tarte: “This sense of ownership has met in Brisbane to discuss the frame- been eroded in recent years as eco- work for pacer-Plus negotiations, nomic, political and security initiatives including timelines, identification of of the Forum seem to be increasingly issues, and the octa. While the earlier driven by Australia and New Zealand June ministers’ meeting in Apia had (who also control the purse strings)” indicated that negotiations be com- (quoted in Kelsey 2004, 40). pleted within two, three, or five years, Richard Rowe, Pacific Division no definitive decision was made on head at Australia’s Department of negotiation timelines at their October Foreign Affairs and Trade, denied meeting. Importantly, the October undue influence under the Forum meeting agreed that “national consul- chairmanship of Kevin Rudd: “I tations are essential” and noted that think the assertion that the Forum “these consultations will be wide- Secretariat is Australian-dominated ranging and include many communi- or that there is an intent to make it so ties and stakeholders” (Forum Trade are totally without foundation. The Ministers 2009). Forum recruits through open merit The October 2009 trade meeting based processes and in fact there are identified a number of common prior- five Australians employed out of a ity issues including rules of origin, total staff of just a little over 100 in labor mobility, development assis- the Forum Secretariat at the present tance, and trade facilitation measures. time” (Rowe 2009). However, there are considerable risks However, critics were not assuaged, if such support is made contingent on given that citizens of Australia and Pacific Island countries signing a recip- New Zealand do not take up secre- rocal free trade agreement that obliges tarial posts, but rather hold senior Pacific Island nations to give up policy positions heading key policy units. In flexibility and liberalize their trade in September, New Zealander Su‘a Kevin goods, services, and investment. Thomsen was appointed as director Recognizing the need for technical of the newly created Strategic Partner- support for the regional trade negotia- ships and Coordination Program, and tions, Pacific governments appointed Australian Tanya Chakriya Bowman NZ academic Dr Chris Noonan as replaced Roman Grynberg as the chief trade adviser in October. While director of the Economic Governance the Australian and New Zealand gov- Program. Thomsen was formerly ernments are providing some funds for director of policy and communications octa, this is insufficient for octa to in the NZ Ministry of Pacific Islands carry out its mandate. Affairs, while Bowman was trade The debate over trade came at a adviser with AusAID’s Pacific Group time of concern over “regional owner- from 2007 to 2009. An Islands Busi- ship” of the Forum Secretariat, amid ness editorial questioned proposals perceptions of increased donor influ- to promote Australian Ed Vrkic from pol i t ical reviews • region 407 head of the Pacific Plan office into a first two summits in 2003 and 2006 new position as chief of staff to the to improve regional relations after secretary-general (Taga 2009, 5). the end of nuclear testing and the Fiji’s interim administration, 1998 Noumea Accord, but the 2009 excluded from the pacer-Plus nego- meeting was not successful. The third tiations after its suspension from the summit went ahead on 31 July, but the Forum, sent a signal to the Forum one thing missing was the host: French Secretariat by refusing Chakriya President Nicolas Sarkozy reneged on Bowman the normal exemption from a promised visit to New Caledonia work-permit requirement issued to and Australia. Attempts to organize all Suva-based staff of crop and UN French Prime Minister François Fil- agencies. Ms Bowman was forced to lon to travel to the South Pacific also work from outside Fiji while the issue failed. played out in negotiations between the It was just days before the summit interim government and Forum lead- that a formal announcement revealed ers (Grynberg 2010, 29). Fiji will host Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard the 2010 msg meeting, so the politics Kouchner would represent the French of trade and aid will continue to affect president. In the end, Kouchner only regional relations. made a thirty-six-hour flying visit to Beyond the two largest Forum Noumea, and the working session of members, Island nations continued the summit at the spc headquarters to develop a range of bilateral and in Anse Vata amounted to just a few regional aid and trade links with hours. Only five Forum member coun- players old and new—colonial pow- tries were represented at the summit ers like the United States and France, by their president or prime minister; major aid donors like Japan and the other Island nations sent ministers or European Union, but also new actors were only represented at the officials’ such as Iran and Cuba, which have level. launched small but high-profile initia- Roch Wamytan, head of the flnks tives in the region. group within the Congress of New In May, Japan hosted the Fifth Caledonia, described the summit as a Pacific Leaders Meeting (palm5) in “flop” and announced that his party Hokkaido, to discuss trade, fisheries, was boycotting the gathering: “This and climate change. Japan pledged summit is a provocation. Within the 50 billion yen (us$550 million) aid framework of decolonization currently over the next three years, and the underway in New Caledonia, the role new Kizuna plan for people-to-people of foreign affairs is supposed to be exchange (palm 2009). Visiting lead- transferred to our country, but France ers officially opened the new location is acting as if it wants to keep that for Tokyo’s Pacific Island Centre—a responsibility for all time” (Maclellan regional trade and investment office. 2009b, 15). France followed in July with the At the same time, New Caledonia third France-Oceania summit in and French Polynesia are seeking to Noumea, New Caledonia. Former expand their role in regional organi- President Jacques Chirac hosted the zations, lobbying in Cairns for full 408 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) rather than associate membership in mon membership of the Non-Aligned the Forum. Movement), Cuba has improved Even though the European Union relations with other Island nations is playing an increasing role in the in recent years. Regional ties to region, it again failed to finalize Cuba increased in 2009, following a negotiations for an Economic Part- September 2008 Cuba-Pacific sum- nership Agreement in the Pacific, mit in Havana attended by which was supposed to have been President Anote Tong, Prime completed in 2007. Facing the loss Minister Apisai Ielemia, and other of sugar and tuna markets, Fiji and Pacific foreign ministers and officials. Papua New Guinea initialed interim Cuba currently supplies medical staff agreements with the European Union to Kiribati, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, in 2007, with Papua New Guinea , Vanuatu, and Papua New formally signing the interim deal in Guinea, while students from these August 2009, but other countries have countries study medicine and primary yet to finalize a regional partnership health care in Havana. In early 2009, agreement. Cuba established formal diplomatic From 2008 to 2013, the Euro- relations with Fiji, Tonga, and Sëmoa. pean Union has allocated 95 million In November 2009, Australian- euros for the Pacific under the 10th owned anz bank in Honiara blocked European Development Fund (edf), the transfer of A$100,000 aid from including 45 million for Regional Eco- Iran to the Solomon Islands govern- nomic Integration and 40 million for ment, after Tehran offered financial Sustainable Management of Natural aid for a further twenty Solomon Resources and the Environment. (One Islands students to study in Cuba. euro is equivalent to approximately An anz spokesperson denied that the us$1.36). However, with European Australia government had requested corporations facing off with their Aus- the action, stating that the bank will tralian and NZ competitors, the Euro- not undertake remittances or transac- pean Union refused Forum Secretariat tions involving Iran as part of inter- proposals that edf money be used to national economic and trade sanc- fund the Office of Chief Trade Advisor tions. The money was subsequently for the pacer-Plus negotiations. transferred directly between Iranian Cold War paranoia about Cuba and Solomon Islands diplomats in and Libya as Russian proxies in the Canberra. Pacific lost force after the collapse of This aid reflected improved rela- the Soviet Union. Since then, there tions between Iran and Solomon has been increased diplomatic contact Islands. In 2008, Solomon Islands with Cuba and Middle East nations on Foreign Minister William Haomae met issues such as development, decolo- his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr nization, and climate change through Mottaki, in New York to discuss the Alliance of Small Islands States formalizing diplomatic relations. (aosis) and the United Nations. Haomae then led a Solomons delega- After establishing diplomatic links tion to Tehran, and the two countries with Vanuatu in 1983 (due to com- signed a cooperative memorandum pol i t ical reviews • region 409 to explore development cooperation and a total of us$406,000 for crop agreements. projects for 2008 /2009. In 2008, the Israeli officials traveled to Honiara People’s Republic of China (prc) in 2009 to lobby the Sikua govern- provided us$194 million in loans and ment over perceived policy shifts grants to the Pacific (Hanson 2009, on Middle East affairs. In Novem- 3) and continued its aid in 2009 with ber, Solomon Islands was the only us$850,000 for regional programs, Pacific Island nation to vote in the including preparations for Pacific UN General Assembly in support of involvement in the World Expo to be a resolution calling for independent held in Shanghai in 2010. In Septem- investigation of allegations of war ber, China also awarded scholarships crimes documented in the Goldstone through the Forum to nine students report (a study by a leading South from Sëmoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, African jurist that criticized human and Solomon Islands, under the rights violations by Israel and Hamas China–Pacific Islands Forum Scholar- during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in ship Scheme. early 2009). Australia, Nauru, and the Government ties with China and US Compact states all voted to reject Taiwan have not stopped ongoing the report, with other Forum members community concerns over Chinese abstaining. labor mobility in the region, with The Solomon Islands government accusations of illegal immigration and rejected criticism from Israel over corruption of officials. Proposals to alleged Iranian influence, with an bring six Uighur prisoners to Palau official stating: “We have no enemies, from the US detention center at Guan- and therefore, we will be friends to all tanamo Bay also caused debate about the nations, including both Israel and China-Oceania relations. Iran” (Yedioth Ahronoth 2009). Anti-Chinese arson and looting in Meanwhile, Russia continues to Honiara and Nuku‘alofa in 2006 were have small but influential ties in the repeated in 2009 clashes in Papua region, with proposals for investment New Guinea. In May, brawls between in PNG’s Liquid Natural Gas industry PNG and Chinese workers at the and the provision of a reported us$50 Ramu nickel refinery in Madang (run million in humanitarian aid to Nauru. by the Chinese state-owned corpora- In 2009 Nauru was one of only four tion Metallurgical Construction Cor- UN member states to recognized two poration) escalated into rioting around breakaway regions of Georgia as the the country. Chinese and Malaysian states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. small businesses were attacked, looted, China and Taiwan continue to or burned in Port Moresby, Lae, and provide aid to Pacific Island nations, major towns in the PNG Highlands, with their ongoing diplomatic ten- with at least four deaths and many sions lessened by the 2008 election of injuries. The PNG government estab- Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou. lished a public commission of inquiry In July 2009, Taiwan (Republic of into the riots, under Member of Par- China, or roc) provided US$57,393 liament Jamie Maxtone-Graham. for Taiwan / roc-pif Scholarships In Solomon Islands, the government 410 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) tabled the report of an inquiry into the The crop agencies and key donors 2006 riots in Honiara. ramsi con- are allocating resources toward tinued its operations, after a review the prevention and management of conducted by the Solomon Islands natural disasters and human induced- Parliamentary Foreign Relations catastrophes, drawing away resources Committee, and continued to have a from long-term development pro- significant input to government policy, grams. with the Sikua government agreeing to In January 2009, the worst flood- allow ramsi officials to brief the cabi- ing in Fiji’s recent history affected over net on a regular basis. Honiara also 150,000 people in the Western and saw the establishment of a Truth and Central divisions and caused major Reconciliation Commission, launched damage to infrastructure and crops. by South Africa’s Archbishop Emeri- The aftermath of the floods highlights tus Desmond Tutu in April 2009. the economic and social effects that ramsi was embarrassed by the extreme weather events and disasters acquittal of former Solomon Islands have on Island nations and humanitar- Attorney General Julian Moti in ian aid budgets. a Cairns court in December 2009. Using economic cost analysis and Moti, a Fiji-born Australian citizen, field survey data, an International was at the center of tensions between Union for Conservation of Nature the Australian and Solomon Islands (iucn) report conducted by Fijian governments in 2006–2007. After he researchers found major impacts on was arrested by the Australian Federal poverty after the floods: 77 percent Police (afp) in Solomon Islands, Moti of flood-affected sugarcane families was extradited to Australia on old will fall below Fiji’s poverty line, and child-sex charges. But in December about 42 percent of flood-affected 2009, an Australian court threw out farms are expected to struggle to the charges against Moti after finding provide even their families’ basic food “an abuse of process” in the prosecu- needs (Lal, Rita, and Khatri 2009, tion case. 25). The report calculates damage Justice Debbie Mullins criticized to the Fiji sugar industry amounting afp conduct, saying this “raises to an estimated f$24 million, with questions about the integrity of the additional humanitarian costs of f$5 administration of the Australian million. (One Fiji dollar is equivalent justice system.” The afp’s payment to approximately us$.51.) of a$150,000 (us$135,000) living After an undersea earthquake, a expenses to the alleged victim and her tsunami hit three Polynesian nations family was “an affront to the public in September. In some areas, waves conscience” and “the payments by the reached 700 meters inland from the afp to the witnesses who live in Vanu- shoreline, reaching a height of 14 atu bring the administration of justice meters above mean sea level in Sëmoa into disrepute to such an extent that and 10 meters in American Sëmoa. [Mr Moti] must succeed on his claim The death toll was 148 on Sëmoa, 34 of abuse of process on that basis” in American Sëmoa, and 9 in Tonga, (Marriner 2009). though community-based disaster pol i t ical reviews • region 411 prevention training after previous activists from around the region, who disasters saved many lives. launched a range of public events to Island nations also faced major raise the profile of vulnerable Island maritime tragedies, including the states, hoping COP15 would develop sinking of an interisland ferry between a new legally binding agreement on Tarawa and Maiana in Kiribati on 13 climate change. July, with the loss of thirty-three lives. But obtaining stronger action in The sinking of the mv Princess Ashika Copenhagen was always going to be in Tonga on 5 August, with seventy- difficult. The US Senate is reluctant four dead and missing, led to a Royal to pass climate legislation without Commission on the vessel’s safety. verifiable commitments from China The central threat to human secu- and . Beijing and other develop- rity in the region remains the long- ing nations demanded action first by term challenge of mitigating climate developed countries to address their change and the cost of adapting to the historic responsibility for emissions. adverse effects on food security, water Researchers have calculated the pro- supply, coastal management, and portion of global cumulative emissions economic development. from 1850 to 2005 at 29.25 percent On 3 June 2009, the United for the United States, 26.91 percent Nations General Assembly unani- for the European Union, but only 8.05 mously adopted a resolution initiated percent for China and 2.32 percent for by Pacific diplomats on “Climate India (unfccc 2009). Change and Its Possible Security In Copenhagen, Pacific youth del- Implications.” This was the first time egates spoke to the media and lobbied Pacific countries had joined together government officials about their fears to submit a resolution to the General of global inaction and their hopes for Assembly. The resolution calls on UN the future. Indigenous activists from Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon to Sëmoa, Kanaky, and Hawai‘i cam- prepare a report for the assembly on paigned on issues of deforestation and the possible security implications of indigenous rights and joined other climate change and for UN agencies to indigenous leaders at the head of a investigate the issue. While the resolu- 100,000-strong march to the confer- tion is largely symbolic, it adds weight ence center. A delegation from the to the aosis calls for tougher action Pacific Conference of Churches met on global warming. other ecumenical partners in wor- Pacific governments and commu- ship as church bells rang out around nity organizations mobilized across the world, starting in the Pacific and the region in December 2009 for the then throughout North America and 15th Conference of Parties (cop15) of Europe, to call for government action the United Nations Framework Con- at the summit (Maclellan 2010). vention on Climate Change (unfccc). By the time they adopted the Pacific Government delegates from the Pacific Leaders’ Call to Action on Climate were joined in Copenhagen by Pacific Change at the August Forum leaders Regional Environmental Programme meeting, Island leaders had dropped (sprep) officials and nongovernment some of the previous negotiating 412 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010) positions advocated as members of without an agreement on a new legally the Alliance of Small Island States binding treaty. (aosis), which links Island nations In the dying hours of the two- in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific, week conference, US President Barack Indian, and Atlantic oceans. However, Obama joined leaders from China, they soon reaffirmed their commit- India, Brazil, and South Africa to ment to aosis policy at a September cobble together a three-page political meeting in New York, calling for statement dubbed the “Copenhagen much stronger action to keep tempera- Accord.” The accord is not a legally ture increases well below 1.5 degrees binding treaty to promote long-term Celsius and a limit of 350ppm of action to reduce greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions and fails to set targets for gases in the atmosphere (in contrast, greenhouse-gas reductions by 2020. the United States, Australia, and New Seven nations, including Tuvalu, for- Zealand supported 2 degrees and mally stated that they could not accept 450ppm). the deal, and the final plenary of the In Copenhagen, this tougher target conference failed to fully endorse the for emissions reductions won sup- accord, simply stating: “The confer- port from 112 nations, including ence of the parties takes note of the the members of aosis and the Least Copenhagen Accord.” Developed Countries (ldc) group- In the last days of the conference, ing, some African and Latin American Island leaders reported that there nations, and other developing coun- was again pressure on Pacific states tries such as Egypt, Malaysia, and to abandon their strong targets. In Pakistan. a press conference on 17 December, Early in the conference, Tuvalu Tuvalu Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia gained international headlines after stated: “There are some countries like chief negotiator Ian Fry called for Australia who have been trying to consideration of a proposal on arrange a meeting with us to prob- strengthening and extending commit- ably water down our position on 1.5 ments by developed countries that degrees Celsius. I heard from other have signed the Kyoto Protocol, but small islands that Australia was try- also long-term cooperative action by ing to tell them if they agree to the 2 all countries, especially rapidly indus- degrees limit, money would be on the trializing nations like China, India, table for adaptation process. That’s and Brazil, and countries like the their choice to accept the money and United States that have not ratified the back down. But Tuvalu will not” Kyoto agreement. (Maclellan 2010, 25). Tuvalu’s strong stand won support Through the Pacific Conference of from many official delegations and Churches (Tevi 2009), Pacific churches community organizations. But in spite have highlighted the need to debate the of increased international attention to issue of relocation and resettlement. In the threat to low-lying atoll nations, August 2009, the outgoing chair of the Pacific delegates came away angry and Pacific Islands Forum, Niue Premier disappointed as the meeting foundered Toke Talagi, said it may be time for pol i t ical reviews • region 413 the regional organization to formally .net.au/news/stories/2009/01/29/2477789 consider the issue of resettlement of .htm?section=world people affected by climate change. Crean, Simon. 2009. Our Pacific Agenda: Speaking at the official opening of The Opportunity of pacer-Plus. Address the 2009 Forum leaders meeting in to the Lowy Institute “Pacific Islands in Cairns, Talagi stated: “While all of us the World” Conference, Brisbane, are affected, the situation for small 2 August. http://www.trademinister.gov island states is quite worrisome. For .au/speeches/2009/090802_lowy.html them, choices such as resettlement Forum Communiqué. 2009. Fortieth must be considered seriously and I Pacific Islands Forum, Cairns, Australia, wonder whether the Forum is ready 5–6 August 2009, pifs(09)12. to commence formal discussion on the Forum Secretariat. 2009a. Leaders’ matter” (Maclellan 2009a). Decisions, Pacific Islands Forum Special Australian Prime Minister Kevin Leaders’ Retreat. Port Moresby, Papua Rudd’s key climate adviser, Ross New Guinea, 27 January. Garnaut, agreed that it is now inevi- _____. 2009b. adb, Pacific Islands Forum table that climate change will displace Secretariat Build Regional Cooperation. some Pacific island populations: “The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat press South Pacific countries will end up statement, 12 March. having their populations relocated to _____. 2009c. Forum Secretariat and Australia or New Zealand and the rest World Bank sign mou. Pacific Islands of the world expects that. In the end, Forum Secretariat press statement, 27 we’re likely to accommodate them, October. so there’s a solution there” (Garnaut Forum Trade Ministers. 2009. Outcomes 2009). The issue will remain high on Document, Special Forum Trade Ministers the regional agenda. Meeting, 23–24 October. nic maclellan Garnaut, Ross. 2009. Ross Garnaut Writes off Pacific States on Climate Change. Pacific Beat, Radio Australia, References 11 December. Amnesty International. 2009. Fiji, Gordon, Josh. 2009. Fiji May Face Eco- Paradise Lost: A Tale of Ongoing Human nomic Sanctions, Says Canberra. The Age, Rights Violations. April–July 2009, asa 12 April. 18 /002 / 2009, 7 September. London: Grynberg, Roman. 2010. Viewpoint: Amnesty International. Why Keeping Bowman Out Is Damaging. AusAID. 2008. Violence against Women Islands Business, January. in Melanesia and East Timor: A Review Hanson, Fergus. 2009. China Stumbling of International Lessons. Canberra: Office through the Pacific. Lowy Institute Policy of Development Effectiveness, Australian Brief, July. Agency for International Development. Hayes, John. 2009. Refocusing New http:// www.ode.ausaid.gov.au / Zealand’s Development Aid. Statement by publications/pdf / VAW_review.pdf John Hayes, Chairperson of the Foreign Cooney, Campbell. 2009. Fiji’s Bainima- Affairs, Defence, and Trade Select Com- rama Says Pacific Forum Is Intruding. mittee, Millennium Development Goals abc News, 29 January. http://www.abc Summit, 20 March. 414 the contemporary pacific • 22:2 (2010)

Kelsey, Jane. 2004. A People’s Guide to pang, Pacific Network on Globalisation. pacer: The Implications for the Pacific 2009. pacer-Plus Introduced to Australian Islands of the Pacific Agreement on Parliament. Trade Justice Now e-update, Closer Economic Relations (pacer). PANG Web site (http://www.pang.org.fj/), August. Suva: pang. Online at http://www July/August. .bilaterals.org/IMG/pdf /A_Peoples_Guide Rowe, Richard. 2009. Australia Denies _to_PACER.pdf Pushing for a Senior Position in the Forum Lal, Padma Narsey, Rashmi Rita, and Secretariat. Pacific Beat, Radio Australia, Neehal Khatri. 2009. Economic Costs of 18 September. the 2009 Floods in the Fiji Sugar Belt and Policy Implications. October. Suva: iucn. Rudd, Kevin. 2009. Joint Press Conference Online at http://cmsdata.iucn.org / with the Right Honorable Grand Chief Sir downloads/ flood_report_final Michael Somare Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Parliament House, Canberra, _compressed.pdf 28 April. Macanawai, Setareki. 2009. UN and Pacific regional organizations welcome Taga, Laisa. 2009. Rudd Tightens Grip on progress in addressing rights of persons Forum Secretariat: Are We Seeing the Aus- with disabilities. Press statement on Inter- tralianisation of the Pacific Islands Forum? national Day of Persons with Disabilities, Islands Business, September. 4 December. Talagi, Toke. 2009. Statement by Forum Maclellan, Nic. 2009a. Losing Paradise? Chair on suspension of the Fiji military Arena Magazine 102, October–November. regime from the Pacific Islands Forum, 2 May. _____. 2009b. Paris to Organize Another Meeting? Islands Business, September. Tevi, Fe‘iloakitau. 2009. Where Is Austra- lia and New Zealand? Pacific Conference _____. 2010. Climate Conference Fails of Churches media release, December. Vulnerable Nations. Islands Business, January. UNFCCC, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 2009. Marriner, Cosima. 2009. Police Stuff-up Consideration of the Scale of Emissions Ends Sex Trial. The Age, 16 December. Reductions to Be Achieved by Annex 1 Pacific Plan. 2009. Update on the Imple- Countries. Submission from Parties, Ad mentation of the Pacific Plan: 2009 Annual Hoc Working Group on Further Commit- Pacific Plan Progress Report, Pacific ments for Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Islands Forum Secretariat, July. Protocol, unfccc, Bonn, 25 March.

PALM, Pacific Leaders Meeting. 2009. Yedioth Ahronoth. 2009. Iran “Bought” Islanders’ Hokkaido Declaration, Solomon Islands Vote against Israel: 5th Pacific Leaders Meeting (palm5). Report. Yedioth Ahronoth [Tel Aviv daily Hokkaido, Japan, 22–23 May. newspaper], 26 November.