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Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, I July I993 to 30 June I994
Reviews of Federated States of Micro of the constitutional amendment plebi nesia, Guam, Kiribati, and Marshall scite a year earlier. Sixty-eight percent Islands are not included in this issue. of Belau's voters accepted the compact. However, the Koror town voters, as BELAU usual, were the most critical of the The eighth compact plebiscite and agreement with a yes acceptance of related court cases, a national master only 54 percent. For a decade, Koror plan project, and the push for compact voters have been skeptical of the com implementation were the key events in pact, and the center of this opposition Belau for 1993-94. has been two ecumenical groups made Besides voting for congressional and up mostly of women: the Catholic chief executive candidates in the Women's Group, Kltal-Reng, a grass November 1992 election, the people of roots movement organized in 1979 to Belau agreed, by a margin of 62 per lobby in support of the original cent yes to 38 percent no, to amend nuclear-free Belau constitution, and their constitution, setting aside the 75 Otil A Belaud which emerged in 1987 percent requirement for approval of during the hostility of the furlough the Compact of Free Association period. The ideology of both groups Agreement with the United States. consists of three principles: to protect What was striking in the plebiscite the sovereignty and sovereign identity results is that only about half of of Belau; to protect the integrity of the Koror's voters accepted the amend Belau Constitution as an expression of IlleI1t:,_wh~re
126 POLITICAL REVIEWS 127 dent lined up support in the national of 1969. The compacts of the Republic congress and from the traditional of the Marshall Islands and the Feder chiefs and many of the state governors. ated States of Micronesia include For example, at a pre-referendum specific reference to application of meeting in late October 1993 at the the 1969 Act. On the other hand, the Belau Community Association Bai relaxation of environmental protec 'meetinghouse' on Guam, six national tions in the Belau Compact vis-a-vis congressmen and a state governor those of the two independent states from Belau spoke enthusiastically was a negotiating initiative of former about the compact. The Nakamura President Lazarus Salii in exchange administration actively supported the for the numerous compact funding compact and a considerable amount of increases. For example, the investment travel by executive and legislative fund was increased from $60 million branch leaders took place to campaign to $70 million. The fact that the plain off island on behalf of the compact. tiffs may not be able to demonstrate Despite Belau's approval of the injury, together with the fact that a compact in November 1993, the issue relaxation of environmental standards is not yet closed. In January 1994, was mutually negotiated, agreed upon, women of Otil A Belaud (meaning "to and ratified by the Belau electorate set the anchor securely") filed three may weaken the women's case con suits in Koror and on Saipan. Two siderably. suits were dismissed. However, two of In July 1993 Belau began an ambi the women, Isabella Sumang and tious national master development Nancy Wong, Otil A Belaud members, planning effort with nearly $800,000 gained the support of the Right Liveli of funding support from the US hood Foundation, London, and-filed Department of Interior and toe United yet another suit with the US District Nations Development Program. The Court in Honolulu. Their complaint planning work is being carried out by was based on a strategy of attacking an Australian company, SAGRIC Inter what they perceived as the weak national Proprietary Limited, which is environmental protections in the com expected to submit its final report to pact. The London-based foundation the Belau National Congress, the employed attorney George Allen, a Olbill Era Kelulau, in November specialist in environmental law, who 1994. The work is being done in con has claimed that "penguins have more junction with a special task force con environmental protections than sisting of individuals from all levels of Palauans" (Pacific Daily News, 4 Mar the Belau government and chaired by 1994,3)· Moses Uludong, former governor of This suit may have more merit than Ngchesar State and publisher of the the previous ones. Allen claims that Tia Belau newspaper. The major out sections 162 and 163 of the Belau comes of the planning effort will con Compact release the United States sist of detailed action plans and from complying with the standards of recommendations for achieving sus the National Environmental Policy Act tainable economic, social, and physical MM·UAilbM:g;;;;; II MiMW"4ij mil 'WBMy MNMM& "A' AWAfiMJ Wi • ns-mnr
128 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· SPRING 1995
development of Belau to the year Belau respond to shortfalls in reve 2020; promoting private sector and nue-both local and from the com national wealth creation; defining pact-to cover growing costs of opera policies and procedures for manage tions, maintenance, and development? ment of resources of land, foreshore, Finally, what should Belau do about its and seas; achieving human resources poor loan pay-back record and the development; improving physical proliferation of small banks in Koror? infrastructure and support services; In 1994 both Congressman Ron de strengthening institutions and build Lugo and Secretary of the Interior ing capacity for planning and moni Bruce Babbit visited Belau. Although toring. the visits tended to be more symbolic Although the planning effort is than substantive, Babbit's July trip making good progress, the SAGRIC addressed transition issues, indicating master planner, Dr Donald Townsend, that implementation of the compact was suddenly terminated in mid-June is getting serious attention in Wash 1994 by his superiors at the company. ington, DC. There had been some tension between Since Belau's separation from the the master planner and the president's other political entities of Micronesia in office early in 1994, when the govern 1978, the compact has been a divisive ment recognized it needed to prepare and controversial issue for the people. an Economic Development Plan. Such Roman Tmetuchl, Haruo Remeliik, a plan is required by section 23 I of the Alfonso Oiterong, Lazarus Salii, compact to assure economically effec Thomas Remengesau Sr, and Ngiratkel tive expenditure of US funds, which Etpison have all yearned to lead Belau during year one amount to some $228 out of its trust territory wilderness and .... million;·President Nakamura; in his intofreely·associatedstatus~President State of the Republic Address of 12 Nakamura will, finally, realize the April 1994, said that the two plans privilege. On 23 May 1994, he met should complement each other. "The with United States government offi EDP covers our current status and eco cials, and both sides agreed that the nomic goals related to CIP funding Compact of Free Association shall while the Master Plan [the United enter into force on I October 1994. Nations-Department of Interior-sup The following day, both governments ported effort] is to deal with broader announced the agreement in remarks issues through the year 2020." Naka before the United Nations Trusteeship mura sees the two plans as providing Council, and a draft resolution termi "a blueprint for a viable future." Be nating Belau's trust status was given that as it may, some nagging long-term limited distribution by the council. The planning questions remain: What can draft's pertinent section states that the be done to improve the low productiv council requests "the Government of ity of Belau's work force? How will the United States, in consultation with individuals in Belau respond to the the Government of Palau, to agree on a high inflation expected in the freely date on or about I October 1994 for associated state period? How will the full entry into force of the Compact POLITICAL REVIEWS 129 of Free Association, and to inform the COMMONWEALTH OF THE Secretary-General of the United NORTHERN MARIANA Nations of that date." Significantly, ISLANDS the Secretary-General is requested by the resolution to circulate as official During the past year the frenzy over documents all material received from Article XII and the land alienation issue the Administering Authority pursuant peaked, then came the campaign and to the resolution. gubernatorial elections. Federal author In addition to this United Nations ity over the internal affairs of the Com Trusteeship Council resolution certify monwealth of the Northern Mariana ing that the United States has com Islands was an issue, as were relations pleted its obligations to the Belau Trust with Washington in general, and the Territory as its administering authority, policies of the new administration. and the recent agreement between Beginning in May 1993, prepara Belau and the United States on a date tions for the November election of for entry into force of the compact, governor, lieutenant governor, legisla three other steps are required for the ture, and a referendum on a new con Belau-United States Compact relation stitutional convention were already ship to be implemented legally and rec under way. For the first time, an ognized internationally. President incumbent governor was challenged Clinton must certify to the US Con for reelection by one of his own party. gress that the compact was approved Governor Larry I Guerrero and Lieu by the Belau government and people tenant Governor Benjamin T Mang according to their constitutional pro lona were challenged in a primary elec cesses and that there are no legal tion on 29 May. Juan Babauta was the impediments to the ability of the Washington representative at tht: time United States to carry out fully its secu and, with Representative Tom Villa rity and defense rights and responsibil gomez as running mate, was presented ities. Second, the United Nations as a new, younger man untainted by Security Council must pass a resolu traditional politics, who would do tion approving the dissolution of the better than Governor Guerrero, espe Belau Trust Territory. Finally, President cially in the area of federal relations. A Clinton must issue a proclamation third candidate, Senator Juan Dema placing into full force and effect the pan, ran as a dark horse Republican Compact Agreement between the gov candidate. The combination of an ernments of the United States and the overwhelming vote from Rota (home Republic of Belau. Given the comple of Manglona) and a third candidate tion of these formalities and the retire spelled doom for Babauta. Guerrero ment of the two outstanding lawsuits, won the primary with a very narrow Belau will, after a century of foreign margin of about seven hundred votes, rule, regain its sovereignty as the almost exactly the number from Rota. world's newest freely associated state. From that point on, the campaign between gubernatorial candidates DONALD R SHUSTER became very personal.