HD 2 - The Pacific Politics Edition

PACIFIC POLITICS EDITION

June 2011 $5.00

Our island neighbours are fighting for freedom - keeping their culture - sinking as sea levels rise...

EDITH COWAN UNIVERSIT Y

Curriculum 2012 and Beyond: Enabling the learning journey

Congratulations to the students and staff of the HD Magazine team for creating a magazine that showcases their work and reflects the 3 key features of Curriculum 2012!

As the world is changing so too is our approach to preparing graduates to participate in it.

Curriculum 2012 aims to graduate knowledgeable, professional and valued citizens who can contribute to the future and the sustainability of their national and international communities.

Curriculum 2012 recognises that the key processes in learning are:

Knowing

content, knowledge creation

Doing

applying knowledge, development of capabilities and skills

Being

development of self, ability to live and work with others

This means that learning, teaching, and assessment at ECU embraces these three features EMPLOYABILITY-ORIENTED

Responsive, relevant and rigorous curriculum Workplace integrated learning

STUDENT-FOCUSED ENVIRONMENT

LEARNER-CENTRED TEACHING

Whole person focus

Active and engaged learning

Ethos of care

Local, regional, national, & interna-

Inclusive environment

Development of core employability, professional, and personal attributes

fer pathways

Transferability

Infrastructure that helps these

Flexible admission, exit, and trans-

tional community engagement

Research and professional informed learning and teaching Assessment for learning

processes

Flexible modes of delivery

Life-long learning

Inter-disciplinary study options

For more information : http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/staff/projects-and-initiatives/ecu-2012/overview

Welcome to HD

P

olitical journalism explores the world’s complexities and contradictions and how people and governments deal with them.

Edith Cowan University journalism students delve into the myriad issues Pacific island nations are encountering in the twenty-first century. With many of these smaller nations unknown to the Western world, it’s been enlightening to uncover the stories the islands have to tell.

The best stories and the best illustrations from the 2011 journalism and design classes are presented here, thanks to the efforts of design lecturers Hanadi Haddad and Stuart Medley and journalism lecturer Kayt Davies. A team of journalism students subedited the articles and worked with the student designers to assemble articles and illustrations created by other students into this magazine.

Researching, writing and compiling these articles has helped us gain insight into how publications start with early ideas and evolve into polished magazines. This experience has helped prepare us for the workforce after university.

Enjoy reading, The HD Team

Edith Cowan University 2 Bradford Street, Mt Lawley, Western Australia 6050 CRICOS IPC 00279B

1

Articles written by Malcolm Tshuma Aimee Robinson Samantha Azele Mariel Jane Chow Madeleine Smyth Narelle Owen Sophie Hawkins Ingvild Sedahl Aiden Boyham Peter Baako Ashleigh Telford Verity Morgan-Schmidt Sarah Molloy Lisa Roth Viola Rubil Aneta Grulichova

Sub-editors

Narelle Owen Madeleine Smyth Mariel Jane Chow Lisa Roth Lauren Kelly Sophie Hawkins Ashleigh Telford Samantha Azele

Editor

Dr Kayt Davies Senior Lecturer Journalism k.davies@ecu.edu.au

Illustrations drawn by

Rhiannon Broom Jessica Lockhart Mugisho Matabishi (Ellie) Svenja Schult Giovanna Lumbaca Abdurrahman Davids (Abdu) Jon Ismailovski Jianyun Li (Lexi) Minqiang Xu (Martin) Rieko Tsuji Olga Kolyasnikova Ellisha Perry Dani Fogliani Caris Merritt Steeve Miragliotta Tamara Desiatov Samantha Pekaar

Cover Illustration Samantha Pekaar

Art Directors

Dr Hanadi Haddad Dr Stuart Medley Lecturers in Design h.haddad@ecu.edu.au s.medley@ecu.edu.au

Finished Artists Alex Vidal Elissa Heffernan Marieke Reichert Steffi Rosedel

WHAT’S INSIDE?

FEATURES 04 LIVING WITH DANGER

15 THE ROCK OF POLYNESIA

06 THE SILENT KILLER

18 BATTLING THE BELLY BULGE

09 A SINKING FEELING

20 PARADISE LOST?

FOR A GREATER SUNRISE 11 FIGHTING

TIDES AND LAST RESORTS 22 RISING

By Malcolm Tshuma Indonesian government agents are torturing and killing West Papuans, denying them not only their gold and copper, but their freedom as well.

By Aimee Robinson Overshadowed by the territory’s political struggles, HIV is flourishing in West Papua, an epidemic fuelled by poor education and sexual predation.

By Samantha Azele Rising sea levels, bringing the possibility of inundation present the Federated States of Micronesia with a dilemma about what to do next.

By Mariel Jane Chow Despite having a bounty of oil and gas on its doorstep, East Timor is still one of the world’s poorest countries, struggling to recover from years of turmoil.

By Madeleine Smyth The people of Niue are reminded every day of the sheer power of mother nature and the destruction it can bring.

By Narelle Owen Nauru, one of the world’s smallest countries, achieves the “coveted” crown of being the world’s fattest nation.

By Sophie Hawkins The Marshall Islands – a beautiful tropical getaway threatened by rising sea levels. Will residents be forced to move?

By Ingvild Sedahl Tuvaluans face the possibility of losing their home and culture to climate change, cyclones and lack of fresh water.

SNAPSHOTS AND THE SOLOMON 13 BIG TEARS FOR TINY SOULS REBELS 24 RAMSI

By Aiden Boyham Australian police are part of an intervention called RAMSI – maintaining a fragile peace in the civil war-torn Solomon Islands.

26 TECTONIC TURBULENCE

By Peter Baako Earthquakes and deadly tsunamis have shaped Samoa’s landscape, infrastructure and its people’s way of life.

EAST TIMOR

EARLY FOR INDEPENDENCE? 17 TOO NEW CALEDONIA

OF MYSTERY AND RUIN 29 ISLAND RAPA-NUI

JAPAN, GET WELL SOON 35 DEAR GUAM

30 TOO MANY PRESIDENTS

By Ashleigh Telford Will politics in French Polynesia stabilise before its scheduled transition to independence in a few year’s time?

HEADS ABOVE WATER 32 KEEPING

By Sarah Molloy Sea levels in Tokelau continue to rise, with tides and storm surges forcing people out of their homes, destroying crops and impacting on fish stocks.

36PREDATORS IN PARADISE

By Verity Morgan-Schmidt There is hope that beautiful Pitcairn Island’s new constitution will bring an end to the shame and confusion over its history, stained by generations of paedophilia.

3

39 LITTLE ISLAND, BIG VOICE VANUATU

40 ABOUT HD MAGAZINE

WEST PAPUA

LIVING WITH DANGER

By Malcolm Tshuma

Ever wondered what it’s like to live every breath as if it were your last? Not in the sense that you’re making the most out of life by going on vacation every so often or buying tickets to your favourite musical talent every month. Not even in the sense that you’re grateful for life and you live it to its fullest by grabbing every opportunity it presents you.

I am talking about living in danger, knowing that every step you take could be your last because a group of unforgiving men, armed with AK47s and all sorts of artillery, are lurking nearby and want to kill you for the very piece of land you are stepping on.

No freedom, no justice, no equality, just ruthless measures of torture and genocide resembling the early ’90s civil war in Rwanda.

This is what the people of West Papua encounter on a daily basis with little hope of a change for the better.

Their land is being destroyed, places of tradition and heritage are being taken away from the local tribes. Peace is nothing more than a word - they have never seen it before.

West Papua covers the western half of the island of New Guinea and it’s the least populous of the Indonesian provinces. Jayapura, near the border it shares with Papua New Guinea, is its largest city.

The province has a population estimated in 2005 to be 2.6 million people with Papuans, Austronesians and Melanesians as the three ethnic groups. Much of the province is remote and hard to access and the local people are still steeped in their ancient traditions and culture.

While some international organisations have pledged to fight for the freedom of the people of West Papua - who claim to have no ethnic, geographical or cultural ties with Indonesia - many people have not heard of the territory or its struggle.

The lack of technological

advancement in the region could be a reason why the rest of the world is oblivious to the scathing attacks and brutality being perpetrated upon the West Papuan people by the Indonesian forces.

No freedom, no justice, no equality just ruthless measures of torture and genocide resembling the early ‘90s civil war in Rwanda.

Teenage sensation Justin Bieber has had ovewr 30 million views for his hit song Baby yet the video of a former West Papuan farmer, Tunaliwor Kiwo, being tortured and having his genitals burnt by Indonesian government forces, has a mere 68,000 views in comparison.

(I’m not taking a shot at Bieber, but I am using the viewership figures of the two videos on the same streaming channel to show that the world is in darkness over what is happening in West Papua.)

West Papua is under military occupation by Indonesia, whose human rights record “is dying a death of a thousand cuts”, according to Human Rights Watch commentator Phil Robertson.

Mr Robertson also went on to state that videos such as the one of Tunaliwor Kiwo being tortured, are diminishing the Indonesian

Government’s credibility on human rights every day.

Two obvious questions arise from this: Just how is the Indonesian Government getting away with this?

And how did the people West Papua find themselves literally living in hell on earth?

It all started when Indonesia ceased to be the Dutch East Indies, and became an independent nation in 1949. At the time the Dutch kept West Papua, but in 1952 they recognised that West Papuans wanted independence too and they started preparing it for that, despite claims over the land by Indonesia.

By 1961 West Papua has chosen its name, flag and national anthem and was ready for independence but Indonesia attacked and when the West Papuans and Dutch resisted the Indonesians called on Russia for support.

Fears of Cold War escalation prompted the US to lean on the Dutch to back out and West Papua fell under Indonesian control. The United Nations required that an election be held to

Illustration: Alex Vidal

4

seal the deal and it was in 1969. It was called the Act of Free Choice, but only 1000 people voted and the West Papuans say it was a sham, and have been fighting for the right to hold a proper election ever since.

You get a feeling that Indonesia wanted a foothold in the region because something valuable lay within the environment. It so happens to be gold and copper, which is in abundance in West Papua. The region’s mineral wealth was enough motivation for a selfish and savage Indonesian Government to take giant leaps towards possessing the land.

It goes without saying that West Papua is now home of Grasberg mine - the world’s largest copper and gold mine. The Papuans don’t get any compensation or royalties but instead are left in many cases homeless, emotionally, mentally and physically scarred or dead.

Natural habitat is being cleared every day in order to make way for mining activities and to make room for the ever-increasing migration of Indonesians.

Military occupation in West Papua has soared to new heights with protests against the Indonesian Government being outlawed. Civilians caught in any form of protest are tortured, imprisoned or murdered.

The largest indigenous organisation is the Free Papua Movement (OPM) which promotes self-determination and secession from Indonesia. Its job is by no means a walk in the park as the Indonesian Government has outlawed the movement.

The people in the OPM fight for their land and against the exploitation of their minerals. They raise the Morning Star flag, which is outlawed in Indonesia as a sign of their movement and independence. Anyone caught by Indonesian forces raising this flag or in possession of it, faces trial for treason.

One such man, who was the ‘most wanted’ by the military a couple of years ago, was former (OPM) leader Kelly Kwalik.

Kwalik’s sole objective was to fight for his people’s land. He told British documentary journalist Evan Williams in 2008 that the Indonesian militia was stealing the Papuans’ land and making opportunities for themselves.

5

They were exploiting their resources and leaving the Papuans poor while Indonesia heavily benefited. Kwalik was shot dead by Indonesian police on December 16, 2009.

Is there any hope for the people of West Papua? Benny Wenda, a West Papuan independence leader and chairman of the Koteka Tribal Assembly, works for the Free West Papua organisation based in the UK. This organisation works with West Papuan leaders in the UK to raise awareness of what is happening in the region. Wenda said that his people want to live in harmony.

All we are asking for is the freedoms that you enjoy everyday – the freedom to speak your mind, to live without fear and to choose your own government.

He said: “All we are asking for is the freedoms that you enjoy every day the freedom to speak your mind, to live without fear and to choose your own government.”

Caroline Lucas, an online reporter for the organisation, added: “The Free West Papua Campaign is publicising the plight of the nation and pushing it up the political agenda.”

These organisations are the glimmer of hope Papuans are holding onto that one day, freedom, peace and independence will transform from a dream to reality.

But even if they get a free and fair election and independence, it will take generations for Papuans to find real peace because the damage has been done. Repairing it will take reconciliation between local tribes and the Indonesian Government which is by no means guaranteed, even if the current situation were to change.

Emotions come into play in times of reconciliation and victims are usually, understandably, reluctant to move on.

So until the power of love overcomes the love of power, West Papua is in trouble.

It’s not over….

So far 2011 has been a busy year for activists in West Papua.

On June 10, over 5000 people gathered peacefully in the city of Manokwari, watched by about 200 security forces, to call for the release of political prisoners and detainees in Papua.

Organised by West Papua National Authority, the rally began with a 5km march. Thousands of Papuans chanting “Thou Shalt Not Kill”, called on the Indonesian Government to end human rights abuses.

This followed mass mobilisations of peaceful protesters on May 2, 2011, in rallies across West Papua demanding a referendum about self-determination.

According to westpapuamedia.info, a news source that publishes articles written by West Papuans, there have also been a string of violent incidents.

On May 14 a civil servant called Derek Adii was beaten and stabbed by six armed forces members, who then threw his body into the sea.

This followed the shooting of three people by police in Dogiyai Province on April 13, that began with an illegal gambling game being broken up and ended with Dominikus Auwe (24), Otniel Yobe (26) and Agus Pigay (24) dead and two others injured.

In mid June, when protesters gathered to object to Adii’s killing, Yones Douw, a 42-year-old human rights worker was beaten by soldiers with lumps of wood. He sustained injuries to his head and shoulders but was refused treatment at Siriwini Hospital by medical staff who said that he required a letter from the police before they could treat him.

Westpapuamedia.info documents many more similar incidents, with supporting photographic and video evidence, along with articles showing that West Papuans are not quietly accepting the dismal deal Indonesia is forcing upon them..

WEST PAPUA

THE SILENT

By Aimee Robinson

KILLER

Living in a country with vast resources, stability, and high education rates, it’s easy to feel safe and confident that we know what to do to continue being safe. But in West Papua, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), isn’t widely known about, is spreading fast, and is tearing apart lives as it goes.

A 2006 study revealed that 48 per cent of West Papuans had not heard of HIV or AIDS. This is an alarming statistic considering that West Papua is in the middle of a HIV epidemic. As the Indonesian government continues to banish non-governmental organisations (NGOs), this percentage is unlikely to fall.

West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, was part of the Dutch East Indies until 1962. The Dutch handed Irian Jaya over to the United Nations after a year of undeclared combat with Indonesia, and in 1969 it was formerly included as a province under Indonesian authority.

This was possible through the ‘Act of Free Choice’ in which over 1000 West Papuan leaders voted for integration. However many believe the vote was invalid because of the small number of voters. Also, they were all male and the United Nations officials overseeing the vote did not witness first-hand much of the voting process. The West Papuans argue that the voters were violently coerced.

After the occupation, migration of Indonesians into West Papua became a huge issue sparking racial tensions, as the new comers were not widely embraced.

This migration was due in part to overcrowding in other parts of Indonesia and in part to West Papua’s abundance of resources, but even with this abundance, West Papuans have become increasingly poor compared to the Indonesian migrants.

Health education and literacy rates are lower and poverty is higher.

Where there is poverty there are people who will do anything to feed their families.

The sex industry has flourished and

6

while in the cities HIV preventative measures are generally taught, West Papuans living in rural areas have worked without these HIV awareness programs, often using sex as a means of acquiring food and other products for their families. Because these rural areas have been harder to reach, HIV became widespread among West Papuans, calculated at 2.4 per cent of the population. This is roughly ten times more than in the Indonesian population.

Abigail Groves, a former policy analyst for the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) said the HIV epidemic was not confined to ‘high-risk’ groups, and that sex is its main form of transmission among West Papuans.

Three out of four women have been subjected to ‘sexual coercion’ or have been forced to have sex.

This is due to a variety of reasons, some of which are deeply embedded in Papuan culture and some of which are related to poverty and the Indonesian occupation.

Gang rape is one of those reasons which, terrifyingly, is a common occurrence in West Papua. According to Dr John Millan, president of the Sexual Health Society of Papua New Guinea, three out of four women have been subjected to ‘sexual coercion’ or have been forced to have sex and 74 per cent pf this is highway based.

Anton Schoederboek, a visitor to West Papua working for the High Arctic Energy Services mining

company, found it extremely disturbing to see women walking along the highway, consciously avoiding eye contact, hoping that each car driving by would not be full of men searching for a lone woman to take advantage of.

This is part of a very deep issue within West Papua where women are not considered as equals and violence against women occurs on a regular basis. This blatant disregard of women’s rights further accelerates the spread of HIV throughout communities.

Poor education also contributes to the HIV epidemic because you can’t stop something if you don’t know there is something to be stopped.

The Indonesian government has banned many NGOs from West Papua, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which had been running health clinics in remote areas as a way of creating awareness among West Papuans about the HIV epidemic.

Ed McWilliams from the West Papua Advocacy team said in a BBC report last September, “we understand the expulsion of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as an attempt to reduce the amount of international activity and of course observation of what is going on in West Papua.”

Andreas Harsono, an Indonesian human rights observer, explained that what is going on is the creating of a situation of severe suffering for the West Papuans by closing medical clinics. Since the ICRC’s expulsion in 2009, there is a lack of medical staff to educate the locals about HIV. As a result it continues to spread throughout the province. It is

7

are accepted by West Papuans are not allowed to work within the province, who will administer the health education so desperately needed?

Just throwing money into HIV programs will not work.

Sa

le

A study by Dr Millan entitled <em>Assessing the risks: the first behavioural surveillance survey in PNG</em>, has put forward many recommendations which are applicable to the situation in West Papua because of the similarities between the HIV epidemics in both locations. These include more education about preventative measures and an increase in the availability of condoms.

Furthermore, he observes that measures need to be taken to address violence against women and to change attitudes towards HIV infected people. Factors that may also contribute to the containment of HIV include immediate action to allow NGOs, such as ICRC and Cordaid, back into West Papua to continue their work, regardless of whether or

not the government believes they are part of a separatist movement.

Secondly, the underlying mistrust between the West Papuans and the Indonesians should be addressed and eliminated in order for further aid to be accepted by the West Papuans.

A failure to act on these much needed changes means West Papuans will continue to suffer from something easily preventable.

A failure to act will ensure West Papuans remain in poverty, in sickness and in conditions that should be unacceptable to anyone with any moral standing.

A failure to act is not only a failure of the Indonesian government, but of every government.

Fo r

estimated by AusAID that HIV rates will increase to 7 per cent of the West Papuan population by 2025, resulting in 84,000 deaths.

Another reason why it’s so difficult to educate West Papuans on HIV, especially now with the ban on NGOs, is the unease and mistrust the West Papuans have against the Indonesians since their occupation.

Leslie Butt, an academic who has done extensive research on West Papua, claims the West Papuans believe HIV was introduced by the Indonesians as a way of ruining and killing off their population.

With this belief in mind, it’s not difficult to see why the West Papuans won’t accept help from Indonesian health programs. In addition, Butt reveals in her cultural anthropology article “Lipstick girls” and “fallen women”: AIDS and conspiratorial thinking in Papua, Indonesia, that racism is prevalent among Indonesians towards West Papuans, who view Papuan women as indiscriminately sexually active and Papuan men as sexually insatiable.

These factors further contribute to the difficulty in education around HIV. All of these issues causing HIV to spread are challenges that, in addressing the Asia-Pacific AIDS conference in 2009, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said made it “very much an uphill battle”. This is an understatement and the Indonesian government is not necessarily acting in a helpful manner.

It is clear, due to deep-seated unease and mistrust between the West Papuans and Indonesians, that just throwing money into HIV programs will not work. In a Radio New Zealand International broadcast in September 2009, Johnny Blades reported that Cordaid, a Dutch Catholic development agency that had been working to ensure a higher standard of health care and education to Papuans, was no longer allowed to work within the province after the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs supposedly linked them to a Papuan separatist movement.

Now, if mistrust hinders West Papuans from accepting help on HIV from the Indonesian government, and international aid organisations which

0 1484690235 7349746722 0

Illustration: Jessica Lockhart

MICRONESIA

A SINKING FEELING

By Samantha Azele

The paradise that is the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is beautiful, secluded and also very vulnerable.

Illustration: Mugisho Matabishi

8

Situated in the western tropical Pacific, the nation consists of over 600 islands grouped into four states - Kosrae, Pohnpei, Churrk and Yap. Many of the FSM islands are low-lying, typically 1 to 5 metres above sea level.

In 2010 Dr Charles Fletcher, Professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii, co-published a paper on the effects of climate change in the FSM region.

He believes the FSM are in danger of rising sea levels and changing weather patterns.

This research came after the islands suffered extremely high tides and flooding in 2008. The FSM already experience higher sea levels during the La Nina weather cycle and drought during the El Nino cycle.

According to Dr Fletcher: “Global warming is likely to cause a continued rise in global mean sea level and changes to the water cycle.”

This could have disastrous effects as the majority of the FSM communities live along the coastline and many of them rely on the fishing industry and subsistence farming to sustain themselves.

Licences paid by foreign commercial fishing vessels contribute a whopping 28 per cent to Government revenue, but changes in sea temperature and acidity threaten the marine ecosystem and the economy linked to it.

Currently there is no clear coastal management system in FSM; this is a problem that needs to be addressed if FSM is to successfully manage the risks associated with climate change.

Two years after FSM’s President Emanuel Mori made a plea in Stockholm for action on climate change, the future is not looking much brighter for the micro-nation. In 2009 he spoke at a ‘European Development Days’ conference in Sweden and said: “My country is on the verge of drowning.”

He stressed that “within just a few generations, we have become the front

9

line of a global crisis that threatens not only our water supplies, our agricultural productivity and our ocean resources, but also our very existence.”

Arguments were made that the countries that would be most affected by climate change were the least prepared to deal with it.

Micronesias are believed to have first settled on the islands over 400 years ago. The FSM now has a population of 108,000 and it is rich in history and cultural diversity. The island of Kosrae has many historical shipwrecks and an enchanting city built from basalt boulders, coral, and basalt crystal logs.

“Global warming is likely to cause continued rise in global mean sea level and changes to the water cycle.”

Construction of the city began 1500 years ago it is said to have been inhabited right up to the 1820s.

Pohnpei also has a stone city; that was the centre of the Sau Daleur empire for centuries and is about as old as the city in Kosarae. The government has taken some steps to preserve these historical and cultural treasures but they are still at risk.

Micronesia has had a long history of occupation. The Spanish were the first Europeans to discover the Micronesian islands in 1500.

The Germans took control of the islands in 1899 and then they were passed over to Japan in 1914.

After World War II the islands became part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the United States. The FSM became an independent state in 1986 but signed a Compact of Free Association with the US. This meant the US was responsible

for the FSM’s defence, and it was allowed to set up military bases on the islands and to deny other countries access to the islands. In return the FSM received financial support from the US. The agreement was reviewed in 2003.

As of 2004, the US intends on providing the FSM and the Marshall islands with a total amount of $3.5 billion over 20 years.

Despite significant aid from the US, Micronesia still has a high unemployment rate and many Micronesians do not have access to electricity. The infrastructure is underdeveloped and maintenance is poor. The government is the biggest employer in the FSM, employing roughly half of all the working population.

The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing as corrupt government officials benefit from the money coming in from the US. The unemployment rate is 16 per cent and the average wage is $US6037 per annum.

Independent media sources are very limited in the FSM. There is no daily newspaper; the government releases a fortnightly newsletter and the states produce their own newsletter. Radio and television stations are also run by the government. Satellite television is only available on Pohnpei and Chuuk.

Internet connections are limited and expensive, making the islands even more isolated from the world.

Given all the factors working against this nation it is hard to see how the FSM can begin to turn their problems around. The risk management suggestions offered by Dr Fletcher in his paper will be expensive. These suggestions, if carried out, will mitigate the effects of global warming but not stop the process.

This is not a battle the Micronesians should have to fight alone. As the sea level rises their homes, livelihoods, history, culture and paradise will crumble away.

9

EAST TIMOR

FIGHTING

By Mariel Jane Chow

FOR A GREATER SUNRISE The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, known by Australians as East Timor, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The United Nations; Human Development Index ranked it 120 out of 169 countries in 2010, and according to AusAID its rapidly growing population is placing strain on its limited resources.

There are over 1.5 million people trying to survive in the country but according to UN statistics, at least 75 out of 1000 children under five die every year, in contrast to Norwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low mortality rate of 4 out of 1000.

East Timorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggle with poverty is ironic, given oil and gas reserves worth $30 billion sit on its doorstep.

10 Illustration: Svenja Schult

East Timor has suffered decades of turmoil and has had no chance to build itself as a nation. During World War II, Australia used East Timor as a shield against the Japanese Occupation. The war was brutal and at least 50,000 East Timorese were killed. Their sacrifice won deep admiration from Australian

commandos who felt indebted to the East Timorese for their profound loyalty.

In 1974, the small colony acquired independence from Portugal, which was divesting itself of responsibilities including Mozambique, GuineaBissau and Angola, as well as East Timor.

The small country was suddenly filled with hope; people were excited about being a new and free nation but the freedom was short lived.

In 1975, Operasi Komodo or Dragon Operation was launched by neighbouring country Indonesia.

Indonesia wanted East Timor, largely because of the oil reserves near the shores of East Timor.

As Indonesia was preparing to invade East Timor, Australia was supporting Indonesia and was ready to negotiate the terms for development of the oil and gas reserves.

The ABC has published a copy of a secret cable sent in August 1975 by the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Richard Woolcott to the Australia government that recommended a “pragmatic rather than principled stand” and advised “that closing the present gap in the agreed sea border ... could be much more readily negotiated with Indonesia ... than with Portugal or Independent Portuguese Timor”.

In 1989, Australia went on to sign a treaty with Indonesia for the exploitation of the oil.

Between the years of 1975-1978, at least 120,000 East Timorese perished because of the Indonesian invasion massacring both guerrillas and civilians alike. In the 1980s, the death toll had risen to an estimated 200,000 and in seven years almost one-third of East Timor’s population was wiped out.

The excuse the Indonesian government gives for the introduction of Operasi Komodo was that it was the East Timorese who wanted to integrate with Indonesia, not the other way around. They also said claimed that if East Timor did not want to integrate, it was because they were Communists.

The 1991 Dili massacre pushed the East Timorese closer to their independence, by winning them sympathy from the world over. A 2008 statement on the East Timor Government website states, “Activists in Portugal, Australia, the United States and elsewhere pressured their governments to take action, with US President, Bill Clinton eventually threatening Indonesia, in dire economic straits already, with the

11

withdrawal of IMF loans.”

Indonesia finally agreed to extract their military soldiers and allow a multinational force to stabilize the country. As a result the United Nations, created The International Force of East Timor (INTERFET).

INTERFET was made up of 17 different countries, including SouthEast Asian countries and Australia. It landed in East Timor in September of 1999, and according to the East Timor Government website, the United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor took over the administration of the country.

However this ended after the first ever election in East Timor was held in late 2001.

People were excited about being a new and free nation but freedom was soon realised as only a dream.

In 2002 East Timor finally gained its independence but many were still feeling the shocks and aftermath of the 1991 Dili massacre. In 2003, East Timor’s first Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said the oil reserves “will finance our future and allow us to wean ourselves from the generosity of international donors.”

In 2004 production commenced from the Bayu-Undan project operated by ConocoPhillips approximately 500km north-west of Darwin. The Greater Sunrise field was discovered in 1974 and joint venture leader Woodside is planning to build a floating platform to extract between 70 and 75 million barrels of oil equivalent from it in 2011.

While East Timor waits for investors it is playing a stalling game with the oil companies, with the Xanana Gusmão Government repeatedly saying it would not grant approval for the floating platform because it wants oil piped to Dili for processing. According to the law of Sea Principles, the oil and gas in the Greater Sunrise Field belongs to East Timor because it’s only 150 kilometres away from the shores of East Timor and it is 450 kilometres from Darwin in Australia.

Under the terms of agreements signed in 2007 profits from Greater Sunrise will be shared by Australia and East Timor. The joint venture headed by Woodside includes Conoco Phillips, Shell and Osaka Gas. While Australia and East Timor continue to bicker about who gets the oil and who doesn’t, the area continues to be unexploited gaining the name, “The Timor Gap”.

In 2002 a treaty named Gap Treaty was signed for the exploitation of the Bayu Undan seabed. The treaty signed by both countries allowed East Timor to achieve 90 per cent of the taxes and royalties from the project and the remaining 10 per cent went to Australia.

According to Oligram News in 2002, Mari Alkatiri said “These are major steps for East Timor, building blocks for our sovereignty and economic future.”

He also added “This treaty is not a maritime boundary delimitation. It simply creates an interim framework for oil and gas investment in one part of the Timor Sea while negotiations on the maritime boundary claims proceed with neighbouring countries.”

But after six years of consistent royalties flowing from US company Conoco Phillips, and after a change in government, the East Timorese still live in poverty.

In 2008 there were only a handful of hospitals catering to the needs of over one million people and a high illiteracy rate among its people. The country is so impoverished that the government had to dip into its savings from its Petroleum Fund for future generations to subsidise amenities such as petrol and rice, blowing its annual budget by 120 per cent.

According to a news report by Chan Tau Chou on Al-Jazeera in 2008, the ex-Prime Minister who resigned in June 2006 and current opposition leader Mari Alkatiri said “the budget is unsustainable and will lead to corruption.”

On the other hand, Emilia Pires, East Timor’s current Finance Minister said they’ve increased the budget in the agricultural, education and health sector. Pires also stated “The policy of actually saving all the

EAST TIMOR

Many have condemned Australia for stealing East Timor’s oil. In 2005 businessman Ian Melrose started a smear campaign against the Howard Government stating they had stolen billions of dollars in tax and royalty revenues from East Timor.

According to Jon Lamb from Greenleft Weekly, Melrose said at “all the sorts of events where the

share

“I don’t know if I will live long enough to see the riches from oil and gas piped to East Timor, hopefully my children will.”

government tries to gain glory, we will be advertising the poor conduct of the Australian government in relation to East Timor”.

While Australia is among 15 countries to have contributed military officers and 34 countries that have contributed police personell to the UN Mission in Timor-Leste, launched in 1999 and still running, more help is needed.

In a report on Al-Jazeera, Secretary of State for Natural Resources Alfredo Pires, said “Timor-Leste is one the poorest countries in the world and my message is for countries who are much better off and companies who are making billions of dollars to be a bit more considerate and think about those who are less fortunate in the world.”

There are families in East Timor who live under the poverty line and some even starve. Mathias Castro, an East Timorese farmer featured on Al-Jazeera, said: “I don’t know if I will live long enough to see the riches from oil and gas piped to East Timor, hopefully my children will.”

create

stabilise the country and finally get the pipelines to East Timor’s shores.

When asked about Australia helping East Timor with its economic growth, he said “You ask Australia if they are not looking at the commercial benefits also. You want me to sell my dignity?”

shoot

money that comes from the oil and not spending in the non-oil sector is wrong because the results are showing. Now what are we here for if not to reduce poverty?”

The current government of East Timor wants to build a pipeline from the Greater Sunrise Field to East Timor and make a profit of around $90 billion. Australia and East Timor have until 2013 to settle their differences and sign development plans.

While Australia remains mostly silent about the current issue, nongovernmental organisation Luta Hamutuk said the government will be able to sustain itself until the agreement lapses and it can renegotiate its maritime boundary under international law.

According to a news report by Fauziah Ibrahim on Al-Jazeera, East Timor’s current Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, said the country will prove itself by being both commercially and technically capable.

He also said he would be able to

Create your own amazing PhotoBooks, Calendars & Greeting Cards from your favourite digital photos!

12 our FREE software and get started today...

Download

pixme.com.au

BIG F

TEARS FOR TINY SOULS

ernandez Da Cunha, a Timorese mother of three, buried her first born in the garden of her tiny home. Her baby daughter was born three months prematurely and passed away two weeks later. Da Cunha told Al Jazeera reporter Tony Birtley: “I know a lot of women whose babies have died, it is normal.”

East Timor is one of the world’s poorest countries and has the third highest fertility rate in the world, but tragically it also has a very high infant mortality rate as well.

The situation seems to be improving though. According to UNICEF, infant mortality rates have fallen from 138 per 1000 in 1990 to 48 per 1000 in 2009. Figures for children under five are similarly improved, falling from 184 to 56 per 1000 in the same period.

Women in East Timor give birth on average seven times and most of these women opt for traditional birthing and wmaternity methods and only send their babies to the hospital when it is too late. There are only six hospitals in East Timor serving the needs of over one million people.

These hospitals mostly do not meet

By Mariel Jane Chow

international standards and only have a 15:1 nurse to patient ratio.

Starvation and malnutrition are also big causes of high infant mortality rates. According to the UNICEF, malnutrition and a lack of access to clean water impact on the health of women and babies.

Although infant mortality rates are still high, child welfare organisation UNICEF has been taking many steps to curb this curse.

The organisation has responded to the needs of the women and children in East Timor since 2000 and has set up developments to improve nutrition and lower infant mortality rates. UNICEF distributes food supplements called Vitadale, a micronutrient food supplement – the program aims to help 7000 babies.

The organisation will also be paying primary school teachers to distribute nutritious food and supplements.

UNICEF has also installed close to 150 water hand pumps to supply clean water to groups of three to four families per pump.

To find out more about the women and children of East Timor or to how to give a small donation visit the UNICEF website.

Illustration: Giovanna Lumbaca

LIKED US?

USE THIS SPACE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT IN THE NEXT EDITION.

13

High Dinstinction Contact the editor Dr Kayt Davies, email: k.davies@ecu.edu.au

CY

CL

ON

E

NIUE

14 Illustration: Abdurrahman Davids

NIUE

THE ROCK OF POLYNESIA

By Madeleine Smyth

With Japan still recovering from the destruction caused by a slew of earthquakes in March, it’s worth looking at how other islands and countries have coped with similar natural disasters in the past.

Captain James Cook first came across what he called Savage Island in 1774.

The residents of the island, however, refused him entry so he never made a landing. A few centuries later, the island was officially given the name of Niue, which roughly translates to “behold the coconut.”

Located near the Kingdom of Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand, Niue is also commonly known as the “rock of Polynesia.” because it is a large coral island, with a coast made up of limestone cliffs and beaches.

The centre of the island is almost 70m above sea level.

In 2004, cyclone Heta wreaked havoc on Niue. The island’s 2000 residents, witnessed the raw destructive power of nature.

In 1990 (before Heta), cyclone Ofa caused similar destruction to buildings, power lines and the water supply. Future tropical cyclones could, according to experts in the field, cause the same amount of damage and might also threaten the island’s economy as severely as Heta did.

The main problem facing Niue is that ever since Heta, more and more Niueans have been moving to New Zealand, causing a steady decline in the population.

Niue is unique in its association with New Zealand. Since 1974, Niue has been a self-governing state, but its citizens are also citizens of New Zealand and can travel freely between the two countries.

The island’s parliament is called the Niue Assembly and it is 20 members strong. Those 20 members are responsible for the election of the Premier, who is the governing leader.

Niue’s Constitution dictates that New Zealand is meant to handle its

15

defence and external affairs but in recent years New Zealand has started to act only on request.

According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), fishing licences and the international lease of Niue 4 digit phone numbers are a primary source of income. The tourism and agriculture industries also provide for a lot of the island’s families, as does money sent home from family members overseas.

Ever since the 2004 cyclone, Niue has additionally faced the danger of losing its cultural identity.

In 2009-10, the DFA noted that Australian exports to Niue cost $A167,000 in total and were principally made up of tobacco and machinery. In turn, Niue exported $A43,000 worth of products to Australia.

In terms of farming, the industry mainly consists of subsistence crops but the CIA World Factbook has recorded small factories scattered around the villages that process “passionfruit, lime oil, honey and coconut cream.”

Niue isn’t completely selfsufficient though as it receives bilateral payments from the Australian Government and budget support from New Zealand.

After cyclone Heta struck, the Niue government declared a state of emergency. The New Zealand government provided approximately $NZ5 million in relief aid.

Heta was a big blow to the island’s infrastructure. An assessment report released by Niue Statistics found that 90 per cent of the island’s housing was damaged in some way bt the cyclone. Around 30 houses and 13 governmental buildings in the capital, Alofi, were completely destroyed.

The report also admitted that Niue already faced the problems of poor communications, limited natural resources and a massive number of Niueans migrating to New Zealand.

Heta only exacerbated these existing problems by putting a strain on the state’s economy.

Ever since the 2004 cyclone, Niue has also faced the danger of losing its cultural identity. The Alofi museum and culture centre were destroyed, and the public library sustained a lot of damage. documents and artifacts showing the history and records of the Niue people were lost.

Crops also suffered, as did fuel supplies and fishing boats. Niue was left completely vulnerable, and needed financial aid from both New Zealand and Australia to get back on to its feet. The recovery plan ended up costing over $NZ20 million and was ongoing throughout 2004.

Heta was especially brutal. While most of Niue is more than 50m above sea level, giving it a height advantage, most of the south of Alofi was obliterated and all sectors of the island’s infrastructure were affected in some way.

Professor Jon Barnett, in his book on climate change in the Pacific, pointed out that cyclones in Niue have “changed the course of contemporary society” because of their long-lasting effects on the economy and environment.

Environmental security is a

NIUE

big worry for Niue, according to professor Barnett. If Niueans feel unsafe living on the island then they are more likely to immigrate to New Zealand. Now that over 20,000 Niueans are living overseas, which is almost 90 per cent of the population, it’s extremely worrying for Niue’s Government.

“The devastating consequences of Heta were a combination of a strong storm having the greatest impact on the area most at risk.”

The European Development Fund has lent a hand to Niue, with a budget of $A4 million and is focusing on developing renewable energy sources, such as solar panels. The aim behind the project is to improve living standards across Niue’s 14 villages in the hope this will convince Niueans to remain on the island rather than move to New Zealand.

The EU added that lifestyle diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, as well as a vulnerability to natural disasters, are two of Niue’s greatest weaknesses.

So the renewable energy project will hopefully ensure a cleaner environment — Niue’s best asset.

If a future cyclone were to hit Niue, it could be just as harmful as Heta, according to Dr David Kennedy, a geomorphologist and a professor at the University of Melbourne.

“The devastating consequences of Heta were a combination of a strong storm having the greatest impact on the area most at risk,” he said.

“There are predictions for more intense tropical cyclones in the

Are

region, so there is potential for another event like Heta to happen.

At present, Niue is prepared for this event, at least—they’ve moved a lot of key government buildings off the lower terrace of Alofi, which is the highest risk area.”

But even shifting these buildings won’t be able to prevent all damage from a future cyclone. If a category 5 were to hit the west coast of Niue again, Dr Kennedy admitted that it could again be enough to topple the island’s economy.

Another area of concern, in terms of threats to the island’s selfsufficiency, is the effect climate change may have on agriculture.

“Niue has a lot of capacity to adapt to rises in sea level, mainly because of its elevation,” Dr Kennedy continued.

“But farming is very dependent on rainfall, so predicted changes in rainfall patterns could have severe impacts. A month without rain would cause a lot of stress to the mainly subsistence crops that are grown.”

Without subsistence crops Niue would have to depend on foreign aid not just for infrastructure, but for food as well.

In the aftermath of Cyclone Heta on agriculture was “completely destroyed” and the Niue Facts & Figures website estimated the repair cost at $NZ5.5 million.

In response to this, Niue’s recovery plan consisted of rehabilitating the various plantations and expanding the field teams on the farms. There were also tree planting projects and a crop propagation project which eventually allowed Niue to start sustaining its population again, agriculturally.

This kind of recovery plan would help Niue immensely if another natural disaster were to happen. Even though it is dependent on foreign

aid, it is in free association with New Zealand and it has a smaller population to tend to.

According to the Niue Government website, Niue wants to promote its strengths so it can perhaps regain some of its lost population, which would allow its economy to prosper again. As its main industries are tourism and agriculture, ensuring environmental integrity is a key project for the Government.

20,000 Niueans are living overseas, which is almost 90 per cent of the population, it’s extremely worrying to Niue’s Government.

Niue has come a long way since the days of Cook and has carved a name for itself despite the problems it has had to face. Niueans are preparing for the worst, but focusing on reviving their culture and identity — which, with any luck, won’t be facing another cyclone in the near future.

YOU

a third year communications student?

We are looking for volunteers for our first year mentoring program.

16

The program pairs up experienced and inexperienced students to make the learning journey more enjoyable for everyone.

If you would like to BE a mentor contact Dennis Wood

email: d.wood@ecu.edu.au

phone: 9370 6107

NEW CALEDONIA

TOO EARLY FOR INDEPENDENCE?

By Madeleine Smyth and Viola Ribul

N

ew Caledonia is an overseas territory of France, in the southwest Pacific, but possibly not for long. A referendum, to be held sometime between 2014 and 2019, will decide whether or not the island will finally become independent of France.

This raises the question: is the territory ready for independence, considering its government has already collapsed four times this year?

The Nouméa Accord, signed in 1998, was an agreement that made arrangements for New Caledonia’s emancipation over a twenty-year period.

But while the agreement is meant to give a degree of power back to the Kanaks, the island’s indigenous population, in February this year a United Nation’s representative found that this was not happening.

UN Rep James Anaya was told by the Kanaks that there was discrimination in the government system and as the Kanaks make up 44 per cent of the island’s population, this limitation on their right to participate in decisions was seen as unfair.

In March, the president Phillipe Gomés resigned as a result of flag disputes and left New Caledonia in a crisis, as the Accord states that one member resigning means the entire government has stepped down.

It also calls for Congress to

hold another election within two weeks. This, so far, has caused many complications for the island; most prominently the current instability of the government.

While the referendum is set for sometime after 2014, and many already seem to be in favour of independence, there are also many concerns: will New Caledonia be able to defend itself, and will it be supported when it can no longer rely on France for education, health and employment? And with the recent collapses in government, will the referendum need to be held earlier or pushed back?

With the next official election due for 2012, many are hoping this will be a step towards sorting out New Caledonia’s political mess.

Illustration: Jon Ismailovski

Would you like to be part of the journalism team and have a chance to see your article in the HD magazine?

Then you want to join us at Edith Cowan University!

Bulletins Information Stories News Interviews

OURNALISM

17

For more information, visit www.ecu.edu.au

17

NAURU

BATTLING THE BELLY

BULGE

By Narelle Owen

Nauru may be one of the world’s smallest nations but its people have the world’s largest waistbands. It is a tiny beauty spot on the map of the world that has seen a deluge of riches come and go, and it has a worrying weight problem that just isn’t budging.

Nauruans have topped the obesity chart claiming the number one ranking for the fattest nation in the world according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Unfortunately the only ‘award’ this position offers the republic is increased rates of diabetes and related chronic health issues for its people.

In 2010 the WHO revealed that 84.6 per cent of the nation’s male population is technically obese, with a body mass index (BMI) over 30.

Nauruan females are close behind with 80.5 per cent in the same BMI category.

But Nauru is not the only Pacific nation with this hefty issue. The top seven most obese countries in the world are Pacific Islands nations including Cook Islands, Samoa, Palau, Niue and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Obesity is not a new concept for Nauru. In the year 2000 a collaboration of WHO and the International Obesity Task Force workshopped ideas on how to stop and prevent the Pacific Island nations’ obesity problems and published a report called Obesity in the Pacific – Too Big To Ignore. The report presented a strategy to reduce the incidence of obesity in the region.

The three main elements to come from the report were: creating supportive environments; promoting positive behaviours and mounting a clinical response. But Nauru is failing to see results, and the epidemic is getting worse, not better.

18

Diabetes is also a huge concern for health authorities.

Asia-Pacific journalist, Kathy Marks, reported in The Independent in December 2010 that 45 per cent of people aged 55-64 have diabetes.

And with Nauru’s life expectancy for men only 59-years-old and women 64-years-old, it’s a trend that the country is looking to curb.

Professor Clive Moore, of the University of Queensland and a specialist in the Pacific region, speaks of the Micronesian population living on Nauru as having “a biological propensity to gain weight.”

“Being overweight is not seen as a bad thing, it’s seen as a thing of prosperity” He was not surprised by the statics, especially as “being overweight is not seen as a bad thing, it’s seen as a thing of prosperity”, perpetuating the Pacific Island belief the more rotund you are, the richer you seem.

Prof Moore said a greater emphasis should be placed on educating the locals about healthy eating habits and the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

He thinks a change in their cultural ideology is what is required for real results to be gained. But what is the likelihood of such a radical change?

Nauru is an island in the Pacific – practically in the middle of the

world - it gained independence from its trusteeship with Australia, New Zealand and the UK in December 1968. The 21 square kilometre island is home to approximately 11,000 indigenous Pacific Islanders, predominately Micronesians..

In the 1960s Nauru enjoyed a flourishing (albeit polluting) phosphate mine which sustained the country economically making it one of the wealthiest nations in the world.

So wealthy, in fact, it once boasted overseas investments including the highest building in Melbourne and its own airline fleet. The riches also provided the Nauruans with the means which to afford a Western lifestyle, including foods high in fat – and as Professor Moore so eloquently put it – “they now had the wealth to be unhealthy.”

The phosphate resource exhausted in 2003 and most of the money that was invested was frittered away; it was time for Nauru to find alternate sources of income.

In 2001 Australia used Nauru as a dumping ground for its unwanted asylum-seekers; the island’s infrastructure, health and school facilities improved as a result. This helped the nation’s bank balance but once the detention centre closed in 2008, more than 1000 Nauruans were out of work once more.

Now, with the mine and detention centre shut down and therefore employment opportunities limited, the once wealthy nation is presently on the verge of bankruptcy. Formally

known as ‘Pleasant Island’ it would seem ‘Peasant Island’ is a more fitting term.

According to the The World Factbook, unemployment figures are at a high of 90 per cent, leaving the once active workers to a more sedentary lifestyle. Apart from foreign aid, Nauru now relies on fishing licenses to compensate for the ‘big hole’ in funds left without the operational mine.

As the nation’s income declined so too did its love of fresh fish and vegetables. An unhealthy mix of a sedentary lifestyle with the increase in consumption of processed food has contributed to the people’s wastelines The first Pacific Food Summit was held in April 2010 with a focus on the quality of food offered in the region.

The intention of the summit was to promote a healthier community, by making healthy, fresh food available to the Islands’ people.

A year after the Summit and Nauru’s local store, ‘Pik n Save’, still sells mostly processed and canned foods imported from Australia. Of all Australia’s bounty, canned meats are a clear winner with the Nauruan palate.

It seems that being a poor nation has not saved them from their indulgent ways. The Western style eating habits of the wealthy days have stayed with the people no matter the budget.

Mining on the island has been prosperous, but it has also damaged the natural vegetation and produce, reducing the choices of fresh options the locals have available. It’s extremely ironic that one of the greatest producers of phosphate fertiliser is now a barren wasteland.

A dry husk of earth where the mine used to be; a useless environment that was so lucrative to its people in the past is now unable to sustain life when they

need it most. So rehabilitation of the area is the next thing the Nauruans are focused on.

The people of Nauru reject the label of the fattest nation and are keen to lose the tag.

According to an article published in Pacific Island News in December 2010, Taiwan is helping Nauru to become self sufficient. One of the initiatives underway is called ‘630’ which is a three year plan to grow six kinds of

fruits and vegetables.

If the plan is implemented successfully it could see food imports stopping altogether, which would bode well for both the environment and the people of Nauru. This may be the radical change the nation needs.

In light of the studies and statistics, and apart from a change in diet, the Nauruan people are also encouraged to exercise. Wednesday’s three mile walks along the air strip and regular sporting and work out classes are now routine.

The people of Nauru reject the label of the fattest nation and are keen to lose the tag.

But it will take more than a mere walk around the airport once a week for the Nauruans to change generations of bad habits.

The marriage of Western and Pacific cultures has unfortunately resulted in a nation with a hankering for ‘naughty’ foods and a genetic predisposition which epitomises the phrase ‘a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips’.

Illustration: Jianyun Li

19

MARSHALL ISLANDS

PARADISE LOST:

HOW LONG DO THE MARSHALL ISLANDS HAVE?

By Sophie Hawkins

Marketed as a tropical island getaway, the Marshall Islands are the perfect place to relax and unwind with miles of pristine beaches, lines of palm trees groaning under the weight of delicious coconuts and more mouth-watering sea food than you could ever want. Without trying to sound too much like a holiday guide, the Marshall Islands are a tropical paradise which has emerged from its war-beaten past beautifully unscathed.

Made up of a collection of islands and atolls in the Pacific Ocean, the Marshall Islands have had a history of occupation and nuclear tests. The islands were areas of high activity during World Wars I and II. The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a nation that still relies heavily on the natural resources

20

available to its people, particularly fishing and coconuts. Political life in the country is relatively stable.

Although beautiful and tropical, the islands and atolls are coming dangerously close to being literally swept under the rising threat of everrising sea levels. It is entirely possible that, in coming years, some parts of the inhabited Marshall Islands will be underwater.

The Marshall Islands saw an immense amount of martial activity during the Second World War. At the conclusion of WWI, when Germany surrendered all of its Pacific colonies, Japan took control of the colony of the Marshall Islands and became more involved in attempts to change the sociology of the Marshallese people.

When WWII broke out, the Marshall Islands were invaded by US Forces and the US remained the occupying power until 1979 when, according to the US Department of State, the constitution of the RMI was officially recognised by the US and the government of the RMI was established.

In 1986 the Compact of Free Association with the US was

Illustration: Minqiang Xu

enforced and gave sovereignty to the RMI, along with an assurance of defence and security from the US. In return, the RMI are obliged not to enter into any behaviour that doesn’t lend itself to the defence responsibilities that the US have toward the RMI. One of the reasons behind the Compact of Free Association is the “contributions and sacrifices made by the people of the Marshall Islands in regard to the Nuclear Testing Program and... the responsibility for compensation owing to citizens of the Marshall Islands for loss or damage to property and person resulting from that testing.”

In the years between 1946 and 1958, the United States ran 68 nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands. While these tests were openly admitted to, the tests began a relationship of accruement between the US and the Marshall Islands. Lump sum payments were paid to the Marshall Islands and tribunals were set up so the people of the Marshall Islands could always hold the US accountable for any future problems the tests caused.

A reasonably peaceful country at the moment, war and disputes are not something the Marshallese have to worry about, but there is a more malignant threat that lingers over them. In a world where threats and warnings about climate change are heard so often, it is easy to become complacent about what could happen in the worst case scenario. For the people of the Marshall Islands, that worst case scenario is not as far off as it is for people who live in countries where the inhabitable land mass sits innocuously above sea level.

The Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands is of particular concern. The atoll chain is only 1 metre above sea level and is home to over half of the population of the RMI. In 1992 the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme published a case study about the possible effects of rising sea levels titled Vulnerability Assessment of Accelerated Sea Rise. The report suggested the rise in sea levels predicted in 1992 meant there would be significant changes to lifestyle, economic development, water resources and food security.

21

The Marshall Islands have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and ratified it in October 1992, according to the Marshall Islands website on climate change.

This participation has lead to the country being involved in programs such as the Pacific Island Climate Change Program, whereby countries are assisted in their implementation of the rules of UNFCCC. These programs began in the early 1990s but the need for for drastic change has become more important in the last few years. But, as is often the case, when it comes to social change in regards to climate change, it is the smaller countries that have ratified UNFCCC who are most at risk.

In October 2010 the President of

It is entirely possible that, in coming years, some parts of the inhabited Marshall Islands will be underwater. the Marshall Islands, Iroj Jurelang Zedkaia, addressed the United Nations General Assembly, imploring UN member states to speed up action on climate change and to recognise that the situation for states like the Marshall Islands is becoming all the more dire.

“Those most vulnerable and those willing to confront the challenges facing us must take leadership in this process. By putting forward our own agreement spelling real and ambitious commitments and actions to address climate change – we urge others to follow,” he said.

“It should be a matter of serious concern to the Secretary-General that we are actively contemplating risks to our territorial integrity and UN membership, that we are considering options to safeguard our population’s political rights if our land – and our thin water table – becomes unusable in the face of rising seas.”

Attention was drawn to the risks facing the Marshall Island when a series of waves and severe storms

flooded the capital of Majuro, after which a state of emergency was declared. Up to 600 people were displaced and dozens of homes destroyed, but more than anything the event accentuated just how vulnerable Majuro and the Marshall Islands will be, should sea levels continue to rise.

In 2010 the reality of rising sea levels became too significant to ignore, so the Marshallese government initiated plans to build a sea wall along the coast of Majuro to delay the effects of a sea level rise.

However, the sea wall plans are not as simple as building a wall in the sea.

The UN Ambassador to the Marshall Islands launched a plan in October 2010 to raise about $US20 million to build a wall spanning 5 kilometres along the coast.

The hope is that the sea wall will prevent the damage that rising sea levels will cause in the next few years, giving time for other plans to be made.

The Deputy General Manager for the Environment Protection Authority in the Marshall Islands suggested to Radio New Zealand International the plan for the sea wall was to “save the island from eroding and keep it a bit longer and try to sustain it a little bit longer.

For example if we were to have ten more years on our lifespan, it would probably add another ten.”

These are the dramatic problems that the Marshallese people will face in the next few decades. With so much reliance on assistance from other nations, there is real threat to the way of life in the Marshall Islands.

If sea levels do continue to rise at the rate they are, the country will quite simply be forced underwater.

And if so, what then? Where do the Marshallese go? How do they hold onto their culture and roots if they cannot live in their own country?

The likelihood of having to move an entire country, as ridiculous as it sounds, is becoming more and more of a reality with every passing month and year without drastic action.

What becomes of a nation when the nation is forced to up and move and find a new country to live in?

21

TUVALU

RISING TIDES AND LAST RESORTS

By Ingvild Sedahl

Although Tuvalu consists of nine Pacific islands, with serene beaches and crystal clear water, everyday life there is far from heaven on earth. The low-lying islands midway between Hawaii and Australia are extremely vulnerable when it comes to climate change. Sea-level rise is one of the major threats the islands faces, and if nothing is done the Tuvaluans will be forced to move elsewhere.

As the second smallest country in the world with a population of around 10,000, Tuvalu has had limited opportunities and small financial resources, and is still a developing country.

Considering the island state didn’t become independent from the UK until 1978, it is not surprising that it’s still facing the challenges of development. The country is currently in a

partnership for development with Australia, and the Australian Aid Program helps it in several ways; the question is whether this is enough.

According to the National Adaption Programme of Actions (NAPA), the livelihood of Tuvaluans is threatened by seven main and immediate dangers, and sea level rise is among them. Research presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) showed

the sea level has already risen by 20 centimetres since the 1870s. Bearing in mind that the highest point of the island state is just 4.5 metres above sea level, it’s clear that this will not just affect the islands currently but also in the future. IPCC reports that Tuvaluans have two options: to leave the country and immigrate to another country or to get help in dealing with the problems they face.

Rising sea levels not only threaten

Illustration: Rieko Tsuji

22

the households of the state, but also the agriculture. The pulaka plant is the most commonly eaten food in Tuvalu, and together with coconut trees it’s the main crop on the islands.

Because of the sea level rise Tuvalu is especially exposed to the intrusion of salt-water. This makes it problematic to cultivate plants such as pulaka. The pulaka plant needs the groundwater to live, and when the sea level rises the plants die.

However, there are ways to stop this from happening. Farmers with enough money can put concrete around their land, to avoid salt-water intrusion when the sea is at its highest level. Farmers who can’t afford this have to move their plantations to higher ground. However, the best and most effective approach is probably to introduce salt tolerant plants.

This is not the only danger Tuvalu is threatened by. It needs to prepare for other dangers and improve its climate change outcomes. The country has lost its fresh water, not just because of sea-level rise but also because of human pollution. In 2009 Australian aid helped about 4700 Tuvaluans to access clean water, but not every Tuvaluan has access yet and they have to rely on rainwater storage.

Last November, the Civil Engineer, Uatea Maimoaga, told New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) the major problem is still the lack of fresh water.

“On low lying islands the water table is very high. To some extent in some places you can get water about less than a meter below so the septic system we used to have doesn’t work well when there is a high tide and the whole place is flooded with sea water,” he said.

To fix this, Tuvalu needs money.

The revenue of the government in Tuvalu manly comes from fishing licenses, sales of stamps and coins, Internet domain license fees, worker remittances and the Tuvalu Trust Fund.

The trust fund was established in 1987 by the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and is the country’s main source of income. The Australian Aid Program has helped the islanders to install water tanks, and local organisations have joined in this effort. They also help to build better

23

homes and walls to keep Tuvaluans safe from inundation. However, they still need global help with funding the work that will need to be done.

The higher tides, flooding and tropical storms that are expected in the next years won’t only put the households and agriculture at risk, they will also affect the health of the Tuvaluans. Climate challenges will lead to insect-borne diseases, which could cause waterborne diseases, and heighten the possibility of epidemics.

Moreover, due to climate change the ocean water’s temperature is rising, which will largely affect the marine fauna and the corals around many of the islands. This could cause loss of species, and to stop it, the country needs to take care of its fragile ecosystems. The heating of the ocean water will not just affect

“I believe that we can work together to sort out the issues and the impacts emanating from climate change...” the species but will also reduce the shellfish and available fish resources.

This is especially difficult for the Tuvaluans, not just because fish is one of the staple foods (Tuvaluans eat 500 grams of fish on average per day), but also because fishing is one of the primary economic activities.

Marine Biologist, Semesi Alefio, told NTDTV in November 2010 the dying coral is killing the fish, which poses a major threat to the living of Tuvaluans. “I think one of the main causes of the coral dying along this area is mainly due to heavy human activities applying to the reef, particularly most of the sediments from the mainland.”

With a lack of fresh water, sea-level rise threatening agriculture, heating of the ocean reducing access to fish, and flooding changing the climate which leads to diseases, it seems the country has little chance of surviving, but this is not all.

Tropical cyclones and storms have been observed since the ’90s. Tuvalu was hit by just three tropical storms between the 1970 and 1990s. However between the 1990s and 2005 the

island state was exposed to thirteen similar storms. This might make you wonder why? Some argue this is climate change; others argue this is just the cycle of the global climate.

Either way, there’s been an increase in disasters, which is yet another problem Tuvalu is facing.

Because of the impact of climate change on Tuvalu’s population, in 2002 the government of Tuvalu started moving the population to neighboring countries such as New Zealand. This is a process that is going on over a thirty-year period.

Even though the government started this process, they hope this is the last resort and they can solve the problems other ways.

At the 2010 climate change conference in Cancun, Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Maatia Toafa, said the problems needs to be solved. “I believe that we can work together to sort out the issues and the impacts emanating from climate change and I think the idea is to save Tuvalu and all other low lying countries in the world.”

The Australian Aid Program makes a big difference to countries like Tuvalu. But though the aid program seems to help in several ways, the country still has serious problems.

The aid Tuvalu is getting from Australia isn’t enough and while waiting on more aid, the Tuvaluans have taken the bull by the horns with local organisations trying to help the state.

However, without money, the local organisations can’t do much.

Tuvalu needs to increase the strength of coastal areas to prevent flooding, introduce salt tolerant pulaka to prevent their staple food from dying out and install even more water tanks to let all people access fresh, clean water.

To help fight the heating of the ocean water, Tuvalu will have to protect its ecosystems. To reduce human and financial loss (during disasters) the state will have to implement disaster warning and response potential systems. If this small country with enormous problems doesn’t get help soon, the people will be left with little choice but to move abroad, leaving it’s picturesque beaches alone to sink beneath the rising waves.

SOLOMON ISLANDS

RAMSI AND

By Aiden Boyham

THE SOLOMON REBELS It is the forgotten conflict that lies right on our doorstep. For nearly a decade now the Solomon Islands have been receiving regional assistance due to their weak government and civil unrest. Since July 2003 the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, otherwise known as RAMSI, has occupied the Solomon Islands.

It’s mission statement is: “Helping the Solomon Islands lay the foundations for longterm stability, security and prosperity.”

RAMSI’s goal may be ambitious, but it is a goal nonetheless. The reversal in fortunes that the Solomon Islands has seen (since it pleaded for international assistance) has been positive, yet negatives still remain. The mere fact that an international group is required to keep the peace between warring factions represents a deep and often misunderstood problem.

The roots of today’s dilemma can be traced back to 1998. At the end of the 20th century, the Solomon Islands erupted into civil conflict.

Ethnic factions from the islands of Guadalcanal and Malaita began to clash with each other. Solomon expatriate Matiu Ramufahoe, remembers the violence all to clearly.

“A rebel group from Guadalcanal formed,” he said.“ They began to terrorise everyone in surrounding areas. Even if you lived on another island you weren’t safe from them.”

This rebel group from Guadalcanal named themselves IFM, the Istabu Freedom Movement. The IFM claimed they had indigenous rights to the land that the Malaitans had been living on for decades. The IFM also harboured desires of controlling economic opportunities throughout the Solomon Islands.

Amid a backdrop of civil chaos, people began to flee from Guadalcanal and the island’s capital Honiara. Matiu and his family were part of the 23,000 people who fled the island when the IFM began to turn violent.

“At first we thought we wouldn’t

24

have to leave,” he said.

“You would hear about what was happening. But we were naïve in thinking that trouble would never come to us.

“Eventually we were wrong. It was a long time ago but I still remember seeing people being dragged out into the street and beaten.

“It got to the point where we had to leave. We didn’t have a choice.”

It was this intense violence that

“They began to terrorise everyone in surrounding areas.

Even if you lived on another island you weren’t safe from them.” drove people over the edge. The Solomon Islands government led

by Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa’alu was struggling to deal with the country’s problems. The longer it went on the worse it became. Enter 1999 and a rival faction was beginning to stir.

By January 2000 the MEF, otherwise known as the Malaitan Eagle Force, had formed. Frustrated and displaced Malaitan men including policeman and villagers created the MEF. The Malaitan Eagle Force had grown sick and tired of the government not taking appropriate action against the nation’s growing

list of problems. One major difference between the clashing factions was the fact that MEF had allies, powerful ones.

It took the MEF six months to cause a massive shake up in the politics of the Solomon Islands.

On June 5, 2000, the MEF pulled off a military coup by taking over the police armoury in Honiara. They then took the law further into their own hands by kidnapping the Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa’alu.

In exchange for his release, he was told that he must resign as the country’s leader. Ulufa’alu duly obliged.

Even with the Townsville Peace agreement brokered in October 2000 and the Marau Peace agreement in February 2001, tensions continued to flare. No matter what government force was called to any particular place, there continued to be problems. The Solomon Islands were plummeting toward becoming a “failed state.”

With the Solomon Islands government urgently seeking assistance, Australia showed reluctance in coming to their aid.

In January 2003 Foreign Minister Alexander Downer voiced the government’s reluctence to intervene“Sending in Australian troops to occupy the Solomon Islands would be folly in the extreme,” he said.

Surprisingly the Australian government did a back-flip six months

later and intervened, stepping into the Solomon Islands to produce a policy that involved cooperative intervention and nation rebuilding.

A number of countries contributed to the intervention effort now known as RAMSI. The other Pacific nations involved in the effort include Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.

This leads us to where we are today.

Since July 2003 RAMSI has seized thousands of weapons and made hundreds of arrests, bringing back law and order to a certain degree. But, Where to now?

Ruth Liloqula, a member for the Ministry of Human Resources and Development and National Planning, believes that the IFM and MEF should not have to take full responsibility for the civil unrest.

“While it is recognised that the youngsters or militants of Guadalcanal and Malaita have been involved in the displacement of people, to blame them entirely is to misunderstand the causes of the conflict,” she said in a report to the Solomon Islands government.

“Most of it can be attributed to the failure of goverment policies and strategies. Public resources have not been managed efficiently. People have not been sufficiently involved in consultation processes, resulting in implentation failures.“ In spite of RAMSI’s assistance in stabilising the nation, Liloqula also believes that the Solomon Islands government needs to get its act together to prevent future problems.

“It needs to put in place infrastructure and support services that will allow people to remain in their own land,” she said.

On the other hand some academic experts believe RAMSI needs to substantially tone down its presence in the Solomon Islands.

Kabini Sanga, a Solomon Islander now working at the University of Victoria as an expert of the Pacific region, is one of those people.

In Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka’s report Failed State and the War on Terror: Intervention in the Solomon Islands, Sanga airs his views.

“The Australian led and New Zealand supported external armed intervention in the Solomon Islands is

25

Illustration: Olga Kolyasnikova dealing with a minor issue,” he said.

“The real crisis, the one requiring priority attention is leadership…. The mission should quickly give way to a New Zealand facilitated (not led) strategy, aimed at supporting the strengthening of leadership capacity and a culture of leadership.”

In contrast to the views of the experts, the majority of the people living in the Solomon Islands are less than certain about the prospect of RAMSI leaving. A RAMSI led survey in 2009 called The People’s Survey gathered the thoughts of over 5000

people. In the survey 53 per cent of respondents believe that violence would soon return if RAMSI were to leave, and 51 per cent of those surveyed also said that the amount of dishonesty among senior members of the community had not changed compared to the previous year.

Despite all of the problems that the Solomon Islands have, there is cause for optimism. If the country’s government can succeed in maintaining stability, then perhaps the Islands can look forward to a much brighter future.

WESTERN SAMOA

TECTONIC TURBULENCE

By Peter Baako

Since Samoa was first ‘discovered’ by Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen in 1722 and later by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, a Frenchman who named it the “Navigator Islands”, it has been a land of mystery and contrasts.

It was thought of in times past as a land of very hostile, savage and warlike people. Early visitors who wrote about the island speak of human sacrifice, cannibalism and ‘head-hunting’, a practice where victors in war took the heads of their enemies as trophies for their chiefs to indicate their bravery.

Even the geography and politics have a story, with tales of wars and negotiations between European nations, America and New Zealand before it finally gain independence from New Zealand in 1962. Small in size, it is made up of two politically different regions - American Samoa and Western Samoa, which is often referred to as Independent Samoa. The country was known as Western Samoa until 1997.

But in recent times, nature seems

to have made more of the stories in the popular media for Samoa than its inhabitants.

Samoa was governed as a constitutional monarchy until 2007 when, after the death of Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili, they decided to go republic.

After independence from New Zealand in 1962, a constitution originally written in 1960, came into force and enshrined as a clause that the four leading paramount chiefs who had led the talks for independence be joint Heads of State. This constitution is based on the British system of parliamentary democracy but was also adapted to acknowledge Samoan customs and traditional norms, as well as incorporating aspects of their chieftaincy system.

On a planet called ‘Earth’, something is brewing underground.

Illustration: Ellisha Perry

26

It is noteworthy that even though it is now a republic and boldly carries the tag of democracy, there are certain peculiar aspects which hardly qualify their system of government as a democracy.

For instance, even though the constitution expressly states in Article 45 clause 1: “Any person shall be qualified to be elected as Member of Parliament…” the parliament is mostly comprised of chiefs.

The ‘Fono’ or legislature is made up of 49 members, 47 of whom are traditional chieftaincy title holders known as ‘matai’ each serving five-year terms.

The issue of the right-to-vote was revised in 1990. However, only the matai may stand for election.

Although there are more than 25,000 matais in the country, only about 5 per cent of them are women. This presents a problem of representation and a development of truly democratic principles.

The Fono chooses the Head of State who is then appointed by the Prime Minister to form a government.

Another source of interest in the island country is its recent spate of earthquakes and tsunamis. Recently two very powerful tsunamis - one in 2009 and the other in 2010 - have hit the island and affected not only infrastructure and property but also the very way of life of the people.

Gary Gibson, a senior seismologist at Environmental Systems and Services in Melbourne, suggests the region experiences several earthquakes each year each

Somewhere beneath the Earth’s surface...

“No problem, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“I’m sorry!”

measuring an average of magnitude 7.

In September 29, a 2009 a tsunami hit the capital Apia and surrounding areas, leaving an estimated 149 people dead and a lot of destruction in its wake.

In an interview with physorg.com’s Richard Ingham, Keith Koper, director of the University of Utah Seismograph Stations said: “When we looked at the data, it turned out it wasn’t just one great earthquake, but three large earthquakes that happened within two minutes of one another. The two quakes that were hidden by the first quake ended up being responsible for some of the damage and tsunami waves.”

Tsunamis, like many other natural disasters, may be foreseen but not prevented. Triggering factors for tsunamis include the usual earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and impact by an object in the ocean. Tsunamis caused by these factors tend to be more destructive close to the epicentre, with the effects reducing as is gets further away.

For example, a tsunami caused by a

27

landslide on the coast can displace and throw up huge volumes of water as high as 50 ft into the air travelling at an average velocity of 450mph under the ocean waters and reducing to about 25mph once it hits land.

Tsunami waves can travel at an average of 6 to 300 miles apart. Perhaps what makes them more deadly is that the first wave is not necessarily the strongest so once a first wave hits, in most cases a worse one is anticipated.

The region experiences several earthquakes each year each measuring an average of magnitude 7.

While all of the islands are believed to have been formed through volcanic activity, but only Savai’i, in the westernmost part in Samoa, is volcanically active. The 2009 tsunami was believed by scientists to have been caused by ‘a shallow rupture in the

earth’s crust.’

According to Dr Huilin Xing of the Earth System Science Computational Centre at the University of Queensland, however, ‘not all large earthquakes can generate a tsunami.’

The unpredictable nature of tsunamis coupled with the fragile economy of Western Samoa paints a grim picture. However, the location of this island also seems to be a blessing. Better equipped countries like Australia, New Zealand and the US have an interest in the weather conditions of the region and are constantly monitoring it. Farmers and fishermen, most of who are engaged in subsistent farming, benefit from this reliable information.

The downside is that the implications of the research for the economy, which is largely dependent on agriculture and fishing, is dire.

Western Samoa has an equatorial/ monsoonal climate, with an average annual temperature of 26.5°C (79.7°F) and the economy is highly dependent on agriculture, fishing and development aid mainly from western

WESTERN SAMOA

countries. It is an agrarian economy with about two-thirds of the country’s labour force in that sector.

90 per cent of Western Samoa’s export is also agricultural produce - chiefly coconut cream, coconut oil, copra, noni (the juice has gained worldwide popularity for its supposed medicinal qualities) and taro. A fungal plague in 1993 saw taro, which until then generated more than half of all export revenue, plummeting to less than one per cent today.

Variations in altitude make the cultivation of a large range of tropical and subtropical crops possible. Though not considered one of the chief producers of cocoa beans, Western Samoa is also the major source for most chocolate producers in New Zealand. Tourism is also fast expanding accounting for 25 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. It is estimated that about 100,000 tourists visit the islands every year.

Tsunamis, however, pose the biggest challenge to the fragile economy as they tend to wipe out crops, affect fishing immensely and make tourism almost infeasible.

Western Samoa is truly unique with a population of about just about 180,000. At a time when most countries are dealing with population increase, figures from the 2006 and 2009 censuses in contrast show the population figures are, if anything, just experiencing no or minimal growth. In

2006, the islands had 179,186 people registered in the census.

In 2009 however the figure had dropped to 179,000.

In spite of this seemingly manageable population figures, however, the country is experiencing its fair share of rural-urban migration and the stretching of basic resources like water.

“It is the authority’s aim to try and distribute water supplies, especially to the urban areas because it is so overcrowded.”

The capital Apia is the most affected in terms of these phenomena, experiencing a huge influx of motor vehicles. Even though the population growth rate is so dramatically low, with high literacy rates, fresh concerns are arising about the availability of water to serve the rural and urban communities.

For an economy that dwells largely on fishing and agriculture this is an alarming state of affairs. Apia the capital city has a population of about 40,000.

Moefa’auo Ta’inau Titimaea, Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Water Authority, spoke recently during

Meanwhile... on the surface...

28

World Water Day celebrations, and explained that the situation calls for immediate measures, stating about 67 per cent of processed potable water was being wasted and raising the cost of production.

“It is the authority’s aim to try and distribute water supplies, especially to the urban areas because it is so overcrowded,” he said.

On his part, the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Maliegaoi said the provision of safe and clean water underpins much of the government’s development plans.

“As populations grow, demand for consistent, clean and safe water as well as standard sanitation systems also increases,” he said.

“The Apia Township has grown dramatically in recent years, thus, the demands on water security.”

Samoa is even a land of pilgrimage in its own right. Apia hosts one of the only seven Houses of Worship in the world for the Bahai faith. Former Head of State His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II was a convert; a far cry from the mostly Protestant Christian and Catholic dominance on the island.

Tucked away in the Pacific Ocean, Western Samoa, the land of parallels and contrasts, dances to its own rhythm, moves at its own pace and has its own distinctive identity. On one level it seems to be at par with the rest of the world. On another level it is still truly a unique place on planet earth.

RAPA NUI

ISLAND OF MYSTERY AND RUIN?

By Lisa Roth

E

aster Island is one of the world’s most mysterious and isolated islands. It’s also been the scene of protests over the past few years with the local Rapa Nui people objecting to the occupying Chilean Government granting land to foreign casino operators. In December 2010 protesters were shot with rubber bullets in one of a string of recent incidents.

The small volcanic island is 63 square miles in area in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, 3510km west of Chile.

Easter Island’s population was 4781 in 2009.

The island has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, because of the moai, ancient iconic statues erected by earlier generation of Rapa Nui. A significant amount of the land belongs to the Rapa Nui National Park.

Easter Island’s original native population has been repeatedly touted in the media, and by author Jarad Diamond, as a “metaphor for our planet”. Diamond claims that the island’s native population “overused its natural resources and collapsed.”

The once tree-covered island had none in 1722, as they were all cut down – possibly to allow construction and transportation of around 900 moai. After years of enviromental rehab the island now is mostly covered in trees and shrubs, although it has no permanent source of freshwater.

In contrast to the environmental doom-and-gloom that often accompanies stories about Easter Island, its coastal areas are plentiful in fish stocks, with over 100 species of fish. Large numbers of lobsters are present and appreciated for their size and taste. Marine reptiles like the Hawsbill turtle, the Green turtle and the Sea Viper visit the island seasonally.

The mysteries surrounding Easter Island, its past inhabitants, cultural practices and subsequential effects on the island abound. It’s noteworthy to add though, as author Paul Rainbird, who argues against Diamond’s theory did: “Whatever may have happened in the past on Easter Island, whatever they did totally pales in significance compared to the impact that was going to come through Western contact.”

Illustration: Steeve Miragliotta

WANT TO GET YOUR 3RD DEGREE? “In a world awash with blogs, an e-news site full of real journalism is pure gold.”

NEWS BY ECU JOURNALISM STUDENTS.

29

Subscribe for free. http://3degree.ecu.edu.au

FRENCH POLYNESIA

TOO MANY PRESIDENTS

By Ashleigh Telford

Paul Gauguin, French artist, Tahiti 1893: “All the joys - animal and human – of a free life are mine.

I have escaped everything that is artificial, conventional, customary.

I am entering into the truth, into nature.

Having the certitude of a succession of days like this present one, equally free and beautiful, peace descends on me.”

Gauguin spent two years in Tahiti before returning to Paris, where he became increasingly upset about the notion of a civilised society. He returned to French Polynesia in 1895 where he spent the rest of his days.

But does the paradise that Gauguin conjured up still exist?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) outlined that in 2010, 100 per cent of the population “had access to improved water sources” and 98 per cent had “access to improved sanitation,” which is almost comparable to Australia.

WHO also stated French Polynesia had a lower infant mortality rate than Australia. In 2004 it had an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) of $US 18,000 per capita which the American Central Intelligence Agency ranks as 66th in the world – similar to the GDPs of Poland and Croatia.

Economist from Univéristie de la Polynésie Français, Bernard Poirine, said in a 2010 report: “Compared with the independent island states of the Pacific, French Polynesia is rich. Depending on the exchange rate per capita, GDP is sometimes higher than New Zealand’s.”

But he did add: “That, however, is not the case when measured in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, since the price level is much higher in French Polynesia.”

30

In addition the country is a tourism haven with Lonely Planet describing the destination as “a mesmerising wonderland of reef-fringed islands and translucent aqua lagoons... The epitome of the Pacific dream, this is one Garden of Eden so damn beautiful it’s hard to believe it really exists.”

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT): “[France is] currently responsible for police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defence and foreign affairs.”

Therefore the degree of autonomy is still

Politics

French Polynesia is not an independent country; it is still in many ways dependent on France.

But autonomy for the country is ever increasing.

In 2004, French Polynesia changed its status from an overseas territory to an overseas country and an

assembly was established so presidents could be elected and France could be represented by a high commissioner.

But according to the Australian

restricted and since 2004, French Polynesia has endured a fair amount of political instability.

For instance the President as of April 1, 2011, Oscar Temaru, has been the leader of the country four times since 2004. Temaru’s predecessor, Gaston Tong Sang, has held the position three times. Another recent president Gaston Flosse has held the office three times too, in the same period.

Temaru is the leader of a five party coalition called Union Pour La Démocratie and his primary party is the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira (People’s Servant Party).

He does not shy away from

controversy. When he was ousted from office the first time, the BBC reported in 2004 that Temaru accused the French government of stepping in. The Polynesian President also told reporters in 2004: “France has to lead its colonies

He was exiled by the French establishment in French Polynesia for his efforts, but he did gain popularity among the locals, which began to dwindle after he campaigned for secession and was eventually jailed and exiled once more.

Francis Sandford picked up where Pouvana’a had left off and even successfully secured a pardon for Pouvana’a. Sandford also believed in independence for his country and he was in opposition to France’s nuclear testing in French Polynesia, according to Fortune.

“A series of aggressive and nationalist protests were staged in the 1970s until finally the parliament approved a new constitution,” she wrote.

The Bomb

towards their sovereignty”, which is a sentiment he has carried over the years. In 2010 he told a New Zealand broadcaster, “We’ll keep fighting for our freedom.”

Independence

Before Temaru there was Marcel Pouvana’a A Oopa. One of the editors of The Pacific Islands: An Encyclopedia, Kate Fortune, described how Pouvana’a began his political struggle after fighting for the French in World War I.

France had a nuclear testing program which ran for 30 years on the uninhabited islands of Moruroa and Fangatuafa. Pacific Islands political researcher, Stewart Firth, said in The Pacific Islands: An Encyclopedia: “Strict military secrets for 30 years ensures much less is known about the French than the American tests.”

The program was suspended in 1992 but then French President Jacques Chirac, announced in 1995 he would reintroduce the testing. The first nuclear test a few months later caused a major riot in Tahiti, where demonstrators looted and burnt part of the territory’s capital Pape’ete.

“Under the pressure of world opinion France concluded its tests ahead of time in 1996,” Firth said.

The Future

Poirine was not satisfied with the current economic climate of French Polynesia.

“It is rich but it is fragile, with a huge trade deficit, poor tourism performance, weak industrial and agricultural sectors and above all a high dependence on French transfers,” he said.

“The outlook for the French Polynesian economy is not good, since escalating energy costs will probably keep the remote islands of Polynesia the most expensive destination for tourists from Europe and one of the least cost-effective destinations from Japan and the United States.”

In 2009 the Institut de la statistique de la Polynésie française (ISPF) recorded about 160,000 tourists, in comparison to 2007 where more than 214,000 visitors entered the country.

To fly to French Polynesia from Perth aboard Qantas one has to stopover in Melbourne or Sydney, then head to Auckland before finally taking a flight to Pape’ete. It would take more than 20 hours and cost $A 2,000.

However, when compared to cheaper, more economical options, French Polynesia is currently deemed safer. DFAT currently says: “We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in Papeete because of the risk of being caught up in incidents of civil unrest.”

This is in comparison to: “We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of a terrorist attack. If you do decide to travel to Indonesia, you should exercise great care, particularly around locations that have a low level of protective security and avoid places known to be possible terrorist targets.”

Illustration: Abdurrahman Davids

31

31

TOKELAU

KEEPING HEADS ABOVE WATER

By Sarah Molloy

In April 2011 200 world leaders came together in Bangkok to discuss action on climate change ahead of the United Nations annual Climate Change Summit in South Africa.

With so much at stake it’s worth sparing a thought for the countries with most to lose in the near future.

All Governments face a real challenge in their bid to build on a deal reached last December in Cancun that includes a new green fund and increasing aid for vulnerable nations.

After a number of disappointing outcomes from world talks, most notably the failed Copenhagen Summit of 2009, there is doubt about whether these talks will be any more effective in bringing about real and lasting change in the wake of the ever advancing global catastrophe. And it is those who are most vulnerable who will pay the biggest price.

With one of the smallest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures in the world, Tokelau is also one of the smallest contributors to climate change. Despite the debate on whether climate change is caused by escalating greenhouse gas emissions or is part of the natural cycle of global temperatures, it is clear climate change is advancing at a rapid rate.

The adverse consequences of climate change are already a reality for the locals of Tokelau, who have been affected by increased shoreline erosion and an increase in extreme weather events. This was documented

by Selwyn Manning in his 2007 documentary Still Afloat on the High Seas With the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol ending in December 2012, and no binding agreement set up to take its place, it is clear that action on climate change is needed now.

The global response rest with the 200 world leaders who took part in the Bangkok discussion and their willingness to agree to a binding

32

agreement at COP17 in South Africa at the end of 2011.

Meanwhile, the people of Tokelau have decided to develop a strategy to combat the impacts of climate change, rather than wait for the international community to agree to greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and investments in renewable energy and adaptation.

At just 3-5m above sea level with

What sets Tokelau apart however, is the resilience and determination of its 1600 inhabitants to adapt and survive. a combined land mass of 10.8 square kilometres, Tokelau’s coral atolls: Atafu, Fakaofo and Nukunonu are among the most vulnerable to sea level rise.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s latest report on the impacts on island communities stated climate change will, “exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards, thus threatening vital infrastructure, settlements and facilities that support the livelihood of island communities.”

King tides and storm surges forced 2700 inhabitants of the nearby Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea, to permanently relocate in 2009. Sea level rise could wipe out the lowest lying atolls of Tokelau in just 100 years if water supplies and

fruit crops are not destroyed by the encroaching sea before then.

What sets Tokelau apart however, is the resilience and determination of its 1600 inhabitants to adapt and survive climate change in light of these predictions, rather than become, as Manning suggested, a “case study for catastrophe.”

Tokelau is also vulnerable to other impacts of climate change including extreme weather events, reduced water security and impacts to coral reefs and fish stocks.

Fruit crops are already affected by saline intrusion as rising sea levels contaminate freshwater and soils.

The ocean, which is integral to the Tokelauan way of life and relied upon for economic development, is warming causing coral bleaching and forcing fish species to migrate to more suitable locations.

Socio-economic conditions, the impacts of natural hazards, natural resource management and space limitations also make Tokelau particularly vulnerable to climate change. Tokelau has one of the lowest GDP per capita in the world, estimated at just $A478. With limited opportunities for agriculture and few resources, it is largely aid-dependent.

The Tokelau Government acknowledges it has few opportunities to diversify its economy.

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand, a historical connection which could help it to implement its plans for adaptation. Formerly three independent atolls known as Union Islands, then renamed the Tokelau Islands in 1946, this area is

now known simply as Tokelau, which translates as ‘north wind’.

Even its name demonstrates how vulnerable it is to weather patterns; a vulnerability that will be tested in the coming decades.

The small territory has had two opportunities to self-govern and gain independence from New Zealand.

Two referendums have been held with support from the New Zealand Government, with a result of 60 per cent support in 2006 and 64 per cent in 2007, just short of the required two thirds majority.

Following the 2007 result, some suggested it was New Zealand pushing for a referendum on selfgovernment.

“The real push, critics say, is coming from New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs who find themselves being embarrassed about being colonial masters,” Fairfax

journalist Michael Field wrote.

Tokelau is the last remaining colony of New Zealand.

For now, the idea of selfgovernment has taken a back seat as the territory has more pressing issues at hand. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will support Tokelau, if it pursues this matter in the future.

“Maybe, hopefully, one day we don’t wake up underneath the water.”

A New Zealand spokesperson said: “New Zealand and Tokelau have agreed that the focus will be on enhancing Tokelau’s development rather than constitutional change for the time being. When the leaders of Tokelau express an interest in revisiting the issue of constitutional

change, New Zealand will support them.”

Self-governance in the wake of climate change could have been another potential vulnerability for Tokelau. Especially as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reports climate change refugees are expected to reach 250 million by 2050.

Climate refugees will join the growing number of forcibly displaced people which currently stands at 43.3 million. If the people of Tokelau are forced from their homeland, they at least have the security of their colonial connection to New Zealand where, as citizens, they have the right to live and work on dry land.

As a territory of New Zealand, the people of Tokelau are supported in their efforts not to become climate change statistics. The New Zealand Government is assisting Tokelau to

Illustration: Rieko Tsuji

33

TOKELAU

plan strategically for climate change through support for renewable energy initiatives, a Disaster Risk Reduction Plan and a climate change policy and action plan. They have also funded a number of sea walls to prevent further erosion of Tokelau’s shoreline.

“Tokelau, New Zealand and other regional partners are working to finalise Tokelau’s first climate change policy and action plan.

“The policy and action plan will be focused on climate change adaptation given Tokelau leaders’ desire to sustain Tokelau’s population and culture on Tokelau’s three atolls,” said a spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Over 6700 Tokelauans now live in New Zealand where the culture is thriving, despite being identified in the Social Policy Journal of New Zealand in June 2009 as “one of the

most socio-economically deprived Pacific groups.”

Interestingly, historical migration to New Zealand has been influenced by the area’s vulnerability to extreme weather events. Many Tokelauans were encouraged to migrate to New Zealand in the 1960s after a severe hurricane caused extensive damage, coinciding with a shortage of industrial workers in New Zealand.

Tokelauans are now the sixth largest Pacific ethnic group in New Zealand.

Although over two-thirds of Tokelauans living in New Zealand are New Zealand-born, the everyday use of the Tokelauan language is increasing.

This differs from the common language pattern in migrant families where language is one of the first cultural connections to be lost. This demonstrates the commitment of Tokelauans to preserve and nurture

their culture, even in New Zealand.

Some New Zealand schools now teach the language and the nation recently elected its first Tokelauan MP to the New Zealand Parliament.

Whether this stronghold around Tokelauan culture is a result of cultural pride or truly a survival technique, this two-pronged strategy to adaption is working to preserve Tokelau culture, which will potentially outlast its physical homeland.

The resolve of the Tokelauan people was summed up by its Premier, Foua Toloa’s in 2009 during an ABC Radio Interview with Kerri Richards, when he said, “Maybe, hopefully, one day we don’t wake up underneath the water.”

Hopefully one day soon the rest of the world will wake up to the reality that action on climate change is paramount to keeping all our heads above water.

at

All the beautiful illustrations in HD magazine were made by Edith Cowan University graphic design students. If you want more information on the course, please visit: www.ecu.edu.au or email h.haddad@ecu.edu.au

34

GUAM

DEAR JAPAN, GET WELL SOON

A

By Narelle Owen and Aneta Grulichova

s Japan struggles to mop up after its recent earthquake disaster, US Pacific territory Guam is left with a big hole in its hospitality industry that Japanese tourists used to fill.

In the aftermath of Japan’s March 2011 disaster, holidaying on a tropical island is probably the first thing its people should be doing, but most likely the last thing on their minds.

Unfortunately for Guam, this means a huge blow to its economy.

In March the general manager of the Guam Visitors Bureau, Gerald Perez, said: “We will probably see a dip in the arrivals from Japan.” Japan’s tourism statistics to Guam show an 18.3 per cent drop in April 2011 from the same time last year, which supports Perez’s theory.

Approximately 85 per cent of Guam’s visitors are Japanese; but for now all Guam can do is wait for the tides to recede and the people to return. Until then, its government is turning to the US military and the upgrading of its facilities, which are providing Guam with a much-needed boost to its employment numbers.

In 2006 an agreement between the US and Japan was struck to relocate about 8000 US marines from military bases in Japan to Guam by 2014. This means a staggering $400 million to $1 billion in construction funds to add to its coffers.

Guam is the largest island in Micronesia with a population of approximately 180,000. The island offers a little something for everyone, from tropical beaches to mountainous terrain; scuba diving to rock climbing.

But for now it’s waiting with bated breath for its much beloved Japanese vacation seekers to come back and enjoy their ‘other’ island.

Illustration: Dani Fogliani

35

35

PITCAIRN ISLAND

36

Illustration: Caris Merritt

PREDATORS IN PARADISE

By Verity Morgan-Schmidt

March 2011 saw the proclamation of Pitcairn Island’s new constitution, a document designed to protect the human rights of the inhabitants of this paradise. The long awaited Constitution was greeted with pomp, ceremony and enthusiasm, as locals pray it will be the means of rescuing Pitcairn from its darkest days.

A forgotten jewel on the Pacific Island necklace, isolated Pitcairn Island is one of the most remote places in the world.

Inhabited by only fifty residents and the occasional adventurous tourist, Pitcairn is the ultimate island getaway complete with thatched roofs and coconut palms.

Despite the idyllic and isolated location, you will be hard pressed to find a Pina Colada here. Instead, hidden behind the gently swaying palm fronds and crystalline beaches lurks a disturbingly tragic secret. The fantasies of an island paradise that most of us dream about have proved to be a living nightmare for the island’s daughters.

In 2004, six Island men were convicted of sexual abuse against numerous girls and young women. In a population of only 50 residents this amounted to 12 per cent of the population being convicted of repeated cases of sexual abuse over a 30 year period. This is a stark comparison to the 0.0126 per cent of the Australian population convicted over the same period.

Strangely, it was not the atrocious per capita ratio of sexual abuse that sparked most contention within the international community. Instead, the focus of discussion about the court case was whether or not Britain had the right to put Pitcairn Islanders on trial under the British legal system.

This begs the question, regardless of the legal framework in place within a state, is the sexual abuse of a child morally grievous enough to warrant punishment through external forces?

To understand the complexities of the Pitcairn Island sexual assault prosecutions, one must delve into the treasure chest of history and back into a time of swashbuckling pirates, wooden sail boats and drunken mutineers

37

gaining their freedom through sword, cutlass and single shot pistols.

Pitcairn Island was first settled by Europeans in 1790 following the mutiny of Fletcher Christian and eight others from the HMS Bounty. Under the brutal and bloody control of Captain William Bligh, the Bounty had been tasked with carrying Pacific fruits plants to the West Indies.

Life at sea in the 1790s was, to quote Leviathan author Thomas Hobbes, “nasty, brutish, short” and the crew of the Bounty were lulled by the idyllic lifestyle they experienced during their

One must delve... back into a time of swashbuckling pirates, wooden sail boats and drunken mutineers gaining their freedom through sword, cutlass and single shot pistols. brief stay on Tahiti.

After abandoning Bligh and senior shipman on a raft in the South Pacific, the mutineers began searching for the fabled Pitcairn Island, legendary amongst British sailors since its sighting was first recorded in John Hawkesworth’s 1773 Account of the Voyages.

Before travelling to Pitcairn Island the mutineers stopped in at Tahiti to collect slaves and sexual servants from among the native populous.

It is suffice to say the party eventually arriving at Pitcairn (nine mutineers, six Tahitian men, twelve Tahitian women

and one child) was far from merry.

Within ten years, all except one of the original nine mutineers and several of the Tahitian men had been murdered.

In 1800 the sole surviving mutineer, John Adams, took control of Pitcairn Island (ironically the same year that John Adams became president of the United States) and restored a degree of order and civility.

Under his guidance, the remaining Pitcairn Islanders became practicing Seventh Day Adventists and the number of murders dropped dramatically. Sadly, by this stage the culture of sexual subservience from women and young girls had been deeply embedded in the social structure of Pitcairn society.

Over the course of the next 200 years, Pitcairn Islanders continued life along traditional lines, despite being officially established as a protectorate of Britain in the early 1800s.

From time to time, residents would travel to Norfolk Island but inevitably most would return to Pitcairn when threatened by disease. Life on Pitcairn Island was relaxed and alluring without the commercial tourism that threatens traditional life over most of the Pacific.

But beneath the tranquil blue waters continued to lurk the dirty grey secret that is sexual abuse. Girls as young as five years old were groomed for premature sexual initiation. During the trials, it was claimed that, as in most Polynesian cultures, it was not unusual for a woman to have had her first child by age 13.

In 2002, visiting Seventh Day Adventist Pastor, Neville Tosen, told Kathy Marks of The Independent there were worrying signs among the children.

He explained these included inexplicable

-

-

-

-

PITCAIRN ISLAND

mood swings, but it took him three months to recognise the cases of sexual abuse. After bringing his concerns before the local council, Tosen was told “Look, the age of consent has always been 12 and it doesn’t hurt them.”

The culture of sexual abuse was so deeply entrenched on the island and was perpetrated by so many senior members of the community that women and girls often felt there was no other option.

International research demonstrates victims of sexual abuse are likely to either become perpetrators or have children who are also victims. This was certainly the case for Pitcairn Island, with sustained sexual abuse over many generations being accepted as an inevitable way of life.

Imagine the horror for a young girl who, after being inappropriately touched by an elder man, was unable to seek refugee or sanctuary from family.

Imagine such a girl being lured into the bushes by a respected member of the community (as testified by one of the victims during the trial), being forced to engage in acts that were degrading and may have caused extreme physical pain, and then later suffering indignity or vilification for speaking out against it.

Sexual abuse on Pitcairn Island first received attention in the 1950s as reported by Claire Harvey in The Mercury in 2004. However, it was not until visiting British Police Officer Gail Cox, uncovered allegations of sexual abuse and rape in 1999, that Pitcairn Island became a household name in the British and New Zealand legal communities.

Six of the most prominent men within the community (including the Mayor Steve Christian) were tried and convicted of a collective 46 sexual assaults, including repeated rapes and indecent dealings with minors. Most of the defendants objected strongly to the charges and displayed no remorse, indicating that the encounters had been consensual, regardless of the age of their victims.

All of the defendants and many of the wider Pitcairn Island community protested that premature sexual promiscuity is customary in Polynesian culture. Lawyers for the accused strongly opposed the rights of the British Crown to prosecute, based on the lack of appropriate legislation on the island. Did the Crown have a right to declare the actions of these men illegal

38

when there was no written framework specifying legality?

Article three of the International Declaration of Human Rights declares everyone has the right to ‘life, liberty and security of person’. Although the Declaration is not legally binding, in 1948, 48 member states of the UN General Assembly ratified the rights as inalienable and inherently bestowed on individuals by virtue of being human.

The young girls and women sexually abused on Pitcairn Island were innately human and through the lewd and abusive actions of trusted men, including leaders of the community, these girls lost their rights to a normal life, sexual liberty and undoubtedly security of person. This international standard is designed to apply across all boundaries and provides the basis for

The culture of sexual abuse was so deeply entrenched on the island. the men of Pitcairn to be punished on a moral basis, if not a legal one.

The case of Pitcairn Island bears remarkable similarity to the sustained sexual abuse experienced in several remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Within Australia’s borders, children were being systematically abused from an early age and despite claims of cultural justification the Howard Government implemented ‘The Intervention’ program. Magistrate and head of the Intervention program, Sue Gordon has denied cultural justification for child sexual abuse and highlighted the need for social, rather than cultural change.

Although this program has been left to languish under the Gillard Government, it highlighted the great community and government concern for the plight of minors. Likewise on Pitcairn Island, the prosecution of several of those involved in repeated sexual abuse has led to changes in community organisation.

Life is now beginning to look up for women and girls who still live on Pitcairn. On the March 4, 2011, the new constitution was officially proclaimed, enshrining the basic human rights of all members of society. The community was heavily involved in

the development of the Constitution.

Pitcairn Island Governor George Fergusson, was delighted with the end result and has described it as a positive step forward for Pitcairn.

“People who are accused of offences, children, everyone in the community has their rights respected under this constitution, people whatever their position in a community all have rights and that is a good way of binding a community together,” he said.

Supply and tourist boats visiting the island have increased economic prosperity and are welcomed by locals with a traditional tune and handcrafted wares.

“In the sweet by and by, in the beautiful land beyond the sky, we shall part never more, when we meet on the be-yoo-tee-fool shore …”

VANUATU

LITTLE ISLAND,

A

tiny nation nestled in the South Pacific has become famous for highlighting a number of international issues often neglected by developed countries.

In June 2011, the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu had a population of roughly 250,000, according to its National Statistics Office, and the CIA World Factbook puts its area at 12,189 sq km.

A size the CIA described as, “slightly larger than Connecticut.”

This has not stopped Vanuatu being vociferous on a whole host of issues, usually addressed in the United Nations General Assembly.

The plight of the West Papuan people may be largely ignored in Australia and other Western nations,

Illustration: Tamara Desiatov

39

BIG VOICE

By Ashleigh Telford

but this does not stop Vanuatu from repeatedly criticizing the UN for its lack of involvement.

Then Ni-Vanuatu Prime Minister, Maautamate Sope said at the Millennium Summit in 2000: “The United Nations cannot and must not, in this new millennium, continue to turn a blind eye on its own past failures which has led to three long agonizing decades of injustice, tragedy and guerrilla warfare in West Papua.

“It is morally, politically and legally wrong to do so.”

We call upon the UN to strengthen its efforts in working towards full decolonization of territories.

This sentiment has been reiterated by representatives of Vanuatu at almost every UN General Assembly since 2000.

More recently Vanuatu has used the General Assembly platform to speak about the selfdetermination of nations further afield.

At the 65th 2010 assembly then President of Vanuatu, Edward Napatei, said: “Issues relating to decolonization and severe human rights violations must be effectively addressed impartially. In this connection, we call upon the UN to strengthen its efforts in working towards full decolonization of territories which are still under the control of administrative powers. We are encouraged to see emerging nations

such as Kosovo rising from the turmoil of restraint, to take up their position in the midst of the independent nations of the world.”

In the same speech Napatei also said the trade embargoes against Cuba should be lifted.

Vanuatu has not been without it’s own share of oppression and struggles. Colonised by the French and British from 1906 to 1980 the country has experienced some divisions and political unrest in the early and late ’90s. Vanuatu has seen three leadership changes over the past six months.

The spokesperson for current Prime Minister, Sato Kilman, criticised the opposition leader for not supporting the PM’s stance on Papua. He said the critics have shown ignorance and a poor understanding of the issue.

There are fears this could lead to instability.

In May 2011 Vanuatu became the fifth nation to recognise the Republic of Abkhazia – a state seeking independence from the Republic of Georgia.

Foreign Minister Alfred Carlot said in a press conference that Vanuatu “is among members of the international community in eradicating colonialism off the face of this earth.”

ABOUT

HD Magazine The Political Journalism and the Vector Illustration classes of semester one 2011 collaborated to produce the second edition of HD Magazine, after the success of the first joint venture in 2010.

The project gives the best students from each class an opportunity to showcase their work, and to experience the magazine-making process.

POLITICAL JOURNALISM JOU 2107/4107

VECTOR ILLUSTRATION DES 2104

Politics is the study of power and journalists are charged with keeping those in power in check. This unit looks at local, national and international political systems, as well as equipping would-be warzone reporters with the ins and outs of safety and their legal rights. It is a dynamic unit which delves into the current political climate and looks at the often under-reported politics of Australia’s geographical neighbours. On a practical level, students are shown how to use useful tools such as the lobbyist register and Hansard. In addition, they are shown how to search for bills and learn about elections are run and how bills become law.

In this unit we are interested in the simple question, ‘why draw?’. In the age of the digital camera and all its conveniences students are prompted to think carefully about the advantages of drawing pictures rather than taking pictures. For some tasks students work on projects that suit the typical, crisp, clean aesthetic afforded by vector illustration software. These focus on the creation of pictograms for wayfinding systems and diagrams for visual explanations. The examples in this magazine explore the communicative potential of caricature and the iterative reduction of pictorial realism.

These units are part of the ECU Bachelor of Communications and Bachelor of Creative Industries Degrees. Each degree is made up of 24 units, and a set of eight within that 24 comprises a major. JOU2017 is part of the Journalism Major, and DES 2104 is part of the Graphic Design Major.

40

For more information about ECU courses visit www.ecu.edu.au

Do you know about the latest research at ECU? Each year Research Week brings staff, students, current and future researchers together to share their research, knowledge, ideas and inspiration.

Research Week Program will include: Seminars Showcase presentations Panel discussions

Workshops Colloquia Performances

Featured events: 3 Minute Thesis Competition (3MT)- ECU Final: Joondalup, Thursday 18th August 2011 Visualing Research Exhibition - Joondalup: Library B 31 - Art Gallery Building 1

Information Events:

Mount Lawley: Library B 8 - Kurongkurl Katitjin Gallery B15

Honours and Postgraduate Information Evenings Future International Honours and Postgraduate Information Sessions Register at www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/events

Program Highlights: Presentations by the Child Health Promotion Research Centre on reducing bullying, cyber bullying in schools and intra-racial Aboriginal bullying prevention - Mount Lawley B 10.307/308 1-2.30pm Wed 17th August 2011 Contemporary Arts and Performance: Exciting WAAPA Research exploring the multiple modes of artistic investigation. Spectrum Gallery 2-4pm Wed 17th Aug 2011

Seminars on:

Digital tools for research What makes an interesting research paper?

Communicating your research for career opportunities Skills for improving your work-life balance Healthy eating to sustain concentration, recharge your brain and improve academic performance

More ways to connect with Research Week online : Catch up, share and discuss your experience of Research Week

For details, visit www.ecu.edu.au/research/week

Exciting program of events will be released soon!