PNG leader unleashes outburst at Australia
The Age
Brendan Nicholson, Nadi, Fiji
AUSTRALIA'S relations with South Pacific nations have reached a new low after Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Michael Somare accused the Federal Government of treating neighbouring countries with arrogance and contempt.
Sir Michael's anger boiled over at a regional leaders summit in Fiji, being attended by Prime Minister John Howard, as three other Melanesian nations also joined PNG in lashing out at Australia. The anger centred on last week's raid on the office of the Solomon Islands Prime Minister by local police and Australian officers, a raid the PNG leader suggested had been ordered by Canberra. More...
Howard to stare down Pacific criticsThe Australian
Steve Lewis, Nadi, Fiji
JOHN Howard will today stare down efforts to scale back theAustralian-led mission to maintain law and order in Solomon Islands, despite being accused of being arrogant and treating Pacific leaders with contempt.
On the eve of what promises to be a stormy Pacific Island Forum, Australia was yesterday accused of undermining Solomon Islands' sovereignty.
Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu signed a tough communique condemning last Friday's raid on the office of Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. More...PNG, so near yet so far from friendly
The Australian
Charlie Lynn
October 24, 2006
What we need is a minister for Melanesia to deal with the arc of instability to our north.
"YOU can't let them kill my guide just because they think he's a sorcerer!" I bellowed to the police at the end of my 37th expedition across the Kokoda Track last year.
A couple of recruits I had engaged had decided that one of my older guides, from a neighbouring village, was a sorcerer. So they felt obligated to kill him. The impending execution was not apparent to my Western mind. We had trekked together, sung traditional songs of an evening together, and they had worked assiduously to ensure every one of my band of trekkers completed their journey safely.
As we sat down to dinner in Port Moresby, we reflected on their selfless devotion to us and agreed they were proud sons of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. But they had unfinished business in their own tribe, and by the time we finished our meal the alleged sorcerer was dead.
After 15 years of roaming Papua New Guinea - climbing mountains, exploring burial caves, attending Highland "sing-sings", leading numerous expeditions across Kokoda and meeting politicians at the national, provincial and local government levels - I thought I was beginning to understand this land of 1000 cultures. But PNG is the land of the unexpected: as soon as you think you are beginning to understand it, something or other takes you completely by surprise. More...
Climate refugees here by 2016The Australian
Steve Lewis, Nadi
October 24, 2006
AUSTRALIA has been warned it may face a flood of environmental refugees within a decade as the Pacific's smallest island states face submersion under rising seas.
The alarmist message was issued by Kiribati's leader, Anote Tong, as fellow leaders of endangered nations gathered in Fiji to discuss their worsening plight. More...
Postcourier
24 October 2006
Leaders of the Pacific Islands Smaller Island States yesterday welcomed the considerable progress made in implementing the Pacific Plan. SIS leaders said there were many significant initiatives gaining momentum under the Plan and support from regional organisations and development partners had been a strong and positive feature to date. The SIS leaders held their 15th summit yesterday at the Westin Hotel, Danaurau, Fiji, and was attended by leaders from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and the Republic of Palau. More...
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