Placement of an Aukati Rahui at the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour

Placement of an Aukati (Political) Rahui at the mouth of the Kaipara Harbour. To stop the Crest Energy Marine Turbine Project. Everyone is welcome to this special event. Come and help us to look after the Kaipara Harbour.

Date: Saturday 10 March 2012 at 11:00am
Venue: On the beach at the end of Pouto Road on the Pouto Peninsula.

Urs Signer (Oct 15th Solidarity).m4v

Rebel (Maria talks about her Tane/Man Tame Iti).m4v

Tame 'Terrorist new term for Rebel'.m4v

No Tino Rangatiratanga No Peace Reflections on Waitangi Day

After almost three decades of Treaty of Waitangi settlements, of “biculturalism” and “partnership” between Maori and the Crown, Maori remain at the bottom of all social statistics, such as income, employment and life expectancy. Why is this? And what can be done about it?  

The settlement regime is a neoliberal extinguish-ment of Land & Treaty rights. Its purpose was twofold, to co-opt & contain & pacify a radical treaty protest/land rights movement within the state’s neoliberal agenda. Secondly, with Maori leadership focused on the settlement of historical grievances with the state, the vast majority of non tribal working class urbanized Maori were easy to be forgotten as the rubbish of structural adjustment.

Working class Maori still haven’t recovered from the extremist economic “reforms” of the eighties when an entire generation of Maori & Pacific Island children and youth has suffered under the reforms launched by the Labour government of 1984-90. This is exactly what was intended way back when the treaty settlement process & fiscal envelope were touted and subsequently implemented. Maori have already been kicked in the guts from the recession; disproportionally we have already the highest percentage of recently unemployed.

Treaty settlements distracted us from our struggle, when our grassroots whanau were going to the wall. The great majority of our flax roots, our workers, our youth, our gang members and all our whanau at the bottom of the heap struggling to survive. The most dispossessed in Aotearoa will have nothing to loose. The liberation of the great mass of our people will not come with more failed parliamentary reformism. If an economic structural adjustment put & kept our people on the bottom of the heap only a peoples’ structural adjustment (a revolution) will improve the negative social indicators & living standards of Maori. 

The Maori Party’s co-option within the National government is completely opposed to the interests of the majority of Maori who are working class. It seems foolish to try & enact a pro Maori agenda (albeit a conservative one) within an anti worker & anti environment government. The  Maori Party's endorsement of Nationals ETS [Emissions Trading Scheme], put the interests of the dairy industry and the tribal capitalists of Iwi Corporations, ahead of duty to care for our environment & the survival of Indigenous peoples in the Pacific . 

What to do? Working class Maori, our beneficiaries, our gang whanau, our youth need to educate themselves about their struggle & organise in their communities & workplaces. We can’t afford to think that any political party will represent our interests. Self Determination can come from below, Tino Rangatiratanga will only be meaningful & lasting if it comes from below.

2) A huge amount of land stolen from Maori is now in private hands, but Treaty settlements only involve Crown land. Should privately owned land be part of Treaty settlements? 

  The sacred cow, middle-class property rights. Ripe for the picking. Occupations should increase & intensify, not only against privately owned land, but land & resources taken by transnational corporations.

Vanuatu: Ralph Regenvanu on why he was sacked

 
"Media statement from MP Ralph Regenvanu in response to his termination as a Minister on Monday 16th January 2012"

I acknowledge that the Prime Minister has the Constitutional right to appoint and dismiss any Minister.

I am disappointed, however, that my termination was by way of a letter delivered to my office and that the Prime Minister did not have the courtesy to meet me in person to tell me that I was being terminated and the reasons for my termination.  Considering my long-time support for him over the entire life of this legislature, I feel this failure to meet me in person to terminate me is disrespectful and not appropriate conduct on his part.

Since the Prime Minister never spoke to me, the only reason that I have been given for my termination is in the letter, which says:
“Your continued actions and support for issues that have been contradictory to the collective policy decisions of the Council of Ministers and your choice not to stand by these collective decisions has caused serious concern and raised serious questions of loyalty within the Council and members of the governing coalition.”

Less than ten MP’s in the current Parliament and only two Ministers in the current Government have stood by the the Hon. Sato Kilman since the 2008 elections until now, and I am one of them.  Even several members of his own party have deserted him over the term.  On the issue of my “loyalty”, then, I believe there is no “serious question”.

As to my “actions and support for issues that have been contradictory to the collective policy decisions of the Council of Ministers”, the most obvious one is my vote against the bill to join the World Trade Organisation, both in the Council of Ministers and in Parliament.  It seems apparent to most observers that this is the reason for my termination, as I believe I am the first Minister in Vanuatu’s history to vote against a Government bill.

I also did not support the recent Council of Ministers decision to appoint Mme Titam Ghoiset as Roving Ambassador to Russia with a 15% commission on any money she obtains for Vanuatu, so this may be another of my transgressions.

I have also spoken publicly, in political awareness campaigns, about my opposition to the use of Government funds to increase the salaries and benefits of politicians.  In November 2010 I was the only MP to vote against the Bill for the Parliament Members’ Expenses and Allowances (Amendment) Act, which increased MP's annual salaries by two million vatu by removing this amount from the MP allocation and transferring it into MP salaries.  I have also publicly stated my opposition to the recent decision (in November last year) by the Parliamentary Management Board (of which the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Speaker of Parliament are members) to provide new cars at Government expense to four MP’s: the First and Second Deputy Speakers, the Leader of Government Business and the Government Whip; and to create a new position of 2nd Second Political Advisor to the Speaker, at a time when many teachers and nurses are still waiting to receive outstanding salaries owed to them.  This may be another of my transgressions.

Also, in December last year, I wrote to the Prime Minister asking that Vanuatu not enter into any further relations with Indonesia given the massive human rights violations being committed by the Indonesian army in West Papua in that same month: a few days after receiving my letter the Prime Minister traveled to Indonesia to sign a Development Cooperation Agreement with that country which purports to prevent the Vanuatu Government from talking about the issue of West Papuan independence.  The signing of this Agreement has not been endorsed by the Council of Ministers.  Perhaps my opposition to establishing further relations with Indonesia is another reason for my dismissal.

Despite my many differences with the policy decisions of the Prime Minister, I have remained faithful to his Government and have been able to implement many changes in the three Ministries I have held over the past year.

In the Ministry of Ni-Vanuatu Business, I was able to remove the long-standing power of the Minister to politically appoint the Registrar of Cooperatives and have this position appointed on merit instead.  I was also able to have a policy restricting the location and manner in which foreigners could establish retail and wholesale shops in Vanuatu passed by the Council of Ministers: unfortunately I was reshuffled out of the Ministry before the policy could be implemented and subsequent Ministers and the Government in general have failed to implement this policy.

In the Ministry of Lands I put a temporary hold on the registration of all land transactions and began the process of amending national land laws and dealing with corrupt practices in the Ministry.  I was also able to start the process of acquiring Freswota Field and Nelson Mandela Park for the use of the public of Port Vila.  Unfortunately, the Prime Minister reshuffled me out of this Ministry after only three weeks.

In the Ministry of Justice I amended the Public Solicitor Act for the first time in 30 years to give the office more power and also increased the budget of the office so that now their lawyers get paid the same salary as lawyers in the Attorney General's Office, so the Public Solicitor can now attract and retain quality lawyers to serve needy people.  I was also able to amend the Law Commission Act for the first time in over 30 years to provide a role for chiefs, churches, women and youth in screening all bills before they came before Parliament.  I also put a hold on any new Land Tribunal cases and have begun the process of drafting a new law to return jurisdiction over land disputes to chiefs at the community or “nakamal” level.  And next week there will be a National Summit to review the whole law, justice and community services sector to identify the many blockages and constraints hindering the effective provision of justice and community services to the people of Vanuatu and new strategies and policies for overcoming these constraints.

Given this background to my termination, I feel I can no longer remain a member of the Alliance political grouping led by the Prime Minister, of which I am a founding member.  I will therefore be resigning from the Alliance, and also from my position as the President of the Alliance Blong Port Vila.

I will now continue to practice the policy I contested the last election with: “To provide a role model for good leadership as an MP and a national leader”, and I will focus on preparing the candidates of my party, the “Graon mo Jastis Pati”, to contest the national elections in November.  I believe that the eyes of the people of Vanuatu are open to what is happening in the politics of the country and I hope that this awareness will be reflected in the election results.

Palm Island Activist Lex Wotton given standing ovation

Academics and activists applaud former prisoner Lex Wotton at the First Nations Conference at Townsville in north Queensland.

Vanuatu Government must walk with its people on WTO decision ‐ PCC

PRESS RELEASE: For immediate Release Vanuatu Government must walk with its people on WTO decision ‐ PCC

( PCC is the biggest civil society body in the Pacific with a membership of approximately 6.5mill out of the 8.5 million in the Pacific )

The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) is urging the Government of Vanuatu to reconsider its decision to silence the church body and other ni‐Vanuatu voices trying to fulfill their rightful responsibility as fellow burden‐ sharers in such an important decision.

PCC’s Acting General Secretary, Reverend Francois Pihaatae said, the Government of Vanuatu has repeatedly heard the call of its communities, the traditional chiefs and civil society organisations, including the Church body, to refrain from continuing on its current path towards joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

“In recent months, the call has taken to the streets because the voices of a people would not be heeded,” he said
While recognising the value and necessity of trade regimes and economic development, their very purpose is for the benefit of the human person; on their own, no system is self‐justifying. The concern for the human person, especially the poor and marginalized, is a central concern of our Christian faith. The question, therefore, is whether joining the WTO will enhance the wellbeing and opportunities for the poor or will it deepen poverty and increase inequality.

According to Rev.Francois, the voice of opposition by the churches, NGOs and community groups, including their chiefs, are both genuine and justifiable given that joining the WTO, whilst offering no clear advantages, will have profound risks to peoples’ livelihoods and to their future. “The binding and far‐reaching conditions of joining the WTO accentuate the inextricable link between what the government decides and the wellbeing of all ni‐ Vanuatu.”

“Concerns stem from what ni‐Vanuatu see as a basic lack of meaningful consultation on the implications and benefits of WTO membership, through to outright rejection of current accession conditions. Such a decision can only be made through meaningful, informed and participatory dialogue with the people, which, apparently, was not the case.Clearly, Vanuatu’s accession to the WTO under current provisions does not have the support of a significant part of Vanuatu society.”
“Opposition to the direction the Government is taking has also offered much constructive criticism in pursuit of more favourable participation in global trade. Alternative view points have been offered by members of the ‘Say No to WTO’ campaign comprising various Vanuatu community groups, local CSOs and international NGOs, which have freely invested valuable resources to inform discussions.”

According to Rev. Francois, this expression of public courage and will by the people to accompany their government in negotiations with the WTO is therefore to be celebrated, not stifled.“Limiting the people’s ability to freely organize in a civil manner and to express opposition to the existing WTO accession package is counterproductive to the very foundation upon which the Vanuatu Government seeks to govern, to serve, and indeed to ensure sustainable security.”

“Rather than stifle opposition to the current WTO accession process through restricting civil organisation, the Government is encouraged to respect and embracethe opportunity being extended by the people to heed their views and to profit from their contributions, technical and otherwise.”

“Beyond the technicalities and specifics involved, whether these concern trade rules or the economicsand legalities of issues associated with WTO accession discussions, it is the firm view of the PCC that there is a key message from this experience requiring discernment.” According to Rev. Francois, the Church, traditional leaders, communities, CSOs and individuals have joined in expressing a common desire ‐ that the Government of Vanuatu heedits people and walk with them.


Ends....

For more information please contact the Communications Officer, Losana McGowan, Phone: +679 3311 277, Mobile: +679 9068118

_______________________________________________

Report details unacceptable impacts from deep sea mining by Canada’s Nautilus

MEDIA RELEASE:

Report details unacceptable impacts from deep sea mining by Canada’s Nautilus
November 24, 2011 – Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea/ Ottawa, Canada/ Melbourne, Australia. The Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and MiningWatch Canada and have released a new report called “Out of Our Depth.”. It details serious environmental and social impacts expected as a result of unprecedented mining of the ocean floor in PNG.

Canadian mining company Nautilus Minerals Inc. (Nautilus) plans to extract gold and copper from the floor of the Bismarck Sea in 2012 at its Solwara 1 project. The project will mine active and inactive hydrothermal vents at 1.46 kilometres under the sea. Thousands of these vents over an 11 hectare area will be destroyed. Possibly the origins of life on earth, these high-temperature underwater vents host unique species, most of which have not yet been identified or studied.

The underwater mine site is located close to coastal communities that rely heavily on sea food for diet and income. The project is raising alarm among these directly affected communities, as well as among PNG citizens who question the environmental process that led to the licensing of the project.

Moses Murray, advisor to the “sea bed mining forum” of community organisations from New Ireland Province, East New Britain and Madang, says:

“The PNG Constitution in its preamble provides for sharing of natural resources with future generations. The current trend shown by our political leaders have taken the direction that they are not worried about the future generations anymore. It is “the now” that matters to them. Every mine on land, be they gas, oil, and other natural resources including mining under the ocean is set to be opened. The brain, pen and ink used to draft the preamble of the Constitution was a waste of time.”

Helen Rosenbaum, author of the report, says “Nautilus has prepared a deeply flawed Environmental Impact Statement. For example, the company has insufficiently tested the toxicity of its process on vent species, and has not sufficiently considered toxic effects on organisms in the marine food chain.”

Catherine Coumans of MiningWatch Canada, an editor for the report, notes “once again a Canadian company is set to inflict unusual environmental and social harm in Papua New Guinea in a way that would not be permitted in Canada. Canadian mining company Placer Dome dumped mine waste into the sea for many years and Barrick Gold is currently using a major river system as a mine waste dump. It is tragic that Canadian mining companies are profiting from weak governance in Papua New Guinea.”

For more info:
Moses Murray, elishbru@daltron.com.pg
Jane Kesno, President, Namatanai District Council of Women in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea, tel. (+675) 71802362, janekesno@gmail.com
Catherine Coumans, MiningWatch Canada, tel. (+1) 613-569-3439, catherine@miningwatch.ca
Helen Rosenbaum, Melbourne, tel. (+61) (0)413 201 793; hrose@vic.chariot.net.au
For a copy of the report see: http://www.deepseaminingoutofourdepth.org

Nautalis testing experimental seabed mining in the Pacific

In this video community groups in New Ireland and East New Britain express their views about deep sea mining in the Bismarck and the Solomon Sea by Canadian corporation Nautilus. If they are allowed to go ahead there will be an explosion of deep sea mining in the Pacific.

We have very little understanding of the deep sea. We have even less knowledge of the potential impacts of deep sea mining on marine life and local communities who depend on the sea for their lives and livelihoods.

Another case of greed over the environment and communities rights ... it needs to be stopped!

Waziyatawin Speaks to Occupy Oakland

There is NO Separation between colonial Expansion the ongoing subjugation of Indigenous life, and the Capitalist exploitation of Life for economic gain. Further these objectives have always been pursued with extreme brutality and a callous disregard for any life that gets in the way.
If you feel expendable its because to the current power structure you are, all life is.
In the conquest of the Americas Capitalism is inseparable from colonialism and imperialism." Waziyata Win

Activists hold alternative meeting in Hawaii

Housing NZ development in East Auckland affects residents of 50 years

He whawhai mutunga kore - koira te korero a nga whanau Maori kei te rawhiti o Taamaki Makaurau e noho ana. No ratou nga kainga o Ruapotaka e turakina ana e Te Manatu Whare hei whakatu whare hou.

Public forum on WEST PAPUA

 

Hello friends,

You might have seen some of the shocking reports that have been coming out of West Papua over the last month (in particular the coverage in New Matilda has been excellent http://www.newmatilda.com.au/2011/10/20/troops-open-fire-papuan-gathering ).

Here is a chance to get an update on the situation and some ideas on how you can act in solidarity with the people of West Papua. And a chance to enjoy some West Papuan food, a film and a West Papuan band The Black Orchid String Band.

When: Thursday the 17th November, 6pm
Where: Bella Union Bar, Trades Hall, Carlton, Victoria.

Freedom for West Papua - the latest on the struggle for self determination and human rights.

***BAND ***FOOD***Speakers***FILM***

Speakers from West Papuan community and solidarity activists on:

- the declaration of Independence and announcement of Papuan government leaders at the Third National People's Congress, and the subsequent repression of participants,
-the ongoing strike at the Freeport mine and,
- the East Asian Summit in Bali bringing together regional governments for strategic discussions (incl: Aus, US and China)

Speakers include:

* Welcome by Wurundjeri Traditional Owners.

*Terry Bukorpioper- appointed West Papuan UN representative

*Jacob Rumbiak-Executive President of West Papuan National Council

CHOGM protestors challenge police