SUVA, Fiji Islands (August 1, 2000 - The Fiji Times, Fiji's Daily Post/PINA Nius Online)---Deposed Fiji Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry has told Australian journalists he is weak and tires easily after being held captive by Fiji rebels.
Doctors in Fiji have advised him to have a full medical examination in Australia, he said.
Mr. Chaudhry is on a weeklong visit as a guest of the Australian government. He met with Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday.
Mr. Chaudhry called for international intervention to ensure the rights of all of Fiji's ethnic groups.
He said: "The only way equal political rights can be granted to all people of Fiji would be through international intervention through organizations like the United Nations and Commonwealth Secretariat, as well as regional groups here in the Pacific."
TOKYO, Japan (July 31, 2000 – Radio Australia)---The United States again has warned Japan over its controversial decision to expand its Pacific scientific whaling program to two new species, saying the move could result in U.S. sanctions.
Speaking in Tokyo, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said Washington was deeply troubled by what was happening, viewing it as contrary to existing whaling agreements.
The Secretary of State's remarks came after a meeting with her Japanese counterpart, Yohei Kono.
Last week, President Bill Clinton wrote to Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to protest Japan's decision to include in its whaling program sperm and Bryde's whales.
Both types of whale are protected by U.S. endangered species laws.
JAYAPURA, West Papua (July 30, 2000 – Radio Australia)---At least 15,000 separatists have staged a peaceful protest in the West Papua town of Manokwari to mark the controversial 1969 referendum that turned western New Guinea island from a Dutch colony into an Indonesian province.
The state Antara news agency said the Papuans covered a monument commemorating the referendum with black cloth, saying it was a monument to an historical lie.
The ceremony at the People's Referendum Monument was led by the chairman of the Manokwari Tribal Institute, Barnabas Mandacan.
The separatist Morning Star flag was raised, along with the Indonesian red-and-white banner.
Mr. Mandacan told the gathering that the Indonesian government should understand that the people of West Papua wanted their rights back.
PORT VILA, Vanuatu (July 31, 2000 - Radio Australia's Pacific Beat)---Vanuatu celebrated its 20th anniversary of independence on Sunday with festivities drawing officials from around the Pacific Island region.
The Vanua'aku Pati, led by Father Walter Lini, spearheaded the struggle for independence in the country and was in government until 1991 when the French-speaking minority won office.
Since the late 1980s, there has been an increase in various factions of the leading parties and a growing number of coalitions in government.
Is this a sign of growing political instability or healthy democracy at work?
Edward Natapei, now leader of the opposition Vanua'aku party, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat that it's a bit of both.
SUVA, Fiji Islands (July 31, 2000 – Fiji's Daily Post/Pasifik Nius/Niuswire)---Fiji faces many unanswered questions about the attempted coup and the aftermath of last week's arrest of rebel leader George Speight and more than 380 of his followers, says Daily Post editor Mesake Koroi.
Writing in his popular weekly "Politics Today" column, Koroi says the 71 days of "groping around in the political wilderness" are now history and perhaps a "Nukulau Accord" will be needed to end the rebels' detention.
"Since their arrest many questions still need to be answered. Are they political prisoners?" Koroi wrote.
"For how long can the military and the police keep them in detention before being brought to answer charges? Obviously, the military believe George and his cronies are a threat to national security."
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (August 1, 2000 - Papua New Guinea Post-Courier/PINA Nius Online)---The residence of Papua New Guinea's High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Ponabe Yuwa, has been ransacked, allegedly by Malaita Eagle Force members.
Government sources told the Post-Courier this was due to tension between Mr. Yuwa and Ramo Dasabya, a Cabinet minister in the last Solomon Islands government.
The Foreign Affairs Department has recommended to the National Executive Council that the PNG office in Honiara be closed for security reasons.
Sources said the tension between the two men started after the death of an Eastern Highlander in the Solomon Islands. They claimed Mr. Ponabe had called the minister to help with funeral arrangements for the Papua New Guinean, but the minister had slammed the phone down.
MAJURO, Marshall Islands (July 19, 2000 – Marshall Islands Journal)---While the Marshalls and FSM were blasted by some Congressional leaders and a GAO audit late last month, Foreign Secretary Marie Maddison said the Washington hearing ended on a much more positive note.
Maddison, who spent much of her time on damage control at and following the highly charged hearing, said simply, "The Marshalls needs to do a lot of awareness raising."
SUVA, Fiji Islands (July 31, 2000 - PINA Nius Online)---There's a new player in television in the Pacific. Not Turner Broadcasting or Time Warner, but Tonga TV.
Tonga TV became the second television broadcasting unit in the Kingdom on July 4th, 2000. The launch was timed to honor King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV's birthday. In typical island style, the inaugural broadcast came together in the last moments before going on the air, after weeks of practice, months of preparation and years of planning.
Conrad Mill, team leader and television specialist in the media center at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, arrived from Fiji to assist one week before the launch.