By Delly Waigeno in Port Moresby

Another major road construction in Port Moresby, the Koura Way, is expected to be completed in September.

It is being built by the China Harbour Engineering Company at a cost of more than K80 million (NZ$35 million) funded under a BSP Group loan.

National Capital District (NCD) Governor, Powes Parkop — who is a decisive early leader in the counting for his electorate in PNG’s 2017 general election — said the aim of the major road projects around Port Moresby was to ease traffic congestion and to promote a spread of businesses on the edge of the city.

Governor Parkop visited the construction site today to see that work progress has reached 60 percent complete.

He said the project was on schedule for the completion date of October 21.

The 4.5km four-lane road links Waigani Drive to the Hanuabada bypass. Initially, the road was supposed to connect Waigani Drive to the Badihagwa High School, but plans had changed.

About 250 energy saving lights will be installed to power up the road.

Other services
Parkop said the project had also provided a way for other services like water, sewerage, electricity and telecommunication services to be added to the area.

He said the project had generated about 400,000 cbm of fill materials — almost all of this being used for the Ela Beach redevelopment.

He said there were plans for another road to link Koura Way to Sir William Skate Highway to link at the Baruni Bypass.

If that materialises, them the second phase of Ela Beach would be completed.

Delly Waigeno is a senior journalist with six years of experience in the television industry. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature and English communication with a minor in journalism from the University of Papua New Guinea. In 2012, she was awarded a Business Reporter of the Year commendation by the Media Council of Papua New Guinea.

Pacific Media Watch Newsdesk

West Papuan solidarity groups have protested over reported mass arrests of Papuan activists in the Nabire regency over the past week.

Tabloid Judi reported that “hundreds of KNPB [West Papuan National Committee] activists” were arrested and transported by truck to Nabire police in Bukit Meriam, according to an eyewitness.

The Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) sent a protest letter to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Canberra at the weekend over the arrest and alleged torture of about 150 West Papuan people — including children — in Nabire.

The arrests reportedly happened between the June 30  and July 6, according to the Free West Papua Campaign.

Joe Collins of AWPA said: “It is pointless of governments to say Indonesia is now a democracy and human rights abuses are a thing of the past. The ongoing arrests of peaceful demonstrators prove otherwise.”

AWPA has urged the foreign minister to press the Indonesian government for the release of all West Papuan activists, human rights defenders and political prisoners.

AWPA letter to the Foreign Minister

The Hon Julie Bishop MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

8 July 2017

Dear Foreign Minister,

I am writing to you concerning the arrest of approximately 150 West Papuan people, including children, in Nabire, West Papua. The arrests occurred between the 30 June and the sixth of July.

On the 30th June a West Papuan activist Yanto Waine went missing for 3 days and it emerged that he had been arrested on Mulia Road in Nabire. It was his arrest that led to a chain of events resulting in up to 150 people being arrested.

On hearing of his arrest, a peaceful demonstration was held on the 4 July calling for the release of Yanto Waine. This resulted in another 31 people being arrested. Although Yanto Waine was released on the 6th July approximately 150 people marched to the Indonesian police station in Nabire to call for the release of the remaining detainees. However, it was reported they were also arrested. The names of 104 people arrested have been confirmed.

According to members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), during the arrests people were kicked, punched, and beaten with guns, and rattan canes.

Previous arrests
On the 1st May this year up to 200 people were arrested by the Indonesian police in Sentani as they commemorated the tragic event in their history when the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) handed the administration of West Papua to Indonesia on the 1st May in 1963 and on the 31 May another 77 members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) were arrested in Merauke.

It is also 19 years since the Biak Massacre. On the 6 July in 1998 the Indonesian security forces attacked peaceful demonstrators in Biak, massacring scores of people. The victims included women and children. They were killed at the base of a water tower in the town where the West Papuan people had raised their national flag. Other Papuans were rounded up and later taken out to sea where they were thrown off naval ships and drowned. No security force personal were ever charged over the killings.

It is pointless to say Indonesia is now a democracy and human rights abuses are a thing of the past. The ongoing arrests of peaceful demonstrators prove otherwise.

We urge you to use your good offices with the Indonesian government urging that all West Papuan activists, human rights defenders and political prisoners be released.

Yours sincerely
Joe Collins
AWPA (Sydney)

On Wednesday, I voted at Iora, Kokoda. But only after some time.

Yes, my name was not on the Electoral Roll 2017. Even though I had made sure my details were updated. Even though I checked the website and it had my name listed and at the location and yet on Wednesday I was not on the 2017 Roll.

I was finally allowed to vote because I was a candidate as per provisions of the law that allowed for this. In other words, if I could not vote because I was not on the 2017 Electoral Roll that would be a blatant and very explicit fact showing that the 2017 rolls were not effectively updated.

Others should vote too
I asked if others can vote too since that was only fair. Since the Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, who was also not on the 2017 roll was allowed to vote and I was allowed to vote, why couldn’t every other person who had voted in 2012 and before be allowed to vote.

I was informed by polling officials that they were instructed that only the 2017 Electoral Roll was to be used and not the 2012 electoral roll or the preliminary roll.

I spoke to many frustrated and angry people who declared that they had made sure their names were updated and yet they were not on the 2017 roll and thus unable to vote.

From my discussions it could be concluded that in some instances more then 40 percent of the people were turned away in some areas and in some areas even higher numbers with percentages as high as 70 percent quoted by observers and scrutineers.

Some of the stories they told were simply infuriating and one can only be bitterly aware that this People’s National Congress (PNC) government led by Peter O’Neill does not care for the people of Papua New Guinea.

Many who found their names were not in one area had to travel a fair distance to other stations to search for their names to vote. In the case of the aged and elderly, mothers who had young children to tend to or those with disabilities and those with no financial means, this was too much. How sad.

Many found the polling officials unhelpful and barely aware of their duties and functions. I noted several young high school students who had no prior work experience.

Wide open to electoral fraud
Meanwhile, the process was so wide open for electoral fraud that it would be so easy for those with some intent and planning to be able to commit electoral fraud with much ease and little chance of detection or deterrence.

Many claimed that the process of updating the roll was hindered simply because papers for recording this process “ran out”.

Not a few expressed anger that people who had no experience and qualifications and some of dubious character had been engaged to do this and some had not even bothered to go out to do their work. The work itself was so poorly coordinated that it could not be described in anyway as being “effective”.

One such person was chased and stoned today in Kokoda when sighted as he had been responsible for a significant percentage of voters being turned away.

Several of my aged aunts and uncles were visibly sad and angry as they were unable to exercise their democratic right to vote. One told me that they felt that this may be their last time to be able to vote and yet they could not vote even though they had voted ever since PNG attained independence on 16 September 1975.

In fact, many of the people in Papua New Guinea who had voted since Independence were unable to vote for the first time in their life. Many were frustrated and sad. This was a huge negative psychological experience for them

It is apparent to many that the ruling PNC and O’Neill are arrogant and totally inconsiderate of the people of Papua New Guinea to exercise their democratic right to elect their representatives into Parliament.

If they were not, they would have done everything possible to ensure that this election was not such a failure.

By Bob Makin of Vanuatu Digest in Port Vila

Pastor Tallis Obed Moses has been sworn in as President of the Vanuatu Republic.

Nineteen votes secured this victory, which was warmly acknowledged by all dignitaries and Electoral College people present at the ceremony yesterday.

The new occupant of the highest constitutional position paid a highly articulate tribute to his predecessor, President Baldwin Lonsdale who died suddenly from a heart attack last month while serving in office.

Then President Moses, 63, took centre place as kastom ceremonies were performed outside Parliament where the election took place.

President Moses was trained in theology and evangelism in Vanuatu and Australia.

He has previously served as moderator of the Presbyterian Church General Assembly and as parish pastor in half a dozen parishes from Erromango to Luganville.

He stresses the need for unity in Vanuatu — the kind of unity which enabled Vanuatu leaders to achieve the unity of the republic as was desired at Independence.

In other Vanuatu news: the government, municipality and police are determined to avoid the level of violence recently experienced in a Port Vila nightclub, including two tragic deaths.

Police are taking strong action against premises which do not follow their licensed requirements, copies of which must be produced on demand to the uniformed officers.

Patrons are required to carry identity papers showing date of birth.

As polling draws to a close in Papua New Guinea this weekend and with counting still underway, Pacific Media Watch looks back at the highs and lows of the country’s 2017 general election.

Feelings of “anticipation, excitement” first gripped Papua New Guinea as polling opened last month.

Auckland University of Technology doctoral candidate Stephanie Tapungu and her husband Kenneth told PMW’s weekly Southern Cross radio programme on 95bFM that rising female representation and online engagement were a source of hope.

The PNG Electoral Commission reports the number of female candidates standing in the two-week election beginning on June 24 comprised 165 of the total 3332 candidates.

The only province that did not register a female candidate is West New Britain.

Kenneth Tapungu told Southern Cross:

“There’s been a rise in women’s numbers, candidates, and this has in a way really changed the dynamic of the game itself and this has really challenged the existing status quo of elections and campaigns.”

But the anticipation and excitement was short-lived and quickly descended into condemnation of the state of the electoral common roll as thousands reported they had not been listed, despite registration, and also disruptions as reported a week later on PMW’s Southern Cross.

Ballot paper chaos
In Lae, students set fire to ballot papers in protest, while others at Unitech missed out on voting as only 1100 ballot papers arrived for a voting population of 5000.

Similar stories were echoed across Papua New Guinea as 4000 to 5000 students in Goroka were denied the chance to cast a ballot.

At the University of Papua New Guinea, voting again did not take place due to a lack of ballots.

Only 1200 ballot papers arrived from the Electoral Commission instead of the expected 5000.

Allegations of corruption, calls for resignations, and fears of a dictatorship soon emerged, even as Prime Minister O’Neill shrugged off polling chaos.

He told EMTV News the 2017 elections were a “dramatic change” from the previous three due an apparent lack of violence and no “hijacked” electoral process.

“I hear comment from election observers that delays like this are common in developing country elections, particularly with remote and rugged terrain and diverse cultures,” O’Neill said.

Fears of dictatorship
But O’Neill’s comments did nothing to dissuade Gary Juffa, Oro’s current governor and an opposition candidate in the elections, from expressing his fears Papua New Guinea was heading for a dictatorship.

“We are inching closer to dictatorship and ensuing bloodshed and violence that must come from the hostility towards it. But like lemmings and sheep, we are led to that reality with little resistance at all. Is this the Papua New Guinea we all believed in once upon a time?”

Juffa claimed the elections have been rigged – “deliberately set to fail” – due to fraud and issues at the polls.

Peter S. Kinjap reported for Asia Pacific Report that rival Ialibu candidates had also accused O’Neill of “rigging” the elections “from the start”.

The plethora of missing voter details across Papua New Guinea, despite concerted efforts made to update them, was further evidence of the country’s fall from democracy, Juffa said.

“This will mean that democracy certainly did not prevail in this instance. In fact, many will probably agree that come the end of these elections, democracy was hardly a reality everywhere in Papua New Guinea.”

PNG Attitude’s Keith Jackson said recent developments mean the international election observer team are “duty bound to investigate when reaching their conclusion on whether this election has been free and fair and provided a just result”.

Election disruptions, problems
Enga’s vote being deferred amid election disruptions and polling problems were some of the developments called to mind, he said.

Also amidst all of the chaos at the polls Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato told reporters he would not resign in his quest to ensure the general election is “run smoothly”.

A day after Gamato’s statement, four senior election officers were arrested for carrying K185,000 (NZD$80,000) in cash and suspicious documents, cancelling Port Moresby’s one-day polling.

There are also fears the elections could be deemed a failure, Kenneth Tapungu told Asia Pacific Report yesterday.

He says Prime Minister O’Neill voted in his village – Kauwo, in Pangia Southern Highlands province – on a Sunday, which contravenes the country’s constitution.

Stephanie Tapungu, whose countenance was positive as polling opened, now reflects:

“The elections were planned to be a failure from the start. It started out positive, but so much happened – from ballot boxes being lost and mix ups, to deferral of counting and polling, and the suspension of election managers. This election was just full of drama.”

By JV Arcena of InterAksyon in Manila

Saying the Philippines needs to wage the long, hard fight against terrorism but cannot do it at the expense of rejecting all that it believes in, the lone dissenter in the Supreme Court ruling upholding the legality of martial law in Mindanao turned to Twitter this week to explain his vote.

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said: “We all need to fight the long war against terrorism. This needs patience, community participation, precision and a sophisticated strategy that respects rights while at the same time using force decisively at the right time and in the right way.

“The terrorist wins when we suspend all that we believe in. The terrorist wins when we replace social justice with disempowering authoritarianism.”

The Maute Group and other extremists sowing mayhem in Marawi City should be known for what they, terrorists and not rebels with a definable cause, and therefore should be dealt with decisively by state forces – for which, he said, the military and security agencies were fully mandated and equipped to deal with. Martial law was not needed for this, Leonen said.

On Tuesday (July 4), the Supreme Court, voting 11-3-1, upheld the constitutionality of Proclamation 216 imposing martial law in Mindanao for 60 days, to allow the government to quell the Maute Group-led terrorists that laid siege to Marawi City.

Eleven justices upheld the proclamation; three upheld it, but wanted it limited only to Marawi; while one justice – Leonen – dissented.

Parts of Associate Justice Marvic Leonen’s dissenting opinion, as tweeted:
I honour the sacrifices of many by calling our enemy with their proper names: terrorists capable of committing atrocious acts. They are not rebels desirous of a viable political alternative that can be accepted by any of our societies. With their plans disrupted and with their bankrupt fanaticism for a nihilist apocalypse, they are reduced to a fighting force violently trying to escape. They are not a rebel group that can hope to achieve and hold any ground.

History teaches us that to rely on the iron fist of an authoritarian backed up by the police and the military to solve our deep-seated social problems that spawn terrorism is fallacy. The ghost of Marcos’ Martial Law lives within the words of our Constitution and rightly so. That ghost must be exorcised with passion by this Court whenever its resemblance reappears.

Never again should this court allow itself to step aside when the powerful invoke vague powers that feed on fear but could potentially undermine our most cherished rights. Never again should we fall victim to a false narrative that a vague declaration of martial law is good for us no matter the circumstances. We should have the courage to never again clothe authoritarianism in any disguise with the mantle of constitutionality.

We all need to fight the long war against terrorism. This needs patience, community participation, precision and a sophisticated strategy that respects rights while at the same time using force decisively at the right time and in the right way. The terrorist wins when we suspend all that we believe in. The terrorist wins when we replace social justice with disempowering authoritarianism.

We should temper our fears with reason. Otherwise, we succumb to the effects of the weapons of terror. We should dissent – even resist – when offered the farce that Martial Law is necessary because it is only an exclamation point.

For these reasons, I dissent.

Legal powers need
In my view, respondents have failed to show what additional legal powers will be added by Martial Law except perhaps to potentially put on the shoulders of the armed forces of the Philippines the responsibilities and burdens of the entire civilian government over the entire Mindanao region. I know that the Armed Forces of the Philippines to be more professional than this narrative.

With due respect to my colleagues, I cannot join them in their acceptance of the President’s categorisation of the events in Marawi as equivalent to the rebellion mentioned in Article VII Section 18. In conscience, I do not see the situation as providing for the kind of necessity for the imposition of Martial Law in Marawi as well as throughout the entire Philippines.

Rather, I read the situation as amounting to acts of terrorism which should be addressed in a decisive but more precise manner. The military can quell the violence. It can disrupt many of the planned atrocities that may yet to come. It can do so as it had on many occasions in the past with the current legal arsenal that it has.

The words we choose can have violent consequences.

Characterising or labeling events on the basis of the categories that law provides is quintessentially a legal act. It is not a power granted to the President alone even as commander-in-chief. It is the power wielded by this country’s judiciary with finality. Through that power entrusted to us by the sovereign Filipino people, we temper the potentials of force. We ensure the protection of rights which embed our societies values; the same values which the terrorist may want us to deny or destroy.

I acknowledge the hostilities in Marawi and the valiant efforts of our troops to quell the violence. I acknowledge the huge pain and sacrifice suffered by my many of our citizens as they bear the brunt of violent confrontations. I share the suffering of those who, in moments of callous reaction by members of a majority of our society influenced by a postcolonial culture of intolerance, have to live through the stigma of undeserved stereotypes. To be Muslim has never meant complicity with the misguided acts of fanatics who appropriate religion for irrational selfish ends.

We should dissent – even resist – when offered the farce that Martial Law is necessary because it is only an exclamation point.

#dissent

BACKGROUNDER: By Keith Jackson, publisher of PNG Attitude

Papua New Guinea has long luxuriated in the bright light of the soubriquet, “Land of the Unexpected’, but this 2017 general election has exceeded all of those unexpectations.

Here are some of the more recent developments that the unfortunates on the international election observer team (already once verballed into seemingly endorsing the poll) are duty bound to investigate when reaching their conclusion on whether this election has been free and fair and provided a just result.

Enga vote deferred amid new election disruptions (Peter Kinjap – Asia Pacific Report): Polling in Enga was deferred as the majority of candidates raised grievances and electoral roll problems again surfaced. All MPs except those loyal to Peter O’Neill’s government said election manager Anton Yamau “must not hold Enga people in ransom”.

Gamato must not declare Ialibu-Pangia first (Sir Mekere Morauta, Kerenga Kua, Patrick Pruaitch, Ben Micah and Sam Basil – Joint Media Statement): Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato must not further undermine the integrity of the national election by declaring Peter O’Neill’s Ialibu-Pangia seat ahead of other seats. Doing so would send a clear signal to Papua New Guineans that election manipulation is continuing with the aim of forming a PNC-led government. The declaration of Ialibu-Pangia first in the 2012 election undoubtedly gave an advantage to PNC candidates in seats where voting was continuing. There must not be a repeat.

Vital initiatives to be taken to improve electoral roll (Matthew Vari – PNG Post-Courier): Electoral Commissioner Gamato said negotiations would begin with a new PNG government to undergo the vital initiatives to improve the electoral roll. He said the Electoral Commission operated like any government institution with budgetary constraints. “We requested a higher allocation of funds than that which was provided to us, but we must now work within our financial limits. We will persevere and continue to manage this election, despite these challenges,” Gamato said.

PM removed police unit trying to stop election fraud (PNG Blogs): Peter O’Neill intervened in the election process in Pangia after he told Police Commissioner Gary Baki to remove a mobile police unit from Wabag where it was tasked in looking after ballot boxes for Pangia. The unit had a confrontation with one of the prime minister’s bodyguards after a polling official removed scrutineers who were not supporting the prime minister. The bodyguard made a call to the PM who demanded the unit be removed from Pangia.

Polling area at University of PNG campus in Port Moresby – University students’ names not on PNG electoral roll (Radio New Zealand International): Many University of Papua New Guinea students are among those denied a chance to vote in this year’s election. Student Gerald Tulu Manu-Peni said he made sure his name was on the roll in March, but found his name missing when he and others in the National Capital District went to vote last Friday. Manu-Peni said at least a couple thousand student voters missed out on voting. “Not only students at the university but all around the country this is the same problem going on, so it seems that there is really something wrong somewhere,” he explained.

Armed attack in Hela to destroy ballot boxes (Malum Nalu & James Gumuno – The National): Armed men have attempted to destroy ballot boxes stored in containers at Tari police station. Assistant Police Commissioner Kaiglo Ambane said candidates and their supporters armed with high-powered guns exchanged fire with members of the security task force guarding the boxes. The security forces held their ground, forcing the armed men to retreat after around 30 minutes of fighting. “There are no casualties from the security forces. I do not know about the candidates and their supporters,” he said.

Police commander seeks permission to arrest candidates (Helen Tarawa – The National): Northern police commander Chief Inspector Lincoln Gerari is seeking approval from Police Commissioner Gari Baki to arrest two candidates for alleged bribery and discharging a firearm in public. Gerari said only Baki could give approval for the arrest of candidates during the elections. He said there was a direction from Baki not to carry out any arrests until after polling.

PNG election ‘progressing well’ despite polling problems (Liam Fox – ABC): Elections are progressing well despite thousands of people being prevented from voting, electoral commissioner Patilias Gamato says. He said the election could not be declared a failure. But just over halfway into the two-week polling period, thousands of voters are crying foul after being told their names were not on the electoral roll. Others have been prevented from voting because of a lack of ballot papers at some polling booths. Despite the problems, Gamato said voting was “progressing well” and would be completed on time in most electorates.

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

As Pacific leaders gather in Fiji, civil society groups are urging them to take the strongest possible climate message to the world.

Leaders from Pacific small island developing states (P-SIDS), Australia and New Zealand have just concluded a two-day Climate Action Pacific Partnership (CAPP) event.

They considered efforts to tackle climate change in the region through the spirit of collaboration and partnership, including Pacific Islands’ key demands for the UNFCCC Conference of Parties in November, over which Fiji is presiding.

Yesterday’s afternoon talanoa session at CAPP, led by the Pacific Island Climate Action Network, introduced a proposal by which Pacific Islands could leave a powerful legacy within global climate governance.

Roderick Campbell, economist from the Australia Institute; Emele Duituturaga, executive director of Pacific Island Association of NGOs; and Ambassador Albon Ishoda, from the Marshall Islands government; discussed the environmental, social and economic benefits of an international moratorium on the development and expansion of fossil fuel extraction industries, and accelerating the transition to 100 percent renewable energy.

Campbell said: “We can’t address climate change while we are still planning for new coal mines and more oil and gas exploration. A world addressing climate change needs less fossil fuel not more.

“A moratorium on new coal mines makes economic sense as it supports workers in existing coal mines and facilitates a gradual transition of the economy. It ensures coal prices are higher, deterring demand and reducing emissions.

“The largest coal producer in the world – China – has already implemented a moratorium on new coal mines. Fiji has a chance to take such policies to the world at COP23.”

Looking for climate leadership
Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) coordinator Krishneil Narayan said the world was looking for climate leadership from Pacific Island nations.

“The truth is, for real climate action, the Pacific Islands need to influence global change. As custodians of the 2017 ‘Pacific COP’, and of the moral fight against climate change, it is time for us to recognise that our local action plans need to include increasing international diplomatic pressure, regardless of conflicted-interest of development finance,” Narayan said.

The talanoa session was attended by the leaders and representatives of Pacific islands governments, the civil society and the private sector.

The talanoa session recommended that a global dialogue on keeping the fossil fuels in the ground and just transitions to renewable and climate smart economies should be organised at COP23 under the high ambition Climate Action Agenda.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN) is a regional alliance of 55 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs), social movements and not-for-profit organisations from the Pacific islands region working on various aspects of climate change, disaster risk and response and sustainable development.

By Brandon Ulfsby in Apia

The Samoan Parliament confirmed today that Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II has been elected as the new Head of State.

His appointment was announced by Prime Minister Tuiaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

Tuimalealiifano will serve a term of five years with outgoing Head of State, Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi, expected to leave his position on July 27.

Tuiatua came into his position in 2007 and served for two terms – 10 years.

Tuimalealiifano holds one of the four Tama-a-Aiga paramount chiefly titles in Samoa – the others being Tupua Tamasese, Malietoa and Mata’afa.

Brandon Ulfsby is an Auckland University of Technology student journalist in his final year of the communication studies degree and who is currently on a Pacific Cooperation Foundation internship in Samoa.

By Peter S. Kinjap

Polling in Enga has been deferred until tomorrow as more disruptions have hit the Papua New Guinea general election.

The polling was due to go ahead yesterday but grievances being raised by the majority of open and regional candidates in Enga and electoral roll problems have sparked a delay.

Pre-counting in Enga has been disrupted in the provincial capital of Wabag following unfavorable responses to demands presented to the Election Manager Anton Yamau in a petition signed by majority of candidates — all except those loyal to the People’s National Congress (PNC) government led by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The mock counting should have commenced on Friday in Wabag. However, a protest march — led by the Opposition Leader and incumbent Kandep MP Don Pomb Polye — and demands by the opposition candidates forced a delay.

Opposition MPs said manager “must not hold Enga people in ransom” as he was running the people’s election in a bid to elect “good leaders”.

Loop PNG reports that Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said Western Highlands faced the same electoral roll issues and would also vote tomorrow.

Voters in Jiwaka continued poilling yesterday and the Southern Highlands also completed voting.

Simbu voters started polling late — at 2pm — yesterday due to a shortage of seals and packing materials.

By Rizky Andwika in Jakarta

Indonesia’s Coalition to Safeguard the National Human Rights Commission has conducted research on the track record of 60 National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) candidate members.

The results of the research found that there were indications that some candidates have been involved in cases of corruption, gratification, are affiliated with radical groups, or have committed sexual violence.

Although House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah from the Islamic based Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) was reluctant to comment on the 60 candidates, he has instead stated that Komnas HAM as a quasi-government institution is no longer needed.

Hamzah said that Komnas HAM, like the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was no longer needed and called for the two institutions to be dissolved.

“[What’s happened with] the Komnas HAM is like the KPK. There’s a trend, I believe, what’s happened is like this. These institutions are actually not needed anymore because basically the state has undergone a democratic consolidation and a strengthening of its institutions in terms of quality,” he said.

Hamzah said that it was reasonable to dissolve the Komnas HAM because no one was prepared to commit human rights violations anymore. Moreover, he believed that human rights matters could now be dealt with by the Ministry of Human Rights and Justice (Kemenkum HAM) through the Human Rights Directorate General (Dirjen HAM).

The politikus [lit: political rat] from West Nusa Tenggara is proposing that human rights matters be handled by the Dirjen HAM which should be converted into a new institution that is not under the authority of the Kemenkum HAM so that it is independent.

Management ‘increasingly disorderly’
“Currently if there are [human rights] violations you can hire law enforcement officials. Lawyers. In the end these institution’s activities are no longer relevant. Because the activities of these institutions are no longer relevant, in the end their internal management has also become increasingly disorderly,” he said.

Because of this therefore, Hamzah will submit a proposal to President Joko Widodo to dissolve the Komnas HAM, KPK and several other semi-government institutions. He cited 106 quasi-state institutions that should be dissolved.

“Of what use are they to us? They just waste money. Including the Komnas HAM, KPK,” he said.

“Because they function within the state. So they are referred to as state auxiliary agencies because basically these functions are part of the state but in the past because they were deemed ineffective, [the Komnas HAM and the KPK] were considered necessary.

“Now if their function is within the state then what’s the point of them? Just dissolve them.”

Currently, the Komnas HAM, which is in the process of selecting candidate members for the period 2017-2022, has reached the stage of selecting the 28 best candidates. Sixty or so candidates underwent a public screening on May 17-18.

The Coalition to Save Komnas HAM’s research into the track record of the 60 candidates covered indicators of their capacity, integrity, competence and independence.

Research results
The results of the research found that 19 candidates had a good level of competence, 23 candidates had a fair level of competence and five candidates needed a deeper understanding of human rights issues.

There were also five candidates that refused to provide information and seven candidates that failed to provide complete information.

“In terms of independence, 13 candidates were found to be affiliated with political parties, 13 were affiliated with industry or corporations and nine people had links with radical groups or organisations”, said Indonesian Human Rights and Legal Aid Association (PBHI) director Totok Yulianto at a press conference in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Monday.

According to Yulianto, if viewed in terms of capacity there were 11 candidates that had problems with cooperation issues, 16 candidates with communication issues, nine candidates with decision making issues, 12 candidates with performance issues and 12 candidates with problems in managerial principals.

“If viewed in terms of integrity five people were found to have links with corruption and or gratification issues, 11 people had issues with honesty, eight people were linked with sexual violence and 14 people had problems with the issue of religion”, he said. [noe]

Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the report was “Fahri Hamzah minta Komnas HAM & KPK dibubarkan karena tak berguna“.

By Rashneel Kumar in Avarua, Rarotonga

The Cook Islands is part of a 12-nation research project to comprehensively map Pacific Islands journalism culture at a time of immense political, economic, technological and cultural change.

Part of the baseline research project entitled “Study of journalists, journalism culture and climate change reporting in 12 University of the South Pacific (USP) member countries”, the Cook Islands leg was conducted last week.

The high-powered research team includes Professor Folker Hanusch (University of Vienna), Professor David Robie (director of the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland University of Technology) and Dr Baljeet Singh, a specialist in social and economic survey methods at USP.

The researchers envisage that the study will provide media companies, journalism academics and policy makers a deeper appreciation of the worldviews and changes taking place in the professional orientation of Pacific journalists.

Research team leader and project manager Dr Shailendra Singh, journalism coordinator at USP in Suva, Fiji, was in the Cook Islands last week collecting data relevant to the research.

He said the news media sector in the Cook Islands had been co-operative and responded strongly to the survey.

Dr Singh said that in his time in the Cook Islands he had noted how the national news media faced many challenges in terms of human and technological capacity, but at the same time it was fairly robust and resourceful.

Committed media sector
“The media sector is driven by some very committed and technologically adept individuals investing personal time and funds for sometimes very little return. They see it as a hobby, a calling and a labour of love,” said Dr Singh.

Journalism, considered to be a crucial pillar of any democracy, was changing radically throughout the world, said Dr Singh.

He said rapid technological advancements and other influences, such as social media and citizen journalism were transforming the role, functions and very meaning of journalism.

Pacific news media had not been spared, even if the changes may be occurring at a slower pace, added Dr Singh.

“In this climate, the USP research seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of journalists’ professional views in order to better understand Pacific journalists and journalism.”

Factors include the conditions under which journalists operate, the kinds of pressures they face and how they might deal with them, and the social functions of journalism in a changing world.

“Such research is crucial during a time of major upheavals taking place within the institution of journalism globally and the Pacific news sector cannot be left behind during this history-making period,” said Dr Singh.

So far Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu have been surveyed, with Fiji and Vanuatu to follow shortly.

Besides USP, the research has received funding from the United States Embassy in Suva (Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu); the Australian government-sponsored Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS), administered by Australian Broadcasting Corporation; and the Pacific Media Centre (Auckland University of Technology).

Rashneel Kumar is a Cook Islands News journalist and a graduate of the University of the South Pacific regional journalism programme.