By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/05/samoa-government-urged-at-un-to-address-declining-media-freedom/

Palestine Chronicle staff reporters

Israeli opposition leaders have called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to leave office following the sweeping Democratic victories in the US midterm elections, warning that his continued leadership threatened Israel’s international standing and relations with Washington.

Yair Golan, leader of the left-leaning Democrats party, said the results revealed “just how toxic Netanyahu is among both Democrats and Republicans,” Anadolu news agency reported.

Writing on X, Golan warned that Netanyahu’s continued tenure alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir could lead to “international sanctions, international isolation, and a clash with the US, our friend and most important ally”.

• READ MORE: Iran war live: Tehran lauds US election blowout; urges Trump to end assault
• PSNA ‘outraged’ over NZ suspension of UNRWA aid, calls for immediate restored funding
• Other Gaza genocide reports

He called for a government capable of restoring Israel’s international standing and pursuing long-term political and strategic arrangements.

Golan contrasted Netanyahu’s vision of a “Super Sparta,” which he described as “boycotted, backward, and isolated,” with his own preferred model of Israel.

“Netanyahu lost the elections. He is dangerous to Israel. We have no time to waste. We must form a government of change now,” he said.

Democrats lawmaker Gilad Kariv also rejected a Netanyahu-led unity government, accusing the prime minister of having “destroyed the relations with the Democratic Party and with half of the Republican Party.”

“He must not continue to lead the State of Israel,” Kariv said.

The calls came amid Israel’s own coalition deadlock. Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 Knesset seats, compared with 48 for Jewish opposition parties and 19 for Arab parties, leaving neither main bloc with the 61 seats needed for a majority.

JD Vance blamed Republicans’ midterm defeat on the Iran war, saying defecting Trump voters demanded changes to Washington’s relationship with Israel.

Key Takeaways

Vance said Republican losses primarily reflected voters switching parties rather than a failure to mobilize supporters.

Citing an unnamed pollster, he identified ending the Iran war and changing US-Israel relations among four leading demands from former Trump voters.

He rejected explanations centered on messaging or immigration policy, insisting that the electoral cost of the war must guide the party’s response.

https://t.co/DyGbD8RdQF

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 4, 2026

Israeli newspapers warn of congressional pressure
Israeli media described the Democratic capture of the House and Senate as a “blue tsunami”, warning of consequences for Israel during Trump’s remaining two years in office.

Israeli newspaper Maariv headlined its coverage: “Trump was not the only loser; election results raise deep concerns in Israel.”

The newspaper highlighted victories by progressive Democrats who oppose US military assistance to Israel and criticise its conduct in Gaza.

Among them was Troy Jackson, who defeated Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, an established supporter of Israel. According to Maariv, Jackson campaigned for ending US military assistance.

The newspaper said the results could increase pressure on Democratic leaders to change policy toward Israel ahead of the 2028 presidential election, while noting that the outcome did not guarantee an immediate policy shift.

Yedioth Ahronoth described a “humiliating defeat for Trump,” emphasising Democratic gains in Republican strongholds and the resulting constraints on his legislative agenda.

Israel Hayom focused on the implications for Israel’s relationship with Washington.

“With Republicans beginning to distance themselves from the president, Israel will find itself having to deal with a much more critical Congress,” the newspaper said, according to Anadolu.

It predicted that congressional committees could become platforms for pressure over US policies in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, while Iran, sanctions and regional agreements could generate further disputes.

Arms transfers face greater scrutiny
Israel Hayom also addressed Trump’s announcement that he had agreed with Netanyahu to end annual US assistance to Israel by the end of this year.

Trump did not explain how the decision would be implemented.

The newspaper stressed that arms sales would remain subject to congressional oversight even if Israel paid for them itself.

“An unfriendly Congress could raise the political cost of Trump’s support for Israel and obstruct initiatives requiring parliamentary cooperation,” it said.

Israel Hayom noted that the incoming House would include at least five members of the Democratic Socialists of America, including Darializa Avila Chevalier, who said that “ending military aid is not enough”.

The newspaper urged Israel to strengthen relationships across both US parties rather than rely exclusively on Trump.

Netanyahu-aligned Channel 14 similarly described the results as a “major blow to Trump and Israel”.

It warned that Democratic control of committees overseeing foreign affairs, defence and appropriations could increase scrutiny of arms deals and shipments, alongside pressure over military policy toward Iran.

The channel also highlighted Democrats’ ability to investigate the administration and block Senate confirmation of judges, ambassadors and senior officials.

Republished from The Palestine Chronicle with permission.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/04/toxic-netanyahu-israeli-opposition-calls-for-his-removal-after-us-midterms/

Asia Pacific Report

A leading New Zealand advocacy group for Palestine has demanded immediate reinstatement of NZ funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the face of a humanitarian crisis for food, education and healthcare in Gaza.

In a statement today, the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) said it was “outraged” that Foreign Minister Winston Peters had reportedly suspended New Zealand funding for UNRWA at a time when the Gaza crisis was sharply escalating.

Peters appears in a video for the pro-Israel lobby to make the announcement but has not issued any release for the New Zealand public.

• READ MORE: UN experts sound alarm over continuing devastation in Gaza, West Bank
• Other Gaza genocide reports

“Peters has apparently caved in to pressure from New Zealand’s pro-Israel lobby which has for years run an intensive, sustained disinformation campaign about UNRWA,” said PSNA spokesperson Rinad Tamimi.

The United Nations has just held a briefing on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza last week, underscoring the grave situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, warning that “genocide continues in Gaza”, while “crimes against humanity and war crimes” are being committed in the West Bank.

The briefings examined the immediate humanitarian and human rights consequences of the ongoing crisis in Gaza, one year after the ceasefire entered into force, as well as the escalating violence linked to Israel’s unlawful occupation.

Briefers warned that the “destruction of truth” had become part of the “destruction of a people” and that Palestinians were being deprived of hope and dreams for the future.

Peters ‘betrays NZ values’
“So, while Israel continues its genocide in Gaza, Peters betrays New Zealand values in the most sick and cynical way,” Tamimi said.

“Peters wants the minority votes of the pro-Israel lobby and has gone out of his way to pander to these most racist, reactionary parts of our community.”

New Zealand faces a general election on Saturday with New Zealand’s coalition government’s policies on the Palestine genocide under scrutiny.

“Peters hopes this will pass unnoticed by New Zealanders at large but he knows it will spread widely within the pro-Israel lobby before most people cast their votes,” Tamimi said.

UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organisation for Palestinian refugees and has incomparable expertise and resources to help Palestinians in Gaza, the PSNA statement said.

It has frequently been cited by New Zealand Foreign Affairs officials as the most important and crucial aid agency for Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Exploited suffering
“Israel hates it because it holds the key to UN recognition of Palestinian refugees forced out of Palestine in the 1948 Nakba. Israel will play Winston Peters with the most outrageous horror stories about UNRWA, because Peters wants to believe them,” Tamimi said.

“Peters is also happy to use the suffering of Palestinians because he believes it will bolster his electoral chances.

“We want to see the Prime Minister override Peters immediately and reinstate and triple funding to the UNRWA to meet the desperate Palestinian needs,” Tamimi said.

New Zealand had been previously making its annual payment of $1 million to UNRWA as scheduled.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/04/psna-outraged-over-nz-suspension-of-unrwa-aid-calls-for-immediate-restored-funding/

By Anish Chand in Suva

Prominent Suva lawyer Richard Naidu says removing immunity provisions for coup perpetrators from Fiji’s Constitution may not necessarily result in prosecutions or legal action against those responsible for past coups.

Naidu says much of the current debate surrounding constitutional immunity has been dominated by rhetoric rather than a realistic assessment of its legal implications.

“There seems to be lots of earnest talk about constitutional immunity for coup perpetrators and whether it should be a feature of our Constitution, or deleted, etc,” he said.

• READ MORE: Other Fiji constitution reports

“And, as usual, there’s a lot of rhetoric but not much realism.”

Naidu explained that immunity clauses protect coup perpetrators from criminal prosecution and civil claims arising from their past actions, but do not protect those who might stage coups in the future.

He said removing such provisions could potentially expose Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama to criminal complaints over their roles in past coups.

However, he stressed that any decision to investigate or prosecute would rest with constitutionally independent institutions, including the Fiji Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Significant legal hurdles
“The DPP — also an independent decision-maker — would have to decide if it was in the public interest to prosecute them,” he said.

“Or they may decide — for what may be good reasons, including the long passage of time — to do nothing at all.”

Naidu said civil claims would also face significant legal hurdles because the usual limitation period for such actions was six years, or three years in some cases.

“So there is a good chance that if you deleted the immunity clause from the next constitution, nothing very much would happen,” he said.

He also questioned whether removing immunity provisions would deter future military takeovers, pointing out that those planning coups already faced serious criminal consequences, including treason charges.

“If you are planning to overthrow the government with guns, you already risk going to jail for the crime of treason — ask George Speight,” he said.

Naidu argued that successful coup perpetrators could simply replace the Constitution they had breached and introduce new immunity provisions protecting themselves.

Anish Chand is a senior Fiji Times journalist. Republished with permission.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/03/removing-fiji-coup-immunity-may-change-little-says-lawyer-naidu/

RNZ Pacific reporters

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/03/former-coup-leader-george-speight-wins-oceania-powerlifting-gold-for-fiji/

By Kaya Selby of RNZ Pacific

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/03/republicans-make-electoral-gains-across-us-pacific-territories/

COMMENTARY: By Kasun Ubayasiri

On this United Nations-designated International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA) stands in solidarity with journalists and media workers around the world who face intimidation, harassment, violence, imprisonment and death for doing their jobs.

We maintain that targeting journalists is an attack not only on individual journalists and their families, but also on the public’s inalienable human right to information and freedom of expression, which underpins the foundations of democratic society.

When journalists are silenced through violence and intimidation, the stories they tell, the abuses they expose, and the questions they ask are silenced with them.

• READ MORE: UN puts media giants on notice over Gaza as journalists’ death toll spirals
• Al Jazeera – its vital place in the global media landscape is more important than ever
• Improvements in Pacific media freedom, but a shameful silence on Gaza ‘death trap’
• Other media freedom reports

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2565 journalists and media workers have been killed since 1992. Of these, 1053 have been deliberately targeted and murdered for their work; 842 of these murders have not received justice.

The scale of such impunity remains deeply concerning, and its further erosions deeply troubling. The global UNESCO impunity rate for journalist killings has risen to a staggering 86 percent. Almost six out of seven killings remain judicially unresolved.

Journalists working in conflict zones continue to be particularly vulnerable, and the use of drones in targeting and killing journalists has added a particularly alarming dimension to conflict reporting.

In 2024-25 UNESCO reported 50 journalists had been killed in drone attacks across six war zones. Journalists in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon, and Sudan speak of horrendous accounts of how drones have stalked and killed their colleagues.

Gaza deadliest conflict
The war on Gaza, now widely acknowledged as the deadliest conflict for journalists in recorded history, continues to exert a heavy toll. The Cost of War report published by Brown University’s Watson Institute in April 2025, stated that Gaza had been turned into a “news graveyard”.

In her July 2026 Truth Under the Rubble report, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese describes the assault on Palestinian journalism as “mediacide” — the systematic destruction of the media’s public function.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the Israeli military has been responsible for approximately two-thirds of all journalist and media worker deaths worldwide since October 2023, with killings documented in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iran.

We acknowledge that impunity is not confined to armed conflict. Journalists investigating corruption, organised crime and abuses of political and corporate power also face threats, physical attacks, legal harassment and assassination.

The UN Secretary-Generals’ August 2025 report cites UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists figures stating “44 journalists covering environmental issues were killed over the past 15 years”. The same report notes “UNESCO and the International Federation of Journalists have recorded 353 physical attacks against environmental journalists between 2009 and 2023”.

We further acknowledge that female journalists are disproportionately exposed to gender-based threats, online abuse, sexualised harassment and doxxing. The International Center for Journalists’ 2020 The Chilling shows 73 percent of respondents had experienced online violence in the course of their work, with 25 percent reporting threats of physical violence and 18 percent threats of sexual violence.

The 2026 Tipping Point report found that 45 percent of women journalists and media workers surveyed had self-censored on social media, while 22 percent had self-censored in their professional work because of online violence. These findings demonstrate that the impact of such threats extends beyond the psychosocial harm experienced by individual journalists, compromising their capacity to undertake independent public-interest reporting, which ultimately restricts the public’s access to information.

Importance of education
As an association representing journalism educators and researchers, JERAA also recognises the importance of education in sustaining a culture that respects press freedom and the safety of journalists. We maintain that press freedom begins with robust journalism education that equips future journalists to understand the value of fearless reporting, to uphold professional ethics and protect sources, and to recognise the importance of solidarity and collective action when colleagues are targeted.

We call on Australian universities to invest in journalism education and acknowledge the important role journalism educators play in challenging the normalisation of violence against journalists, defending the principles of independent public-interest journalism, and building resilience in future journalists.

JERAA emphasises that protecting journalists requires more than condemning attacks after they occur. We call on governments, media organisations, civil society and the international community to ensure crimes against journalists are investigated, perpetrators are held accountable and journalists can report freely and safely, without fear of violence or retribution.

We support the International Federation of Journalists’ (IFJ) call for a for a binding International Convention on the Safety and Independence of Journalists and other Media Professionals, and urge the Australian government to support such a convention in the international theatre.

Dr Kasun Ubayasiri is vice-president (networks) of the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA). This article was first published by JERAA to mark International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists on 2 November 2026.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/03/journalism-cannot-survive-where-attacks-on-journalists-go-unpunished/

By Nuevaterra Mambor in Jayapura

The families of three residents shot in Nduga Regency, Highland Papua Province, last month have asked the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) to oversee the investigation into the incident, which left two people dead and one injured.

Papua Legal Aid Institute lawyer Imanus Komba said the organisation had also called on law enforcement authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the shooting.

“We have received legal authorisation from the victims’ families to provide assistance and oversee this alleged human rights violation case,” Komba said.

• READ MORE: Nduga human rights violations reports
• Other West Papua reports

He made the statement at a press conference attended by the victims’ families, students and humanitarian activists at the LBH Papua office in Kamkey, Abepura District, Jayapura, Papua Province, yesterday.

The shooting occurred in Yosoma Village, Kenyam District, Nduga Regency on October 23. The alleged perpetrators were members of the Rajawali VI Task Force, Den 1, under the Habema Joint Operations Command (Koops Habema).

The two people killed were Masut Serera, 27, an official of Giliga Village, Gearek District, and Kelikia Karebea, 14, a student.

The third victim, Kabera Karebea, 20, is receiving intensive medical treatment at a hospital in Timika, Mimika Regency, Central Papua Province.

Victims’ families account
According to Komba, based on an account provided by the victims’ families to LBH Papua, the shooting occurred about 7 am Papua Time along the Trans Batas Batu–Kenyam Road in Nduga.

Before the shooting, military personnel reportedly flew a drone over the area from about 6 am. Approximately 15 minutes later, several members of the Habema Joint Operations Command arrived in three armoured vehicles and another vehicle.

“Two additional vehicles reportedly entered the residential area,” he said.

Komba said the families maintained that the three victims were civilians from Giliga Village, Gearek District, and not members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB-OPM), as alleged by security forces.

He said Masut Serera died from gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen after being hit by four bullets.

Kelikia Karebea also died from gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, while Kabera Karebea sustained a gunshot wound to his right arm.

“According to the families, when three military vehicles arrived at the victims’ home, the three men tried to flee.

Indonesian military attack
“However, TNI and police personnel then launched an attack and opened fire. Inside the house, there was a woman holding her baby. They were later surrounded and taken to a military post, but were released that night,” he said.

Komba said LBH Papua believed that the incident involved alleged human rights violations by state security personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police.

“Security forces have claimed there was an exchange of fire with an armed group. However, the victims’ families say they were unarmed civilians who were inside their homes,” he said.

Family representative Yunius Serera also said the three victims were civilians with no links to any armed group.

He said the victims had attempted to escape when security personnel arrived but were immediately shot.

“Our family’s hope is that the personnel responsible for the shooting are held accountable, prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and removed from their positions,” Yunius said.

He also questioned reports of an exchange of fire and allegations that an armed group was involved in the incident.

Belongings seized
Yunius said the victims’ belongings had also been seized during the incident. The family called for all actions taken by security personnel to be thoroughly investigated.

The families also called on Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to order the withdrawal of non-organic TNI troops from Nduga Regency.

They said the presence of large numbers of security personnel in the region had created fear and trauma among residents, disrupting their daily activities, including their ability to find food.

“Prabowo is a major criminal leading this country, which is why so many human rights violations are happening on this land,” he said.

The government, customary leaders, religious leaders and intellectuals were also urged to pay attention to the situation facing Nduga residents.

“I also ask security personnel to verify people’s identities and status before carrying out operations in the field. They must not simply open fire,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nduga students studying in Jayapura called on President Prabowo and several state institutions to immediately investigate the shooting and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Student demands
Student representative Amanus Heluka said they had also submitted similar demands to TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, and the Minister of Human Rights.

“We demand that President Prabowo ensure this case is thoroughly investigated and brought before the courts. The victims’ families must receive genuine justice,” Heluka said.

The students also presented 11 demands, including:

• The withdrawal of both organic and non-organic military personnel from Nduga Regency, particularly non-organic troops deployed in the region;
• A public and thorough investigation by the commander who led the operation during the shooting of civilians;
• The Nduga Regent and the Chair of the Nduga Regional House of Representatives (DPRK) to take responsibility and oversee the resolution of the case;
• The Nduga Regency administration and all 25 members of the Nduga DPRK to facilitate an investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM);
• Komnas HAM to immediately establish an investigation team and follow up on the alleged serious human rights violations;
• Recognition that the area stretching from Wamena District to Kenyam District, the capital of Nduga Regency, is a refuge area, and that TNI and police personnel must not attack civilians there;
• The Minister of Law and Human Rights to handle the case seriously. The students warned that they would halt government activities if Komnas HAM failed to resolve the case promptly; and
• Security personnel stationed at the Yosoma post to retract their statements identifying the victims as TPNPB members and acknowledge that they were civilians.

Against ‘causing fear’
Urijanti Wasiangge, representing Nduga women, said she did not want future generations to inherit fear caused by conflict and violence.

She called on all parties to thoroughly investigate alleged human rights violations in Nduga and other regencies across Papua.

She said the suffering of communities, bloodshed and grief experienced by victims’ families must not go unanswered, and those responsible for violence against civilians must be held accountable.

“I do not want the bloodshed and our tears to end here. I demand accountability and answers for what happened,” Wasiangge said.

She also urged President Prabowo to stop the deployment and reinforcement of military personnel in Papua, particularly in Nduga Regency.

“President Prabowo Subianto, please stop the deployment and reinforcement of military personnel in Papua Province, especially in Nduga Regency,” she said.

Nuevaterra Mambor is a journalist for the West Papuan news platform Jubi. This article was first published by Jubi’s English language edition West Papua Daily, and is republished with permission.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/03/nduga-shooting-victims-families-ask-papua-legal-aid-institute-to-oversee-investigation/

By Johnny Blades of RNZ Pacific

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/02/fiji-military-chief-urges-accountability-to-the-people-amid-coup-immunity-debate/

COMMENTARY: By Mohamed Hassan

From the moment I first became conscious of my identity as an Arab, Al Jazeera was in the background.

It was as vital to my upbringing as SpaceToon, Captain Majid and Ramadan soap operas, a familiar presence on the TV sets of every family gathering, every diaspora grocery store and barbershop, almost always on silent unless something big was happening.

Being from this part of the world meant something big could happen at any moment, and we grew up mistrusting state media channels as well as Western outlets, but remaining informed felt like a responsibility. It felt like survival.

• READ MORE: Al Jazeera marks 30 years of transforming news in Middle East and beyond
• Tel Aviv court extends Al Jazeera ban by 90 days
• There’s a ‘New Middle East’, but not the one Israel planned — Pinch Point
• Other Al Jazeera reports

And there was consistently one channel that felt as close to the truth as we could get. The only one challenging the narrative. Asking difficult questions. Refusing to look away.

When protests erupted in Tahir Square on January 25, 2011, a few minutes away from my grandmother’s house, there was only one network broadcasting the news. The reporters were young Egyptians, like me. Their accents sounded like mine.

The region they spoke about felt like home, not an orientalist fantasy of one. State media meanwhile showed rolling images of the Nile as if history wasn’t taking place metres away.

From that moment on, there was no doubt in my mind what I wanted to do with my career, and where I would one day hope to work.

As I mark my first year as a senior producer with the brilliant Al Jazeera English team here in Doha, the network is celebrating its biggest milestone — 30 years on air!

Its place in the global media landscape is more important than ever, and the trust it’s won with Arab and non-Arab audiences is rare in a world where people feel betrayed by the news. So here’s to another generation shaped by its coverage, and to a region getting to speak for itself and on its own terms.

Happy anniversary Al Jazeera.

Mohamed Hassan is a senior producer and presenter with Al Jazeera’s digital team. He is also an Aotearoa New Zealand author, podcaster and poet from Auckland and Cairo. This commentary was first published as a social media post.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/02/al-jazeera-its-vital-place-in-the-global-media-landscape-is-more-important-than-ever/

By Coco Lance of RNZ Pacific

Aotearoa New Zealand will decide its next government on Saturday, November 7. But for many voters, the choice comes down to one thing: who can deliver the change they are looking for?

“I want to see change in housing. I want to see change in employment, and healthcare.”

Like many of his young Pacific counterparts, those are the main issues for 22-year-old Saili Ah Maan when he heads to the polls this week.

• READ MORE: Other NZ election reports

At the same time, Ah Maan is also concerned by the growing number of New Zealanders moving overseas, alongside a daunting unemployment crisis.

In 2025 alone, more than 28,500 New Zealand citizens left for Australia.

In the June 2026 quarter, more than 171,000 New Zealanders were unemployed and youth unemployment had reached its highest level in more than 30 years.

“Everyone’s moving to Australia, and that’s the talk right now, is why are our greatest talents going overseas,” Ah Maan said.

“We’re all trying to look for jobs here, and obviously there’s not much, and then it’s hard for small businesses to create opportunities for us to be able to work.

“I think for young people, we want answers. We want to know if our vote obviously counts. We want to know if our leaders will actually do what they say.”

Key concerns for Melesaini Elite are things like putting kai on the table, petrol in the car, and making sure sick whānau are looked after adequately.

Elite, a social and healthcare worker, said he wants to see Pasifika communities better supported with the basics.

“Cost of living is the big one and healthcare support,” Elite said.

“I live with a disabled female who can’t really do things on her own. She’s pretty much bedridden, and [there’s] just a lack of support that we’ve been getting.

“We have tried to get more caretakers to come in, but then it goes back to [the issue that] there’s not much caretakers at all because there’s a loss of jobs.”

Marsha Daji, a mother of six, is worried about how her whānau will hold up in the future.

“I’m just really worried for them because they’re trying to raise children, buy their own homes,” Daji said.

“It’s just ridiculous the prices that they’re having to pay just to get into a house, even a rented house, let alone the food and getting to and fro from work.

“I don’t think any of the parties have actually come up with a really good solution for that, and that’s the big worry for me.”

So, how can things change?

‘We want to help ourselves’, says Vasa Fia Collins
Vasa Fia Collins, the widow of former Green Party MP Fa’anānā Efeso Collins, told RNZ Pacific that everyday Pasifika in Aotearoa are working incredibly hard to “make ends meet”.

“Our people are working hard. We’re not lazy. and we don’t want handouts. We want to help ourselves, but it’s about creating the conditions for us to thrive,” Collins said.

However, Collins is questioning whether political parties are doing enough to understand those pressures.

“All of us are sick and tired of the rhetoric. Also, sick and tired of our votes being taken for granted.”

It is an issue she believes has likely contributed to political disengagement across some Pasifika communities.

“Our people are the most over-consulted people in the country, and so we’re sick and tired of having to tell our stories and explain ourselves over and over again, we want action,” Collins said.

“We want people of substance in that House who are going to represent us fairly.”

‘Still operating in colonial spaces’
In the just-finished term of Parliament, the vast majority of Pasifika MPs have been in the Opposition, meaning they are significantly limited in what they can achieve compared to those in government.

But Collins points out there is also too much focus on Pacific politicians being the ones responsible for alleviating all the concerns of their communities, given the challenges of navigating Parliament and all its quirks and complexities.

“I do think it’s relatively unfair to put that all on the shoulders of Pacific candidates,” Collins said.

“These spaces are still colonial, and the thing that we have to understand is we’re still operating in very colonial spaces, and so to any Pacific candidate who’s been brave enough to put their hand up to be part of the election, I still take my hat off because it’s not an easy thing to do.”

‘They come every year asking for our vote’, says Hana Schmidt
Hana Matauaina Vaai Schmidt is host of the popular Pacific podcast Breaking Waves, and a strong Pasifika community voice.

She agreed with community concerns around what issues are the most pressing.

“Mostly cost of living, affordability, groceries, renting. The second would be opportunities into work. A lot of people can’t find jobs,” Schmidt said.

But alongside those bread-and-butter issues, Schmidt said that Pasifika voters are increasingly questioning what political representation is genuinely delivering for Pacific communities.

“I think the third would be trusting politicians or supporting politicians who support us,” she said.

“For a long time the narrative has been ‘we need more representation’ in Parliament, but I think that is now shifting to keeping the MPs that we have supported [and] accountable.”

Schmidt pointed out that during election periods, politicians are visiting many Pasifika communities, but tangible delivery of policies doesn’t always match the rhetoric on the campaign trail.

“Politicians only listen when it’s very late in the journey of getting somewhere,” she said.

“But how useful are they when they get their seat? They come every year asking for our votes. But is there a good return on investment for supporting them?”

Given enrolment rates in areas where Pacific people primarily live remain lower than the general population, Schmidt added that political parties and MPs need to do more to explain why politics is relevant to Pacific people’s everyday lives.

“That translation hasn’t been bridged yet,” she said.

“Politics literally affects everyone.”

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/02/our-people-dont-want-handouts-pasifika-voters-seek-action-on-bread-and-butter-issues/

By Kelvin Anthony of RNZ Pacific

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/02/fiji-pm-rabuka-delays-vote-on-constitution-bill-after-mounting-pressure/

By Kelvin Anthony of RNZ Pacific

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/01/fiji-pm-rabuka-under-pressure-ahead-of-crucial-vote-on-constitutional-reform/

Asia Pacific Report

A prominent Palestinian advocate has praised a new book launched last week investigating the history, human consequences and international failures over Israel’s three-year genocide in Gaza and beyond.

“At a time when truth, justice, and accountability matter more than ever, documenting these events and preserving the stories of those affected is essential,” said Maher Nazzal, chair of the Palestine Forum of New Zealand.

Speaking at the launch of Gaza: Anatomy of a Genocide, Nazzal thanked New Zealand author Peter Macky for his research and work in producing the timely book.

• READ MORE: Iran vows ‘no limitations’ if US-Israel return to war
• UN puts media giants on notice over Gaza as journalists’ death toll spirals
• ‘Ungrounding’ – Eyal Weizman on Gaza genocide and Israel’s ‘architecture of control’
• Other Gaza genocide reports

“We remember. We bear witness. We demand justice,” Nazzal said.

Macky’s Gaza examines the destruction of Gaza and the political and historical forces behind it.

The book traces the conflict through the history of Palestinian dispossession, occupation and blockade, before examining the genocidal events following 7 October 2023.

It investigates the destruction of civilian infrastructure, the treatment of prisoners, the killing of journalists and humanitarian workers, and the role of political leaders and international institutions.

Historical conditions
Macky argues that Gaza’s devastation could not be understood as an isolated episode. His account examines the historical conditions, military decisions and international responses that shaped the catastrophe.

The book also addresses the legal and political controversy surrounding the term genocide, drawing on international law, human rights reporting and the evidence discussed throughout the work.

Macky, who has published several books, describes this as the work he is most proud of.

His engagement with Palestine and Israel extends over many years and includes his earlier book Six Days in the Holy Land published in 2009.

Gaza: Anatomy of a Genocide is published by Steele Roberts Aotearoa. It carries an endorsement from Michael Neill, emeritus professor of English at the University of Auckland, who also spoke at the launch.

“I admire this book enormously — its energy, its intelligence, its meticulous research, and its careful concern for history. I know of nothing like it,” Neill wrote.

The book invites readers to confront difficult questions about the destruction of civilian society, the meaning of accountability and the responsibilities of governments and individuals when confronted with mass suffering.

Truth ‘under the rubble’
Ironically, the book has been launched in the same week as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, launched her devastating Truth under the rubble: media in the time of genocide report critiquing mainstream media’s role in “normalising” the genocide.

She adopted the term “mediacide” to describe the sanitising process.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/01/nz-author-praised-over-new-book-bearing-witness-to-gaza-genocide/

By Repeka Nasiko in Suva

Republic of the Fiji Military Forces Commander Major-General Ro Jone Kalouniwai has called for a Truth, Accountability and Reconciliation Commission to replace the immunity clause in the Constitution.

Presenting before the Parliamentary Special Committee reviewing the Constitution Amendment Bill in Suva yesterday, Major-General Kalouniwai reaffirmed the RFMF’s position that it existed to serve the people and never to rule them.

In his submission, the RFMF pledged to remain neutral throughout any referendum, future elections, to respect the will of the people and continue supporting communities in times of need.

• READ MORE: Other Fiji Constitution reports

According to a Parliament statement, the RFMF took no position on the proposed referendum or any political party and encouraged the retention of key constitutional provisions, including civilian oversight of the military and the restoration of the Ombudsman, while recommending stronger protections for voting rights, human rights, the judiciary, anti-corruption institutions, children and people with disabilities.

Major-General Kalouniwai’s submission concluded with a call for reconciliation, equality before the law, and constitutional reforms that strengthen democracy and ensure that all citizens stand equal under one law.

• Fiji has endured four coups since becoming independent in 1970 after being a British colony for 96 years — two in 1987, one in 2000, and again in 2006 — and a reputation for “coup culture”.

Repeka Nasiko is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

Original source: https://analysis1.mil-osi.com/2026/11/01/fiji-military-seeks-end-to-constitutional-immunity-pledges-neutrality/