New Zealand police have moved to start clearing up the roads near Parliament in the capital Wellington, where protesters have clogged the roads with vehicles for more than a week.

But there has also been a significant increase in illegally parked vehicles in the area.

Some streets around Parliament could not be used since people protesting against covid-19 vaccine mandates clogged the roads with their vehicles, with public transport in the capital also having to be re-routed.

On Thursday, police estimated more than 400 cars, vans and campervans were ensconced in several streets alongside Parliament and today that estimate grew to 800.

The protest, which began on February 8, drew a crowd of more than 1000 people today.

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said they were expecting more people to turn up to the protest over the weekend, and that they would implement a traffic management plan.

Despite police previously warning protesters to move their vehicles or face towing, they did not end up acting on the ultimatum, fearing an escalation.

Tow trucks relocating vehicles
But on Saturday afternoon, tow trucks were seen relocating illegally parked cars near Wellington railway station.

In a statement, police said there was an increase of people attending the protest today, as was anticipated.

“Police cleared illegally parked vehicles on Thorndon Quay today — 15 were moved by protesters after police spoke with them and two were towed.

“Police are also noting the registration of vehicles currently impeding traffic for follow up enforcement action, and structures such as tents and marquees are being removed from any site that does not form part of the main protest area.”

The cars were parked in the median strip in the middle of the road, and appear to be relocated to the side of the road.

Over a dozen police cleared traffic in the area and directed pedestrians to move away, when a small crowd began to gather.

Further up the road, traffic cones with “no parking” signs have been laid down on the curb of Bowen Street, where many cars remain illegally parked.

Sky Stadium at capacity
Police said the parking facility at Sky Stadium was at capacity, after they had previously encouraged protesters to move their vehicles there.

But they said they had “serious concerns” about health and safety as a concert at the protest site has been planned.

“We continue to maintain a highly visible, reassurance presence on site, and staff are engaging with the public and protesters to provide advice and, where necessary, take enforcement action.”

Police said they have attended at least six medical events within the protest and continued to urge anyone parked unlawfully to remove their vehicle to allow emergency services access.

Business and community leaders have been calling for an end to the blockade, saying it was adding stress to nearby residents and users.

Meanwhile, Marlborough Mayor John Leggett said protesters in Picton had made it clear they would not be moving until their counterparts in Wellington do.

Leggett said the council had been in contact with leaders of the action in Nelson Square, who had made their position clear.

He said the Picton occupiers were linked to the Wellington anti-mandate protest.

“To put it the other way, if Wellington [protest] is resolved, we will get a resolution here, a peaceful resolution, and they’ve made it very clear that their occupation is linked entirely to what’s happening in Wellington so there needs to be some way of resolving the Wellington situation.”

Police today said they were also maintaining a presence at that protest, as well as another one in Christchurch.

1901 new community cases – down slightly
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health reported that the number of new daily community cases of covid-19 has fallen slightly from yesterday’s record, with 1901 new cases today.

There were also 14 cases identified at the border, including five historical cases.

There was a record 1929 community cases reported yesterday.

There have now been 28,360 cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand since the pandemic began.

The ministry said there are 76 people in hospital with the coronavirus. None are in ICU.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Protesting students have held demonstrations in several cities around Indonesia to mark seven years of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration, reports CNN Indonesia.

The protests came as President Widodo left Jakarta to officiate at the opening of a palm oil processing factory owned by the PT Jhonlin Group in South Kalimantan.

The largest demonstration was held in Jakarta on Thursday where protesters led by the National Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM SI) marched from the National Library to the State Palace in Central Jakarta.

The protesters were stopped at the Horse Statue because of a police blockade. However, there was no physical confrontation and the student took turns in giving speeches in front of the police blockade.

“Today, we are not here for existence, but to bring a clear substance,” said Boy, a representative from the Tanjung Karang Polytechnic during the action near the Horse Statue.

The demonstrators read out 12 demands after being prevented from approaching the State Palace.

One of the demands was that a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) be issued to annul the revisions to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law.

A similar action was also held in the South Sulawesi provincial capital of Makassar.

The difference was that the students in Makassar blockaded Jalan Sultan Alauddin street, detained two trucks and set fire to used tyres.

The field coordinator of the student action in Makassar, Razak Usman, criticised the government’s alleged bias in development and demanded that President Widodo make pro-people policies.

“We demand the upholding of legal supremacy, reject amendments to the constitution, reject the Omnibus Law, want Law Number 19/2019 revoked, reject simultaneous regional elections, reject the removal of fuel subsidies and urge Jokowi to resolve the handling of Covid-19,” said Usman.

Students in the Central Java provincial capital of Semarang held a long-march from the Old City area to the office of the Central Java Governor, Ganjar Pranowo.

Upon arriving at the governor’s office they took turns in giving speeches. A number of different issues were taken up, including resolving past human rights violations, the Omnibus Law on Job Creation and the weakening of the KPK.

“What has resulted from Jokowi so far? Where are his promises?,” asked action coordinator Fajar Sodiq.

“Resolving past human rights violations are not heard, the Omnibus Law oppresses the ordinary people, and now we are witnessing efforts to weaken the KPK. Where [are the results of] Jokowi’s work?”

As the students were protesting, President Widodo was visiting South Kalimantan where he officiated at the opening of a biodiesel factory, a bridge and monitored covid-19 vaccinations.

The biodiesel factory, which is located in Tanah Bumbu, is managed by the PT Jhonlin Group owned by Samsudin Andi Arsyad alias Haji Isam.

President Widodo said he appreciated the processing of palm oil into biodiesel and said he hoped that other countries would follow Jhonlin’s example in processing palm oil into biofuel.

“Downstreaming, industrialisation, must be done and we must force ourselves to do it. Because of this, I greatly respect what is being done by the PT Jhonlin Group in building a biodiesel factory”, said Widodo.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia has published a damning new report about Indonesia’s palm oil industry and the devastation of rainforests.

Translated by James Balowski for Indoleft News. The original title of the article was “Demo di Sejumlah Kota, Jokowi Resmikan Pabrik di Kalsel”.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

The reality is that we now live under an Indonesian ruler who is anti-democratic, anti-justice, anti-freedom, anti-peace, anti-equality and anti-humanity. This is the real reflection of the face of the colonial rulers of Indonesia.

The Indonesian rulers have lost their conscience, common sense, and have no creativity or innovation because it is has now been proven that the approach of using violence through the state apparatus is their way to solve the problems of injustice and crimes against humanity in Papua.

The state itself has created a stalemate and is now creating new problems that are increasingly complicated and spiralling out of control.

The incident which took place on August 16, 2021, when Rev Dr Benny Giay, chair of the Kingmi Synod in Papua and also moderator of the West Papua Council of Churches (WPCC) was refused entry to the Papuan People’s Representative building is a very embarrassing incident for the Indonesian police.

Is this the face of the Indonesian police — they blockaded a church leader who wanted to pray at the office of the Papuan People’s Representatives and also the blockaded a peaceful demonstration of the Papuan people?

The breaking up of the West Papuan National Committee (KNPB) demonstration to demand the release of Victor Yeimo in Jayapura and in Yahukimo on August 16, 2021, which reportedly killed one person, shows that the police are not only unprofessional and uneducated, but that they are also violent and criminal.

This kind of cruelty and violence by the security forces has led to an increase in the Papuan people’s distrust of Indonesia.

I strongly condemn the security forces in Yahukimo who killed one person in Yahukimo and wounded the chairman of KNPB, Agus Kossay, and several KNPB members in Jayapura.

Ita Wakhu Purom, Monday, August 16, 2021. Reverend Dr Socratez S.Yoman, MA, is president of the Alliance of West Papuan Baptist Churches.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

By Michael Andrew

Cuba will develop relationships with Pacific countries despite pressure from the United States, says a visiting advocate.

On a tour of New Zealand, Leima Martinez Freire, Asia Pacific director of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) said Cuba was in a position to offer support to Pacific nations.

The Latin American country currently provides medical aid, doctors and training programmes to Kiribati, Vanuatu and others through bilateral agreements.

READ MORE: Sope praises Fidel Castro over Cuban backing of Vanuatu independence

Leima Freire … New Zealanders should read more Cuban writers, journalists and bloggers. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

However, Freire told Asia Pacific Report this week that the US was attempting to dictate how these countries engaged with Cuba.

“The objective of the policies of the US is to isolate Cuba and prevent other countries from receiving Cuban help,” she said.

-Partners-

US blockade
The US imposed an embargo on Cuba in 1960 in response to the Cuban revolution and the nationalising of American owned oil refineries.

Known as El Bloqueo, or “The Blockade”, the embargo is still in place and prohibits trade between the two countries. It also restricts foreign subsidiaries of US companies from doing business with Cuba, making it difficult for foreign countries themselves to conduct trade.

Freire said Cuba’s relationships with Pacific countries allowed the sharing of expertise and humanitarian aid.

“We’re talking about bilateral relationships that brings in programmes that are for the benefit of the most disadvantaged people.”

Cuba also offers trading programmes for students of Pacific countries to travel to Cuba and receive full medical training.

Medical training
Thirty ni-Vanuatu doctors were trained through the programme and more would be sent to Cuba for study.

Freire said the schemes were important because they were completely funded and once trained, the doctors would return to their countries where they could serve the community.

“They don’t pay for accommodation, food, school supplies. The only commitment is to study hard and return to their communities.”

Despite the pressure from the US, Freire said she was positive Pacific countries could make their own decisions about what was best for their people.

“I’m positive and optimistic that the different countries could decide their own future for the benefit of the people.”

Cuba-China relationship
Cuba also had a strong relationship with China through which it traded in biotechnology, clean energy and received financing.

Freire, who also spoke at public meetings in Auckland and Wellington, said she hoped the relationship would enable more help to reach the Pacific.

“I know China has their interests in the Asian Pacific region, I think that together we can implement programmes for the benefit of the people,” she said.

“Probably China with the resources they have and Cuba with the knowledge we have, it could be tremendous support for the populations of the Pacific.”

Freire was visiting New Zealand and Australia on behalf of ICAP before she returned home to Cuba.

She hopes ICAP – founded 59 years ago by former President Fidel Castro – can reach as many people as it can.

She implored New Zealanders to learn more about Cuba and especially by reading content from Cuban writers, journalists and bloggers.

Correcting ‘misinformation’
“There is a lot of misinformation about what is happening in Cuba. Always try to contrast that information.”

She said the best thing was to visit Cuba to see how the society solves its own problems under the US embargo designed to cripple a socialist country.

“I think what is happening to Cuba it is common to other countries. It is the powerful countries telling small countries what they should do.

“That is what we all should denounce. Every country has the right to develop itself and be independent.”

The Cuban ambassador to New Zealand, Mario Alzugaray Rodriguez, was present at Freire’s talk in Auckland.

Michael Andrew is the Pacific Media Centre’s Pacific Media Watch freedom project contributing editor.

Cuban posters at the Auckland Trades Hall meeting of Leima Freire this week. Image: Del Abcede/PMC

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

The four international Freedom Flotilla coalition boats have left Palermo in Sicily overnight in their bid to break the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.

A coalition statement said the boats that make up this year’s Freedom Flotilla are not only bringing much needed medical supplies with them, but the boats themselves will also be donated to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) that represents Gaza’s fishers) once they arrive in the Strip.

New Zealand unionist and peace activist Mike Treen is on board the Al Awda (Return) and is filing reports for Kia Ora Gaza.

Spokesperson for the Ship to Gaza-Sweden campaign Jeannette Escanilla said: “The illegal Israeli naval blockade has devastated the Palestinian economy, and in particular has hurt the fishing industry in Gaza, so these boats will provide important economic opportunities for Palestinians.”

The boats in this year’s “Just Future for Palestine” mission departed Sicily yesterday for the last leg to Gaza after more than 2 months at sea visiting 15 European ports.

Five times flotilla boats have successfully reached Gaza (before 2010) and organisers say they maintain the hope that it can be done again with this year’s mission, “but to do this we need our amazing network of passionate supporters to amplify our message”

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz