Category: Crime

  • Asia Pacific Report

    Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki began his address to the week-long “historic” International Court of Justice hearings into the status of the people and state of Palestine in the Hague saying it was an “honour and great responsibility”.

    “I stand before you as 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza — half of them children — are besieged and bombed, killed and maimed, starved and displaced,” he told the court.

    “As more than 3.5 million Palestinians in West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are subjected to colonisation of their territory and the racist violence that enables it,” he added.

    “As 1.7 million Palestinians in Israel are treated as second-class citizens . . .  in their ancestral land,” he said, reports Al Jazeera.

    “As seven million Palestine refugees continue to be denied the right to return to their land and homes.”

    An unprecedented 52 countries and three international organisations are scheduled to give evidence.

    Five maps of ‘destruction’
    The foreign minister showed five maps to the court which he said demonstrated the ongoing “destruction of the Palestinian people”.

    The first map showed historic Palestine — the territory he said over which the Palestinian people should have been able to exercise their right to self-determination.

    A second map showed the 1947 UN Partition Map, which ignored the will of Palestinians, said al-Maliki.

    The third map shows three-fourths of historic Palestine becoming Israel over 1948-1967.

    “From the first day of its occupation Israel started colonising and annexing the land with the aim of making its occupation of irreversible,” he said.

    The fifth map was one presented by Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly which he described as portraying “the new Middle East”.

    Al-Maliki added: “There is no Palestine at all on this map, only Israel comprised of all the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.”

    End ‘brutal’ occupation
    Meanwhile, Amnesty International has issued a statement saying Israel must end its “brutal” occupation of Palestine — including Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem — “to stop fuelling apartheid and systematic human rights violations”.

    Agnes Callamard, the rights group’s secretary-general, said Israel’s occupation of Palestine had been characterised “by widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians”.

    “The occupation has also enabled and entrenched Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians,” Callamard added, noting that the occupation had over the years “evolved into a perpetual occupation in flagrant violation of international law”.

    “Israel’s occupation of Palestine is the longest and one of the most deadly military occupations in the world,” she said.

    “For decades it has been characterised by widespread and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians. The occupation has also enabled and entrenched Israel’s system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians.”

    ‘Join South Africa’ plea to Luxon
    In New Zealand, a full page advertisement in news media presented an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urging the NZ government join the South African case against Israel under the Genocide Convention.

    Sponsored by the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA), the letter in The Post declared that it agreed with the government that a military occupation into Rafah “would be ‘catastrophic’ with appalling humanitarian consequences”.

    It urged the NZ government to join South Africa’s urgent request to the ICJ to “end Israel’s attacks on Rafah”.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Pacific Media Watch

    The toll of four months of war in Gaza on journalism is “nothing short of horrifying” — Palestinian journalists killed, wounded, and prevented from working without any possibility of safe refuge, reports the Paris-based global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

    RSF has strongly condemned the “eradication of journalism and the right to information” in Gaza by the Israeli army, and has called on states and international organisations to increase pressure on Israel to “immediately cease this carnage”.

    In 124 days of conflict, at least 84 journalists have been killed in Gaza, including at least 20 in the course of their journalistic work or in connection with it, according to RSF statistics.

    Journalists are being decimated as the days of this interminable war go by, through incessant Israeli strikes from the north to the south of the Gaza Strip, the watchdog said.

    Journalists who had survived these four months were “living a daily hell” — in inhumane conditions, they suffered shortages of all kinds, particularly of equipment, as well as regular media blackouts, RSF said.

    “In four months of conflict, Palestinian journalism has been decimated by Israeli armed forces with complete impunity, with a staggering death toll of more than 84 journalists killed — at least 20 in the line of duty,” said RSF’s Middle East desk in their statement.

    “After filing two complaints with the International Criminal Court and making repeated appeals to States and international organisations, RSF is once again urging the UN Security Council to immediately enforce Resolution 2222 (2015) on the protection of journalists.

    Journalists trapped in Rafah
    Journalists in Gaza have no way out or any place of safe refuge. Forced to flee to the south of the enclave since October 7, the vast majority have taken refuge in Rafah, where the crossing point with Egypt is still closed and where an invasion of the city could lead to a new bloodbath.

    Rafah was described by Israel as a “security zone” at the start of the conflict. Despite RSF’s calls for the Rafah gate to be opened, the Israeli authorities continue to prevent Gazan journalists from leaving and to block access to the enclave for foreign journalists.


    As Gaza killings rise, so does the toll on Palestinian journalists.   Video: Al Jazeera

    A chilling toll
    According to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), about 50 local and international media outlets in Gaza have been totally or partially destroyed by the Israeli army since October 7, in addition to the appalling death toll.

    RSF filed two complaints with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 31 October and 22 December 2023 in connection with the killings of journalists and the destruction of media outlets.

    In the aftermath of the killings of independent videographer Moustafa Thuraya and Al Jazeera journalist Hamza Dahdouh on January 7, RSF obtained a decision from the ICC prosecutor to include crimes against journalists in its investigation into the situation in Palestine.

    Two days later, RSF called on the UN Security Council to urgently address Israel’s violations of Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists.

    The struggle of journalists in the field
    Against this terrifying backdrop, Palestinian reporters in Gaza are showing untold courage in continuing to report on the war.

    Most have lost loved ones. Forced to move, they live in tents, with no electricity and very little food or water.

    Wounded journalists have very limited access to medical care. In partnership with Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), RSF has been providing grants to Gazan journalists since the start of the war to support their reporting work.

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    A man visits the spot where Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed
    A man visits the spot where Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli snipers on 11 May 2022 while covering an Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank. Image: AJ/RSF

    Al Jazeera rejects Israeli forces’ attempt to justify crimes against journalists

    Al Jazeera Media Network has rejected the Israeli occupation forces’ attempt to justify the killing and targeting of journalists.

    In a statement this week, the network has condemned the accusations against its journalists and recalled Israel’s “long record of lies and fabrication of evidence through which it seeks to hide its heinous crimes”.

    The statement continued:

    “At a time when its correspondents and field crews are making great sacrifices to cover what is happening in Gaza, Al Jazeera’s employment policies stipulate that employees are not to engage in any political affiliations that may affect their professionalism, and to adhere to the controls and directives contained in the Network’s code of ethics and code of conduct.

    “Al Jazeera ensures that all its journalists and correspondents adhere to the editorial standards.

    “The network recalls the systematic targeting of Al Jazeera by the Israeli authorities, which includes:

    • the bombing of its office in Gaza twice,
    • the assassination of its correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh,
    • the killing of colleagues Samer Abu Daqa and Hamza Al-Dahdouh,
    • the deliberate targeting of a number of Al Jazeera journalists and their family members, and
    • the arrest and intimidation of its correspondents in the field.

    “Given Israel’s unprecedented campaign against journalists, Al Jazeera urges media outlets worldwide to exercise the utmost caution and responsibility when headlining Israel’s justifications for its crimes against journalists in Gaza.”

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • COMMENTARY: By Martyn Bradbury, editor of The Daily Blog

    Winston Peters says Israel’s actions getting ‘out of hand’ ahead of planned Rafah offensive

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has joined with the leaders of Australia and Canada to express grave concern about Israel’s planned ground offensive into the southern Gazan city of Rafah.  

    It’s the strongest statement from New Zealand yet as the number of people killed in the conflict continues to climb. 

    The 'myth of Western humanity and democracy'
    The ‘myth of Western humanity and democracy’. Image: TDB

    New Zealand, Canada and Australia’s weak tantrum against Israel’s ethnic cleansing war crime is simply too little too late.

    Israel’s attacks on Gaza have killed at least 28,663 Palestinians and wounded 68,395 since October 7.

    The death toll in Israel from the October 7 Hamas-led attacks stands at 1,139.

    The disproportionate violence here is beyond appeals from “friends”.

    Pictured is Winston gland handling the Israeli Ambassador earlier this week.

    NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters (right)
    NZ Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters (right) meets with Israel’s Ambassador to New Zealand Ran Yaakoby on Monday . . . the war on Gaza conflict was among key subjects discussed. Image: MFAT via X(Twitter)

    Petty protest belittles NZ mana
    New Zealand’s petty attempts to protest Israel’s ethnic cleansing war crime has belittled our mana and our moral high ground.

    We are refusing to do what is required to against this appalling level of violence, and because we are cowards, this coalition government shames us all.

    According to Newshub: “Rafah, usually a city of 250,000, now has an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians sheltering there, but Israel is planning a ground offensive.

    “So they must flee — back to bombed out buildings — with ruins now perhaps safer.”

    The quoted joint statement by New Zealand, Canada and Australia said:

    “A military operation into Rafah would be ‘catastrophic’ and ‘devastating’.

    “We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path. There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go.

    “There is growing international consensus. Israel must listen to its friends and it must listen to the international community.”

    “Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.”

    Republished from The Daily Blog with permission.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • PNG Post-Courier

    The Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Gibbs Salika, has called on the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop to enforce the Summary Offences Act.

    Sir Gibbs made this strong plea at the opening of 2024 legal year yesterday.

    “Lawlessness in the city is escalating immensely because the laws of the country are not being enforced. This should be a wake-up call for the NCD Governor Mr Parkop to fix this issue at hand,” said Sir Gibbs.

    “The rioting on January,10, 2024, was repeated by the same group of people a few days ago and many other issues arise in the city and throughout the country, which is becoming a threat to the rule of law.

    “This shows our adherence to the rule of law, which is by far weak and not working well.

    “Relevant authorities should enforce the National Capital District Commissions Act to control the chewing of betelnut and its spittle all over the city, which shows lawlessness; it is disgusting.

    ‘Law must be enforced’
    “The NCDC Act must be enforced along with the Summary Offences Act to penalise the citizens who are violating the rule of law.”

    The constabulary was also urged to uphold and adhere to the rule of law in making sure citizens were helped without fear or favour from the police force.

    Sir Gibbs expounded on the duty of the judicial arm of the government and explained that the judiciary was there to interpret the laws in a timely and partial manner.

    He encouraged the police force to also perform their duty to execute the laws that were passed down by the government in order for the society to function.

    Republished with permission from the PNG Post-Courier.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RNZ Pacific

    Former Fiji prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are due to appear in court today on a charge related to abuse of office, as is a former health minister Dr Neil Prakash Sharma.

    Fiji state broadcaster FBC reported the trio were interviewed by CID officers yesterday for allegedly failing to comply with statutory requirements for tenders.

    All three were kept in custody at the Totogo Police Station overnight.

    Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum are each accused of recklessly abusing their position by granting a waiver of tender process without lawful justification.

    Sayed-Khaiyum is also charged with obstructing the course of justice.

    Sharma faces four counts of abuse of office.

    The new charge against Bainimarama comes less than four months after he was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice.

    In October, according to local media reports, Magistrate Seini Puamau said the state had failed to establish a compelling case.

    “According to their charge sheet, it was alleged that Bainimarama sometime in July 2020 as the Prime Minister directed the Police Commissioner to stop the investigation into a police complaint, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific which is the complainant,” fijivillage.com reported last year.

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


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • RNZ Pacific

    Former Fiji prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are due to appear in court today on a charge related to abuse of office, as is a former health minister Dr Neil Prakash Sharma.

    Fiji state broadcaster FBC reported the trio were interviewed by CID officers yesterday for allegedly failing to comply with statutory requirements for tenders.

    All three were kept in custody at the Totogo Police Station overnight.

    Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum are each accused of recklessly abusing their position by granting a waiver of tender process without lawful justification.

    Sayed-Khaiyum is also charged with obstructing the course of justice.

    Sharma faces four counts of abuse of office.

    The new charge against Bainimarama comes less than four months after he was found not guilty of perverting the course of justice.

    In October, according to local media reports, Magistrate Seini Puamau said the state had failed to establish a compelling case.

    “According to their charge sheet, it was alleged that Bainimarama sometime in July 2020 as the Prime Minister directed the Police Commissioner to stop the investigation into a police complaint, in the abuse of the authority of his office, which was an arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of the University of the South Pacific which is the complainant,” fijivillage.com reported last year.

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

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Eleisha Foon RNZ Pacific journalist

    The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) “stands by” one of its senior officers, who is taking on a role with the Australian Army, despite the officer being accused of committing human rights abuses.

    The Australian first reported that Colonel Penioni (Ben) Naliva had been appointed as deputy commander of the Australian Army’s 7th Brigade, making him second in command of about 3500 Australian troops.

    However, the right-hand man to former Fiji coup leader and prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama, according to the newspaper, is alleged to have been involved in the violent beatings of two Fijian politicians in 2006.

    “In another case, the UN Special Rapporteur named then-major Naliva, in a report to the Human Rights Council, as being involved in the savage beating of a Suva businessman that left him unable to walk,” according to The Australian’s frontpage report published today.

    “In a third case, a prominent youth activist says Naliva was present when he was detained and tortured in 2006, and did nothing to stop it.”

    Rejected accusations
    But RFMF Military Assistant to Chief of Defence Lieutenant-Colonel Eroni Duaibe has rejected the accusations labelled against Colonel Naliva.

    He told RNZ Pacific most of the allegations had “come about through social media platforms” posted by “disgruntled individuals”.

    “There has not been any formal reports that have been lodged with Fiji police in regards to this,” Lieutenant-Colonel Duaibe said.

    “We stand by Colonel Naliva and his appointment with the Australian defence.”

    According to The Australian, following inquiries about the accusations, “[Australian] Defence is understood to be working with the Fijian government to determine ‘appropriate next steps’”.

    “Defence is aware of reporting regarding Colonel Penioni Naliva. Defence takes any allegations of wrongdoing seriously,” it reported.

    “Colonel Naliva has not been charged over any of the allegations and The Australian is not suggesting they are true, only that they have been made and are now the subject of inquiry by the Australian government.”

    Committed on defence
    RNZ Pacific has contact the Australian Defence, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Fijian Human Rights and Anti Discrimination Commission for comment.

    Australia has committed to grow its defence and security cooperation with Fiji — under the Vuvale Partnership agreement signed last October, with increasing co-deployments.

    The appointment comes after Colonel Naliva graduated from the Australian War College last year.

    Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie has also called on the Australian government to explain who appointed Colonel Naliva to the role when he is facing such allegations.

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

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Nacanieli Tuilevuka in Suva

    Those spooked by the presence of a senior Central Intelligence Agency official in Fiji this week have nothing to fear.

    At least, this was the view of Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica as he hinted at the possibility of using the CIA’s “global knowledge and expertise” in the fight against drugs.

    He said he met the CIA’s Deputy Director David Cohen on Tuesday in Suva to discuss areas of mutual interest.

    Fiji's Acting prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica
    Fiji’s Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica . . . “Expertise will keep the border safe.” Image: Jonacani Lalakobau/The Fiji Times

    They exchanged ideas on how both countries could benefit from each other.

    “I’ve met him as the Acting Prime Minister, so it was a broad conversation around the international environment and the fact that we are becoming more and more of a transit point for drugs,” Kamikamica said.

    There is a possibility of Fiji working with the CIA in its fight against drugs, said Kamikamica.

    The CIA is the US government’s foreign intelligence service that gathers national security information from around the world.

    ‘Think about their expertise’
    In response to questions from The Fiji Times, Kamikamica did not specify the nature of his discussions with Cohen.

    “However, think about the security apparatus the Central Intelligence Agency has,” he said.

    “The global knowledge and expertise they have.”

    Asked why he discussed these areas of mutual interest when they fell under the ambit of the US State Department, Kamikamica said he also met other officials of the US government

    “I also met the deputy Secretary of State and Ambassador at Large for cybersecurity separately in my office,” he said.

    The developments of the past few days also gave Kamikamica an opportunity to allay potential public fear and disquiet over Cohen’s visit.

    In response to concerns raised on social media over the presence of the CIA’s second in command, Kamikamica urged Fijians against what he described as “idle speculation”.

    ‘We have stable government’
    “There is no need to be concerned,” he said. “We have a very stable government, we have a Prime Minister who is in total control of the Coalition.

    “We are tracking well as a government,” said Kamikamica, adding that the important thing for the country was focusing on “how we work together to rebuild Fiji rather than getting preoccupied with idle speculation”.

    “Expertise will keep the border safe, [so we ate] just looking at ways to collaborate.”

    On the essence of their discussions on national issues, Kamikamica said “we didn’t really touch on that, more around just having an opportunity to collaborate”.

    “When we have expertise like them at our doorstep, it is a very positive development and just to allow, not only Fiji, but the region to benefit.”

    Nacanieli Tuilevuka is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Al Williams of the Cook Islands News

    Cook islands Deputy Prime Minister Robert Tapaitau, former National Environment Service (NES) director Nga Puna, and his wife and former Secretary of Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI), Diane Charlie-Puna, have been found guilty of “all or most offences” following a judgment given by Chief Justice Patrick Keane.

    In his ruling Chief Justice Keane said: “In my decision, issued [Wednesday, Cook Islands time], which this minute accompanies, I have found each defendant guilty of all or most of the offences with which they are charged, and have convicted them of those offences.”

    The trio were accused of taking public funds amounting to CI$70,000 between April 2019 and March 2021.

    Prime Minister Mark Brown’s office confirmed he had been briefed on the matter [on Wednesday] afternoon, shortly before the 100-page judgment was obtained by Cook Islands News.

    In a written statement, Brown’s office said the Prime Minister had been briefed “a short time ago” by the Solicitor-General on the decision released by Chief Justice Keane on Wednesday, relating to the trio.

    “The government acknowledges the court’s decision and will take time to study the 100-page plus document, before commenting further.”

    Tapaitau faced three charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage and one charge of conspiracy to defraud.

    ‘Guilty of all offences’
    Chief Justice Keane ruled: “Mr Tapaitau is guilty of all offences with which he is charged; and I convict him accordingly.”

    Charlie-Puna faced seven charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage and a charge of conspiracy to defraud to which she entered a guilty plea on 1 June 2023.

    In his ruling, Chief Justice Keane said: “Mrs Puna is guilty of all offences with which she is charged, including those to which she has pleaded guilty, except those on which she has been discharged and charges 5,13; and I convict her accordingly.”

    Charlie-Puna entered guilty pleas to conspiracy and theft charges in June 2023.

    Nga Puna faced 22 charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage, one of conspiracy to defraud, one of uttering a forged document and five charges of forgery.

    Chief Justice Keane ruled: “Mr Puna is guilty of all offences with which he is charged, except charges 14, 25; and I convict him accordingly.”

    They are due to be sentenced in March.

    Pre-sentence report
    “Each defendant is now to be sentenced on the basis of a pre-sentence report; and I direct accordingly. I should appreciate those reports being given high priority,” CJ Keane said.

    “To ensure, if feasible, that sentences are imposed within the March session, which I will be conducting, on 21 March perhaps, I direct primary submissions be filed and served without reference to the pre-sentence reports.”

    The Crown was given until February 21 to file and serve submissions while the defence had until seven days before the sentence date allocated.

    In his judgement statement, Chief Justice Keane said that in the Cook Islands, government departments, and state agencies, entrusted with public money, money appropriated by Parliament and project aid money, were subject to clear statutory principles, standards and controls.

    “Public money is the property of the Crown; and heads of government departments, and state agencies, are charged by statute with ensuring that those public entities have sound financial management systems and internal controls.”

    The Public Expenditure Review Committee and the Audit Office were charged by statute with safeguarding public money, and the integrity of all public accounts, including those of government departments and state agencies.

    “Within each government department, and state agency, accounts and records must be faithfully and properly kept, revenue must be properly assessed and collected, expenditure must be valid and correctly authorised, revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities must be properly recorded and accounted for, and financial and operating information must be reliable.”

    Gave evidence, denial
    All three defendants elected to give evidence and denied any offence.

    Each said, with one exception, that any benefit they received in the ways charged lay within their entitlement; or that, if it did not, they had acted honestly in that belief and without any intent to defraud.

    The primary issue on each of the charges, therefore, was not principally the documentary context, which was largely uncontested, Chief Justice Keane said in his judgement.

    “The issue is whether the Crown, on the evidence called, is able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants did act dishonestly and with intent to defraud.”

    In discharging charges five and 13 against Diane Puna, charge five alleged she fraudulently used, or procured the use of, an Infrastructure Cook Islands cheque to pay for a week’s Auckland accommodation for her family and herself, during her father’s funeral.

    “There is, and can be, no issue that this ICI cheque was capable of, and did, confer on Mrs Puna a pecuniary advantage. It met the cost of her first seven days accommodation in Auckland, independently of her father’s house, while she was attending his funeral.”

    Charge 13 alleged that fraudulently using, or procuring the use of, a cheque on 7 April 2020, $400 cash, to pay for a lunch for workers at her Rarotonga home address.

    In the case against Nga Puna, he was not convicted on charges 14 and 25.

    Two NES cheques
    Charge 14 alleged Puna fraudulently used, or procured the use of, two NES cheques to benefit himself, together with a related deposit to his account on 29 August 2019.

    There was a lack of evidence underpinning the inference that Puna did fraudulently misuse for his own benefit the cash proceeds of the two NES cheques, issued for a retreat, and thus the cheques themselves.

    On charge 25, the Punas were jointly charged with fraudulently using, or procuring the use of, a cheque on 7 April 2020, $400 cash, to pay for a lunch for workers at their Rarotonga home address.

    “This payment by cheque may well, I accept, have been a misuse of public money. But the house belonged to the government, and the work needed to be done. The payment was a gesture, after the event, to NES and ICI staff during the lockdown,” CJ Keane said.

    The final submissions were heard in the high-profile corruption case late last year with CJ Keane indicating at the time that he would make a decision in the new year.

    The guilty verdicts come more than two years after the trio were charged with various dishonesty offences.

    In November 2023, CJ Keane released a ruling through the High Court of the Cook Islands, making an order that all theft charges be substituted with fraudulent document dealing charges.

    Pleas remained the same
    While the original charges were vacated, the pleas from the three defendants remained the same to the new charges.

    Tapaitau was reinstated as Deputy Prime Minister for the second time early in November 2023 month after suspension amid the charges.

    Tapaitau was the minister responsible for Infrastructure Cook Islands and National Environment Service when the offences took place. He was not responsible for those two ministries due to conflicts with the pending court decisions. The Penrhyn MP resumed his duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Transport, Marine Resources, Energy and Outer Island Projects.

    The trio faced a four-week Judge alone trial in July before it was confirmed final submissions in the trial had been pushed back, after CJ Keane sought clarification on legal issues, specifically whether the offending the Crown alleged, ought to be charged as theft, or as fraudulent use of a document.

    This report was first published by Cook Islands News and is republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Al Williams of the Cook Islands News

    Cook islands Deputy Prime Minister Robert Tapaitau, former National Environment Service (NES) director Nga Puna, and his wife and former Secretary of Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI), Diane Charlie-Puna, have been found guilty of “all or most offences” following a judgment given by Chief Justice Patrick Keane.

    In his ruling Chief Justice Keane said: “In my decision, issued [Wednesday, Cook Islands time], which this minute accompanies, I have found each defendant guilty of all or most of the offences with which they are charged, and have convicted them of those offences.”

    The trio were accused of taking public funds amounting to CI$70,000 between April 2019 and March 2021.

    Prime Minister Mark Brown’s office confirmed he had been briefed on the matter [on Wednesday] afternoon, shortly before the 100-page judgment was obtained by Cook Islands News.

    In a written statement, Brown’s office said the Prime Minister had been briefed “a short time ago” by the Solicitor-General on the decision released by Chief Justice Keane on Wednesday, relating to the trio.

    “The government acknowledges the court’s decision and will take time to study the 100-page plus document, before commenting further.”

    Tapaitau faced three charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage and one charge of conspiracy to defraud.

    ‘Guilty of all offences’
    Chief Justice Keane ruled: “Mr Tapaitau is guilty of all offences with which he is charged; and I convict him accordingly.”

    Charlie-Puna faced seven charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage and a charge of conspiracy to defraud to which she entered a guilty plea on 1 June 2023.

    In his ruling, Chief Justice Keane said: “Mrs Puna is guilty of all offences with which she is charged, including those to which she has pleaded guilty, except those on which she has been discharged and charges 5,13; and I convict her accordingly.”

    Charlie-Puna entered guilty pleas to conspiracy and theft charges in June 2023.

    Nga Puna faced 22 charges of using a document to obtain pecuniary advantage, one of conspiracy to defraud, one of uttering a forged document and five charges of forgery.

    Chief Justice Keane ruled: “Mr Puna is guilty of all offences with which he is charged, except charges 14, 25; and I convict him accordingly.”

    They are due to be sentenced in March.

    Pre-sentence report
    “Each defendant is now to be sentenced on the basis of a pre-sentence report; and I direct accordingly. I should appreciate those reports being given high priority,” CJ Keane said.

    “To ensure, if feasible, that sentences are imposed within the March session, which I will be conducting, on 21 March perhaps, I direct primary submissions be filed and served without reference to the pre-sentence reports.”

    The Crown was given until February 21 to file and serve submissions while the defence had until seven days before the sentence date allocated.

    In his judgement statement, Chief Justice Keane said that in the Cook Islands, government departments, and state agencies, entrusted with public money, money appropriated by Parliament and project aid money, were subject to clear statutory principles, standards and controls.

    “Public money is the property of the Crown; and heads of government departments, and state agencies, are charged by statute with ensuring that those public entities have sound financial management systems and internal controls.”

    The Public Expenditure Review Committee and the Audit Office were charged by statute with safeguarding public money, and the integrity of all public accounts, including those of government departments and state agencies.

    “Within each government department, and state agency, accounts and records must be faithfully and properly kept, revenue must be properly assessed and collected, expenditure must be valid and correctly authorised, revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities must be properly recorded and accounted for, and financial and operating information must be reliable.”

    Gave evidence, denial
    All three defendants elected to give evidence and denied any offence.

    Each said, with one exception, that any benefit they received in the ways charged lay within their entitlement; or that, if it did not, they had acted honestly in that belief and without any intent to defraud.

    The primary issue on each of the charges, therefore, was not principally the documentary context, which was largely uncontested, Chief Justice Keane said in his judgement.

    “The issue is whether the Crown, on the evidence called, is able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants did act dishonestly and with intent to defraud.”

    In discharging charges five and 13 against Diane Puna, charge five alleged she fraudulently used, or procured the use of, an Infrastructure Cook Islands cheque to pay for a week’s Auckland accommodation for her family and herself, during her father’s funeral.

    “There is, and can be, no issue that this ICI cheque was capable of, and did, confer on Mrs Puna a pecuniary advantage. It met the cost of her first seven days accommodation in Auckland, independently of her father’s house, while she was attending his funeral.”

    Charge 13 alleged that fraudulently using, or procuring the use of, a cheque on 7 April 2020, $400 cash, to pay for a lunch for workers at her Rarotonga home address.

    In the case against Nga Puna, he was not convicted on charges 14 and 25.

    Two NES cheques
    Charge 14 alleged Puna fraudulently used, or procured the use of, two NES cheques to benefit himself, together with a related deposit to his account on 29 August 2019.

    There was a lack of evidence underpinning the inference that Puna did fraudulently misuse for his own benefit the cash proceeds of the two NES cheques, issued for a retreat, and thus the cheques themselves.

    On charge 25, the Punas were jointly charged with fraudulently using, or procuring the use of, a cheque on 7 April 2020, $400 cash, to pay for a lunch for workers at their Rarotonga home address.

    “This payment by cheque may well, I accept, have been a misuse of public money. But the house belonged to the government, and the work needed to be done. The payment was a gesture, after the event, to NES and ICI staff during the lockdown,” CJ Keane said.

    The final submissions were heard in the high-profile corruption case late last year with CJ Keane indicating at the time that he would make a decision in the new year.

    The guilty verdicts come more than two years after the trio were charged with various dishonesty offences.

    In November 2023, CJ Keane released a ruling through the High Court of the Cook Islands, making an order that all theft charges be substituted with fraudulent document dealing charges.

    Pleas remained the same
    While the original charges were vacated, the pleas from the three defendants remained the same to the new charges.

    Tapaitau was reinstated as Deputy Prime Minister for the second time early in November 2023 month after suspension amid the charges.

    Tapaitau was the minister responsible for Infrastructure Cook Islands and National Environment Service when the offences took place. He was not responsible for those two ministries due to conflicts with the pending court decisions. The Penrhyn MP resumed his duties as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Transport, Marine Resources, Energy and Outer Island Projects.

    The trio faced a four-week Judge alone trial in July before it was confirmed final submissions in the trial had been pushed back, after CJ Keane sought clarification on legal issues, specifically whether the offending the Crown alleged, ought to be charged as theft, or as fraudulent use of a document.

    This report was first published by Cook Islands News and is republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • New Zealand’s commitment to the rule of law means it must also go beyond the UN court’s genocide case findings on Gaza, writes the University of Auckland’s Treasa Dunworth.

    ANALYSIS: By Treasa Dunworth

    As Newsroom has reported, 15 aid agencies have joined forces to call on the Aotearoa New Zealand government to do more to encourage an immediate and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, in the wake of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision.

    Those 15 agencies are joining an international and increasingly loud chorus of calls for an immediate ceasefire.

    I would go further, and remind the government that whatever it thinks of last month’s ICJ ruling, New Zealand has a number of international legal obligations to inform its response to Israel’s military attack on Gaza.

    As most international commentary has highlighted, even fixated on, the ICJ did not order a ceasefire as South Africa requested. But the fact that it didn’t is a manifestation of how constrained the court was.

    Despite its lofty title, the ICJ (sometimes referred to as the “World Court”) isn’t a “world” court in any meaningful sense of the word. It only has jurisdiction to consider issues in cases where countries have explicitly agreed to the court’s authority over them.

    In this current litigation, the court was able to consider the case only on the basis that both South Africa and Israel are States Parties to the Genocide Convention. That meant South Africa had to frame its application through a “genocide lens”, and that the court had no power to go beyond the obligations arising out of that treaty. This jurisdictional conundrum partly explains why the court did not order a ceasefire — it didn’t have the authority to do so.

    It also partly explains why the court could not order Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages. Hamas was not a party to the proceedings (the court can only hear proceedings on disputes between states), and despite the claim by Israel in its oral pleadings, the hostage taking by Hamas and their subsequent mistreatment and killing didn’t “plausibly”, according to the court, meet the threshold of genocide.

    But the court did order Israel to take all measures in its power to prevent genocide, and ordered Israel to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance to address the adverse conditions faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

    Orders fall within ‘genocide jurisdiction’
    These orders fall within the “genocide jurisdiction” because the treaty defines genocide as not only direct killing, but also “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part”.

    An immediate ceasefire would go a long way toward Israel complying with these orders so the calls for a ceasefire are well made, despite the court not having the power to order one.

    What is New Zealand’s role in all this? What are the moral and legal responsibilities it has and should fulfil?

    In its decision, the court (re)confirmed that all states parties to the Genocide Convention have a “common interest” in ensuring the prevention, suppression, and punishment of genocide. That includes New Zealand, which has a legal obligation to do what it can to ensure that Israel complies with the court’s orders.

    This is not a question of New Zealand’s choice of foreign policy, but a legal obligation.

    The second relevant international obligation for New Zealand arises from international humanitarian law (IHL) — the body of law which governs the conduct of war, and which includes prohibitions against the direct targeting of civilians, causing superfluous injury and unnecessary suffering, the taking of hostages, the use of “human shields” and engaging in indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

    These rules don’t just apply to the parties directly involved in any given conflict — in this instance, Israel and Hamas. The relevant treaties stipulate all states have a shared responsibility “to ensure respect” for these rules. That responsibility exists independently of the lack of ICJ jurisdiction to consider these matters.

    Must act in good faith
    There is a third legal obligation for New Zealand in the wake of these orders.  Although decisions of the court are only binding as between the parties to a case (here South Africa and Israel), as a member of the United Nations, New Zealand has a legal obligation to act in good faith towards the court, being one of the organs of the UN and its principal legal body.

    This obligation aligns with New Zealand’s self-professed commitment to the international rule of law.

    Thus, regardless of political preferences and whether the current government agrees or disagrees with the court’s findings, the findings have been made and New Zealand ought not undermine the court or the international rule of law.

    Governments of all political persuasions repeatedly pronounce that a small nation such as ours depends on the international rule of law and a rules-based international order.

    Now is the time for New Zealand to step up and defend that order, even if it feels uncomfortable, even if it annoys some of our “friends” (such as the US). We are legally obliged to step up and speak out.

    Dr Treasa Dunworth is an associate professor, Faculty of Law, at the University of Auckland. First published by Newsroom and republished by Asia Pacific Report with the author’s permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • American and Australian law enforcement can now more easily access data stored in each other’s jurisdiction after a landmark bilateral agreement came into effect more than two years after it was signed. The Agreement on Access to Electronic Data for the Purpose of Countering Serious Crime allows authorities in Australia and the United States to…

    The post Aust-US data access deal comes into effect appeared first on InnovationAus.com.

    This post was originally published on InnovationAus.com.

  • Democratic Senator Bob Menendez is still serving in the Senate, even though the evidence against him is overwhelming and a criminal conviction is likely in his future. The question is why? Why have Democrats stopped calling for Menendez to get the hell out of the Senate? Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated by […]

    The post WTH! Santos Expelled While Corrupt Menendez Remains appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • There’s a terrifying new consumer scam happening across the country with scammers using AI to convince parents that their children have been in horrific accidents, or that they’ve been kidnapped. These types of scams are on the rise and you need to know how to protect yourself. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated […]

    The post New A.I. Scams Create Nightmare Scenarios For Parents appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • A civilian employee of the US Army has been arrested for allegedly stealing ONE HUNDRED MILLION dollars from the federal government. The employee was using a shell company to get millions in grants and payments from the government by lying about services the company was performing. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Transcript: *This transcript was generated by […]

    The post Woman Uses Phony Foundation To Steal $100 Million From U.S. Army appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • Criminal networks in Southeast Asia are growing their illegal operations in through the innovative use of technology, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).The trafficking of people and drugs as well as money laundering and fraudulent scam activities are being boosted by the use of cryptocurrencies, the dark web, artificial intelligence and social media platforms, as criminals continue to base their operations in parts of the region where the rule of law is weak or non-existent. Laura Gil asked UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Jeremy Douglas, how the landscape of transnational organized crime in the region is being changed by technology.


    This content originally appeared on UN News – Global perspective Human stories and was authored by UNODC/ Laura Gil.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • RNZ Pacific

    Papua New Guinea’s Police Commissioner David Manning has been reinstated after being stood down following riots and looting on January 10.

    That rioting — branded as Black Wednesday — was sparked by a police protest after unannounced deductions from their wages, which the government blamed on a glitch.

    The protest led to a riot causing the deaths of more than 20 people, widespread looting and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage to businesses.

    Reinstated Police Commissioner David Manning
    Reinstated Police Commissioner David Manning . . . commission of inquiry pledged to study the police force. Image: Andrew Kutan/RNZ Pacific

    Amnesty International called on authorities to protect human rights in response to the riots.

    The 14-day state of emergency following the violence has now ended.

    The National newspaper reported Prime Minister James Marape announced Manning’s reinstatement, and that of Taies Sansan as the Department of Personnel Management Secretary, after administrative preliminary investigations concluded.

    However, Treasury Secretary Andrew Oake and Finance Secretary Samuel Penias remained suspended “due to their failure to update the salary system, which led to the events of Jan 10”, Marape said.

    Marape also said Deputy Police Commissioner Dr Philip Mina was being suspended.

    A commission of inquiry will be appointed to look into the police force.

    “The commission of inquiry will be headed by a judge from the Supreme Court and National Court, and will be concluded as soon as possible, to look into the structure, the operation, and their ethics of conduct,” Marape said.

    “The country deserves to have a police force that is effective and efficient. We will leave no stone unturned as we recover, reboot and restore.”

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • America’s Lawyer E83: A new lawsuit is accusing TikTok of mis-labeling their own app so that they could skirt child protection laws – we’ll bring you the details. Drug companies have already raised the prices of nearly 800 different pharmaceuticals so far this year, and more price hikes are on the way. And why the […]

    The post Dems Go Soft On Menendez Corruption appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    Academic Andrew Anton Mako says the Papua New Guinea’s systemic dysfunction was plain to see in the rioting and looting throughout the country’s main cities two weeks ago.

    That rioting was sparked by a protest by police after unannounced deductions from their wages.

    It led to a riot causing the deaths of more than 20 people, widespread looting and hundreds of millions of dollars damage to businesses.

    Andrew Anton Mako of ANU
    Andrew Anton Mako of ANU . . . “the government and the policymakers really need to take a comprehensive approach.” Image: DevPolicy Blog

    The government, which declared a two-week long state of emergency, put the wage deductions down to a glitch in the system.

    Mako, who is a visiting lecturer and project coordinator for the ANU-UPNG Partnership with the Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre, said that the rioting would not have happened if the system was working properly.

    “That information could have been transmitted through the system so that not only the police officers, but other public servants would have been assured that there was a glitch in the system, and then they would return the money in the next pay,” he said.

    Symptom of major problems
    “I think that information could have been made available to the officers quickly and the protests should not have happened.”

    He said it was not an isolated event but a symptom of major problems facing the country.

    “The government and the policymakers really need to take a comprehensive approach in addressing that,” Mako said.

    He said that in the administration there were entire areas where little development or reform had happened in a generation.

    The last attempt to look at the government machinery was more than 20 years, under Sir Mekere Morauta, but since then “there hasn’t been any sort of reforms to improve governance, improve public safety, efficiency, and all that.”

    Mako believes if the work of Sir Mekere had been continued the country would not be facing the problems it is at the moment.

    What reforms are needed
    Mako said the government needs to know it faces major issues that cannot be resolved quickly — they will need to think in terms of years before reforms can be bedded in.

    “It’s not going to be easy, they have to really work on it for a number of years. They will have to come up with a reform agenda work on it for the next four or five years.”

    Up to now, Mako said, politicians have just dealt with the symptoms, rather than addressing the underlying issues, such as unemployment.

    He sees the high crime rate as being closely linked to the lack of work opportunities, along with high inflation and the failure of wages to keep pace.

    “The focus has to be on the sectors that create jobs. So over the last few years, over the last decade or so, a lot of focus has really been on the resources sector, the mineral, petroleum and gas sector.

    “Those sectors are really called enclave sectors and they have really limited linkage with the broader sectors of the economy,” Mako said.

    “So the mineral sectors do not create a lot of jobs. A lot of the jobs [there] are done by either machines or highly skilled workers. So it is the sectors like agriculture, like fisheries, like tourism, forestry, those are the sectors really, really create jobs.”

    Mako added the government should be focussing on investing in, and developing policies, in these traditional sectors, enabling many of the unemployed, especially the young, to find work.

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


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • EDITORIAL: By The Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley

    What is happening to us in Fiji?

    How did we get to this stage?

    The brutal attack and senseless death of [35-year-old carpenter] Apakuki Tavodi in [a roadside stabbing] in Saweni, Lautoka, is a shocking reminder about how fragile life can be.

    The Fiji Times
    THE FIJI TIMES

    It is a reminder as well about the importance of life, and questions how much value we place on that.

    Let’s face it.

    There is grief, and there is bound to be fear in the community.

    We must stand united in shock and sorrow as we mourn the loss of a young life.

    As we grapple with the nature of this act, and the death of someone in this fashion, we must all demand for justice and action.

    The brutality displayed cannot be ignored. Is this what is lurking beneath the face that we have of society?

    We must not allow ourselves to become numb to such acts.

    This young man’s life mattered to those who knew him, and those who loved him, and there has to be a thorough and swift investigation that brings those responsible to justice.

    In saying that, we must also ask ourselves the difficult questions: how did we get here?

    What factors have contributed to the erosion of safety and respect for human life in our community?

    The answers may be complex, but they cannot be avoided.

    Should we see this tragedy as an isolated incident?

    Or do we consider it a symptom of a deeper malaise that needs to be addressed.

    Let’s not wait for the police to act and try to solve this case. Let’s not sit back and hope that nothing like it happens again.

    Let’s unite and talk about this.

    Let’s talk about peace and reconciliation and work together for a society where violence is unacceptable.

    It may not be easy, but it must be done, for everyone’s sake.

    It must be done for the peace and security, and for our country.

    That will need us to stand up for what is right.

    There must be trust and confidence in the law, and those tasked to uphold them.

    There must be hope in our systems, and processes, and we need confidence in the long arm of the law being there for everyone irrespective of who they are in society.

    Let’s see this death as a wake-up call.

    Let’s see it as a reminder for us that we cannot take our safety or our sense of community for granted.

    We must work together to build a future that places peace and security on a very high plane.

    As a community, we can choose to heal, to unite, and to build a society where violence is not an option.

    This editorial was published in The Sunday Times under the title “Call for action” today, 21 January 2024.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • The Department of Justice recently announced a settlement with the parent company of adult website PornHub, after the company was found to be profiting off of human trafficking. This settlement is a slap on the wrist, at most. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss more. Click here to find out more about trafficking lawsuits. Transcript: *This transcript was generated […]

    The post Trafficking Victims Made Victims Again By The DOJ appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • By Jeffrey Elapa and Miriam Zarriga

    Papua New Guinea’s predicted Cabinet reshuffle has taken place with Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey becoming the bombshell victim following last week’s Black Wednesday riots that left 22 dead.

    Stripped of his Treasury portfolio, Ling-Stuckey — who oversaw the presentation of two record billion dollar budgets for 2023 and 2024 — finds himself stuck as a bench minister assisting Prime Minister James Marape.

    The startling reason for his “demotion” was given as failure to implement the budgets he had framed, including not paying attention to the relief packages to the people.

    The biggest mover in yesterday’s reshuffle was the controversial yet colourful “happy gardener” Justin Tkatchenko, who returned to his former position as Foreign Minister.

    Ling-Stuckey is now the Minister assisting the Prime Minister while Marape takes over as Treasurer.

    In total, there are now 37 Ministers out of 38 with the Sports Minister to be announced at a later date. Sports is currently juggled by Minister for Higher Education Don Pomb Polye.

    With an expected vote of no confidence next month, the reshuffle was anticipated to consolidate government numbers.

    New ministry
    A new ministry announced yesterday is the Key Constitutional Offices Ministry to be headed by Popondetta MP Richard Masere.

    In another major twist, the key Ministry of Petroleum portfolio held by senior politician and leader of the PNG National Party Kerenga Kua was stripped off him and handed to Member for Esa’ala Jimmy Maladina.

    In what might be considered a slap in the face of Kua’s National Party, the experienced Kua remains with the less important Ministry of Energy.

    With the resignation of Aiye Tambua as Minister for Agriculture to answer police investigations, fellow Eastern Highlander and Obura-Wonenara MP John Boito is now the
    new Minister for Agriculture.

    Former Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki is now Minister for Commerce, which was left vacant by Sohe MP Henry Amuli after his dismissal from office by the courts.

    Member for Rigo Sir Ano Pala takes over National Planning while his former Ministry of Mining goes to the Member for Kundiawa-Gembogl Dilu Muguwa.

    Rainbo Paita remains Minister for Finance while losing National Planning.

    Six new ministers
    Six new ministers were also sworn in, who have been appointed based on party lines,
    provincial and regional balance, a move the Prime Minister thinks will see them performing well to serve the nation and also to maintain his coalition government.

    Congratulating the six new ministers, Prime Minister Marape said this was an opportunity to include new blood and experience in the Cabinet, representing the coalition partners.

    He also thanked Ian Ling-Stuckey for his service as the Treasurer.

    He said Ling-Stuckey had agreed to step down and move over as Minister assisting the Prime Minister.

    Marape said he needed to look at the issues of Forex and the Puma and also needed to look at the government relief assistance that was not implemented.

    Ling-Stuckey said that the decision was not about the interests of a single Minister of Parliament or a Minister of State.

    He said it was about continuing the good governance they had and maintaining the integrity and stability of government.

    Jeffrey Elapa and Miriam Zarriga are PNG Post-Courier journalists. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • America’s Lawyer E82: The adult website PornHub was recently hit with a fine of less than $2 million dollars after it was revealed that they were profiting off of human trafficking, and this fine is an insult to every trafficking victim in this country. A school district in Florida is under fire after they banned […]

    The post Florida Schools Ban “Pornographic” Dictionaries appeared first on The Ring of Fire Network.

    This post was originally published on The Ring of Fire Network.

  • The latest victim of last week’s rioting and looting in Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby is the city’s top police commander.

    National Capital District commander Assistant Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jr has been suspended for 21 days.

    Wagambie’s suspension comes after an internal investigation by the PNG police Internal Affairs Directorate.

    Acting Police Commissioner Donald Yamasombi approved the suspension to “facilitate a thorough and impartial investigation”, The National newspaper reported.

    “He [Wagambie] will have the opportunity to provide further information to investigators as is required during this [disciplinary] process,” he said.

    “This is the first of potentially several more suspensions with the way in which some police personnel conducted themselves during the mayhem.”

    The violence broke out in Port Moresby last week on Black Wednesday — January 10 — with shops and businesses set alight after public servants, including police and army personnel, went on strike over a payroll issue.

    As many as 22 people died in the violence, which prompted the government to issue a state of emergency.

    Last week the PNG Police Commissioner David Manning was suspended alongside the secretaries of Finance, Treasury and the Department of Personnel Management.

    When announcing these suspensions last Friday, Prime Minister James Marape said: “it’s not good enough that operating agencies do not get to work properly that has caused us this stress”.

    RNZ Pacific’s PNG correspondent Scott Waide said there was strong public support for Wagambie online.

    Social media shutdown, warns minister
    Meanwhile, PNG’s Telecommunications Minister Timothy Masiu has announced that the government could shut down social media if people misused it during the state of emergency.

    Masiu, a former journalist, said there was significant evidence people had spread false information on social media sites leading to the destruction of properties in Port Moresby and around the country.

    The Port Courier reports him saying people who engaged in such bogus activity would lose their social media accounts and could face arrest and charges for fomenting violence.

    Masiu said discussions on social media that incited violence, destruction, that spread false information or confidential government information, would be closely monitored.

    He said national security, public emergency and public safety was critical for a secure nation and a “happy and safe country”.

    The government has already revealed the state of emergency rules allow draconian measures such as searches of private homes, property, vehicles and phones by government agents.

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

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent

    The political fallout from the deadly riots in Papua New Guinea continues, including calls for a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister James Marape.

    Seven MPs in Marape’s government have resigned following last week’s riots in Port Moresby and Lae — dubbed “Black Wednesday” — and the current death toll has reached 22

    Belden Namah, representative for Vanimo-Green, is the latest government MP to resign.

    Namah is a senior MP and a former captain in the PNG Defence Force. He was involved in removing Sandline mercenaries in 1997 after similar rioting and looting. As such, his resignation is a significant blow to the Marape regime.

    Last Friday, Morobe Governor Luther Wenge called for an emergency sitting of Parliament to address urgent issues including a vote of no confidence.

    Marape still has the majority and may announce a possible reshuffle in the coming days.

    It is expected that there will be ministries that will be reworked so that the main base of power will still be contained.

    Normalcy has returned on the ground the only tension is within political circles where people were preparing for a vote of no confidence or calling for a vote of no confidence.

    Property returned
    After several days of intense rioting in Port Moresby, Lae and other regions of Papua New Guinea the current death toll has reached 22.

    However, it is suspected that the actual death toll, as order is restored, will be higher.

    Acting Police Commissioner Donald Yamasombi asked people to return stolen property.

    Yamasombi told looters to leave stolen items outside their homes for the military and police to pick up, on Saturday and Sunday.

    His request was met with reasonable compliance.

    A couple in Lae were arrested for abusing police over social media. The couple were “made an example of” for supporting the looters.

    Videos of looter protests
    There were also videos of looters expressing their dissatisfaction and telling the government why they were looting.

    There is a feeling that something needs to happen. There are underlying frustrations among the population like the lack of opportunity for young people and the youth problems not dealt with.

    The public’s frustrations are mirrored by PNG police, concerning their poor housing, work and pay conditions. Officers are expected to go into tribal fighting zones without body armour for protection.

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

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • EDITORIAL: By Fred Wesley, editor-in-chief of The Fiji Times

    The revelation that police have carried out what is believed to be one of Fiji’s biggest drug busts after a surprise raid in Nadi at the weekend is a wake-up call for us all.

    Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew yesterday confirmed the raid and that substantial amounts of white drugs were seized.

    The tip off, he said, came from Nausori, subsequently allowing officers to conduct a raid at a warehouse in the West. It is arguably one of the biggest haul in Fiji. As investigations continue, one thing is certain.

    The Fiji Times
    THE FIJI TIMES

    This is a national issue, and it is big. It’s a chilling wake-up call, exposing something we have been seeing glimpses of over the years. It is difficult to shrug aside the fact that the drug trade is a major challenge for us as a nation.

    We have been talking about the consequences, which are far reaching, and threatening the very fabric of life as we know it.

    Addiction is a major challenge we face as well and given the fact that we do not have well equipped rehabilitation centres, we are staring at a blankwall, and that places us in a rather frightening situation.

    The impact of drug addiction on the family structure, on society and our country are not good at all.

    The minds of tourists
    The last thing we want is for our country to lose its shine on the minds of tourists because of a drug challenge. We look up to the powers that be to put in place measures that will assist in the fight against drugs, and addiction.

    That is why we have been pushing for rehabilitation centres and for people to be trained to work in these facilities. In saying that, we are encouraged by this latest revelation.

    There is a glimmer of hope when such events happen because they take a swipe at the illicit trade. While it is a testament to the efforts and the vigilance of the police, we are still reminded about the fact that we have a problem!

    In this instance, awareness is key. Educational campaigns targeted at youth, families, and communities must dispel the myths and expose the brutal reality of drugs.

    We also need to be talking, and assisting Fijians make informed choices.

    We need those rehabilitation centres set up urgently, and equipped by trained professional staff.

    Then there are the social challenges that range from poverty, and unemployment to consider.

    This is not just a matter for the police to deal with. It’s a fight we all must participate in. It is for our future!

    This editorial was published in The Fiji Times today under the title of “Drug challenge”.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • PNG Post-Courier

    Gerehu, the sprawling suburban township to the north of Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby, is now a “ghost town” for shoppers.

    All major shops in the central business district in the city’s biggest suburb — Papindo, Gmart, Total Energy service station, Desh Besh Motors, Pharmacy, Supermarket and the bakery which serve a population of more than 50,000 — was set on fire by looters on last week’s “Black Wednesday” riot.

    There is nothing left of the shops but debris and charred remains of buildings.

    Many residents have expressed remorse that there is nothing left.

    “Gerehu is now a ghost town,” said one emotional resident.

    “We have nothing here anymore and the shops we grew up with are gone.

    “Gone just like that at the blink of an eye.

    ‘I grew up here’
    “I grew up here, this is my home.

    “Oh my heart breaks.”

    The busiest bus stop in the city was empty with no vendors in sight.

    The main market was left with only a few food items and vendors.

    One could guess mothers were chased out of the market as well while doing their usual marketing.

    Only the thin smoke coming out from the walls and outside of the sheds was noticeable when the PNG Post-Courier visited the area at the weekend.

    Gerehu General Hospital security supervisor Topo Dambe said the burning of buildings affected their area where they had received several casualties and the hospital was busy throughout the day.

    “But when they set fire to the shops, the hospital staff and the lives of the people and properties were at risk and we were left to protect them and the hospital,” Dambe said.

    “We had to close the gates allowing only emergencies.”

    Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Gorethy Kenneth and Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby

    Rogue police officers have been alleged to be part of last Wednesday’s uprising of opportunists leading to looting and ransacking of more than 20 shops and loss of businesses in the capital of Port Moresby.

    Prime Minister James Marape said last week’s “Black Wednesday” unrest had led the government to consider the Vagrancy Act and complete the national Census.

    Marape said the 14-day State of Emergency orders included “no movement of large crowds”.

    “There is no curfew and limited movement of large crowds will be stopped,” he said.

    “Police will be supported by the PNG Defence Force and they will be allowed to stop anyone and check them.

    “We are taking a soft approach to the SOE for the next 14 days,” Marape added.

    Brian Bell Group chair Ian Clough
    Brian Bell Group chair Ian Clough . . . K50 million losses not covered by insurance. Image: Linked-in

    Meanwhile, Brian Bell Group chair Ian Clough has made an impassioned plea to the government for assistance to rebuild its business because the company’s losses suffered in the Black Wednesday plunder were not covered by insurance, reports Claudia Tally.

    He said that all businesses which suffered the “indignity of huge losses” through theft, arson and looting were not covered by insurance companies.

    Brian Bell suffered losses of 50 million kina (NZ$21.5 million) million) after its warehouse in Port Moresby’s Gerehu Stage 6 was completely emptied by looters during the citywide plunder of businesses on January 10.

    An emotional Clough said all businesses were not covered by insurance for civil unrest. This situation needed to be treated as a “natural disaster” where the government
    must step in to assist.

    Gorethy Kenneth, Miriam Zarriga and Claudia Tally are PNG Post-Courier reporters. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Amnesty International is calling on Papua New Guinea authorities to protect human rights in response to the riots.

    Port Moresby is in a state of emergency for 14 days with at least 16 people confirmed dead following violent unrest on Wednesday.

    The violence broke out with shops and businesses being set alight after public servants went on strike over what has been described as a payroll error.

    Prime Minister James Marape announced at a late night news conference on Thursday that more than 1000 defence force personnel WEre ready to step in whereever necessary.

    Amnesty International Pacific researcher Kate Schuetze told RNZ Pacific firearms was often never an appropriate way to respond to protests.

    “They have declared a state of emergency under the constitution which gives extraordinary powers to the authorities like the police and the military,” Schuetze said.

    “What we really want to do is just remind them that protesters have human rights, that people in the streets have rights as well and ultimately, they have to work in a way to use the least lethal force possible and uphold the right to life.”

    Members of the disciplined forces were among those protesting after their fortnightly pay checks were reduced by up to 300 kina (US$80).

    Schuetze said the deductions for some officers amounted to half their pay packet.

    “The deductions we’re talking about here are not an insignificant amount … understandably they were concerned.

    “There’s questions around how much the government knew prior to the strike around this pay area and why they didn’t take steps to address it sooner.”

    Amnesty International's response
    Amnesty International’s response . . . “It is imperative that Papua New Guinea authorities respond to this violence in a way that protects human rights and avoids further loss of life.” Image: AI screenshot APR

    Schuetze said inflation was a concern for people.

    “A lot of people are doing it tough in Papua New Guinea and I think it could be a sign of rising resentment and dissatisfaction with the leadership of the government, as well as livelihood factors that people feel are not being addressed.”

    Marape is under increasing political pressure to step down, with six members of his coalition government resigning in the aftermath of the deadly violence.

    Among them, Chauve MP James Nomane and Hiri-Koiari MP Kieth Iduhu made their resignations public via social media and blamed blamed Marape for the riots.

    Schuetze said there needed to be “prompt, impartial and independent investigation” into what happened, including the causes of the riots.

    “Likely there will be several colliding factors which cause this to happen.

    “Any government, if this happens on their watch, if it happened in Australia, in New Zealand, we would expect there to be a full independent public inquiry.”

    She said there tended to be an absence of appropriate police response to address the violent acts once they had occurred in Papua New Guinea.

    “Obviously, the fact that people have died in the course of these riots is a really strong indicator that there may be human rights violations by the state.”

    Schuetze said there were lots of videos uploaded to social media that showed police actively encouraging and participating in the chaos.

    “If the police themselves were involved in acts of violence, there is a responsibility of the state to hold them accountable as well, as much as any other person engaged in active violence.”

    ‘Dysfunctional government’
    Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) said the frustration among police, and other public servants over tax calculations, was just the tip of the iceberg of a dysfunctional government system.

    It is calling on the PNG government to engage immediately in genuine open dialogue with the police representatives to address their legitimate grievances.

    The organisation’s board chair Peter Aitsi said this must be done quickly through transparent and open communication in order to resolve this crisis.

    Aitsi said the public service and police were institutions of the state, and if truly independent and free of political control, should play a critical role as a check and balance to the executive government.

    Open for business
    Meanwhile, PNG’s largest retail and wholesale organisation — the CPL Group — has re-opened for business.

    In a statement on Friday, the company said its Stop & Shop outlet at Waigani Central, Town, Boroko, Airways was now open.

    The City Pharmacy chain in Waigani Drive, Boroko and Vision city are also open for trading.

    However, the group says those outlets in areas which “suffered devastatingly” remained closed.

    It is also warned people not to use stolen pharmaceutical products, including baby formulas, off the counter and prescription medicines.

    It is urging the public not to buy these products as they may be damaged and tampered with and wrong doses could be administered.

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

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, assesses Israeli defence submitted at the ICJ over South Africa’s genocide allegations. Image: AJ

    Pacific Media Watch

    Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara says Israel’s legal team “started off weak” but made a few strong points near the end.

    Bishara said the lawyers’ efforts at the genocide hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague yesterday to deflect blame for Israel’s attacks and ignore the context of Israel’s 75-year occupation of Palestine came across as “illogical”, the Al Jazeera video clip reports.

    Their claims that Israel’s forces are “trying to protect, rather than harm”, civilians were also unconvincing, he said, given the toll of the war: 23,357 Palestinians, including 9,600 children, since October 7.

    However, Bishara said Israel’s lawyers did well to zero in on the jurisdiction of the ICJ — pointing out that the court must specifically prove Israel was guilty of genocidal intent, not any other violations.

    “You can claim Israel has committed heinous crimes, but if they do not fall under the framework of genocide, the court has no jurisdiction,” Bishara said.

    Speaking to reporters outside the ICJ in The Hague, Palestinian Foreign Ministry official Ammar Hijazi said Israel’s legal team was not “able to provide any solid arguments on the basis of fact and law”.

    “What Israel has provided today are many of the already debunked lies,” he added, referring to, among others, Israeli clams that hospitals in Gaza were being used as military bases.

    “Additionally, we think that what the Israeli team today has tried to provide is the exact thing that South Africa came to the court for — and that is, nothing at all justifies genocide.”

    Thomas MacManus, a senior lecturer in state crime at Queen Mary University of London, said the ICJ was likely to see a “massive disconnect” between the picture Israel painted of its humanitarian concern for Gaza and “the reality on the ground where UN agencies say people are starving, lacking water, and seeing attacks on hospitals, schools, and universities.”

    ‘Nothing can ever justify genocide’
    South Africa’s Minister of Justice Ronald Lamola told media “Self-defence is no answer to genocide”.

    Here are the main points from his interaction:

    • “”Israel failed to disprove South Africa’s compelling case that was presented;
    • Israel tells the court that statements read out by senior Israeli political, military and civilian society leaders are simply rhetorical, and we shall not ascribe them any importance;
    • “There is no debate about what Prime Minister Netanyahu’s term ‘Amalek’ means and how it is understood by soldiers fighting on the ground and by the Israelis;
    • “How can you ignore Netanyahu’s statement, the statement of the defence minister and the ground forces? That is a clear implementation of policy.
    • “Israel chose to focus extensively on the events of October 7. South Africa has not ignored this event as Israel alleged because it has unequivocally condemned and continues to condemn October 7; and
    • “Self-defence is no answer to genocide. Nothing can ever justify genocide.”


    Marwan Bishara comments on the Israeli ICJ defence. Video: Al Jazeera

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.