Univ. of Virgin Islands (UVI) expands regional and international ties

UVI Signs Six MOUs with National & International Colleges & Universities; Establishes Campus on St. Maarten

Press Release

The University of the Virgin Islands has entered into six Memoranda of Understanding with several institutions of higher learning this year. UVI has signed MOUs with the University of St. Maarten, Philipsburg, St. Maarten; the Council of Community Colleges of Jamaica, Kingston, Jamaica; Fielding Graduate University, California; Nantong University, China; Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, China; and the University of Nebraska At Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska. 

Each of the MOUs are unique, but share a spirit of cooperation and understanding. “The common goal of the MOUs is to enhance the UVI experience, either by having students from other parts of the world in the classroom here at UVI or by having UVI students sit in the classrooms around the world,” said UVI Provost Dr. Camille McKayle. 

“A 21st Century education needs to be a global education.” she continued, “UVI graduates will find themselves in work environments with people from around the world, actually and virtually. UVI aims to prepare them for that environment by giving them opportunities to see that world so that it is a less daunting place.”


More information is available in a news release on the Media Section of the UVI website - http://www.uvi.edu – and from this direct link.

Treaty between Switzerland and the Kingdom of Hawai'i still valid

manoa.hawaii.edu

Hawaiian Kingdom Blog

Weblog of the acting government of the Hawaiian Kingdom

 presently operating within the occupied State of the Hawaiian Islands.

Swiss Federal Criminal Court Recognizes Switzerland’s Treaty with the Hawaiian Kingdom was Never Cancelled and Implies Hawai‘i was Never Annexed

In a cogent and thoughtful decision the Swiss Federal Criminal Court Appeals Chamberrecently issued two important and profound statements as to the sovereignty of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Although the Court held that, the filing was untimely and no longer appropriate in a Swiss Federal Criminal Court. The case has now been moved to the Criminal Law section of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne. These procedural issues do not diminish the two critical statements the Court made about the status of Hawai‘i.

Download Federal Criminal Court Decision (German) (translation to English)

First, the Court stated that the 1864 Treaty between Switzerland and the Hawaiian Kingdom was never canceled—and is still in effect. Second, the Court identified certain officials and former officials of the State of Hawaii by name as possibly subject to a continuing investigation as to alleged war crimes. 

Although the Court ruled the filing was untimely, the Court did provide a means by which the plaintiffs could obtain review in the Swiss Supreme Court.

Professor Williamson B.C. Chang, a law professor at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, called this statement by the Swiss Court “an extraordinary assessment of the status of Hawaii with enormous ramifications. It confirms my own views that the United States never acquired the Hawaiian Islands, either in 1898 or thereafter.”

Professor Chang also stated, “Indeed, the fact that the statement was made, given that there was no need to make such a statement, renders the statement even more significant. If Hawai‘i had been annexed then all treaties of the Hawaiian Kingdom would have become void.”

The U.S. congressional joint resolution that purportedly annexed Hawai‘i in 1898 during the Spanish-American War stated, “The existing treaties of the Hawaiian Islands with foreign nations shall forthwith cease and determine, being replaced by such treaties as may exist, or as may be hereafter concluded, between the United States and such foreign nations.” Obviously the Swiss Court was not swayed by the language of the joint resolution of Congress, and therefore concluded that the Hawaiian-Swiss Treaty was not cancelled.

To Professor Chang, the statement of the Swiss Court directly contradicts the official position of the United States as currently maintained by the United States Department of State, Office of the Historian, on its official website, “The McKinley Administration also used the [Spanish-American] war as a pretext to annex the independent state of Hawaii… At McKinley’s request, a joint resolution of Congress made Hawaii a U.S. territory on August 12, 1898.”

Second, and equally significant, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court of Appeals specifically named present and former State of Hawai‘i officials as well others who are defendants and alleged war criminals. Again, the Swiss Criminal Court dismissed on the grounds of untimeliness, nevertheless, the Court held that plaintiffs had a pathway to bring their claims before the Swiss Supreme Court. Thus, the actions of the Defendants will continue to be examined before that Court.

The naming of names is significant because the Court had no need to identify these individuals. Those named are the former Chief Executive Officer of Deustch Bank, Joseph Ackerman, the former Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, Neil Abercrombie, current Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui, former Director of the Department of Taxation, Frederik Pablo, and former deputy Director, Joshua Wisch.

The Swiss criminal action began when the Swiss Attorney General received a war crimes report by Dr. Keanu Sai, as the attorney-in-fact for Mr. Kale Gumapac, a Hawaiian subject, who was a victim of war crimes in December 2014. Dr. Sai also represents another war crimes victim who is a Swiss citizen residing in the Hawaiian Islands, but his name is kept confidential for safety concerns. Prosecutor Andreas Muller from the Attorney General’s Competence Centre for Terrorism and Competence Centre for International Criminal Law initiated a war crimes investigation.

Prosecutor Muller abandoned the investigation on February 3, 2015, and Dr. Sai appealed to the Swiss Federal Criminal Court Appeals Chamber seeking an order to direct the Prosecutor to complete the investigation and proceed with the prosecution.

The Appeals Chamber concluded they were prevented from hearing the appeal because of a previous court case that stated if a private courier, such as FedEx, was used to submit documents to a court it would only recognize the date it was received and not the date it was postage marked. There was a 10-day period to appeal after Dr. Sai received the Prosecutor’s decision and report on March 23, 2015. The deadline to appeal was April 2, 2015. Although, the appeal was sent via FedEx on April 1, 2015, it did not arrive at the Appeals Chamber until April 8.

“When I received the Prosecutor’s report I needed to get it translated into the English language in order to draft the appeal,” said Dr. Sai. “Once I got the translation, I wrote the appeal, which was 12 pages, and then I proceeded to get it translated into German before sending it off. After the translation was completed on April 1, I immediately went to FedEx.” At the request of Dr. Sai, the Clerk of the Federal Criminal Court forwarded the case to the Federal Supreme Court in Lausanne.

In a letter (German) (translation to English) to Dr. Sai from the Criminal Law Section of the Federal Supreme Court dated May 21, 2015, the Clerk of the Court stated the Supreme Court will accept the case if Dr. Sai would “explicitly state by June 5, 2015 that the Federal Supreme Court should accept and treat [his] submission as an objection in criminal matters.” As directed, Dr. Sai drafted a letter dated May 24, 2015 (German) (translation to English), which stated “I hereby explicitly state that the Federal Supreme Court should accept and treat my submission in the above case as an objection in criminal matters pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Supreme Court Act (BGG) of June 17, 2005.” Dr. Sai’s letter arrived in Switzerland by a personal courier and mailed to the Supreme Court through the Swiss postal service on May 28, 2015, which met the deadline of June 5.

Bougainville': from punchline to looming issue for Australia

Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

Two Bougainville Revolutionary Army soldiers during the fight for independence from Papua New Guinea in the late 1990s. Photo: Mike Bowers

Daniel Flitton | Fairfax Media

“Bougainville” has been a punchline of Australian politics – a put down for Broadmeadows, or used by Kevin Rudd to describe Julia Gillard’s occupation of the Lodge. But the real place, a resource-rich yet poorly developed island north of Australia, is no laughing matter.

From the middle of next month, Bougainville will be entitled to hold a vote on breaking from Papua New Guinea and becoming a nation on its own. There is a bloody history. A separatist conflict in the 1990s saw as many as 20,000 people killed. But a peace deal that put off a decision on independence for a decade is fast running out.

Port Moresby is becoming acutely sensitive about it, demonstrated by an ugly spat with the Abbott government this month that saw Australians banned from the island.

Here are four things to watch in the months ahead as Bougainville decides its future.

Cocktails in Buka?

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has made two trips to Bougainville, and revealed this month in the federal budget plans for Australia to open a new diplomatic post at Buka, the capital of the province. Trouble is, it seemed no one thought to tell the government in Port Moresby.

PNG’s leaders quickly branded Australia’s plans “outrageous” and “mischievous”, then retaliated by banning Australians, including diplomats, from visiting the island.

Bougainville isn’t exactly a tourist destination, so the ban had little practical effect. It also appeared doubly unfair, because Bishop insisted Australia did consult with Port Moresby before going public.

The two countries agreed at the weekend there was a communications “misunderstanding” and have agreed to move on.

The proof will be if Australia does actually send in more diplomats

Back to the future

Australia has good reason to want to pay close attention. Bougainville won the right to govern its own affairs within PNG under the terms of a 2001 peace deal. But that wasn’t the end.

The deal also included a clause for Bougainville’s people to vote on eventual independence no sooner than 10 years after the first autonomous government was elected.

That happened on June 15, 2005 – which means from next month the decade-long wait will be over.

That doesn’t necessarily mean a decision right away. But under the explicit terms of the peace deal, a five-year countdown will now begin where the people of Bougainville must be give the chance to vote for independence.

The vote veto?

But here is the sting. The national parliament in Port Moresby has the final say, regardless of the referendum outcome.

The peace deal includes a clause for “ratification” and PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill insists Bougainville is an essential part of his country.

At one time the massive Panguna copper mine on Bougainville made up almost 20 per cent of the nation’s income. Rio Tinto ran Panguna in the 1980s and mismanagement of the mine was the major source of strife on the island. The future of the mine is still hotly contested, with some seeing a potential boon for a newly independent nation, while plenty of locals are opposed.

PNG has since gained other sources of income, but O’Neill has effectively declared Bougainville will never be independent on his watch.

Australia climbs off the fence?

Any veto of the referendum might lead Bougainville to make a unilateral declaration of independence, and no one quite knows where that might lead.

The moral power of a “yes” vote would be impossible to ignore.

Which brings Australia back into the picture. Having just ended a decade-long, $2.6 billion intervention in neighbouring Solomon Islands, Australia won’t welcome the prospect of another tiny and fragile nation on the doorstep. And by relying on PNG to resettle refugees, the Abbott government doesn’t want to get Port Moresby offside.

But Australia is also backing a peace process that could well see Bougainville chose to become independent. Some time soon Australia will have to declare a hand.

This issue looms as a big test for Julie Bishop, the hard part only just beginning. She once stirred Kevin Rudd during Labor’s leadership wars by asking in question time when he would “return to Bougainville”.

She might find herself spending a fair bit of time there, too.

American Samoa Governor: "Current political status... is neither sustainable nor economically secure" and "lacks... self-governance"

Statement of The Honorable Lolo Matalasi Moliga 

Governor of American Samoa 

delivered by

Talauega Eleasalo Ale 

Attorney General 

United Nations Caribbean Regional Seminar 

on Implementation of the Third International Decade 

for the Eradication of Colonialism 

Managua, Nicaragua

May 19 to 21, 2015 

Mr. Chairman, 

Members of the Committee, 

Ladies and Gentlemen: 

Talofa Lava. 

Thank you for the opportunity to offer this statement on behalf of our Governor, the Honorable Lolo Matalasi Moliga, regarding American Samoa’s experience as a Territory of the United States of America. Overview: 

Under Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter, the administering nations have accepted as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, the well-being of the inhabitants of non-self-governing territories, and to this end, to ensure, with due respect for the culture of the peoples concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses.

And further, under Chapter XI, the administering nations have committed to develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the peoples, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its peoples and their varying stages of development. 

In my view, much of what Chapter XI encourages has already occurred with respect to American Samoa’s relationship with the United States of America. Indeed, by any measure, our union with the United States has resulted in substantial benefits to the people and government of American Samoa. 

But despite the many benefits of our relationship, it is my firm belief that American Samoa’s current political status as an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States is neither sustainable nor economically secure. Moreover, it lacks appropriate vestiges of self-governance as required by the UN Charter. 

SEE FULL TEXT AT LINK ABOVE.

French Polynesia Nuclear Victims Dubious About Commission

Testing victims skeptical of need for more hearings

 WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, May 25, 2015) – The head of an organisation representing victims of nuclear testing in French Polynesia says a commission set up to assess the aftermath of the testing could just be a charade.

It was set up by France's defence minister, and will be made up of 24 members and chaired by the French High Commissioner in Papeete.

The director of Moruroa e Tatou, which represents victims of testing on the atolls of Mururoa and Fangataufa, says 80-percent of the members suffer serious health conditions, including cancer.

Roland Oldham is questioning why more more evidence is needed.

"Why more more and more commissions...isn't there enough proof now that it had a bad impact on the environment, and a bad impact on the health of polynesian people - itsn't it enough proof?"

He says they will make themselves heard.

"As far as we're concerned, we will be speaking with a very loud voice, because we have had enough of all these lies, of 40 years of lying, and if this commission's just for another lie, then it's just a waste of money and a waste of time."

New York March to free Oscar Lopez Rivera set for May 30

Compañeros Unidos para la Descolonización de Puerto Rico

Landmark lawsuit challenges experimental seabed mineral mining

Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

New Ocean Gold Rush Could Hurt Marine Life Before Impacts Are Known

The Center for Biological Diversity sued the U.S. government today over its first-ever approval for large-scale deep-sea mining, a destructive project between Hawaii and Mexico that would damage important habitat for whales, sharks and sea turtles and wipe out seafloor ecosystems.

“Like mountaintop-removal coal mining, deep-sea mining involves massive cutting machines that will leave behind a barren landscape devoid of life,” said Emily Jeffers, the Center attorney who filed the case in federal district court in Washington DC.

“Deep-sea mining should be stopped, and this lawsuit aims to compel the government to look at the environmental risks before it leaps into this new frontier. We need to protect the ocean wildlife and habitat, and the United States should provide leadership for other nations to follow before more projects get underway.

”The lawsuit targets the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for issuing and renewing exploratory permits for the work before completing environmental impact studies required by federal law. This is the first major legal challenge to an emerging global industry that is seeking to extract gold, nickel, copper and other increasingly valuable metals and minerals from the seabed beneath international waters.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE

Federashon di Futbol Bonairiano becomes 41st Member of Western Hemisphere's Football Federation

CONCACAF Club Licensing at work in Bonaire

(ABOVE) Attendees of the CONCACAF Club Licensing seminar in Bonaire put what they learned into practice during a local match between S.V. Uruguay and S.V. Flamingo at the Antonio Trinidad Stadium in Rincon on May 17, 2015.

CONCACAF: KRALENDIJK, Bonaire – May 19, 2015 - In 2014, the Federashon di Futbol Bonairiano (Bonairean Football Federation, FFB) became the 41st Member Association of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). Nestled in the southern Caribbean – in close proximity to Aruba and Curacao -- Bonaire is home to just under 20,000 inhabitants. It hosts millions of tourists from around the world seeking a spectacular beach vacation.

Similarly, the club football landscape is also exceptionally busy with a men’s first division, two senior men’s leagues (one for over 35 and one for over 50), and youth leagues from the under-9 to under-17 age groups (under-9 and under-11 rosters can contain boys and girls). Additionally, the FFB organizes regular grassroots festivals and works in partnership with local schools to organize boys’ and girls’ school leagues.

This past weekend, the CONCACAF Club Licensing department conducted a two-day club football development seminar -- in partnership with the FFB -- for all the football clubs in Bonaire.

“CONCACAF has designed an inclusive Club Licensing system for our region’s football clubs, and we believe the key to the long term success will be to gradually increase requirements,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “By taking this approach, the Confederation is guaranteeing a model for development.”

CONCACAF Club Licensing Manager, Andres Portabella, presented the Confederation’s approach to Club Licensing and thoroughly examined development tools available to all leagues and clubs in the region.

On Saturday, the clubs were given an overview of the system, allowing them to gain an understanding of the new requirements for participation in domestic club competitions. A day later, an innovatively designed session gave club representatives an opportunity to simulate the proper procedures and protocols for executing an international football match. After being assigned various roles and responsibilities, the attendees conducted a Match Coordination Meeting and then proceeded to follow the elements of “The Countdown” during a local match between S.V. Uruguay and S.V. Flamingo at the Antonio Trinidad Stadium in Rincon, Bonaire.

“The response from the clubs in Bonaire to Club Licensing has been very positive,” commented FFB President Ludwig L. Balentin. “They have embraced the project and they are interested in fulfilling the domestic requirements for Club Licensing ahead of the start of the 2015-2016 season.”

In line with CONCACAF’s 2015 Club Licensing Regulations, the minimum domestic requirements put in place by CONCACAF’s Club Licensing system, to be satisfied before the start of the season, include:

- Accurately completing a club general form, a finance form, a youth development form and an infrastructure form;

- Providing proof of ownership or a contract/agreement for the use of a home stadium;

- Appointing a qualified coach to the first team;

- Registering all first team players and coaches through an online platform;

- Appointing a General Manager, Media Officer, Finance Officer, and Marketing Officer;

- Presenting a budget;

- Submitting a legal declaration form signed by an authorized signatory;

- If applicable, submitting the club ownership structure and control mechanisms;

- If applicable, submitting club statutes or an equivalent legal document.

“Our football is operated 100% by volunteers, but our clubs can already fulfill many of the CONCACAF Club Licensing domestic requirements, since they are successfully following our federation’s statutes which mandate that each club have a board of directors and statutes. Integrating our clubs to this system will allow us to centralize key information from all our clubs into one unique system,” expressed FFB General Secretary, Jeaninne Wong Loi Sing.

In order to continue assisting the FFB and the clubs in Bonaire, CONCACAF will organize a D-License Coaching Course before the start of the 2015-2016 season, enabling all coaches in Bonaire to increase their knowledge base.

After this first Club Licensing seminar, the clear response to whether or not CONCACAF’s Club Licensing system can be implemented in Bonaire is a resounding “yes!”

West Papuan leader denied entry by United States

PNG TODAY/PACNEWS

The US Office of Homeland Security stopped West Papuan Independence leader Benny Wenda from boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Los Angeles on 13 May 2015, reports PNG Today.

After check-in staff found an alert on their passport system, Wenda was questioned by an official from the US Homeland Securities bureau office at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Wenda told the official: “I am a Human Rights campaigner from West Papua, I am exiled and am campaigning for West Papua.”

After making phone calls the US official told Wenda that his US visa had been revoked, but declined to say y. He told Wenda to contact the US embassy. He was issued a 10 year business visa in October 2014 and has already made one visit to Congress staff on Capitol Hill in Washington using it.

Wenda was set to embark on a speaker tour of California and Hawaii at the invitation of US groups supporting the Free West Papua Campaign. Pending an explanation from the US Government, the busy two week schedule of events is moving forward without Wenda. Free West Papua campaigners in California are now even more determined to raise the voice that Indonesia seeks to silence.

Attempts to get answers by the Free West Papua Campaign (FWPC) in both London and Washington have so far met with silence. The FWPC is keen to know why Benny Wenda’s legitimate right to free speech in the US has been quashed and is working to try and get his visa reinstated.

“I hope that US officials respond to my situation soon so that I can join the tour. Concern is growing from people, politicians and UN officials in the United States about the ongoing genocide in West Papua. I am keen to follow-through their invitation to address these audiences and to urge political action by the US Governmen, said Wenda

The FWPC hopes that the issue is no more than a bureaucratic hiccup. However it is not the first time that Wenda has been prevented from travelling to the US. In 2005 and 2013 he had visa applications refused and then went on to successfully apply for his current ten year business visa.

“I have travelled to the USA several times for meetings with political representatives, groups and churches. I also attended meetings with State Department officials who told me they approved of my lobbying and campaigning work. So you can imagine my surprise when my ten year visa was revoked without notice, Wenda said.

Scotland presses for real devolution of power in wake of election

First Minister meets Prime Minister

Scotland

First Minister:

More powers and ending austerity on agenda during ‘constructive’ talks.

More powers for the Scottish Parliament and ending austerity were on the agenda today as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met Prime Minister David Cameron at Bute House in Edinburgh.

During their first face-to-face talks since the general election, the First Minister welcomed a commitment by the Prime Minister to look at proposals from the Scottish Government to extend Holyrood’s power beyond the plans outlined in the Smith Commission.

Ms Sturgeon also welcomed the Prime Minister’s agreement that legislation currently being drafted to take forward further devolution would implement in full the Smith Commission proposals and also take account of the report published by the Scottish Parliament’s Devolution Committee earlier this week.

The discussions, which were described by the First Minister as “constructive and helpful”, also covered her desire to tackle austerity, with further proposals on how this could be achieved within the UK Government’s own fiscal mandate now to be submitted by the Scottish Government and considered by the Prime Minister in due course.

To take forward these points, the First Minister and Prime Minister also agreed to much closer contact between their respective governments, with a commitment to increasing the number of bilateral meetings between the pair.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“I was pleased to welcome the Prime Minister to Bute House for what were constructive and helpful talks on a range of issues following the outcome of the UK general election.

“During the meeting, we had a productive discussion about the Smith Commission proposals and where we might go beyond them. From that, two things of importance were agreed. Firstly, there was a commitment from the Prime Minister that the legislation being drafted will fully implement the Smith Commission proposals and take account of the conclusions of the Holyrood committee report that was published yesterday.

“Secondly, the Prime Minister agreed that he would look at proposals the Scottish Government will bring forward on how we go beyond the Smith Commission in various important areas. There was no agreement on the substance of that, but the Prime Minister has said he will consider our proposals and there will be a meeting, in the first instance, between the Deputy First Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland to look at how we take that further forward.”

The First Minister continued:

“The Prime Minister and I have agreed to meet more regularly, which is a good step forward. We have also agreed to much closer contact between Ministers in the Scottish and UK governments to discuss issues of common interest and policies that impact on Scotland at a much earlier stage – that’s all very positive.

“David Cameron and I are a world apart politically but, where we can, I’m determined that we do business in the interest of people in Scotland and across the UK and I’m determined to have a constructive and business-like relationship.

“I hope that the Prime Minister can now show he can respond and deliver a better deal for Scotland, with an empowered Scottish Parliament with the powers over business taxes and employment law, the minimum wage and welfare that enables us to grow our economy, get more people into jobs, and lift people out of poverty. Because, ultimately, that is what this process is all about.”

The First Minister confirmed that discussions had also covered austerity and public spending across the UK. She said:

“The Prime Minister has a fiscal mandate, but even within that that I believe there is enough flexibility to ease the pain of austerity, invest in the things that matter while still getting the debt and deficit down. We have agreed to send our analysis and proposals to the UK Government and he has agreed to look at them. I have a duty as First Minister of Scotland to stand up for the things I believe the people of Scotland want and I will not shy away from doing that.”

Australia, Papua New Guinea differ on Bouganville Consulate

PACNEWS

Australia opening a foreign mission on Bougainville 

totally outrageous: Pato

Papua New Guinea foreign minister Rimbik Pato has described the suggestion by Australia opening a foreign mission on Bougainville as totally 'outrageous'.

Pato says while PNG welcome foreign aid and personel supporting its national development efforts, it is clear that some aspects of the ongoing dialogue on peace building on Bougainville among PNG officials and foreign counterparts are seriously inadequate and need immediate review.

“I've directed the acting secretary to call to call in the Australian High Commissioner to explain the media accounts of this mischievous proposal to open a foreign mission on Bougainville” 

“I will in turn present the findings to NEC, the earliest opportunity, for their deliberations,” Pato said in a statement.

Pato said priority attention should be given helping ABG to conduct an efficient, free as well as fair election on the island with a view to achieving relevant outcomes under the peace agreement in the long run. 

The Australian government Wednesday announced that it will commit A$98.3 million (US$78 million) to open five new overseas missions in consultation with host governments. 

In a major expansion of Australia’s overseas diplomatic network, new posts will be established in Doha, Qatar; Buka, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea; Makassar, Indonesia; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; and Phuket, Thailand. 

The announcement came as part of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) annual budget statement for 2015-16.

commons.wikimedia.org

*****

Papua New Guinea peeved at ex-colonial ruler Australia’s 

diplomatic outpost plans

RT NEWS

Australia plans to open a diplomatic mission on Bougainville Island, currently a territory of Papua New Guinea and soon to hold an independence referendum. The island, with vast deposits of copper ore, was an Australian colony until 1975.

This week Australia issued papers on the 2016 fiscal national budget, exposing plans to establish a diplomatic post on Bougainville.

“We were shocked to learn from the budget documents that Australia is planning on establishing a diplomatic post in Bougainville,” said PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, as cited by Reuters.

“There has been no consultation on this proposal and there is no agreement to proceed,” O'Neill said at a media event dedicated to 40 years of independence of his country. O'Neill stressed that “Bougainville is an integral part of Papua New Guinea.”

A spokesperson for Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the proposal was discussed in December and Australia's High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea formally advised the government before the Australian budget was released on Tuesday.

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is holding presidential elections ahead of an independence referendum. The results of the election that started on Monday will be announced on June 8.

After the election Bougainville will have a five-year window to hold a referendum on independence. Whoever wins the vote will negotiate the date and the exact question with Papua New Guinea.

Bougainville Island and a number of smaller islands scattered around it were governed from Papua New Guinea as a protectorate of Australia from the end of World War I, when Australia occupied then-German New Guinea, Bougainville Island included, under League of Nations mandate. When PNG gained independence in 1975, Bougainville refused to remain part of it and declared independence, which proved to be vain.

The next attempt was made in 1990, yet the opposition from the mainland Papua New Guinea was so fierce that it led to a civil war which lasted until 1998 and resulted in complete blockade of the island. This brought tremendous hardships to its citizens.

A peace deal brokered by New Zealand implied that Bougainville would hold an independence referendum before June 2020.

Bougainville and its neighboring islands have an estimated population of 250,000, comprising many ethnic groups that speak estimated 26 languages. Bougainville’s land area is 9,300 sq km.

Before the civil war, resources giant Rio Tinto ran the Panguna copper mine on Bougainville. The mine was the largest employer and single source of export revenue in PNG, providing up to 7 percent of the world's copper production.

The mine was abandoned in 1991 due to the civil war. Rio Tinto has stated it could resume operations at Panguna if the political situation on Bougainville Island stabilizes.

*****

(Australian FM) Bishop denies O’Neill’s claim

SOURCE: THE NATIONAL/PACNEWS

Australia has denied an accusation that it failed to consult the Papua New Guinea Government on a decision to open a new diplomatic mission in Bougainville.

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation she had discussed her proposal to open a secondary post in PNG during a visit in December 2014.

She said Australia’s High Commissioner to PNG had formally advised the PNG Government of its intention to announce a new diplomatic presence in the lead-up to the 2015 budget.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said in a speech last Thursday to the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney that he was “shocked” by the announcement by Australia that it was building a new diplomatic mission on Bougainville.

He said there was no consultation about the decision from Australia to build the new diplomatic post and that he learnt about it from media coverage of the budget.

“We don’t want governments to go around creating offices everywhere around the country that will create the wrong interpretation and wrong meaning to our people,” he said.

“We’ve got sensitivities around areas like Bougainville with the elections that are underway at the present.

And of course we are concerned about the message the establishment of this consulate will give to our people in PNG.”

O’Neill was concerned that the move by Australia could influence elections on the island and that his government would prevent the new post from going ahead.

“We have to sanction this,” he said. 

“You can’t just go around and open offices at your pleasure.”

O’Neill said Bougainville was an “integral part of Papua New Guinea”.