Guam's natural resources "USurped" again by unilateral federal action

"The General Assembly...urges the administering Powers concerned to take effective measures to safeguard and guarantee the inalienable rights of the peoples of the Non Self-Governing Territories to their natural resources (,) and to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources..."  -  United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/97 of  11 December 2013.

*****

‘Guam wasn’t consulted in maritime boundary treaty’

 BY LOUELLA LOSINIO 

 MARIANAS VARIETY NEWS STAFF

SPEAKER Judith Won Pat has sent a letter to the federal government, asking it to pursue meaningful consultation with Guam over the recent execution of a treaty that appears to remove the deepest known point in the Mariana Trench, Challenger Deep, from Guam’s exclusive economic zone.

The “Treaty Between the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Government of the United States of America on the Delimitation of a Maritime Boundary” was executed between the U.S. Government and the Federated States of Micronesia on Aug. 1 in Palau during the 45th meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The treaty was negotiated to formally redefine overlapping maritime boundary lines between Guam and the outlying islands of the FSM, but Won Pat said at no point was Guam "meaningfully consulted" during discussions, negotiations and ultimately the execution of the treaty.

Won Pat said there is still confusion as to where Challenger Deep actually lies under the treaty and the potential adverse impacts the treaty would have on Guam’s rights over marine resources, including deep sea minerals possibly located in the area.

“This lack of engagement is especially problematic given the ambiguity surrounding the precise location of the deepest known point in the Mariana Trench, i.e. Challenger Deep. To be sure, many of us in Guam have long understood Challenger Deep as falling within Guam’s EEZ, i.e. on the Guam side of the line identified in the U.S.-FSM treaty,” Won Pat wrote in her letter.

In her correspondence with the federal government, she also attached a 2005 United States Geological Survey publication explicitly indicating that Challenger Deep falls on the Guam side, and not the FSM side, of the line.

"The United States should have been significantly more diligent in discharging its duties to the people of Guam as Guam’s administering power, and more specifically, it should have provided a mechanism for the meaningful consultation of the people of Guam prior to executing a treaty that potentially divests them of no insignificant part of their natural resources inventory,” Won Pat said.

Won Pat also attached a legal memorandum analyzing the international law issues surrounding the treaty.

Specifically, the memo discusses Guam’s right – as a non self-governing territory – to be consulted on matters impacting its ability to pursue economic, social and cultural development and to have a say on issues affecting the island's natural resources.

“Guam had every right to be privy to information surrounding the execution of the U.S.-FSM treaty, particularly as it potentially significantly impacts the territory’s prospective economic development,” Won Pat said.

Copies of Won Pat's letter have been sent to President Barack Obama, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, the U.S. State Department deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, the assistant secretary of Insular Affairs, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization chairman, President Emmanuel Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia, the FSM Secretary of Foreign Affairs, the FSM consul general in Guam, Gov. Eddie Calvo, all Guam legislators, Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo, and the executive director of the Commission on Decolonization.

American Samoa granted temporary 30-day exemption for non-U.S. carrier to fly between the territory's islands

"Restriction on air service rights for U.S. dependencies, providing monopolies to U.S. carriers, is inconsistent with the free market, and is the primary reason for overly expensive airfares to, from and within these territories. The same scenario is witnessed with the unilateral application of the U.S. Jones Act to most of the territories where U.S. sea carriers exercise a monopoly on service. This results in high costs for commodities transported by ocean freight even as these dependencies, save Puerto Rico, lie outside the U.S. customs zone. Yet the prerogative of the federal government is to unilaterally apply whatever regulations they desire to these offshore areas to protect certain business interests. But then again, the U.S. dependencies are classic colonies, so what should we expect?"  -  A Pacific expert.    

kids.britannica.com

______________________________

PolyAir gets an extension to cabotage exemption

Sun, 10/05/2014 - 7:26am | Category

By

 Fili Sagapolutele

Samoa News

The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted a 30-days cabotage exemption extension for Samoa government owned Polynesian Airlines to operate three-times a week flights between Tutuila and Manu’a.

The extension decision, issued Sept. 25 by USDOT’s Susan L. Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, followed a Sept. 23 request by Polynesian, which was initially granted cabotage exemption for Sept. 1-30.

In its Sept. 23 request, Polynesian sought a 30-day extension of the cabotage exemption, saying that the Tutuila-Manu’a route “remains without U.S. carrier service” and Polynesian is the only air carrier able to “provide much needed transportation between the two points and thus prevent severe hardship to American Samoa residents.”

“Indeed, in addition to operating regular service Polynesian has been called upon to provide medical evacuation during the past thirty days. There is a clear need for continued service for an additional thirty days,” Polynesian said, through its Washington D.C. based attorney.

In her decision, Kurland agreed with Polynesian, saying that the absence of U.S. carrier passenger service while Inter Island Airways’ aircraft is out of service “continues to constitute an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business.”

“We... found that granting of this authority would prevent unreasonable hardship to the residents of American Samoa,” she said and granted an exemption for an additional period of 30 days — Oct. 1-30, 2014 — or until five days after a U.S. carrier initiates intra-American Samoa passenger operations, whichever occurs first.

According to USDOT, there was no opposition to Polynesian’s request and Inter Island Airways supported the 30-day extension.

Inter Island Airways aircraft have been down due to engine problems for more than two months and the locally based carrier is hopeful to have the aircraft back in service later this month.

Polynesian is utilizing a 19-seat Twin Otter plane for the three times a week service to Manu’a. The airline, which has two Twin Otter planes, also continues to serve the inter Samoa route that is expected to get very busy next week — with full flights — as White Sunday, Oct. 12 approaches.

10-10-14: Deklarashon di resistensia i defensa sivil pa liberashon di e pueblo Boneriano

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho riba igualdat i libertat politiko 

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho di dirigi su mes destino

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho di mantene su idioma,kustumbernan,norma i balornan,kultura i identidat

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho pa wordu goberna i dirigi dor di su mes lidernan i hendenan ku e skohe

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho hereda i atkeri pa historia kolonial pa wordu sostene i juda dor di e kolonisador Hulanda den su proseso di emansipashon i empoderashon i kreashon di su mes nashon Boneiru

- e pueblo Boneriano no mag di wordu goberna ni domina di ningún forma dor di Hulanda

-e pueblo Boneriano tin derecho di defende e derechonan aki i asta kontra su mes politikonan i gobernantenan i autoridatnan i por usa tur medio pa rekobra i sigura su libertat

- James Finies, Nos Ke Boneiru Bek

U.N. General Assembly discusses plans for genuine process of self-determination for French Polynesia / Ma'ohi Nui

Hears statements from political leaders of the territory

Statement to the Special Political and Decolonization Committee

 (Fourth Committee) 

Mr. Oscar Manutahi Temaru 

Leader

Tavini Huira’atira —

Union pour la démocratie

8th October 2014

"We are pleased that as a newly-listed territory the broad range of decolonization resolutions has become applicable to our territory in particular, the operative paragraph which recognizes the "inalienable rights of the people of the non self-governing territories to their natural resources," and their right to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources...."

*

Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates,

I present to you and the members of the Fourth Committee the warmest regards from the people of Ma’ohi Nui/French Polynesia. We wish to thank you again for your help in our re-inscription on the U.N. list of non self-governing territories with the adoption of Resolution 67/265 of 17th May 2013, and the subsequent adoption of Resolution 68/93 on 11th December 2013 on the "Question of French Polynesia."

On 17th May 2014 - exactly one year after the re-inscription - thousands of our people moved throughout the towns and villages of Tahiti in a coordinated march in commemoration of this historic event which has provided us with the opportunity to engage in a process of self-determination under the watchful eye and with the technical support of the United Nations.

There, in a prominent ceremony, the permanent memorial to our re-inscription was unveiled symbolizing the relentless efforts of our people and a major milestone for a struggle that I started here, in New-York in 1978, as a simple citizen of my country to petition against the French nuclear testing, trying to gain international support for our struggle to overcome colonialism in our country.

Mr. Chairman,

We are pleased that as a newly-listed territory the broad range of decolonization resolutions has become applicable to our territory. In this regard, we take note of the draft resolution (L.9) adopted last June by the Special Committee on Decolonization (C24) on the Implementation of the Decolonization Declaration with its varied provisions, in particular, the operative paragraph which recognizes the "inalienable rights of the people of the non self-governing territories to their natural resources," and their right to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources."

This language mirrors longstanding text of U.N and Law of the Sea resolutions, and U.N. legal opinions, and the applicability of this doctrine is critical to the disposition of our marine resources comprising some five million square kilometres of ocean. Studies from Japan, and official report from the French Senate from April 2014 clearly establish that vast amounts of minerals and rare earth lie on the seabed of Maohi Nui.

In view of this clear authority the rule of law must prevail since the powers unilaterally exercised by the French State are used to limit the territory's scope and authority in relation to these resources. France is member of the International Seabed Authority. All our independent brothers and cousins from the South Pacific are also members of I.S.A. We are not. We therefore fully expect that in the course of the self-determination process our internationally recognized ownership and control of the resources is given effect.

Technology to reach these seabed resources is already available. Our administering power is already in the process of planning exploitation and has established a special committee on strategic minerals (COMES) in which we again have no say. Without real recognition of our ownership on these resources, and without control over immigration, we are bound to become the powerless spectators of yet another pillaging, as has been the case for over 30 years during the French exploitation of phosphates on the island of Makatea in our Tuamotu archipelago.

Job seekers from France will flock to our islands, and easily saturate our job market, leaving our People and our children with only the scraps. This very sad scenario has already happened throughout the history of mankind. Since our brothers from Kanaky/New Caledonia are here today, they know firsthand that this is exactly what has happened in their country when vast amounts of Nickel were discovered.

Mr. Chairman,

This perspective raises two issues that need the full attention of the United Nations. The first one is that of the control of immigration which currently is only exerted by the administering power. The second is the need to clearly define voters’ eligibility rules in the context of our self-determination process.

Thank you, te aroha ia rahi.

**********

Statement to the Special Political and Decolonization Committee

(Fourth Committee) 

Mr. Richard Ariihau TUHEIAVA

Tavini Huiraatira No Te Ao Ma’ohi-F.L.P. Party

 8 October 2014

"A stakeholder statement to the Universal Peer Review of France, conducted in the Human Rights Council in 2013, concluding that 17 years after the last French nuclear test was held in the Pacific, our people are still "living with the legacy of hundreds of nuclear tests." 

*I

Mr. Chairman, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

I have the honour to address the Fourth Committee on behalf of the Tavini Huiraatira No Te Ao Ma’ohi-F.L.P. Party created in 1977 to claim and advocate for the freedom and independence of the People of French Polynesia/Ma’ohi-Nui.

Through you, we would like to thank the General Assembly for the re-inscription of French Polynesia/Ma'ohi-Nui by Resolution 67/265. 

We also commend the General Assembly for the adoption of Resolution 68/93 on the Question of French Polynesia, and particular draw attention to its OP 5 which requested a “Report on the environmental, ecological, health, and other impacts as a consequence of the thirty-year period of nuclear testing in the territory”.

While we appreciate the effort made in completion of this Report, we are disappointed that it was published, perhaps strategically, almost a month after the Special Committee on Decolonization had completed its work last June 2014, providing no opportunity for the substantive committee to review the findings. The people of our non-self governing territory were also deprived of a chance to provide their views on the Report.

In this very first opportunity to express our views on the text, we have concluded that the Report is far from comprehensive, and is rather a compilation of replies from just two U.N. agencies out of some 22 requests made by the Secretary-General. Of these replies was a reference to a 1996 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) study which had painted quite a rosy picture that the impact to the health of the Ma’ohi people was negligible. This finding has been proven to be vastly premature.

In apparent contradiction to the 1996 IAEA study, a subsequent document of the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation found “that the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere involved unrestrained releases of radioactive materials to the environment locally, regionally and globally (depending on the altitude of the explosion), causing the largest collective dose thus far from man-made sources of radiation."

The Report does make important reference to a stakeholder statement to the Universal Peer Review of France, conducted in the Human Rights Council in 2013, concluding that 17 years after the last French nuclear test was held in the Pacific, our people are still "living with the legacy of hundreds of nuclear tests." 

In effect, the Report, as called for in Resolution 68/93, barely scratches the surface. Instead, it offers but a mere glimpse of the long term health and ecological impacts experienced today by thousands of our people who have yet to be given reparatory justice for this blatant disregard of humanity perpetuated on the people of our country. Therefore, a follow-up in depth examination within the appropriate mechanism of the U.N. system is the next logical step.

Mr. Chairman,

Fortunately, we can draw attention to the Independent Report on the French Nuclear Testing in French Polynesia completed by renowned scientists and published in January 2014. This Independent Report provides a thorough analysis of the impacts of nuclear testing on the people of French Polynesia/Ma'ohi-Nui, and its publication as a document of the General Assembly would be most useful in advancing the knowledge of member states on this question.

We are confident that this Independent Analysis, along with the Independent Assessment of Self-Governance Sufficiency, would be especially useful to the deliberation of member States, and we call on interested member states to so introduce these analyses as official documents.

We take particular note of the organic link between the impact of nuclear testing in French Polynesia/Ma’ohi-Nui, and the draft resolution before the Fourth Committee on the "Effects of Atomic Radiation" with reference to the important work of the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. 

We respectively request the assistance of the General Assembly in recommending that the Scientific Committee consider the inclusion of French Polynesia in its programme of work. The clear evidence of considerable environmental, health, social and economic impacts to French Polynesia/Ma'ohi-Nui warrants that this issue be examined by the international community in far greater detail.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

*******

Statement to the Special Political and Decolonization Committee

(Fourth Committee)

Mr. Moetai BROTHERSON

 8th October 2014

"If countries are allowed to pick and choose which parts of the U.N. Charter they would implement, and which parts they would not, then their aggressive claims of adherence to the international ‘rule of law’ in other international scenarios ring particularly hollow."

*

Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates,

In the great city of Faa’a of which I am honored to be deputy mayor, a permanent memorial to our re-inscription testifies as solemn acknowledgement of the support provided by the international community, including our brother Pacific countries, who stood with us as we pursued this important step towards the exercise of our right to self-determination.

As a deputy mayor in French Polynesia’s biggest city, I am the daily witness to the unilateral definition and application of both the electoral laws, and the organizing laws ruling the daily operations in our communes. Today, all communes are facing daunting problems due to the application of the Code Général des Collectivités Territoriales that, contrary to what was achieved in Kanaky/New Caledonia does not take into account our specific needs and constraints and is nothing more than a copy and paste version of what is applied to the metropolitan French communes.

The same applies at our territory level where electoral laws are defined, voted, updated and applied unilaterally from Paris, without any need for local consent. The government and president of our territory are validated, controlled, judged and dismissed by France who even has the unilateral power to disband our parliament as has been the case in in 2004 and 2007.

Mr. Chairman,

We are now under the purview of the United Nations decolonization process pursuant to Chapter 11 of the Charter which highlights the responsibility of the administering powers to prepare the territories for full self-government consistent with international law. We fully expect that France, as the administering power, will live up to its international legal obligations in this regard.

It is regrettable, however, that the administering power has failed to transmit information on our territory this year pursuant to its obligation under Article 73 (e) of the U.N. Charter. The international community cannot simply countenance such pretense as if the consensus resolution of re-inscription had never been adopted. If countries are allowed to pick and choose which parts of the U.N. Charter they would implement, and which parts they would not, then their aggressive claims of adherence to the international ‘rule of law’ in other international scenarios ring particularly hollow.

We therefore appreciate the clear reference from the C24 to the failure by the administering Power to submit information on our territory. We fully expect France to meet its international legal obligations in transmitting information on French Polynesia as they did following a similar delay in transmission of information on New Caledonia one year after its re-inscription in 1986.

Mr. Chairman,

Time will come when France will engage in the process and we look forward to that. However we remain conscious that information transmitted by an administering power regarding one of its territories to be decolonized can be biased. Visiting missions from the UN to French Polynesia are therefore indeed highly needed and anticipated.

The People of Ma’ohi Nui are looking up to the United Nations with high hopes that, true to its roots and mission, it will ensure that a fair self-determination process is put into place in our country. These visiting missions, providing the United Nations with first-hand information and the ability to meet with all local parties involved are seen as an essential part to achieving this process and they also have been referenced to in previous resolutions and statements by member states.

Mr. Chairman,

In a world of violence and wars, we cherish the peaceful yet determined path that has been ours in this decolonization process. With the help of the United Nations, we intend to remain on this path.

Thank you, mauruuru, te aroha ia rahi.

British application of "Trial without Jury" law in Turks and Caicos Islands could violate human rights of defendants

BRITS ACCUSED OF RIGGING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LEGAL SYSTEM

One of Britain's top lawyers, Queen's Counsel Courtenay Griffiths, has indicated that the controversial Trial Without Jury law which was recently enforced in the Turks and Caicos Islands, is part of well-orchestrated master-plan that is designed to secure convictions against certain high-profile individuals who are presently before the courts.

Griffiths, who is the lead counsel for former Premier Michael Misick, gave this assessment last week while making submissions to the Court of Appeal to dismiss the decision by Mr. Justice Paul Harrison who ruled on Monday June 23rd, 2014, that several persons charged with corruption by the Helen Garlick-led Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) should be tried by a judge only, instead of a jury of their peers.

The Jamaica-born Griffiths, who has been involved in some of the most high-profile and notable cases of the past two decades, told the Court of Appeal: "The Trial Without Jury Ordinance was introduced in November 2010 and four years on, no attempt has been made to use it in any other criminal proceedings; not even the Emerald Cay case which is alleged to have arisen during that same period of criminality."

He added: "When we look at certain factors following the Sir Robin Auld Inquiry together, it appears that a structure is being put in place to create a particular outcome and one cannot escape the conclusion that this was indeed the case when the Trial Without Jury Ordinance was introduced."

Griffiths is amongst the most sought after of International Criminal law specialists, providing representation in trials of genocide, crimes against humanity and other war crimes before international, internationalised and national courts. He is particularly noted for his work in the recent landmark case in The Hague defending the former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor.

The Queen's Counsel even suggested that the SIPT may have had some involvement in the framing of the Trial Without Jury Ordinance, which was introduced while the Turks and Caicos Islands were under direct rule by Britain, following the suspension of some of the most significant parts of the country's Constitution on August 14, 2009.

In addition to the Trial Without Jury Ordinance, during that time, there was also the introduction of a Hearsay Ordinance which takes the highly unusual step of allowing hearsay evidence to be admitted; and it seemingly will only apply to the SIPT trial.

"Any reasonable by-stander will conclude that all of these things were put in place just for these defendants," Griffiths stated. To substantiate his point, Griffiths quoted extensively from a landmark case, Don John Francis Douglas Liyanage against the Queen, in which the Privy Council, the highest court in the United Kingdom, dismissed a case that was similar to the one currently before the TCI courts.

PRIVY COUNCIL RULING

He quoted from the case law which stated: 

"The first Act was wholly bad in that it was a special direction to the judiciary as to the trial of particular prisoners who were identifiable and charged with particular offences on a particular occasion. The pith and substance of both Acts was a legislative plan ex post facto to secure the conviction and enhance the punishment of those particular individuals. It legalised their imprisonment while they were awaiting trial. It made admissible their statements inadmissibly obtained during that period. It altered the fundamental law of evidence so as to facilitate their conviction. And finally it altered ex post facto the punishment to be imposed on them. 

In their Lordships' view that cogent summary fairly describes the effect of the Acts. As has been indicated already, legislation ad hominem which is thus directed to the course of particular proceedings may not always amount to an interference with the functions of the judiciary. But in the present case their Lordships have no doubt that there was such interference; that it was not only the likely but the intended effect of the impugned enactments; and that it is fatal to their validity. The true nature and purpose of these enactments are revealed by their conjoint impact on the specific proceedings in respect of which they were designed, and they take their colour, in particular, from the alterations they purported to make as to their ultimate objective, the punishment of those convicted. These alterations constituted a grave and deliberate incursion into the judicial sphere. Quite bluntly, their aim was to ensure that the judges in dealing with these particular persons on these particular charges were deprived of their normal discretion as respects appropriate sentences." 

COURT OF APPEAL DISMISSES APPEAL

However, on Thursday September 11th,2014, the Court of Appeal which comprises President, Edward Zacca, QC, Elliott Mottley,QC, and Ian Forte, QC, sided with Judge Harrison and dismissed the appeal.

When contacted in England for a comment on the Court of Appeal decision, Griffiths stated: "It is astonishing that the Court of Appeal has come to a decision so quickly. We are very concerned that we are now required to appeal, when we don't even have a written decision or a transcript of the proceedings. However, we definitely intend to appeal the decision."

Among the reasons which Mr. Justice Harrison decided to order Trial Without Jury are as follows:

(a) the allegations of wrongdoing are by prominent public figures, including politicians and their activities and interaction with members of the public throughout TCI over the years 2003 to 2009, culminating in the Auld Inquiry and Report;

(b) the pre-trial media publicity, adverse to both the prosecution and the defence, consistently and relentlessly since the Commission of Enquiry Report in 2009 and up to January 2014. This could not have failed to influence adversely the minds of potential jurors in the small jurisdiction of TCI;

(c) the charges are complex, allegedly comprising the payment of millions of dollars by various means and channels to various accounts and to numerous recipients. Inevitably, this will involve a heavy volume of documents, both at pretrial and at the trial, more appropriately dealt with by a judge alone;

(d) the trial is estimated to last for months; this will involve dislocation of the lives of potential jurors, their impecuniousity from loss of earnings, disadvantage to employers and inconvenience. The probable delays from adjournments and time-off for jurors for various reasons, is also inevitable.

Bonaire Civil Society again calls for genuine self-determination, decries influence of 'settler colonialism' on political system

Address to the Bonerian parliament in the meeting

to decide on a self-determination referendum 

for the Bonerian people

James Finies 

Fundashon Nos Ke Boneiru Bek

1 October 2014

www.boneiruawe.com

"Holland has to respect your decision, and international law and their laws that they agreed to in the United Nations. And we encourage you, that the Bonerian people have chosen you to defend them, to stay strong for this because you have the support of our international law, and of your peoples behind you. Be responsible and do no leave to the peoples themselves to resort to their last recourse and right to rebel and revolution to defend and secure their freedom and rights in their own way."

(original Papiamento below)

We are here together with the same objective and in the forefront and defense of the Bonerian peoples. The issue of referendum and self-determination which signifies determine Bonaire’s own destiny, is 100% responsibility of the Bonerian peoples and of no other people, institution, government or political group. It is the right of the Bonerian peoples and your responsibility and duty to arrange this thru this parliament so the government can execute your decision and mandate according to the international laws established of self-determination and have this organized according to those laws.

We all are aware that in the previous three referenda, 1993, 2004 and 2010 the peoples representation, the parliament and government had abused the power that the people had given them, and did not comply honestly according to the wishes of the people and according to the laws of self-determination, particularly Article 1541 and it’s choices. For that reason, up to today, we are all together in a chaotic situation of division as Bonerian peoples.

Development and welfare and happiness of the Bonerian peoples is your final objective as politicians and duty as representatives of the people. This is only possible at the level of self-determination - as island, nation or as Bonerian peoples - if you let go of your personal pride and local partisan political position, and stand together to form a union with the Bonerian peoples, as one Bonerian people, and together move forward and continue the correct and natural and human process of emancipation, empowerment and creation of our nation Bonaire. There is no green, red, blue or any coloured Bonaire, but one Bonaire, one Bonerian peoples with one flag, one hymn and one destiny.

To realize this we are begging and pleading to you to consider and respect our people's rights that we inherited and acquired, that the island of Bonaire belongs only to the Bonerian peoples and not to any other people, and has to be returned back to the people so that they can pass it over to our next generations. For we who are here now and today, it is our obligation and responsibility to defend and secure this - nothing else.

Today is a crucial day. You are the last parliament chosen by the Bonerian peoples in the principles of international law of reason, ability and good faith that protects small colonized peoples as us from the influence and economical and numerical power of the colonizer Holland. Following the parliament of March 18, 2014, this will not be the case because the Dutch people who are governing and dominating and making laws and ruling us since 10-10-10 have removed this protection, and are repopulating our island with their own Dutch European people. This has caused them to become more numerous then ourselves, and through this illegal constitutional status, they have obtained illegal democratic voting rights. Thus, they will vote and co-form a new parliament not chosen by the Bonerian peoples, but also by their Dutch European peoples.

You are here because of democracy. The people have voted for you, and the same Bonerian people also have the same right as you to democratically vote to choose and determine their our destiny. You have to respect the people’s democratic rights and be aware that it is not acceptable to let the destiny of our Bonerian people be determined by a other people and not the Bonerian people. 

In similar situation a case as ours in New Caledonia that France has repopulated, and filled the islands with their own European French. To prevent that the destiny destiny will unjustly decide by the European French peoples, their parliament has passed the law and condition that residency of at least twenty years is required to have the right to vote in their self-determination referendum. And this decision has been supported by the European Court and is recognized and protected by the United Nations.

Same case in Holland, ourselves as Antillean, Bonerians, with same nationality and Dutch passport, is required to have at least ten years residency to vote for their parliament.

For these reasons we are begging you to consider this and if Holland intimidates you as the previous case and force you to surrender our self-determination right and right to determine our own destiny, that is of a higher level then that of a parliament, for less then these benchmarks, do not accept this, because this is unjust and treacherous.

Holland has to respect your decision, and international law and their laws that they agreed to in the United Nations. And we encourage you, that the Bonerian people have chosen you to defend them, to stay strong for this because you have the support of our international law, and of your peoples behind you. 

Be responsible and do no leave to the peoples themselves to resort to their last recourse and right to rebel and revolution to defend and secure their freedom and rights in their own way.

Infobonaire.com

___________________

(original Papiamento)

Disertashon James Finies na konseho insular den reunión pa disidi pa un referéndum di autodeterminashon

James Finies, Fundashon Nos Ke Boneiru Bek

1 Oktober 2014

Nos ta huntu aki atrobe ku e mes un meta pa sali na vanguardia i defensa di e pueblo boneriano kompletu. E topiko di referéndum i autodeterminashon ku ta nifika determina Boneiru su mes destino, ta 100% responsabilidat di e pueblo Boneriano i no di ningún otro pueblo, instansia, gobiernu, o grupo politiko. Ta e pueblo Boneriano su derecho i boso responsabilidat i deber ta pa regla esaki via e parlamentu aki pa asina e gobiernu por ehekuta boso desishon i mandato konforme leynan internashonal establese di autodeterminashon i laga organisa esaki tambe konforme e leynan aki.

Nos tur ta na altura ku den tur e tres referendumnan, 1993, 2004 i 2010 e pueblo su representashon, pues parlamentu i gobiernu a mal usa su poder ku pueblo a dune i no a kumpli honestamente di akuerdo ku e deseo di e pueblo i ku e akuerdonan i leynan di autodeterminashon art.1541 i e eskohonan mara na esaki, i ta pesey te ku awe nos tur huntu ta den e situashon kaotiko i di divishon komo pueblo Boneriano. Desaroyo i bienestar i felisidat di e pueblo Boneriano den su totalidat loke ta boso tur su meta final komo poltikonan i deber komo representante di pueblo. Esaki ta solamente posibel na e nivel di autodeterminashon, komo isla, país o nashon Boneriano, ta si boso laga boso orguyo personal i posishon di politika partidista lokal, i para huntu i forma un bloke ku e pueblo Boneriano, komo un pueblo Boneriano i huntu kamina i sigui proseso korekto i natural i humano di emansipashon, empodersahon i kreashon di nos nashon Boneriano. No ta eksisti un Boneiru berde, kora, blou, o otro kolo, pero un pueblo Boneriano ku un bandera, un himno i un destino.

Pa logra esaki nos ta roga i suplika boso pa tene kuenta i respeta e pueblo su derechonan ku e la hereda i atkeri, ku e isla di Boneiru ta pertenese solamente na e pueblo Boneriano i no na niun otro pueblo i mester wordu debolbe bek na e pueblo pa e por pase dor nan su siguiente generashonan benidero. Boneiru ta di nos yunan i nan generashonan i nos ku ta aki awor i awe ta nos obligashon i responsabilidat ta pa defende i sigura esaki, nada otro.

Awe ta un dia krusial. Boso ta e ultimo parlamentu skohe pa e pueblo Boneriano den e kuadro di leynan internashonal di rasonabilidat i buena fe ku ta protehe pueblonan chiki kolonisa manera nos, kontra di influensia i poder ekonomiko i numeriko di e país kolonisado Hulanda. E siguiente parlamento después di boso, despues di 18 maart 2014 esaki lo no ta e kaso mas pasobra e pueblo Hulandes ku ta goberna i domina nos i traha leynan for di 10-10-10 a soru pa kita e protekshon aki i ta repopulando nos isla ku nan mes hendenan Hulandes Oropeonan i ta birando mas ku nos mes i nan dor di e status ilegal aki a obtene derecho pa vota, tambe ilegal, i nan lo vota i juda forma un parlemento nobo no vota dor di e pueblo Boneriano pero dor di nan pueblo Hulandes Oropeo tambe. 

Despues di e elekshon benidero, e derecho di autodeterminashon di e pueblo Boneriano lo no ta bao di direkshon di e pueblo Boneriano su eskoho i su parlamento so mas pero lo ta na merced di e parlamento nobo ku e Hulandes Oropeonan manera deskribi ariba tambe ku nan a vota i skohe pe. E divishon ku a krea na 10-10-10 lo bira mas grandi so si nos sigui persisti pa bai waak i midi forsa den elekshon. E elekshon aki no ta kontra kontrikante poltikonan o partidonan ku boso a kustumbra ku ne pero ta ta kontra Hulanda i pa boso isla i territorio Boneiru.

Boso ta aki ta medio di demokrasia, pueblo a vota pa boso, i meskos e pueblo Boneriano tambe tin mesun derecho ku boso pa medio di demokrasia hustu, voto, i skohe i determina su mes destino. Pues mester respeta e pueblo su derechonan demokratiko i tene kuenta ku no ta aseptabel pa laga destino di nos pueblo wordu determina pa otro pueblo ku no ta esun Boneriano.

Si den mesun situashon i kaso igual ku nos na Nueva Caledonia ku Fransia a repopula i jena e isla ku Franses oropeonan i pa evita ku nan destino lo wordu disidi inhustamente dor e pueblo Franses oropeo, nan parlamentu a pasa e ley i kondishon ku mester ta residensia por lo menos 20 anja pa tin e derecho pa por vota den nan referéndum di autodeterminashon. I e desishon aki a hanja respaldo legal di Korte Oropeo i ta wordu rekonose i salbargadia pa Nashonan Uni.

Meskos ku na Hulanda mes nos mes komo Antiano, Boneriano, ku mesun nashonalidat i pasport Hulandes, mester tin por lo menos 10 anja residensia pa por vota den nan elekshon pa nan parlamento.

Address to the Bonerian parliament in the meeting  

Ta pesey nos ta roga boso pa tene kuenta ku esaki i si Hulanda a intimida boso e ultimo biaha i obliga boso pa entrega nos derecho di autodeterminashon i disidi nos mes destino, ku ta un eskoho o votashon nan nivel mas haltu ku esun di parlamentu, pa menos ku e benchmarknan aki, no asepta esaki, pasobra esaki no ta hustu i ta di mala fe .Después di a pasa den dos proseso fraudulento di referéndum sigui, nos komo pueblo Boneriano lo no asepta esaki, bao di ningún forma. Hulanda mester respeta boso desishon i ley internashonal i nan mes leynan ku nan a bai di akuerdo ku ne den Nashonan Uni. I nos ta enkurasha boso, ku e pueblo Boneriano a skohe boso pa defende, pa para fuerte pa esaki pasobra boso tin respaldo di ley internashonal i tambe di boso pueblo boso tras. 

Sea responsabel i no laga pa e pueblo mes, mester resorta na su ultimo rekurso i derecho di rebeldía o revolushon pa defende i sigura su libertat i derechonan na su mes forma.

Espionage Service of disgraced former French Polynesia President Flosse exposed

Radio New Zealand 

International

Tahiti espionage case in court 

in March

Trial over illegal spying in Tahiti deferred until March.

French Polynesia's criminal court is to examine the now defunct and illegal espionage service of the disgraced former president Gaston Flosse.

A case was to go to court this week but the absence of a key lawyer has led to the trial being deferred until the last week of March.

Three years ago, France's highest court upheld the conviction of Flosse for obstructing the examination of the case and he was fined 16,000 US dollars for destroying all evidence pertinent to the espionage service.

READ/HEAR THE FULL STORY HERE .

Okinawans Stage More Anti-U.S. Base Protests in Tokyo

Pan Orient News

Tokyo- (PanOrient News) Hundreds of Japanese people took to the streets of Tokyo on Saturday (Sep.20th) to protest their government’s decision to build a facility for the U.S. military on reclaimed land in Henoko, Okinawa. 

Protestors marched in the popular Shibuya district in central Tokyo to express their anger and accuse Tokyo and Washington of making plans that will threaten the environment and endangered species in the area.

Last December, Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima approved landfill work to build a replacement facility in the less populated Henoko coastal district of Nago town, despite strong local opposition. The Okinawa prefectural government approved on August 28 the start of rock drilling off Henoko, a necessary step to fill in the offshore area and build a replacement facility for a key U.S. military base in the southwestern prefecture. This is being done so the functions of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Ginowan can eventually be moved.

The drilling project, covering around 172 hectares, will be completed by March 31, 2017.

Japan's top government spokesman Suga said the relocation of the base to Henoko is the only viable solution, but opponents such as Nago Mayor Susumu Inamine and local fishermen have protested the move and expressed concern about water pollution and the impact on local fishing.

First agreed on in 1996 between Japan and the United States, the Futenma relocation plan has been hampered by strong local opposition as well as political wrangling.

In Henoko, non-violent protests have continued on a daily basis as the work continues. Okinawans and other Japanese supporters held rallies in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto to express their opposition and try to force the Japanese government to change course. Protesters said that despite the fact that more than 80% of people in Okinawa are against the construction of the U.S. military base, the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is promoting the construction of the base in Henoko. 

A woman opposed to the Henoko project in Okinawa held a banner appealing for the end of the "forced" construction of the US base in Henoko to protect endangered see animals such as the dugong and turtle, as well as coral reefs.

Banners raised by demonstrators called for the abolishment of the US-Japan military treaty, and pledged, "We won't let them construct a military base at Henoko".

But there’s little chance the Japanese government will change its plans, observers say. The tension with China and North Korea has prompted the Japanese government to move more of its forces to Okinawa and nearby islands in preparation for emergency situations in the region especially over the Senkaku Islands claimed by both Japanese and China. 

Puerto Rico offered membership in Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas

Maduro Meets with Community Leaders in the Bronx, 

Invites Puerto Rico to join ALBA

By Z.C. DUTKA

Around 1,000 people attended the event, which was organized by Citgo, and many arrived early to wait outside for good seats and to hold signs welcoming Maduro as “president of the people.”

The Bronx community

The atmosphere was festive, Gabriela Sierra Alonso, a journalism student in attendance, told venezuelanalysis.com. “People were carrying messages of solidarity, chanting, and handing out fliers. Because it was at Hostos, a big part of the Puerto Rican community was there, particularly those fighting for the release of political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera."

As Maduro made his entrance in the auditorium, shaking hands and greeting people warmly, “he chose a seat somewhere in the middle of the crowd,” Sierra Alonso noted, “as opposed to in a VIP section up front.”

Danilo Lachapelle, a Dominican reverend, gave a welcoming prayer to Maduro, in which he called upon Latin America to extend its solidarity to undocumented immigrants in the United States who “suffer many human rights violations and whose dignity is trampled.” 

The reverend thanked Venezuela for its constant support of those struggling around the world, especially, he noted, the significant aid given to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. 

“One day the Haitian people will emerge from the difficult situation they are in," he preached. "It becomes ever more likely with the appearance of leaders of the Great Homeland such as Hugo Chavez, and President Maduro, and the other progressive leaders of Latin America.”

Community activist Wanda Salaman followed the reverend with a short speech recalling the impact Hugo Chavez made on the working class and immigrant district that is the Bronx.

“With the Simon Bolivar Foundation and Citgo we have been able to continue the work that we started ...in a range of collectives and projects for homeless people, racial struggles, cultural groups and more," she said.

The Simon Bolivar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) of Citgo, has funded nearly $1.25 million in grants for 32 South Bronx programs in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment and health, according to official data. 

Next to take the stage was the UpBeat NYC Youth Orchestra, which has modeled its non-profit and community based initiative off of Venezuela’s hugely successful El Sistema youth orchestra program.

The following speaker, Joseph Kennedy III, recalled how a 2005 partnership with Hugo Chavez gave him the honor of helping to provide “almost a million families within the heating program that Venezuela has been giving to poor of this country for almost ten years.”

Maduro takes the stage

“The first thing he did was invite the children's orchestra to Venezuela,” Sierra Alonso told venezuelanalysis.com. “He seemed truly delighted by their performance.”

The Venezuelan leader told the crowd how he was detained by airport security for around 45 minutes, and was almost made late to the event after being forced to pull over for 25 minutes to let Barack Obama’s motorcade pass by on Park Ave.

But the government official really won the crowd over as he recalled recent criticisms published in editorials by the Washington Post and the New York Times, the first of which referred to him as an “economically illiterate former bus driver”. 

“I am proud,” Maduro said emphatically to great applause, “to have been a worker of the Caracas metro, to have been a day-laborer and now be president; I’ll let everyone at the Washington Post know!”

“How many [false] things are said daily of Venezuela among mass Western media?” he continued. “How many lies are fabricated in relation to the lives of the noble people of Venezuela, whose only sin was to aspire and dream of a new society, by constructing new socio-economic and political models which surpass capitalism?”

“To the Department of State, the Pentagon, the National Communication Association (NCA), to the White House, I ask you now to rectify the erratic political abuse of Venezuela and our revolution, because our revolution will not fall – on the contrary, it is rooted in popular, democratic constitutionality…and we have the reason and the right to continue it.”

Other key moments were Maduro’s calls for Puerto Rico to join the Bolivarian Alliance for the People of our Americas (ALBA), and his plea for the United States to free political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera, whose “only crime was to wish for an independent Puerto Rico.”

“We should recognize how we are one people,” Maduro implored, “We cannot allow ourselves to be poisoned with hate…to justify wars that divide us when in the end, the same owners of capital who have looted this world for the past 100 years are the ones to rule.”

“It’s inevitable that everyone there, myself included, was comparing his presence to Chavez,” Sierra Alonso concluded. “And while he lacked the punch that made Chavez what he was, you felt as if he [Maduro] was alongside you, not above you, and that is significantly refreshing.”

Bonaire political status referendum education activities underway

Flosse, convicted former Fr. Polynesia president, hired by territory's Assembly led by his political party

Radio New Zealand 

International

Flosse hired by Tahiti's ruling party

French Polynesia's ruling Tahoeraa Huiraatira party has hired the disgraced former president, Gaston Flosse, as an advisor and given him an office at the territorial assembly.

This comes only weeks after France's highest court stripped him of all his elected offices, including the assembly seat, for corruption, upheld a suspended prison sentence and fined him 170,000 US dollars.

The party has accommodated Flosse in an office next to the party's caucus leader.

His appointment comes shortly after he denied that there was such an arrangement.

He is barred from public office for three years and has not excluded a possible comeback in 2018 when he turns 87.