Unions protest fine in New Caledonia

NOUMEA, New Caledonia—One of the country’s largest unions has staged a 24-hour strike to protest a tribunal ruling that fined the union for carrying out a series of rolling strikes at the airport.

More than 2,500 workers from the U-S-T-K-E union participated in the strike in the capital city, Noumea.

The court fined the union $260,000 for disrupting international air traffic between October and January that resulted in an Air France flight being re-routed to Auckland.

The union is appealing the ruling, which it said reflects colonial justice.

Protesters try to stop lagoon dredging

PAPE’ETE, French Polynesia—Environmental activists and residents on Moorea Island are seeking support in an effort to stop a lagoon from being dredged for a hotel project.

Moorea residents have surrounded the area with canoes in a bid to stop the extraction of sand from their lagoon.

The sand from the lagoon will be used in the construction and expansion of a resort project on the island.

Hawaii to host conference of island leaders

HONOLULU, Hawaii—The East-West Center’s Pacific Islands Development Program has announced that a Special Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders will take place March 16-17 in Honolulu.

The meeting will focus on setting priorities for the program’s future work, said PIDP Director Dr. Sitiveni Halapua.

Fiji President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara will chair the 12-member Standing Committee, comprised of Pacific Island countries and Hawaii.

1 dies in Solomon fighting

HONIARA, Solomon Islands—Police said one man was killed and another injured in the first direct confrontation between rival militant groups from the provinces of Guadalcanal and Malaita.

The gun fighting occurred just hours after the government outlawed the Isatambu Freedom Movement of Guadalcanal and the Malaita Eagles Force.

Police said there may be more casualties from the shooting, which erupted outside the capital, Honiara.

There have been no arrests, and police continue to monitor the movement of members of both groups.

Thousands attack police station in PNG

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Thousands of people attacked a police station in Indonesia’s easternmost province of West Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya.

Police officials said an estimated 2,000 people armed with arrows, spears and other traditional weapons took part in the attack in protest of the death of a man who was killed Monday during a violent demonstration.

About 50 Papuans attacked the barracks of the police Mobile Brigade, a crack paramilitary unit. (Pacific Islands Report)