PACIFIC BRIEFS

30 dead in West Papua

JAYAPURA, Indonesia – As many as 30 people have been killed in weekend violence between independence supporters and police in the remote province of West Papua, according to the official Antara news agency.

The clashes began Friday when police tried to lower independence flags in the mountain city of Wamena.

Two independence supporters were killed when police fired into a crowd of people trying to protect the flags.

Witnesses said that sparked a violent rampage through the city. Many of the victims were Indonesian settlers.

Thousands of frightened residents have crowded into the local airport and are trying to flee the area.

New calls for constitution review boycott

SUVA, Fiji – There were renewed calls yesterday for a boycott of the interim government’s Constitution Review Commission.

The move follows the appointment of four Indo-Fijians who were criticized by community organizations as being too “self serving.”

Secretary of the National Federation Party, Attar Singh, told Fiji Television that the four are all Christians, which means the majority Indo-Fijian community, who are Hindus or Muslims, has not been heard.

Economist Dr. Bimaan Prasad, the chairman of the Indian summit last month, also rejected the four Indo-Fijian representatives to the Constitution Commission and has called for a complete boycott of the review process.

Freed pilot arrives home without plane

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – Solomon Islander airlines pilot, Eric Rove, was reunited with his family in the capital Honiara after being brought back by members of the Melanesian Brotherhood of the Church of Melanesia.

The brothers had gone to the Babanakira area on Guadalcanal’s Weather Coast to represent the government in negotiations to free Captain Rove.

Rove was held hostage by Isatabu Freedom Movement militants for two-and-a-half weeks after he landed his aircraft in Babanakira.

The brothers are currently working with the government and militants to negotiate the aircraft be returned.

HIV/AIDS in PNG gets worse

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – More than 100,000 Papua New Guineans could be infected with HIV/AIDS in 2010 if no immediate actions are taken to stop the spread of the disease, according to Lady Roslyn Morauta.

The wife of Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta said that of that number, 25 percent of pregnant women in PNG could also be infected.

PNG has the highest incidence of reported cases of HIV in the Pacific region and the fifth highest percentage in Southeast Asia, she noted.

The National Capital District AIDS committee has appealed to city communities to be responsible for educating youths about HIV/ AIDS.

No need for petrol panic, says Mobil

APIA, Samoa – Mobil Oil, the country’s sole supplier of petroleum products, said it’s confident it can meet local demand for oil.

Despite reports from Asia and Europe about “panic buying,” Mobil Oil Australia gave assurances that it is not anticipating a similar problem in the Pacific.

The company was asked to comment on reports that the petrol supply was low around the world. This has resulted in panic buying that caused prices to soar to a 10-year high.

Police restore order in West Papua

JAYAPURA, Indonesia – Police with orders to shoot on sight have begun restoring order in West Papua following a weekend outbreak of violence.

More than 26 people died and some 40 others were injured when separatist groups clashed with police on Friday and later turned on migrant workers.

Violence broke out as police removed a separatist “Morning Star” flag that had been hoisted by independence supporters, triggering a clash during which police shot and killed several people.

A police spokesman said thousands of pro-independence activists, accused of killing and raping settlers from other Indonesia islands, had fled to hills surrounding the town of Wamena.

West Papua shares the island of New Guinea with independent Papua New Guinea.

Tuvalu says no to telephone sex

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Tuvalu, a Pacific atoll nation north of Fiji, will end its eight-year agreement that leases its telephone 688 area code to sex line operators.

Prime Minister Ionatana Ionatana said the sex calls have damaged the reputation of the nation internationally.

Tuvalu last year made $1.6 million on the telephone sex industry, but because of global competition is expected to receive substantially less this year.

PNG needs mental health specialists

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea – More psychiatric nurses and psychologists are needed to care for the country’s increasing number of mentally ill people, said Deputy Health Secretary Dr. Isaac Ake.

Despite the growth of primary health care services throughout the world, mental health is being neglected and remains unchanged in Papua New Guinea hospitals, Ake said.

He told Papua New Guinea’s first national mental health conference that guidelines and resources must be produced to treat patients with such disorders.

FLNKS disapproves of arts festival boycott

NOUMEA, New Caledonia – The pro-independence FLNKS party has disapproved of plans by artists to boycott the Pacific Festival of the Arts in the French territory, October 23 – November 3.

New Caledonian artists formed an association and threatened to boycott the festival if their copyrights are not respected during the cultural extravaganza.

The artists, mainly from the music industry, said they are adamant about not taking part in the festival.

Nauru to renovate Fiji Hotel

SUVA, Fiji Islands – The Nauru government has assured Fiji that it will renovate the Grand Pacific Hotel, a Suva shoreline landmark that it owns and has been lying idle for over a decade.

Nauru President Bernard Dowiyogo flew to Fiji to meet Foreign Affairs Minister Kaliopate Tavola over the matter and who said Nauru can start redevelopment work as soon legal arrangements are completed.

A working committee comprising of officials of both governments has been set up to oversee the project.