Pacific Briefs

Solomons amnesty bill criticized

HONIARA, Solomon Islands – A leading human rights group, Amnesty International, has attacked the amnesty bill passed by the Solomon Islands Parliament.

The human rights group claims that impunity for the torture, rape and killing of civilians, including children, during the two-year ethnic war between Guadalcanal and Malaita islanders, is an outrage and contributes nothing to lasting peace.

The blanket forgiveness for virtually all crimes and human rights abuses, Amnesty International said, may encourage future political torturers and killers to expect to get away with any and all atrocities.

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara formally quits

SUVA, Fiji Islands – Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has submitted his formal resignation as president, retroactive to May 29.

This was the date on which the military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama assumed executive power after asking Ratu Mara to step aside following the May 19 coup that toppled the then existing government.

Interim Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has acknowledged receiving the resignation letter from Mara.

A government spokesperson said a pension for Mara already has been approved.

Papuan leaders given 40 days more in jail

JAKARTA, Indonesia – State prosecutors in Irian Jaya have extended the detention of independence leader Theys Eluay and four colleagues by another 40 days, until January 27.

Anum Siregar, legal counsel for the five, said the state attorney had also directed police to question the detainees again, as the results of their original interrogations were considered “incomplete.”

Eluay and his fellow Papua Presidium members were arrested on subversion charges on the eve of the December 1 anniversary of an unrecognized declaration of independence by native Papuans.

Irian Jaya shares the island of New Guinea with independent Papua New Guinea.

Former Cook Islands PM honored

RAROTONGA, Cook Islands – The University of the South Pacific has honored former Cook Island Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry with an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his contributions and service to the Pacific Islands region.

He received the award at Wednesday’s graduation ceremony students in Fiji’s capital, Suva.

The university said that the Pacific has benefited enormously from Sir Geoffrey’s vision and active promotion of regional cooperation and dialogue among its leaders and policy makers.

Henry became Prime Minister in 1989 and also served as chairman of the Hawai’i-based Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders, the South Pacific Forum and co-chairman of the first South Pacific Forum-Japan Summit.

Kanak group questions helicopter crash

NOUMÉA, New Caledonia – Roch Wamytan, the chairman of New Caledonia’s indigenous Kanak political organization, FLNKS, has questioned the circumstances surrounding the crash of a nickel mining company helicopter last month that killed a prominent Kanak leader, Raphael Pidjot, and six others.

An investigation by French civil aviation, police and nickel company representatives is under way.

Wamytan said the investigation’s findings must be made public so that all doubts over the cause of the crash are dissipated. (Pacific Islands Report)