Bougainville talks end in deadlock<\/p>\n
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—Bougainville leaders have called for international intervention after the latest round of negotiations with the Papua New Guinea government to expand political autonomy and hold a referendum on independence ended in a deadlock.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the two parties were unable to resolve key differences and negotiations have been adjourned until next year.<\/p>\n
Bougainville Peoples’ Congress President Joseph Kabui said, “We are bitterly disappointed that these negotiations have gone astray. They have been completely mishandled,” he said.<\/p>\n
Bougainville rebels fought a decade-long secessionist war against government troops that ended in a cease-fire two years ago.<\/p>\n
Vanimo on alert amid West Papua troubles<\/p>\n
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea—The West Sepik province capital of Vanimo, on the West Papua border, is on full alert.<\/p>\n
Residents said they fear the crackdown on the West Papua independence movement by Indonesian authorities could result in a major escalation of the conflict, with thousands of refugees crossing into Papua New Guinea.<\/p>\n
Official reports from Vanimo also state that local youths are going across the border to help their Melanesian neighbors against the Indonesian army.<\/p>\n
“They (West Papuans) have pulled down the Indonesian flag at the border post and have flown the Morning Star (the West Papuan independence flag),” local sources said.<\/p>\n
“We are waiting for the Indonesian soldiers to come and tear it down. Things are very tense here in the province as a result of these activities,” a resident said.<\/p>\n
Samoan taxi drivers criticize sex trade allegation<\/p>\n
APIA, Samoa—The Samoa Taxi Association has called allegations that some taxi drivers have had sexual intercourse with underage schoolgirls unfair.<\/p>\n
The allegations were made by the End Child Prostitution, Pornography And Trafficking Organization, which called for a closer working relationship with taxi drivers to combat the illegal sex trade in Samoa.<\/p>\n
A taxi spokesman said that although his association supported ECPAT’s mission, the organization’s allegations have shed a misleading light on taxi drivers.<\/p>\n
Solomons eyeing defense force<\/p>\n
HONIARA, Solomon Islands—The government is considering establishing a military defense force.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Parliament that the country must seriously review its capability to control domestic uprisings, adding that there is a need to examine the structure of the current disciplined forces to make them more effective.<\/p>\n
Before the government coup in Honiara five months ago, the Royal Solomon Islands Police included a paramilitary force, which originally was deployed on the Solomon Islands-Papua New Guinea border during the secessionist war on Bougainville. That force was disbanded following the coup.<\/p>\n
State funeral for Tuvalu’s PM Ionatana<\/p>\n
FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu—A state funeral for Prime Minister Ionatana, who collapsed and died during a hotel reception Friday evening, will take place in the capital Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The funeral follows a four-day national mourning period declared by the deputy prime minister and acting head of the country, Lagitupu Tuilimu.<\/p>\n
The late prime minister, a policemen and government civil servant before entering politics, is credited with having put his nation on a firmer financial footing. A major success was his selling the nation’s Internet suffix, dot-tv, earning Tuvalu millions of dollars a year.<\/p>\n
Tuvalu, north of Fiji, has a population of fewer than 10,000 persons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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