Bougainville News 9/15/97 id BAA28865; Tue, 16 Sep 1997 01:50:58 -0400 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source: VIKKI@lexsun.law.uts.edu.au Sun Sep 14 22:47:08 1997 BOUGAINVILLE NEWS from RADIO AUSTRALIA & THE NATIONAL NEWSPAPER (PNG) 15/9/97 Radio Australia - World News AMNESTY CALLS FOR PACIFIC FORUM TO ADDRESS BOUGAINVILLE Monday 15 September, 1997 (6:04am AEST) The human rights organisation, Amnesty International, says it's essential that government officials attending this week's South Pacific Forum address the Bougainville conflict. Mark Bowling reports Amnesty claims there can be no regional stability and security without ending human rights abuses on the troubled island: Bougainville is not formally on the agenda at the South Pacific Forum. But Amnesty International says it should be. During nine-years of conflict on the island, the Papua New Guinean Defence force, the government-backed Bougainvillean Resistance forces and the armed opposition group the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, have all been accused of unlawful killings, illegally holding prisoners and committing acts of torture. Amnesty says a stream of refugees and border incursions, are proof that the Bougainville conflict has affected regional neighbours. It's urged delegates at the South Pacific Forum to raise human rights issues with the Papua New Guinea Government. PACIFIC LEADERS PLAN TO RAISE CONTROVERSIAL REPORT WITH AUSTRALIA Monday 15 September, 1997 (7:19am AEST) Pacific leaders say they will raise the controversial Australian Eyes Only report on the Pacific, with the country's Prime Minister John Howard, later this week. Mr Howard flys to Cook Islands on Thursday to attend the annual South Pacific Forum leaders meeting. Australia's relations with the Pacific hit a new low when the report was leaked in July, but the Australian government insists the damage has now been healed. Pacific leaders meeting in the Cook Islands over the weekend are still clearly concerned, and Tuvalu's Prime Minister Bikenibeu Paeiniu says they will raise the report with Mr Howard when he arrives: A number of us have taken our respects of initiatives in making known our concerns to Australia and we have talked with them a number of us, but there were quite a number of leaders, well we were concerned we've taken the stand that we're going to raise it with the Prime Minister of Australia. SMALL PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER PACE OF REFORM Saturday 13 September, 1997 (6:16pm AEST) The leaders of the Pacific region's smaller nations say they feel they are being pushed too hard to implement economic reforms. The leaders of Tuvalu, Kiribati, Niue, Marshall Islands and Cook Islands met today at the Smaller Island State's Economic Summit meeting in the Cook Islands. Australia is pushing hard for economic reform in the Pacific, tying aid funds to progress on reforms. The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Bikenibeu Paeiniu, says Pacific nations are committed to economic reform, but must go at their own pace and control the processes. =============== The National Newspaper PNG - 15/9/97 Singirok faces sedition charge PORT MORESBY: Former Defence Force commander Jerry Singirok has been charged with sedition. He will appear before a magistrate at the Waigani District Court today for mention. Lawyer Moses Murray yesterday confirmed receiving a summons on Friday afternoon from the police on behalf of Mr Singirok. "I accepted service of a summons on Friday afternoon, and I will be appearing for him tomorrow (today) morning for mention," Mr Murray said. "Mr Singirok is charged with breaching section 54(1)(b) of the PNG Criminal Code," the lawyer said, without directly referring to the charge as sedition. Mr Murray said he expects the matter to be adjourned until the second Sandline inquiry is completed. "There is an undertaking (with the prosecution) to adjourn sine die until the inquiry is completed." Mr Singirok launched a protest in March this year against the Chan/Haiveta government over the hiring of Sandline International for military operations on Bougainville. Sandline personnel were subsequently kicked out of the country through 'Operation Rausim Kwik'. The K50 million contract was aborted, but Sandline is suing the PNG Government for breach of contract and damages. Mr Singirok's key aide, Major Walter Enuma, commander of Operation Rausim Kwik, is facing court martial for an incident at the barracks that occurred in July. =============== For further information, please contact: Bougainville Freedom Movement PO Box 134, Erskineville. NSW. 2043 Australia Tel: (+61-2) 9558.2730 ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-09.16.97-01:51:00-9269