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Kia Ora Gaza organiser condemns ‘open genocide’ in Gaza Strip

By
Kaniva Staff
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While telling today’s Palestine solidarity rally in Auckland about “good news” over creative humanitarian aid plans to help Palestinians amid the War on Gaza, New Zealand Kia Ora Gaza advocate and organiser Roger Fowler also condemned Israel’s genocidal conduct. He was interviewed by Anadolu News Agency after a Freedom Flotilla Coalition planning meeting in Istanbul with his views this week republished here.

By Faruk Hanedar in Istanbul

New Zealand activist Roger Fowler has condemned the Israeli regime’s actions in the Gaza Strip, saying “this is definitely genocide”.

A Pacific cohort at the Palestinian solidarity rally and march at Te Komititanga Square today . . . they also gave an eulogy and sang a waiata for the loss of beloved Green MP and Pacific community advocate Fa’anānā Efeso Collins who died suddenly this week. Image: David Robie/Asia Pacific Report

“The Israeli regime has not hidden its intention to destroy or displace the Palestinian people, especially those in Gaza, from the beginning,” he said.

“They are committing a terrible act — killing tens of thousands of people, injuring more, and destroying a large part of this beautiful country.”

The death toll from the Israeli War on Gaza topped 29,000 this week – mostly women and children – and there were reports of deaths from starvation.

Fowler demanded action to halt the attacks and expressed hope about the potential effect of the international Freedom Flotilla — a grassroots organisation working to end the illegal Israeli blockade of Gaza.

He noted large-scale protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza and emphasised efforts to pressure governments, including through weekly protests in New Zealand to unequivocally condemn Israel’s actions as unacceptable.

Long-standing mistreatment
He stressed that the “tragedy” had extended beyond recent months, highlighting the long-standing mistreatment endured by Palestinians — particularly those in Gaza — for the last 75 years.

Fowler pointed out the dire situation that Gazans faced — confined to a small territory with restricted access to essential resources including food, medicine, construction materials and necessities.

He noted his three previous trips to Gaza with land convoys, where he demonstrated solidarity and observed the dire circumstances faced by the population.

“Boycott is a very effective action,” said Fowler, underlining the significance of boycotts, isolation and sanctions, while stressing the necessity of enhancing and globalising initiatives to end the blockade.

“I believe that boycotting has a great impact on pressuring not only major companies to withdraw from Israel and end their support, but also on making the Israeli government and our own governments understand that they need to stop what they are doing.”

Fowler also criticised the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) “genocide decision” for being ineffective due to the arrogance of those governing Israel.

South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel to the ICJ in December and asked for emergency measures to end Palestinian bloodshed in Gaza, where nearly 30,000 people have been killed since October 7.

World Court fell short
The World Court ordered Israel last month to take “all measures within its power” to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza but fell short of ordering a ceasefire.

It also ordered Israel to take “immediate and effective” measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip.

Fowler said all nations must persistently advocate and exert pressure for adherence to decisions by the UN court.

Fowler acknowledged efforts by UN personnel but he has concerns about their limited resources in Gaza, citing the only avenue for change is for people to pressure authorities to stop the genocide and ensure Israel is held accountable.

“It’s definitely tragic and heartbreaking. Women, children, and families have no food. They are trying to drink water from puddles. People are eating grass. This is a very desperate situation. No one is talking about the children. Thousands of people are under the rubble, including small babies and children,” he said.

Roger Fowler is a Mangere East community advocate, political activist for social justice in many issues, and an organiser of Kia Ora Gaza. This article was first published by Anadolu Agency and is republished with permission.

Voting against suspended MP Piukala splits Democrats; MP Tapueluelu cites ‘moral conscience’

By
Kalino Latu
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A ballot in the Parliament before MP Piveni Piukala was suspended last week has divided the democratic bloc MPs and their supporters.

(L-R) MP Piukala, MP Tapueluelu and MP Lanumata. Photo/Supplied

Piukala was initially suspended for seven days which bound him to return to the House on February 28.

His punishment, however, was later reduced to only five days after the Speaker accepted his request for a re-consideration.

A Parliamentary investigation found Piukala was liable for a breach of the Parliamentary code of conduct after he confronted the Prime Minister and told him that the only thing he was at liberty to use whenever he wanted things which were not his was his grandfather’s inheritance.

In Tongan he said: “Ko e koloa pē ho’o kuí ‘oku ke fa’iteliha ki ai”.  While the statement was not swearing, it is contextually classified as offensive and inappropriate.

The suspension meant the MP was barred from entering the Parliament, his district Parliamentary office and using Parliamentary equipment. He was also ordered to have the days’ pay deducted from his salary.

The suspension came after PM Hu’akavameiliku filed a formal complaint against Piukala in August last year following a heated exchange between them. During the stir the MP for Tongatapu 7 alleged that the Prime Minister had spent public funds on buying the Lulutai airlines’ new aircraft which was commissioned in December.

A report on the investigation was submitted for a ballot in the House on Tuesday last week. 

MP Mo’ale Finau told the House he was not happy with the report because Piukala was not given a chance to tell his side of the story.

MP Kapeli Lanumata, for whom Piukala campaigned during the election,  surprisingly told the House he was grateful for the Committee’s report and wanted it passed.

“Ko u fokotu’u atu ke tali e lipootí” he said in Tongan.

Speaking on the Committee’s report before the Speaker made his decision against  Piukala some MPs appealed to the Prime Minister to pardon him.

Piukala also asked for the Prime Minister’s forgiveness but was ignored. 

In Tongan he said: “Sea, ‘oku ou kole fakamolemole atu ki he Palēmiá kapau ‘oku mamahi hono lotó he lea na’a ku fai”.

He said he wished he was called by the Committee to hear his side of the story.

He said he had no personal intention against the Prime Minister when he made the statement.

“This is the first time for me to know that what I was saying was swearing,” he said.

The Speaker said the suspension was not the same as impeachment which would have meant Piukala had to be given a chance to respond to the accusation against him.

The Minister for Trade told the House Piukala had already been given the chance to withdraw his statement against the Prime Minister, but he did not do it.

When the Speaker called for a ballot, all MPs voted against Piukala, including three of the PTOA MPs namely Mateni Tapueluelu, Mo’ale Finau and Kapeliele Lanumata.

Tonga has yet to accept the political party system. However, the Democrats styled themselves as a political party known as the Democratic Party of the ‘Otu Anga’ofa also known by the abbreviation PTOA.

A post following Piukala’s suspension on a PTOA Facebook group, known as Ma’u ‘a e Ma e He Kakava, called on the PTOA MPs who voted against him to front up and explain their actions.

“It is now clear that the PTOA has only one MP in the House”, a commentator wrote, referring to Piukala.

“They spoke in support of Piukala, but when the ballot was called, they voted against him”.

“I do not know whether they still have a brain or not”.

Some commenters argued that the PTOA MPs’ split in the ballot appeared to show bitterness and bad blood among them.

Some called the three PTOA MPs traitors and accused them of crossing the floor to side with the Prime Minister for their own advantages.

Supporters of the trio said there must be a reason for their vote.

Moral conscience

Tapueluelu told Kaniva News he voted against Piukala based on his moral conscience.

He said he put himself in the Prime Minister’s shoes and he could see that if Piukala’s remark was made against him he would experience the same disappointment as the Prime Minister.  

He said he met Piukala and advised him to apologise to the Prime Minister. Tapueluelu also spoke tearfully in Parliament and appealed to the Prime Minister to pardon Piukala.

Tapueluelu also said he reminded the Speaker to allow them after the ballot to speak and express their views on how they wanted Piukala’s punishment to be, according to the law.

Tapueluelu said immediately after the ballot the Speaker went ahead and announced that Piukala must be suspended for seven days without further discussion with the MPs.

He said the Speaker followed the Tongan version of the law which says the Speaker made the decision to punish or not, while the English version says it is for the House to decide the decision.

Here are the two versions:

49 (3) Neongo ‘a e ngaahi Tu’utu’uni ‘oku hä ‘i he Tuʻutuʻuni siʻi (2) ‘e ngofua ki he ‘Eiki Sea ke ne fakahifo fakataimi ha memipa kuo ne fakahoko ‘a e ngaahi maumau lao ‘oku hä ‘i ‘olunga ́ ‘o ‘ikai laka hake ‘i he ‘aho ‘e hongofulu ma fa (14). 

English version:

49(3) Notwithstanding the provisions in sub-rule (2), the Legislative Assembly may order a member who has breached these Rules to be suspended from the Legislative Assembly for a period not exceeding 14 days. 

“The best advice for Piukala must be made clear and honest,” Tapueluelu told Kaniva News.

“He should be told to be selective in the language he uses, considering the atmosphere of the House. If he was given the wrong advice and he received a more severe punishment, who are we going to blame?”

He said there were more complaints pending with the Committee. 

He also said that being on the same political stance did not necessarily mean they had to protect each other in the House no matter what.

He said he wanted to clarify his stance when it came to situations like this.

“I told the Speaker previously I was taking legal action against him after he allegedly breached the renumeration law,” Tapueluelu said.

“He is the noble of my estate. But that’s what my conscience was telling me to do”.

With Piukala’s case, Tapueluelu said it was not an easy choice as they were campaigning together with Piukala.

“That does not mean our relationship had been cut off”.

Piukala told his social media followers the trio’s ballot showed how Parliament really worked.  

Kanva News contacted MP Lanumata and Finau for comments.  

Young mum of two allegedly takes own life

By
Kaniva Staff
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The death of a mother of two at Nuku’alofa’s  ‘Ananā suburb was allegedly self- inflicted, reports said.

Veisinia Tofa Brown

Veisinia Tofa Brown of ‘Ananā had two children with her husband Siaosi Brown, Tongan media reported this week.

The eldest child is four years old, the report said.

Police had been dealing with the tragedy but no further details available at this stage.

Police could not be reached for comment.

The news comes after a man’s body was allegedly found hanging from a casuarina tree at Pātangata last month.

Sione Hoko was found dead in the tree according to a source close to him.

That grim discovery was made by some local children before police were called to the scene.

Trio jailed over murder of South Auckland grandmother Meliame Fisi’ihoi

By
Kaniva Staff
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By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission

Three men have been jailed over the death of a South Auckland grandmother – two of them for murder, and one for manslaughter.

Meliame Fisi’ihoi, 57, died when she was shot at her home on Calthorp Close, Favona. Photo/Facebook

Meliame Fisi’ihoi, 57, was killed in her home in Calthorp Close in Mangere, in January 2020, when she answered a knock at her window. She was shot dead at point-blank range. Their target was her son, Stephen Fisi’ihoi, who was not home at the time.

Police on Friday described her murder as “callous”.

Brothers Viliami and Falala Iongi were found guilty of Fisi’ihoi’s murder in the High Court at Auckland in December, and their cousin Manu Iongi was found guilty of manslaughter.

At their sentencing on Friday, Viliami was jailed for life with a non-parole period of 15 years; Falala also received a life sentence, with a non-parole period of seven years.

Manu Iongi was sentenced to eight years and six months for manslaughter. He had originally been charged with murder too.

Viliami and Falala had previously also been found guilty of reckless discharge of a firearm, as well as wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm in relation to a separate incident in December 2019.

Detective Inspector Tofilau Fa’amanuia Va’aelua said the investigators welcomed the sentences.

“Today the Operation Truro team acknowledge Meliame’s family who have lost a mother and grandmother in tragic circumstances. We are pleased to reach this point some four years after Meliame was senselessly murdered at her home.

“This now brings an end to the court proceedings and we hope that this brings some closure for the family so that they can try to move forward with their lives.”

Do his father’s actions show how PM Hu‘akavameiliku will react to King’s moves?

By
Kalino Latu and Philip Cass
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KANIVA COMMENT: What can we expect from Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku’s strong reaction to the king’s memo rejecting the appointment of two Cabinet Ministers?

(L-R) PM Hu’akavameiliku, Late Former Finance Minister Mahe ‘Uli’uli Tupouniua, Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr

As Kaniva News reported earlier, the Privy Council issued a letter saying King Tupou VI had withdrawn his “confidence and consent” in Defence Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni – who is also the Prime Minister – and Foreign Minister Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu.

In response, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku told the king he was still confident in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and they both still retained their ministership in those two portfolios up to now.

President of the Tonga Law Society, Lopeti Senituli, who was media adviser to ‘Akilisi Pohiva from 2018-2019, told Radio New Zealand it was plausible that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister had clashed with the King on some issue of foreign policy and defence.

RNZ said the King’s action could signal a constitutional crisis.

Kaniva News believes King Tupou VI’s action was extraordinary and could be seen as a declaration of his lack of confidence in the Prime Minister, who was elected to the position.

Tonga’s Parliamentary processes may not be perfect, but they are intended to place power in the hands of its elected representatives.

This is not the first time King Tupou VI has publicly criticised his Ministers and the Prime Minister. His predecessors also had form in this matter.

Former Finance Minister rejects king’s demand

In 1982 King Tupou IV fired the then Minister of Finance Mahe ‘Uli’uli Tupouniua. Tupouniua was the first commoner to be appointed by the late  king Tupou IV as his regent.

Reports at the time claimed Tupouniua Snr was dismissed because he rejected His Majesty’s demand for money which had not been allocated in the government’s budget.

Democrat supporters in New Zealand said the government’s response to the King’s memo helped promote democracy. They said the power given to the people must not be taken away, but there were indications that King Tupou VI was not in favour of democracy.

In 2017 the King tried to revoke the government of long-time democracy campaigner ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s .

Members of the Democracy and Media for Tonga’s Political Reform 2010 Comiitte said  the King also responded negatively in 2019 when the then Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa asked His Majesty to let him join the Privy Council so he could inform him on government matters.

King Tupou VI

Hon. Tu’i’onetoa also asked the King to transfer the Privy Council’s power to choose the Commissioner of Police and give it to the Minister of Police .

The committee told Kaniva News: “The King lectured Hon. Tu’i’onetoa and told him in Tongan “taki taha tu’u pe ‘i hono laini”, figuratively meaning “just stay in your Cabinet and I will keep to my own Privy Council.”

Last week Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu repeatedly said the matter should be left to the Prime Minister.

He said the letter was not addressed to Parliament and that the government was dealing with it. The question is what Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku will do now?

If he follows in his father’s footsteps, the results could be quite interesting. The late Dr Hu’akavameiliku was a strong advocate for reform when many people considered the subject unthinkable.

Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr was the first scholar and Cabinet Minister as well as Deputy Prime Minister to make a proposal to King Tupou IV Privy Council asking His Majesty  to set up a commission to review the constitution in 1975. King Tupou IV was king Tupou VI’s father.

Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr’s proposal must have been a very tough move at a time when the monarch’s right to rule was strongly seen as taboo in all respects.

Kenneth Bain quoted  Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr (Dr Langi Kavaliku)  in his book  The New Friendly Islander: A Voice from Within, as saying:

 “…in 1975 I put up a specific proposal to His Majesty for constitutional change, designed to give people a greater voice in the course of their affairs. It was debated in cabinet at 12 separate meetings, deferred time after time and eventually dropped… It aimed to change to a fully elected system over a period of time not less than nine and not more than fifteen year …Now (1991) sixteen years later time may be running out. It is vital in my opinion that the government takes that initiative and announces a Constitutional Review Commission. It should just accept the principle of examining these matters and start the process publicly. ..But sometimes I don’t know whether we can afford to wait too long.”

The Late ‘Akilisi Pohiva said in an interview that his group of Tongan scholars at the University of the South Pacific, known as the Loma group, undertook to pursue Dr Hu’akavameiliku Snr’s proposal to change the monarchical system in 1975 to a fully elected political system. The Loma group’s persistence saw its fruition in 2010, after King George V agreed to relinquish his executive power to the people.

Will King Tupou VI’s actions prompt the Prime Minister to continue his father’s reforms?

Tongan MP Vātau Hui charged with indecent assault of a woman: reports

By
Kaniva Staff
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Police have  charged MP Vātau Hui who allegedly indecently dealt with a woman, Tongan media reported.

MP Vātau Hui

The MP for the Niuas is facing allegations from a Ha’ateiho woman of having subjected her to sexual harassment and assault, the reports said.  

No further details are available about his charges.

Kaniva News has contacted Hon Hui and is awaiting an answer.

In 2018 Hon Hui was convicted and fined in the Fasi Lower Court after pleading guilty to failing to submit a report of his financial campaign expenses.

As we reported at the time,  a local Magistrate fined him a total of $US129.

The court was told an Electoral Commission investigation found Hui failed to report his campaign spending and police were alerted.

Candidates can spend up to a maximum of just over $US4,000 on election advertising and are required to file a financial report after every election.

Hui unseated a former Minister of Internal Affairs, Fe’ao Vakata, during the 2017 November election.

Tonga Police ‘will determine’ next steps after suspended senior police officer flees to US

By
Kaniva Staff
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A suspended senior police officer who is currently under investigation has fled to the United States, Tongan Police have confirmed.

Pita Tahitu’a

Senior Police Officer Pita Tahitu‘a was recently suspended after complaints following alleged inappropriate workplace behaviours, Kaniva News has learnt.

Police previously said an internal investigation was being conducted by its Professional Standards Unit into Tahitu‘a’s “behaviour and into the circumstances where these behaviours have occurred”.

The news of his suspension and the complaints were leaked to the media last month with some reports on social media sharing his photo and identity.

Police Commissioner Shane McLennan publicly expressed his disappointment after he discovered Tahitu’a’s identity had been shared online.

Commissioner McLennan reminded the public the importance of preventing undue prejudice to a person before the prosecuting authority decided if they had to face prosecution.

“I was disappointed to learn that the suspended officer has been identified and ridiculed via social media posting,” McLennan said.

“I ask those posting and sharing such material to reconsider their actions. It would be most appropriate to remove the officer’s name and identifying details. Everyone is entitled to a course of natural justice.

“I can advise that the welfare of members affected by the alleged behaviour is also being attended to”.

Kaniva News contacted the Commissioner last week and told him we understood that Tahitu’a was the officer who had been suspended, but had left the country and was now in the United States.

In his response Mr. McLennan said: “Mr Tahitu’a has left Tonga and is currently believed to be visiting friends and relatives in the USA”.

We wanted to know why Mr Tahitu‘a was able to leave the country given that he was currently being under investigation.

“While he is on suspension from Tonga Police, there is no compulsion for him to remain in Tonga; he is free to travel wherever he wishes”, McLennan told Kaniva News.

“The investigation is still underway and the outcome of the investigation will determine further actions concerning Mr Tahitu‘a”.

Since Tahitu‘a fled the country while he was being investigated and his case is now a matter of public interest, we decided to identify him and publish his photo.

Tahitu‘a was in the news in November last year after he appeared in a streamed video arresting political activist Vilisoni Tauelangi, who had been charged with attempted murder.

Call for King to ‘urgently’ refine Tonga democracy as Democrats reject claims King has rights to Defence and Foreign Affairs portfolios

By
Kalino Latu
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Tongan Democrats in New Zealand have called on the King to urgently refine what they describe as the country’s fragile democracy.

(L-R) Viliami Sōane, Tēvita Kātoa and Mōsese Tekiteki Manuopangai. Photo/Kaniva News

They said the memorandum King Tupou VI sent withdrawing his consent to the appointment of two ministers was a serious threat to the democratic system introduced in 2010.

The Democrats said the King’s action tarnished the executive power that had been given to the people.

The Tongan-New Zealand based Democracy and Media for Tonga Political Reform 2010
Committee (DMTPR 2010) said the combination of the roles of the King in relation to the
Ministry of His Majesty’s Armed Forces and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the
need for the government to fund those ministries through an office headed by Cabinet
Ministers did not clash, but promoted a transparent and accountable democracy.

The Committee’s response comes after the Privy Council issued a letter saying King Tupou VI had withdrawn his “confidence and consent” in Defence Minister Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni – who is also the Prime Minister – and Foreign Minister Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, also the tourism minister.

Responding, Acting Prime Minister Sāmiu Kiuta Vaipulu, said the King’s memo was unconstitutional because it went against clause 51(a) of the Constitution, which says the King can only dismiss a Cabinet Minister on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Hon. Vaipulu’s response was strongly supported by the DMTPR 2010 Committee.

Attempts by Kaniva News to reach the Privy Council and the Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa for comment have been unsuccessful.

The Democrats said the royal memo was part of recent attempts by the King to thwart those who have pushed for him to move on the democratic reforms which came into fruition 14 years ago. 

About four years after the reform took place in 2010, a legal consultant in Constitutional Law, Peter Pursglove, said Tonga’s Constitution was poorly written, promoted secrecy, compromised the role of the judiciary and parts of it may be illegal.

The controversial Constitution was believed to have been drafted largely by Lord Dalgety, one of the King’s advisors in the Privy Council before it was submitted by Lord Sevele’s government and approved by the Parliament for the reform in 2010.

Royal memorandum

The DMTPR 2010 Committee, whose members include Tongan democrats, members of the Democratic Party known as Paati Temokalati ‘a e ‘Otuanga’ofa (PTOA) and media personnel in Auckland, paid particular attention to some of the terms used by the Privy Council in the memo to record the King’s disapproval of the two ministers.

The Committee said the term memorandum used in the letter by the Council was defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “a note recording something for future use”.

DMTPR 2010 Committee members: (L-R) Vainikolo Tāufa (President PTOA Aotearoa Chapter), ‘Amanaki Vakatapu, Tevita Fifita, Pasi Taua, Viliami Sōane, Tevita Kātoa, Mōsese Tekiteki Manuopangai, Rev Ma’ulupe Tu’itufu, Fetuli ‘Aholahi (President of PTOA New Zealand), Sēmisi Manuopangai. Sitting: Sūlia Va’enuku.

Members of the Committee feared that the King’s memorandum meant that he was not only targeting Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku and Hon. Fekita ‘Utoikamanu, but wanted to use it as a precedent to ensure future Prime Ministers did not nominate any ministers for those two ministries without his consent.

“It is clear this memorandum has no legal or constitutional basis”, Tevita Katoa from the Committee said.

He said the “context of the memo dictates what to do now and in the future”.

In a talatalanoa session held by the Committee before a meeting last week at which Kaniva News was present, the members collectively disagreed with arguments on media that the King was doing the right thing because he still controlled these two portfolios according to the Constitution.

Kātoa said the King’s role as Commander-In-Chief in his Armed Forces was clearly laid out in Clause 36 of the Constitution.

Clause 36 of the Constitution says: “He shall appoint all officers and make such regulations for the training and control of the forces as he may think best for the welfare of the country, but it shall not be lawful for the King to make war without the consent of the Legislative Assembly.”

Armed Forces must have a minister

Kātoa said the King’s Armed Forces was also a Ministry, meaning that it must have an office headed by a minister.

READ MORE:

“That minister’s roles included putting submissions to Cabinet on a range of important issues such as budget to pay for His Majesty’s Armed Forces payrolls and expenses,” he said.

He said this included any new legislation about the King’s Forces. It was the duty of the Minister to do that in the Cabinet and in Parliament. The King could not do that because he was not a member of those two government branches.

During the Committee’s talatalanoa session they discussed New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence as an example to compare with the Tongan case.

The Commander-In-Chief is the governor, Cindy Kiro, while the Minister of Defence is Judith Collins, they said.  

“There is no clash in the two roles and the Minister of Defence doesn’t necessarily needs to be a soldier or an expert in the Armed Forces”, the Committee said.

Kātoa said: “It is the same scenario that applies to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Tonga”.

“According to Clause 40 the King shall receive Foreign Ministers and may address the Legislative Assembly in writing regarding the affairs of the Kingdom and matters which he may wish to bring before the Assembly for deliberation”.

“These roles of the King never ever clashed with the roles of the Minister”, Kātoa said.

“We called on the King and his Privy Council to honour the late King George V’s agreement to relinquish his executive power to the people”, the Committee said.

“We humbly and urgently ask the King to continue working closely with his people to refine and improve our democracy as soon as possible and refrain from trying to diminish it in any form and shape”.

The Committee was set up last week in Mangere, Auckland to pursue Tonga’s Political Reform 2010.

King not in favour of democracy

It appeared that no one in Tonga had any interest in pushing for the King to refine Tonga’s democracy, they said.

They have warned that they do not support the Hu’akavameiliku government and what they describe as its “infamous” policies, but saw its response to the King’s memo last week as a move forward in promoting Tonga’s democracy and ensuring that the power given to the people must not be taken away.

They said there were indications that King Tupou VI was not in favour of democracy.

“The Pursglove report was said to have been handed to the King in 2014 by the Lord Tu’ivakanō government and the King agreed for the government to work on it”, the Committee said.

“It is about 10 years now since that report and the only thing we can see is that the King attempted to revoke the long-time democracy campaigner ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s government in 2017.

“The King also strongly disagreed with the Prime Minister Pōhiva Tu’i’onetoa in 2019 when he asked the King to allow him to be a member of the Privy Council so he could inform him in a timely manner on government matters.

“Hon. Tu’i’onetoa also asked the King to transfer the Privy Council’s power to choose the Commissioner of Police and give it to the Minister of Police as is normal in other democratic countries.

“The King lectured Hon. Tu’i’onetoa and told him in Tongan “taki taha tu’u pe ‘i hono laini”, figuratively meaning “just stay in your Cabinet and I will keep to my own Privy Council”, the Committee said.

Members of the committee include the long-time campaigner Viliami Sōane who was instrumental in setting up the Tongan New Zealand Society for the Political Reforms in Tonga, in Auckland in 2004. Members of that society were staunch supporters of the late ‘Akilisi Pōhiva who has  been remembered by many after his death as the ‘beacon of democracy.’

Part of 𝟏𝟓.7𝐤𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐡 worth $20m seized at National Reserve Bank of Tonga

By
Kaniva Staff
-

Police have identified the brother and his sister who were behind the 15.7kgs of methamphetamine seized over the weekend as 39-year-old Tēvita Nonu Kolokihakaufisi and his 37-year-old sister ‘Ana Longolongo Kolokihakaufisi.

Tēvita Nonu Kolokihakaufisi and his 37-year-old sister ‘Ana Longolongo Kolokihakaufisi. Photos/Supplied

The Police said Tēvita was working for the National Reserve Bank of Tonga (NRBT).

They appeared at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon, Monday, 12 February in relation to the 15.657kg of methamphetamine.

The siblings were arrested by Police with 5.73kg of the illicit drugs on Saturday, 10 February 2024 from their family residence at Kolofo’ou while 9.927kg was seized from Tēvita’s office at the bank on Sunday, 11 February 2024.

The two Defence Counsels that appeared for the siblings sought bail for ‘Ana based on a letter from a doctor that was issued in 2015 indicating previous mental health condition. The bail application was denied by Magistrate Ane Tāvō Mailangi due to time lapsed since the medical report was issued, suggesting for a more recent medical evaluation for the court to consider.

Magistrate Mailangi also ordered for both accused persons to remain in police custody and to return to court on Friday, 16 February 2024.

“In continuing to work towards achieving our goals of Safe Homes, Safe Roads, and Safe Communities, Tonga Police will persist in targeting and working to disrupt and detect those responsible for placing our youths and communities in harm’s way through the supply of illicit drugs, and hold them to account.” Commissioner of Police Shane McLennan emphasized.

Kaniva News earlier compared the street value of the drug to a 15.3kgs meth worth NZ$14 million seized in Australia last year, to an estimate of TOP$20 million. However Tonga Police said the drug they had seized is estimated at TOP$15 million.

Police investigations continue.

To report a crime or for assistance from police, call us on 922 or 740-1630 or 740-1632.

Lord Fusitu‘a dies in Auckland

By
Kaniva Staff
-

One of the king’s nobles, Lord Fusitu’a, has died, local news media reported.

The nobility member for Niuafo’ou’s death comes after he was airlifted into Auckland’s Middlemore hospital in 2019.

Lord Fusitu’a. Photo/Fale Alea ‘O Tonga

According to various sources, the noble had been put on dialysis shortly after he arrived in Auckland.

While the 51-year-old noble was a Member of Parliament he was one of the key figures from opposition bench who was instrumental in rejecting the then government’s six new bills which were pending in Parliament in 2019.

The bills include giving the government control over key judicial and police appointments, rather than the King.

Tonga’s former Prime Minister, ‘Akilisi Pohiva, said at the time his government’s efforts to control the appointments of the attorney general and the police commissioner are in line with a 2014 report by a British constitutional consultant, Peter Pursglove.

The Pursglove Report was endorsed in 2014 by the Tu’ivakano government but never implemented.

Lord Fusitu’a divorced from his wife Hon. Lupepau’u Tuita in 2008. They had a daughter.

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