West Papuan
human rights activist Rosa Moiwend has asked Tonga to continue its support or
her people’s struggle for independence.
She told Kaniva news it was important to support Vanuatu’s
effort to prepare a resolution to have West Papua placed on the agenda of the United
Nations Decolonisation Committee.
Moiwend, who has been on a speaking tour of New Zealand and last night addressed a meeting at the St Columba centre in Auckland, said there had been a continuing effort to have West Papua put on the list of countries under consideration by the committee.
Last year
the committee refused to accept a petition, reportedly supported by70% of West
Papuans, asking the UN to appoint a special representative to investigate human
rights abuses by Indonesian soldiers and police.
The petition
called for the UN “to put West Papua back on the decolonisation committee
agenda and ensure their right to self‐determination … is respected by holding
an internationally supervised vote.”
Indonesia’s
representative to the UN, Dian Triansyah Djani, is a vice-chair of the Decolonisation
Committee.
Moiwend said
Tonga was one of seven Pacific nations which spoke out on behalf of West Papua
at the UN General Assembly in 2015.
The seven
nations which form the Pacific Island Council on West Papua, are Tonga,
Vanuatu, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands.
Speaking to
the General Assembly that year, Prime Minister ’Akilisi Pohiva called on the UN
to help West Papua, whose people have suffered under a brutal Indonesian
occupation for nearly 60 years.
“Tonga does
not condone the injustice, cruel violation of human rights and dignity and
brutal treatment in West Papua,” Hon. Pohiva said.
“The
United Nations has a duty to closely follow up this West Papua case and [take] necessary
action to stop these brutal and inhumane activities.”
He said world
leaders should work together against what was happening in West Papua.
Humanitarian
As Kaniva news reported at the time, West
Papuan representative Rev Socratez Yoman praised Hon. Pohiva, saying: “These
are humanitarian issues and he is concerned. He sees with his heart and knows
it is not a good situation. As the leader of an independent state he should
support West Papua.”
Last year Indonesia
launched a multi-million dollar programme to influence Pacific nations,
including a trade expo which open in Auckland on July 11-14.
Radio New
Zealand has reported that Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister, Semisi Lafu Kioa Sika is
expected to attend.
New Zealand
The New
Zealand government’ attitude toward the West Papuan issue remains uncertain.
West Papua
Action Auckland described the situation in West Papua since the Indonesian take-over
in 1963 as ‘slow genocide,’ but said the New Zealand government was all but
silent on the mounting crisis.
While Labour
MPs Jennie Salesa and Carmel Sepuloni met with Rev Yoman when he visited New
Zealand in 2016, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Winston Peters, said last year New Zealand recognised West Papua as part of
Indonesia.
The
main points
West
Papuan human right activist Rosa Moiwend has asked Tonga to continue its
support or her people’s struggle for independence.
Moiwend
told Kaniva news it was important to
continue supporting effort to have the West Papuan issue properly
acknowledged by the UN.
She
said Tonga was one of seven Pacific nations which had spoken out on behalf of
West Papua at the UN General Assembly in 2016.
Tonga’s hopes for Pacific Mini-Games gold medalist Sione Mōleni to secure another first gold medal in next week’s Pacific Games in Samoa have ended.
The boxer was part of the team brought to Tonga by New Zealand trainer Fili Maka for the National Boxing Tournament in March.
He has been caught up in the aftermath of a furious row that broke out between Maka and Tongan Boxing Association secretary Mataele Fūnaki over accusations that the Tongan organisers had not kept their promise to the New Zealand athletes.
As Kaniva news reported earlier, Fūnaki demanded an apology from Maka before he would endorse four boxing champions from Maka’s camp to represent Tonga at the Pacific Games. Maka refused.
Chairman of Tonga Sports Council, ‘Īkani Taliai said the TSC would not fund a team that had not reached the right standard or was not properly organised.
He said this had been made clear to all sporting
bodies and the boxing team was no exception.
“They know that if they don’t select the most
appropriate athletes, which obviously includes the New Zealand-based ones, we
will not fund then,” Taliai said.
The CEO for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Dr Fotu Fisi’iahi, told Kaniva news he met with Fūnaki on June 18 and they had discussion about any chances to change the decision he made against Maka’s team, but it was too late as the deadline was June 14
Sione’s father Talāsinga Mōleni said he really felt for his son.
Talāsinga said he took his son to New Zealand at his own expense so that he could receive better training and a proper boxing diet in the hope that he would be picked by the Tongan Boxing Association to represent Tonga in the Pacific Games.
He said he did the same thing in 2017 when he took his
son to Australia for training before he represented Tonga in the Pacific Mini
Games in Vanuatu. Sione won a gold medal for Tonga.
Talāsinga said his son had an opportunity to fight during the Auckland Amateur Champions next month.
He said his son’s priority was Tonga and even though
he joined the National Boxing Tournament in March as a member of the New
Zealand Tongan team it was just part of his preparation to represent the
kingdom.
Dr Fisi’iahi said he understood how parents vied for
their children to have a chance in the Pacific Games, but his Ministry could
not do anything and there was not much time left.
He said he was told by Fūnaki he had contacted Maka to submit a letter of apologies before his team could be included in the list but Maka did not respond.
Dr Fisi’iahi said there had been prospects for Sione.
The main points
Tonga’s hope for Pacific Mini-Games
gold medalist Sione Moleni to secure another first in next week’s Pacific Games
in Samoa have ended.
The boxer was part of the team
brought to Tonga by New Zealand trainer Fili Maka for the National Boxing Tournament in March.
He has been caught up in the aftermath
of a furious row that broke out between Maka and Tongan Boxing Association
secretary Mataele Funaki.
More than five weeks ago Samiuela Anania Tupou, 21, died at
Seaside Park in Ōtāhuhu in the early hours of May 25.
Police said today they were still searching for Tupou’s killer or killers, Stuff has reported.
He was found in critical condition and later died
at the scene despite medical attention.
Tupou had just recently
returned from the United States to live with his family in Mangere before he
died.
Counties
Manukau CIB detective senior Sergeant Malcolm Hassall told Stuff Tupou had no
criminal history and they believed the offender was not known to him.
He said investigations were
ongoing.
“Police are actively following lines of enquiry in relation to the offender or offenders involved,” Hassall told Stuff.
They
still wanted to hear from anyone who saw a light- or gold-coloured people
mover, similar to a Honda Odyssey, in south Auckland on May 25 between 2am and
6am.
“Several members of the
public have contacted police with information about this homicide
investigation.”
Tupou was described by
friends and family as a fun-loving, hardworking young man.
Ma’ake Hauto, Tupou’s former
schoolmate from Salt Lake City in the US, said he always had a big smile on and
was always willing to help others “no matter what”.
Another friend Lavelua Pulu
said Tupous was “just another older brother on the lookout”, who
would always check in on his friends.
Hassall said police are still
encouraging anyone with information to get in touch with the Counties Manukau
Police on 09 261 1321 or Crimestoppers anonymously.
A year after he condemned comments by Israel Folau about gay people, an article by a Samoan pastor in South Auckland is still drawing comments from readers.
However,
while most of the original comments supported Folau, the latest comments
express a different view.
Rev Apelu Tielu, who was ordained in the Uniting Church in Australia, was a minister in the Pacific Islanders in the Papakura parish of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.
When Folau,
who is of Tongan descent, first drew
attention to his beliefs in April last year, saying gays would go to hell unless
they repented, Rev Tielu wrote an article for E-Tangtata saying that Folau’s comments made him cringe.
In the
article he said Folau’s views did not represent the core values of
Christianity.
Since the
footballer’s most recent statement and the furore over his effort to raise
funds to pay his legal costs, the article had drawn almost as many letters as when
it was originally published.
Rev Tielu,
whose daughter is gay, said Folau was irresponsible for not taking the time to
consider the effect of his comments on
vulnerable people.
“It appears
he hasn’t taken the time to reflect on his status in wider society, and how his
words and actions would impact on his fans,” Rev Tielu said.
He also
expressed concerns about the public expression of support from Folau’s wife.
“Israel and
Maria Folau are probably the biggest stars in their respective sports — rugby
in Australia and netball in New Zealand.
“As such,
they’re role models for aspiring young rugby and netball players, especially in
the Pacific Islands community. Their fans look up to them, whether they like it
or not.”
Rev Tielu
acknowledged that many Islander held a particular understanding of Christianity.
“I know the
church used “fire and brimstone” tactics to scare people into conversion and to
control people,” he said.
“I know
there are still a lot of pastors using these tactics, especially those that
have never set foot inside a theological college.
“I also know
the majority of Pacific people and churches share this understanding of
Christianity.”
The most
recent comments on Rev Tielu’ article
for E-Tangata article reflect a range
of views, from condemnation of Folau’s position on gays to his attempt to raise
funds for his legal costs.
There is
also some questioning of Rev Tielu’s
potion.
‘Peter’
wrote: “It’s not the job of Christians to be the moral voice in the world, it’s
only to love their neighbour and support each other in this life. I agree whole
heartedly with you on this. I disagree on your take on Paul and ‘lay’ folk
understanding of scripture. Paul’s gospel is one of forgiveness and grace, the
opposite of judgement and condemnation. The old covenant was one of judgment,
Paul clearly wrote about the new covenant and reserved his most scathing
comments for those who tried to bring Christians under the law.”
‘Paul’
wrote: “I don’t agree with his hate or now trying to cover what he said. I also
disagree with a millionaire not paying his own legal fees and if he does win
gaining more from hate.”
‘Vivienne’
wrote: “Israel, Israel, God is calling, calling thee from lands of woe…He is
telling you to give your donations from the GoFundMe page to the sick, the
needy, the hungry, the homeless, the poor and less fortunate. You have made
millions of dollars and many fans through your elite sporting commitments, a chance
that not many great sports people could ever achieve…many people struggle and
don’t ask for handouts and yet a man of your calibre has no shame to ask for
millions for your actions. Through a simple lack of poor judgement you
encountered you were terminated from a sporting career that has won many fans
over. And look where you are now! Begging for help! The sick and afflicted
cannot get $10,000 let alone $3,000,000.”
‘Jan’ wrote:
“Israel Folau supporters say ‘Truth Hurts.’. But Jesus continually condemns
teachers of the law and Pharisees for the ‘Truth’ of their judgemental
preaching of the law. Matthew 23:15 Jesus says “Woe to you, teachers of the law
and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single
convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of
hell as you are.”
Bro Junior
Metuangaro wrote: “I hope that by the grace of God, Israel Folau will be more
careful how to present the word of God.
My prayer is that we should still love those who may not agree with us.”
‘Stephan’
wrote: “So, like most amateur preachers…
Folau picks and chooses from Holy Writ what he condemns.”
‘Jo Kennedy
wrote: “Jesus said nothing regarding homosexuality. These people like Israel
Folau cherry pick the Bible to reinforce their bigotry. The quote he used is
from Paul – who never saw Jesus or heard him speak.”
‘Jan’ wrote:
“Matthew 23: ‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded,
you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.’ “
‘Tupe’
wrote: “Why would someone go to hell because they loved? When I see my cousin
and his husband hold hands I don’t think
‘Aaww he’s going to hell.’ I think ‘Wow I wish that love and understanding
for myself and others.’”
The Supreme
Court has acquitted a man on a charge of manslaughter following a death by
electrocution.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said the charge had not been proven to the
required standard.
The court
was told that on August 3, 2017 Uilisoni Falahola set up a double fluorescent
light in a tent being used for food preparation at a funeral at
Kolomotu’a. The light fixture was unsafe and because of
its manner of installation,
caused the metal tent poles to be
charged with electricity.
Matiu
Faletau and others were in the tent. He was cleaning cow intestines and slicing
them into a pot. When he touched the lid
of the pot he got an electric shock.
‘Isileli
Palu came from the back and grabbed the tent pole, shouted
“oiaue” and fell to the
ground.
A later investigation
showed the light fixture had been tied to the tent’s metal pole and there were
two extension cords to run the power to a neighbour’s property. The extension
cords were found to follow approved
standards, but the light fixture was
not safe.
The power
cord of the light fixture had been extended.
It appeared the power cord had been cut and two wires spliced on to it so as to
lengthen it. These wires were a live wire and a neutral wire. These additional
wires were in turn connected to the light fixture.
The
additional wires were not properly insulated – or insulation tape that was used
had, over time, come away in places – because the live wire was exposed at one
point. There was no protective earth
wire connected to the light fixture.
Part of the
wiring was exposed and touching the tent’s metallic frame when Pulu touched the
frame.
Lord Chief
Justice Paulsen said the principle in this case was whether it had been proved
beyond reasonable doubt that Falahola breached
his duty to take care in the circumstances.
He said it
would be necessary to prove that gross negligence had occurred.
“The standard
of negligence presumes
that a reasonable man would have
foreseen some particular consequence as the result of doing or omitting to do
some act,” the judge said.
“This is not
a case where Falahola knew that the light fixture was unsafe and
went ahead to install it anyway, nor do I consider that he was indifferent to
whether it was safe or not.
“Having seen
and heard him give his evidence, I do not regard him as a man who would be
reckless with the safety of others.”
The judge
said Falahola gave evidence that the light fixture came from Tonga High School
where it was in use and that he had used it himself at home without incident.
Having a great deal of previous experience
in the safe use of this light
fixture it was not
unreasonable that Mr Falahola
would consider it safe to use on this occasion also.
“Falahola
said, and I accept, that after installing the light fixture he touched the tent
and did not get a shock,” he said.
“In those
circumstances, I can understand that he
would be satisfied that the installation
had been completed safely.
“The
evidence of Falahola, which again I accept, was that Palu was
told that the tent
was live and went ahead and touched
it anyway.
“Falahola
unknowingly created a dangerous
situation when he
installed the light
fixture, Palu voluntarily touched
the tent pole
in full knowledge
of the danger.
“It was
not therefore proven beyond reasonable
doubt that Falahola’s conduct was, in
law, the cause of Palu’s death.”
The
main points
The
Supreme Court has acquitted a man on a charge of manslaughter following a death
by electrocution.
Lord
Chief Justice Paulsen said the charge
had not been proven to the
required standard.
Tonga is the victim of the appetite for methamphetamine and cocaine in Australia and New Zealand, according to an investigation by the Guardian.
The report by Kate Lyons, said Tonga, Samoa, Fiji were
suffering because of addiction, corruption and violence caused by trans-Pacific
smuggling and a growing domestic appetite for the drug.
However, the Guardian
report said it was the demand for drugs in cities such as Sydney and Auckland
that was causing the real damage in the islands.
It said drug users in these centre paid the highest price
per gram (about NZ$314) for cocaine and had the highest cocaine use per capita
in the world.
“If we didn’t have Australian and New Zealand drug markets,
we wouldn’t have the movement of drugs through the Pacific,” researcher Jose
Sousa-Santos from Massey University in New Zealand.
John Coyne from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute,
said Pacific nations were the “victims” of being caught between Australia and
its drug supplier.
“We shouldn’t underestimate the affect of Australia for
illicit drugs has on countries in the Pacific,” he said.
Drug cartels were storing billions of dollars worth of drugs
on island beaches and offshore, the Guardian
said.
Smuggling across the Pacific has grown drastically in recent
years. The Australian Federal Police have seized about 7.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden
in yachts since 2014.
Superintendent Brett Kidner, who was senior Pacific liaison
officer for the AFP until the start of this year, said he had seen an increase in the domestic use of drug in Tonga, Samoa
and Fiji.
Taskforce
In February this year Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga
formed a Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) Pacific Taskforce to
combat crime in the Pacific.
Tonga Police Commissioner Steve Caldwell said the Tonga
Police had initiated a drug taskforce to combat illicit drugs.
“This arrangement will allow a stronger regional response to
fight organised crime impacting on the Pacific,” Commissioner Caldwell said.
Drug use in Tonga has been described as a “tsunami.” According to a One News report, there are five major methamphetamine syndicates in the kingdom, selling the drug for TP$400 to TP$600 a gram.
As Kaniva news
reported earlier this year, Tonga’s anti-drug task force has continued make
arrests in the kingdom.
Police seized about $US1.2 million worth of methamphetamines during an operation in Fāhefa.
Convicted criminals deported to Tonga have been blamed by
some for introducing the drug trade, but there have been accusation that people
at the highest levels of society are involved.
Highest
levels
Australian court files hold a copy of a letter written in
2010 by Lord Tu’ilakepa on behalf of
Colombian drug lord Obeil Antonio Zuluaga Gomez.
According to Australian Federal Police, Gomez wanted to use
Tonga as a hub for a global conspiracy to ship hundreds of kilograms of cocaine
to Australia and China.
Tu’ilakepa had never met Gomez, but wrote a letter to the
head of the Immigration Department offering to sponsor him so he could get an
urgent visa to come to Tonga.
“I can also vouch that [he] is an honest, trustworthy
and law abiding person,” Tu’ilakepa wrote. Gomez had done jail time for
drug trafficking.
Drug
Taskforce arrests
Tonga’ Drug Taskforce arrested dozens of people on drug
charge since Christmas.
Police officers from the Drugs Taskforce arrested suspects
and confiscated guns, ammunition and drugs in Vava’u and Tongatapu over the
Christmas break.
“The harm that methamphetamine causes in our community
cannot be overstated,” Deputy Commissioner Pelenatita Vaisuai said.
“Drugs destroy the lives of the users, harming our children
and our communities.”
Police seized about $US1.2 million worth of methamphetamine
during a drug operation in Fahefa.
Last month police arrested four men seized 55 packs of cannabis
(49.86 grams) and15 packs of methamphetamine (97.47 grams) along with drug
paraphernalia and cash.
During the Easter Public holidays, they arrested 17 people
at three different locations in ongoing drugs operations.
In April the Drug Taskforce arrested 10 men in Hofoa and
seized 30 packs of methamphetamine and
nine packs of cannabis, ammunition and cash.
They also arrested five men in Havelu and seized 15 packs of
methamphetamine. Police also arrested a 26-year-old woman from Touliki and
20-year-old man from Houmakelikao for possessing methamphetamine.
In March Quarantine Officers at the Fua’amotu International
Airport intercepted 242.22 grams of cannabis seeds being illegally brought into
the country.
The
main points
Tonga
is the victim of the appetite for metamphetamine and cocaine in Australia and
New Zealand, according to an investigation by the Guardian.
The
report by Kate Lyons, said Tonga, Samoa, Fiji were suffering because of
addiction, corruption and violence caused by trans-Pacific smuggling and a
growing domestic appetite for the drug.
The Supreme
Court has convicted a police woman of six counts of fraud.
The court
was told that Malia Kolokiloloma Fanua falsified the results of her studies at the
University of the South Pacific in order to receive funding from the Tongan
police.
Australia
and New Zealand gave aid to Tonga Police for members of the Tonga Police to
study at the University of the South Pacific campus at ‘Atele in Tongatapu.
To obtain
funds to pay for the study, police had
to sign a promissory note to repay the fund to Tonga Police if they failed to
pass or complete the subjects.
The accused
has been
taking a Bachelor
of Art, majoring in
Pacific Policies since 2005.
She was
charged on the following counts:
That on
January 26, 2017 she made a false document
by altering her exam results of
her subject, Legislation
(no. LW112 at
the University of the
South Pacific) from
“C” to
“B+” on her Notification of
Exam Results for
Semester II in
2016 with the intention that Tonga
Police would act on it as
if it was a genuine document.
That on
January 26, 2017 she made a false document
by altering her exam results for
her subject, Courts
& Dispute Resolution
(no. LW113 at the University of
the South Pacific) from “C” to “A” on her
Notification of Exam
Results for Semester II
in 2016 with the intention
that Tonga Police would
act on it as
if it was a genuine document.
That on
January 26, 2017, she
used the forged
Notification of Exams for Semester
2 of 2016 as if it was genuine by submitting it to support her
Promissory Note application
for further funding from Tonga Police, knowing that that exam result was a forgery.
That on July 11, 2017, she made a false document by altering her exam results for her subject, Legal Ethics (LW306 at the
University of the South Pacific) from
“C” to “B+”
in her Notification of Exam Results for Semester 1 in 2017 with the intention
that the Tonga Police would act on it as if it was a genuine document.
That on
July 11, 2017, she
made a false
document by altering
her exam results for her subject,
Tourism in Less Developed Countries, (TS310 at the University of the
South Pacific) from “C” to
“B” in her Notification
of Exam Results
for Semester 1 in 2017
with the intention that
the Tonga Police
would act on
it as if
it was a genuine
document.
That on July
11, 2017, she used the forged Notification
of Exam Results for Semester 1 of
2017 as if it was genuine by submitting it to support her Promissory Note
application for further funding from
Tonga Police, knowing that that exam result was a forgery.
Fanua
pleaded not guilty to all six counts and elected trial by Judge alone.
The court was told the accused printed out statement from USP and falsified her results.
After hearing extensive evidence from police and USP witnesses Judge L.M.Niu said the only person able to make the change to the document was the accused and that he had done so in order to obtain a financial benefit from the police. She had been praised by the Commissioner of Police because of her falsified records.
“I am
therefore satisfied, on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused, with the intent to deceive the Tonga
Police, made a false document by making a material alteration by altering the
result C to the result B+ in respect the subject Legislation and by altering
the result C to the result A in respect of the subject Courts & Dispute
Resolution in the genuine USP Notification of Exam Results printout which has
been produced as Exhibit C,” Judge Niu said.
“I therefore
find the accused guilty of the charges
in counts 1 and 2.
“I am also
satisfied, on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused, with the intent to deceive the Tonga Police,
made a false docwnent by making a material alteration by altering the result C
to the result B+ in respect of the subject Legal Ethics and by altering the
result C to the result B in respect of the subject Tourism in Less Dev.
Countries in the genuine USP Notification of Exam Results printout which has
been produced as Exhibit A3.
“I therefore
find the accused
guilty of the charges in counts 3
and 4.
“I am also
satisfied on the evidence, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused knowing
that the two said genuine printouts have
been forged by
the said alterations which she
had made to them, used them by
submitting them to support her
promissory note application for further
funding from Tonga
Police knowing that those exam
results were forgeries.
“I therefore
find the accused guilty of the charges in counts 5 and 6.”
The
main points
The
Supreme Court has convicted a police woman of six counts of fraud.
The
court was told that Malia Kolokiloloma Fanua falsified the results of her
studies at the University of the South Pacific in order to receive funding from
the Tongan police.
A teacher at ‘Eua High School has been arrested after Police seized cannabis plants grown at the school compound, Police said today.
‘Eua Police disrupted a cannabis growing operation and arrested the 42-year-old man from Tufuvai ‘Eua this morning at around 8:30 am following an ongoing drugs operation.
“Police located 51 cannabis
plants growing inside and outside the ‘Eua High School compound,” says Deputy
Commissioner Pelenatita Vaisuai.
The suspect is a teacher at ‘Eua High School and was arrested by Police while watering the cannabis plants.
Thirty three cannabis plants were seized from inside the school compound, and 18 plants were seized from an area immediately outside of the school compound.
“This is a significant result as part of the
main objective of police operation is to help the community feel safe and we
are hopeful the operation will have a positive effect in reducing drug related
harm in the community.
The impact of any ongoing supply of illicit drugs
on a community results in huge social harm, negative health implications and
financial harm, particularly to drug users and their families.”
Anyone who wishes to give information anonymously
about criminal activity can do so by ringing Police Emergency number 922 or
22782.
The suspect is in police custody while investigation
continues.
The Mormon church in Tonga has denied media reports that it
is helping to pay off the kingdom’s debt to China.
Elder ‘Aisake Tukuafu has denied reports in the Indian Sunday Guardian of rumours that the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had offered to help Tonga with its
sovereign debt to China.
The debt is estimated to stand at U$160 million.
The newspaper offered no source for the rumours and said they
had not been confirmed or denied.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does
not help governments pay off loans from other countries,” Elder Tukuafu said.
“Media reports that the Church is doing this for Tonga are
not true.
“In fulfilment of one of its core purposes, the Church has
helped, and continues to help the people of Tonga in a variety of ways through
humanitarian, education and other charitable work.
“This work is supported by volunteers and funded by the
donations of Latter-day Saints and others in Tonga and throughout the world.
“Our focus is to do as Jesus Christ has taught and shown,
which is to relieve suffering and help individuals and families improve their
lives.”
The Sunday Guardian
said that census estimates showed that 18-20% of Tongans considered themselves
practicing members of the LDS Church.
The newspaper claimed that statistically, Tonga was the most
Mormon country on earth.
Reuters reported last November that Tonga had received a
reprieve from Beijing on the timing of its debt payments after it signed up to
China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The extension was granted shortly before Tonga was due to
start repaying it debt to China.
Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva’s political adviser, Lopeti
Senituli, told Reuters repayments had been deferred for five years.
The
main points
The
Mormon church in Tonga has denied media reports that it is helping to pay off
the kingdom’s debt to China.
Elder
‘Aisake Tukuafu has denied reports in the Indian Sunday Guardian of rumours
that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had offered to help Tonga
with its sovereign debt to China.
The Australian Christian Lobby’s fundraiser for Israel Folau has topped $1.5 million as the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney pledges his support to his “Christian brother”, claiming the way his support was cut off by GoFundMe was telling of “ a new and ugly Australia”.
The campaign has raised more money in less than 24 hours than the defunct GoFundMe appeal did over four days, amassing $1,527,274 in donations as of 11.36 AEST.
The former president of the Human Rights commission Gillian Triggs has weighed in to support Folau, telling ABC presenter Patricia Karvelas he was entitled to his view that “we are all going to hell”.
According to the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), the shock move by the US site has proved an accidental PR triumph for Folau – dramatically expanding his support base as a rush of outraged donors flocked to Folau’s new funding raising site after it was launched shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
The ACL, which is handling the new legal war chest for Folau, says the swell of donors in the first 12 hours had been so “phenomenal” the fund was expected to reach up to $1.5 million by Wednesday – double the amount raised on GoFundMe in four days.
While the funding goal on the GoFundMe site was to raise a $3 million legal war chest, employment lawyers told The Australian the legal fees for Folau’s contract dispute in the Federal Court would generally range between $400,000 to $500,000, and could reach $1.5 million if Folau lost his case and was granted leave to appear in the High Court.
That prompted the ACL to insist once the fund reached $1.5 million there be a full review of likely legal fees to ensure no excess donations are accepted.
President of the Law Council of Australia, Arthur Moses, told The Australian that given Folau’s legal battle was “in essence a contract dispute, at first blush the $3 million seems rather excessive”.
He said the courts and the justice system had yet to grapple with the “ethical issues” raised by crowd funding litigation.”
“Mr Folau has the right to bring whatever case he is properly advised to bring, the concern is to ensure that nothing is said that induces the public to donate money based on a misunderstanding of what the case is about or what it will achieve,”, Mr Moses said.
Archbishop Glenn Davies said the original social media post that cost Folau his $5 million contract “canvassed some basic tenets of the Christian faith” and was “posted without malice.”
“Israel Folau’s right to express his faith and act according to his conscience is of fundamental importance in any democracy, and it is of great concern to many Australians that this right is being denied and vilified. Many are wondering whether they will be next,” Archbishop Davies wrote.
“What Israel Folau is going through may shine a light on an issue which is vital to our democracy and of crucial importance for Christians — freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom to live according to our faith.”
He said the way in which Folau’s motives had been “impugned” and his avenues of support cut off spoke of “a new and ugly Australia where dissent from narrow cultural views is not tolerated.”
The ACL set up the fundraising campaign for the former Wallabies star on its website after Folau’s successful GoFundMe page was closed by the US-based crowd-funding platform yesterday.
By 5.39pm, $1,084,000 had been donated via the link on the ACL site — with the group also promising to tip in $100,000 of their own money.
Folau launched his GoFundMe appeal for $3 million on Friday and had raised $750,000 in four days from more than 7000 donors. But the fundraising platform pulled the campaign yesterday, saying it violated their terms of service and announced it would refund all donations.
“As a company, we are absolutely committed to the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity. While we welcome GoFundMe’s engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion,” GoFundMe Australia’s regional manager Nicola Britton said.
But Martyn Iles, the managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, stepped in to host a reborn online appeal for funds.
“On behalf of the Australian Christian Lobby, I have spoken to Israel Folau to let him know that ACL will be donating $100,000 to his legal defence, because it’s right and it sets an important legal precedent,’’ Mr Iles said.
“I have also offered to host his online appeal for funds here on our website and he has accepted our offer. All gifts you give on this web page will be deposited into a trust account to pay for Israel Folau’s legal case.’’
Folau’s push to raise a legal war chest to defend his religious beliefs was deemed unworthy by GoFundMe and a “violation” of the company’s values. But the US crowd-funding site cheerfully backed a transgender Australian nurse to have “vocal feminisation surgery’.
A doomed quest by a 20-year-old Perth man to raise $500,000 to buy a Ferrari also got the platform’s seal of approval.
The decision to dump the former Wallaby’s funding page unleashed a furious response across the country yesterday, with Mr Iles describing the move as “alarming” and “grand hypocrisy”.
“It’s decided to wield its politically correct baseball bat against anyone who doesn’t toe the line with their PC view of the world,” he told The Australian last night.
“How can they take down a fundraising page on the grounds it violates their diversity and inclusion policy while excluding a man on the basis of his faith identity?”
Despite dumping Folau’s efforts, a GoFundMe campaign in Britain titled “Israel Folau’s intolerance will not be tolerated’’ was still running and had raised about £8500 ($15,600) last night.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young used GoFundMe to raise money for legal costs in her defamation battle against then senator David Leyonhjelm after he told her to “stop shagging men”.
A spokesman for Folau last night described the platform’s decision to “buckle” to a “continuing campaign of discrimination against him and his 10,000-plus supporters” as “very disappointing”.
He said Folau’s personal website had already been the target of a sustained cyber attack, forcing the website to be shut down on Friday for 12 hours. His wife, Maria, had also been “vilified” for supporting her husband.
“While Israel does not intend to respond in detail at this time regarding the accusations thrown at him or his family, he wants it known that these attacks have hardened his resolve,” the spokesman said.
GoFundMe said all the donors would now have their money refunded, but it has yet to respond to questions about whether donors will still be charged its usual 2.2 per cent transaction fee.
“As a company, we are absolutely committed to the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity,” spokeswoman Nicola Britton said. “While we welcome GoFundMe’s engaging in diverse civil debate, we do not tolerate the promotion of discrimination or exclusion.”
GoFundMe pages yesterday were raising funds for myriad activities, including allowing a man to migrate to Australia to be with his male partner and gender reassignment surgeries including for a 38-year-old nursing assistant who was attempting to raise $17,000 for vocal feminisation surgery, cheek implants and a lip lift.
The nursing assistant had to date raised only $5 but a transgender Australian man named Silas had raised $1270 of a $10,000 target for “top surgery’’.
In 2016, GoFundMe carried an attempt by accused hacker Dylan Wheeler to crowd-fund a $500,000 Ferrari for himself after his doctor said it was a remedy he was “unable to function properly without’’.
Jeremy Sammut, a senior research fellow with the Centre for Independent Studies, said the backlash against GoFundMe’s decision to drop Folau demonstrated the dangers of companies “jumping on to the progressive bandwagon” with corporate virtue-signalling.
“This raises critical issues about the role of companies in civil society,” Dr Sammutt said.
“It’s dressed up as inclusivity, but it is really demanding citizens to sacrifice their fundamental human rights.”
Dr Sammut said ordinary Australians who still believed they had a right to free speech were increasingly being hauled before HR at work for offending the sensibilities of fellow workers who now “expect to be protected and from people they disagree with”.
“Religious freedom is the canary in the coalmine,” he said.
Christian groups across the country were inundated with offers of further donations to Folau’s cause yesterday.
Reverend Michael Kallahan, adviser to the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, said GoFundMe’s decision to remove the campaign had actually “galvanised support” for Folau’s cause.
“People have been asking me how else they can donate and telling me they now want to double their contribution,” he said.
GoFundMe’s decision has raised fresh concerns about the use of crowd-funding to bankroll Folau’s legal action.
Employment lawyers told The Australian Folau’s $3m legal war chest struck them as an “extraordinary” figure given that it was unlikely Folau’s legal case would cost more than $400,000- $500,000 in fees.
