Kiwi Tongans fear for families caught in political turmoil

Reverend Kuli Fisi'iahi and fellow Tongans in Northland are worried about the current political impasse back home. Photo / John Stone

Northland-based Tongans fear the political turmoil in their homeland has the potential to trigger a bloody riot as happened 11 years ago.

The King of Tonga unexpectedly dismissed the Prime Minister, Akilisi Pohiva, last Friday, dissolved Parliament and ordered a new election be held by November 16.

The move was gazetted after King Tupou VI met with the nobles, the Privy Council and Parliament. Mr Pohiva, the former leader of the Tongan democracy movement, has been Prime Minister since 2014. He will act as interim Prime Minister until the election.

Mr Pohiva came under strong criticism for poor financial management and for cancelling the Pacific Games, which Tonga had been planning to host in 2019.

Wesley Methodist Church minister Reverend Kuli Fisi'iahi of Dargaville said he and fellow Tongans in Northland were praying there wouldn't be a repeat of the 2006 riot in Nuku'alofa that killed eight people.

Democracy advocates took to the streets in protest before looting and burning buildings, including those owned by Chinese and Indian businessmen.

A state of emergency was declared as 110 soldiers and 44 police officers from Australia and New Zealand were sent to help restore order.

Mr Fisi'iahi hails from Niutoua, on the northeast corner of the main island, and said the reasons for the Prime Minister's dismissal were unclear.

"The main concern for Tongans in Northland is worry for their families back home. What has happened there may cause another riot but we don't want history repeating itself.

"People lost their lives in the 2006 riot. Who knows, another riot may claim our family members. We hope and pray it doesn't happen," he said.

Corruption, he said, has always been the most pressing issue facing Tongans, irrespective of who ruled them.

"The rich become richer and the poor become poorer. That's why it's very hard for me as a Tongan to have faith in any government, whether it's a democratically elected government or the monarchy.

"There are also things that have divided the community, especially the non-hosting of
Pacific Games. Having said that, the public and even the Prime Minister haven't had the full story why the King acted the way he did in dismissing the Prime Minister," Mr Fisi'iahi said.

Between 200 and 300 Tongans live in Northland. Most are in Dargaville and work in the Silver Fern Farms freezing works, or do seasonal work in kumara fields.