Publisher claims Tonga's rulers need a shakeup

By ANGELA GREGORY

Concerns about Tonga's lack of democracy should be discussed by country leaders at the Pacific Forum, a parliamentary select committee investigating New Zealand's relationship with the country has been told.

In Auckland yesterday Kalafi Moala, publisher of the banned Tongan newspaper Taimi 'o Tonga, urged the committee to recommend the New Zealand Government take a more active involvement in Tonga's affairs.

Asked if that would be considered interference in a sovereign state, Mr Moala said New Zealand was already arguably interfering in areas such as trade and aid.

"I can't see why some kinds of interference are okay and others are not."

He said if it was good enough for Prime Minister Helen Clark to discuss rugby with the Samoan Prime Minister at the Pacific Forum - "which is like a country club for leaders" - more serious Tongan issues should also be on the agenda.

Mr Moala said the repeated rejection of New Zealand intervening in Tongan affairs because of perceived interference was "just another bloody excuse for not taking action".

He said New Zealand sent journalists to run media training courses when there were fallouts with the Tongan media and Government, but never Government training courses.

"I find a pattern all over the Pacific Islands.

"Every time media has a quarrel with Government, trainers funded by either Australia or New Zealand are rushed in to assist in training the media.

"My question is this: why don't island governments get given some training as well on the basics - accountability, transparency, do not suppress truth, do not take bribes, etc."

He said Tonga was an undemocratic constitutional monarchy. There was a significant groundswell to change but the people had no power to force a referendum.

Mr Moala said Tongans had major concerns about their country, especially the political, economic and social instability that had been fuelled by a failed royal leadership, whose legacy of scandals and foolish economic schemes stained the reputation of Tonga internationally.

The affection of ordinary Tongans for their rulers had been undermined, he said.

"Add to that a disarrayed executive branch that has acted largely as a puppet of the ageing monarch, whose family have dominated Tonga over the past 160 years and whose children have been appointed to control Tonga politically and economically, all at the expense of equal human dignity, equal human rights, equal human value, justice, accountability, transparency, and freedom," said Mr Moala.

The committee's work could be a waste of time unless some of the concerns in Tonga about governance structure were addressed and the voices of the oppressed heard loud and clear by Wellington, he said.

"Our voice has been heard in Nukualofa but ignored, and it is my hope that we won't be ignored in Wellington."

But Tongan journalist, Setaleki Tupoa, asked the committee to urge New Zealand to encourage the status quo in Tonga.

He said it was the job of the people's representatives in the Tongan Parliament to voice concerns.