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SOLOMONS INTERNET CAFÉ TARGETS RURAL PEOPLE

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (February 28, 2001 - Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation/PINA Nius Online)---Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary for Provincial Government John Tuhaika recently inaugurated the "People First Network Internet Café" in Honiara.

It is part of the United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development's efforts to connect rural villagers to a range of information and services available worldwide.

Mr. Tuhaika said the Internet Café will only be used for developmental purposes and that staff at the ministry will ensure customers observe the development orientation.

For additional reports from the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Radio/TV News/Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation.

Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Website:...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (February 28, 2001 - Post-Courier/Kabar-Irian/PINA Nius Online)---The Catholic Bishops Conference of Irian Jaya (West Papua) has appealed to the Indonesian government to allow border crossers in Papua New Guinea to return freely to their homeland.

In a letter to the governor of the Indonesian-ruled territory, Jaap Solosa, the bishops appealed for pardons for all "political prisoners."

The concern was among several raised at the recent meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Irian Jaya.

The bishops said the people would feel free to return home if the buildup of troops along the border ceased. The attitude of the troops towards the people was not friendly, especially their "brutal actions" towards some West Papuan tribes, the bishops said.

There are more than 500 West Papuan border crossers in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea, and another 300 in the Western Province part of the PNG/Indonesia border.

They fled across the...

By Fili Sagapolutele

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (February 27, 2001 - PIDP/CPIS)---Labor problems between garment manufacturer Daewoosa Samoa and its Vietnamese workers will be discussed in a diplomatic meeting this week in Washington D.C., according to the governor's legal counsel Henry Kappel.

The meeting includes Governor Tauese Sunia, Congressman Eni Faleomavaega and the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States.

Both Faleomavaega and Tauese have been in contact with the Vietnamese Embassy over the plight of its nationals stranded in the territory since the closure last month of the Daewoosa factory.

Governor Tauese wants to clarify whether the Vietnamese government will pay the return airfares of the 230 remaining workers, now that Daewoosa is unable to do so.

Sixteen workers have returned to Vietnam since the factory closed. Their airfares were paid for by the recruiting organization that sent them here under an agreement with Daewoosa....

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (March 1, 2001 - Vanuatu Trading Post/PINA Nius Online)---At least one person was killed as Cyclone Paula, heading south, brought wild seas and strong winds to Vanuatu.

A 19-year-old in Santo drowned after his boat was overturned.

Reports coming into Port Vila from the islands are making note of extensive damage to gardens and fruit trees.

In Port Vila, trees were blown over and streams flooded but by this morning there had been no reports of casualties in the capital.

At 9:00 a.m. today Paula was located 375 nautical miles (695 kilometers) west of Nadi, the Tropical Cyclone Center at Fiji's Nadi Airport reported.

It had gusts of up to 120 knots (220 kilometers per hour) within 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) of its center, the Nadi report said.

On its current track the cyclone is expected to lie about 225 miles (415 kilometers) to the southwest of Nadi by midnight.

Damaging gale forces winds were being forecast...