Articles Search

COLONIA, Yap (USCG, Dec., 24) - The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Galveston Island, homeported in Apra Harbor, Guam, recently conducted a 16-day trip to the Federated States of Micronesia.

The ship’s mission was in support of a professional exchange with Yap state authorities and in support of Operation Pacific Compass to provide medical care and supplies to residents of Yap’s outer islands.

The 16-man crew of Galveston Island was augmented by two doctors, Lt. Christopher Partridge from Naval Hospital, and Dennis Yeomans of the GCIC Dental Office on Guam for the duration of the trip.

A week-long professional exchange was conducted in Colonia, Yap, with over 60 members of the FSM Coast Guard, local law enforcement officers, and local search and rescue agencies. Topics covered during the professional exchange included search planning and execution, law enforcement procedures, rules of the road, emergency medicine, and the Global Positioning System.

In...

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (RNZI/PINA, Dec. 24) - Free Papua Movement (OPM) spokesman, Dr John has accused Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer of hypocrisy.

Last week, during a visit to Vanuatu, Downer, criticized the recent opening of an office in Port Vila for Papua's pro-independence movement. Downer said that changes to Indonesia’s boundaries would lead to bloodshed.

Ondawame says that blood has already been spilt and many Papuan lives lost in the name of stability

The Papuan office was established with the assistance of the Vanuatu Government. Spokesman Daniel Bangtor said Vanuatu remains committed to assisting territories that are not independent.

He said of Vanuatu's position in the meeting with Mr Downer: "I think that the Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the government's stand ... that the Government's foreign policy on the situation like the West Papuan is that they should be given the necessary assistance to gain their independence." ...

JAKARTA, Indonesia (The Jakarta Post/Irian News, Dec. 24) - The Indonesian government said it would allow U.S. federal agents to participate in the investigation of the Aug. 30 shooting at the PT Freeport Indonesia gold mine in Timika, Papua, which killed two American workers and one Indonesian.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the government, however, would only allow American participation as part of a team led by the Indonesian police.

Susilo said the U.S. had a right to seek information about the deadly ambush at PT Freeport because "two of its citizens were killed in the incident."

He said "The establishment of a joint investigative team involving the Indonesian police and FBI officers is possible, but we must first draw up a framework for collaboration to avoid any excesses, such as the taking over of our (Indonesian) police's functions there," Susilo told reporters.

Even so, Susilo could not...

AVARUA, Cook Islands (Cook Islands Herald/PINA, Dec. 25) - Suva-based entomologist Sada Lal has returned to the Cook Islands to help agriculture officials fight the coconut flat moth.

Lal, who was here earlier this year, brought with him a new batch of parasites to be bred locally to help fight the moth, which attacks coconut trees and causes their leaves to die off.

Agriculture Secretary Nga Mataio said the Secretariat of the Pacific Community has appropriated NZ$5,000 to set up a breeding unit for the parasite.

Parasites will be released in Rarotonga and some will also be sent to the outer islands, including Aitutaki, Atiu and Mauke.

At present flat moths considerably outnumber the parasite population, Mataio said.

"That’s why you don’t see many green coconut trees at the moment," he said. "We need to multiply the parasite population."

Since its introduction on Rarotonga, the parasite has been shown to be an effective fighter against the...