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HEALTH A MAJOR PROBLEM

LYON, France (May 27, 2002 - Centre de Documentation et de Recherche sur la Paix et les Conflits)---On May 25 and 26, 2002, in Angers, the first general assembly of the Nuclear Tests Veterans Association (AVEN) was held. About 130 persons -- veterans of the Sahara and French Polynesia nuclear tests, widows and children of deceased veterans -- were present.

The association was established on June 9, 2001 and today has more than 650 members and associates.

The general assembly decided to launch a large-scale campaign of action to encourage national and local elected people's representatives to support laws that take into account the consequences of the French nuclear tests on the veterans’ health and the environment.

The association said the numerous testimonies of veterans and their widows demonstrate:

§ the absence of essential precautions being taken by military authorities for effective protection of the personnel during...

SUVA, Fiji Islands (June 1, 2002 – Pacific Media Watch/Fiji Times/Fiji Sun/Daily Post)---Fiji journalist Jo Nata and politician Ratu Timoci Silatolu, supporters of coup front man George Speight, still face treason charges after a judge ruled that the military commander had no lawful authority to promulgate an immunity decree.

The Supreme Court ruling means the two men must now enter pleas on the treason charges and they will stand trial.

Justice Andrew Wilson said the men had argued that a pardon had been obtained for their alleged crimes stemming from their role in support of the Speight putsch in May 2000.

"Each applicant relies upon the Immunity Decree 2000, which he maintains is valid and grants him, along with the others, a pardon in the form of immunity from prosecution under the Penal Code," Justice Wilson said.

Referring to the landmark ruling of the Court of Appeal on farmer Chandrika Prasad against the state, Justice Wilson said the 1997...

NOTICE

ON LOVE AND SEXUALITY
IN OCEANIA

A Call For Papers For A Session At The Pacific History Association Conference In Samoa

December 2002

May 30, 2002

For too long, the Pacific people have been described and inscribed in exoticist literature as sexually available and emotionally hollow. At the same time, Christian missionary teachings have created deep confusion about morality and prescribed an almost functional if not quite ascetic sexuality in our societies.

The influence of this strand of Christianity is so strong that a simple line in the preamble to the 1997 Constitution of Fiji stating that people have the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of their sexuality became a matter for vigorous lobbying by fundamentalist groups for constitutional amendment.

Such ambivalence and hysteria does not help anyone when there are urgent health and social issues that need addressing, and simple matters of pleasure to...

MELBOURNE, Australia (June 1, 2002 – Radio Australia)---Officials are about to get down to business to try to sort out one of the Pacific's most frequently discussed problems -- air services between the island nations.

Samoa's Commerce Minister has told Trade Ministers from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group, APEC, that formal negotiations are expected to begin next month on a draft Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement.

Radio Australia’s Pacific correspondent, Sean Dorney, reports.

"Fiji once had hopes that Air Pacific would become the Pacific Islands regional airline. But as more and more island nations became independent and set up their own airlines those hopes died.

"Some island airlines have failed but a mass of rules and regulations remain.

"Representing the Pacific Islands Forum at a meeting of APEC Trade Ministers in Mexico, Samoa's Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hans Joachim Kiel, said Forum Leaders had endorsed the...