scholarly journals Citizen media and civil resistance in West Papua

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason MacLeod
Keyword(s):  
Essential Role ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Media Activism ◽  
Civil Resistance ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua ◽  
The World ◽  
Making A Difference

This article charts the dynamics and trajectory of citizen media activism in West Papua’s fight for freedom which has progressed from not even registering in news rooms around the world to influencing sub-regional and regional bodies. Citizen media has played an essential role in this transformation. In 1998, when the Indonesian military massacred more than 100 unarmed West Papuans in Biak Island, it took weeks and months to get the news out. Back then West Papua was a military operations area (Daerah Operasi Militer). Few journalists were willing to risk travelling into the country to get the story out. In January 2016 West Papua remains an occupied colony. The Indonesian government still tries to curtail open access to West Papua for foreign journalists but courageous young people armed with cell phones are finding ways to bypass the government’s failed attempt at an informational blockade and it is making a difference. West Papuans are now members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the Pacific Island Forum is starting to take notice of the Pacific’s longest running self-determination and decolonisation struggle.

scholarly journals Review: Merdeka: Media and the case for Papuan civil resistance

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
David Robie
Keyword(s):  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Media Freedom ◽  
Security Forces ◽  
Civil Resistance ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua

Five years ago the Pacific Media Centre and Pacific Media Watch published a ‘state of media freedom report’—the first such documentation in the Pacific region—and the most devastating section was about West Papua (Perrottet & Robie, 2011, 2012). The harrowing account of human rights violations and abuses of freedom of speech by the Indonesian military and security forces eclipsed comparable reports from the Pacific, including Fiji which was at the time a cause célèbre for free press champions. The theme of this report echoed many articles I have written over the years highlighting the ‘black’ or ‘blind spot’ demonstrated by New Zealand media neglect of covering West Papua and the self-determination cause (see Robie, 2011). Since then much has changed.

scholarly journals Economic Impact of World Bank Aviation Investment in Pacific Island Countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 343
Author(s):  
Cindy Greenman ◽  
Javad Gorjidooz
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
World Bank Group ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Flight Operations ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
Pacific Island Countries

<p><em>The World Bank Group (WBG) has provided grant and credits to support projects related to aviation and air transport including capacity building, policy and regulation, safety and security, infrastructure rehabilitation, and institutional strengthening for over 60 years. Today, the WBG remains actively engaged on aviation related project in every region of the world including the Pacific Island Countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic impact of WBG investments in aviation infrastructures in Pacific Island Countries.</em></p><p><em>The preliminary results of this study show a serious deficiency in the areas of aviation infrastructure, safety and security, management efficiency, and airport environmental sustainability in the Pacific Island countries. Without a dynamic aviation industry, most developing countries would see a drastic reduction in tourism, resulting in an economic slowdown. In Pacific Island countries, if these aviation infrastructure deficiency continued to go unaddressed, they would likely lead to the end of international flight operations to the airports in this region. Therefore, the WBG investments in aviation infrastructure is necessary in this region to support tourism, economic development, job creation, and higher standard of living in for Pacific Islanders.</em></p>

scholarly journals Key Melanesian media freedom challenges: Climate crisis, internet freedoms, fake news and West Papua

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Robie
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Network Television ◽  
Media Freedom ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Climate Crisis

Melanesia, and the microstates of the Pacific generally, face the growing influence of authoritarian and secretive values in the region—projected by both China and Indonesia and with behind-the-scenes manipulation. There is also a growing tendency for Pacific governments to use unconstitutional, bureaucratic or legal tools to silence media and questioning journalists. Frequent threats of closing Facebook and other social media platforms and curbs on online freedom of information are another issue. While Pacific news media face these challenges, their support networks are being shaken by the decline of Australia as a so-called ‘liberal democracy’ and through the undermining of its traditional region-wide public interest media values with the axing of Radio Australia and Australia Network television. Reporting climate change is the Pacific’s most critical challenge while Australian intransigence over the issue is subverting the region’s media. This article engages with and examines these challenges and also concludes that the case of West Papua is a vitally important self-determination issue that left unresolved threatens the security of the region.

scholarly journals The Representation of Indigenous Languages of Oceania in Academic Publications

Publications ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Eve Koller ◽  
Malayah Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Linguistic Diversity ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Indigenous Language ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Language Of Publication

Of the estimated 7117 languages in the world, approximately 1500 (21%) are indigenous to the Pacific. Despite composing approximately one-fourth of the world’s linguistic diversity, the representation of these languages in academic publication is scant, even in periodicals focused on Pacific Island studies. We investigated 34 periodicals that focus on research in Oceania. We report on (1) journal names; (2) how many are currently in circulation; (3) how many accept submissions in Indigenous Pacific languages; (4) what percent of the most recent articles were actually in Indigenous languages of the Pacific and (5) which languages those were. Five of the 34 journals allowed submissions written in Indigenous Pacific languages. Three of the five journals specified Hawaiian as an accepted language of publication; one Sāmoan and one Tahitian and any other Indigenous language of Polynesia. We were able to collect data on four of the five journals, which averaged 11% of recent publications in an Indigenous language. None accepted submissions in Indigenous languages from the Pacific outside of Polynesia.

On Being a Historian of Tuvalu: Further Thoughts on Methodology and Mindset

1999 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 219-238
Author(s):  
Doug Munro
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Doctoral Dissertation ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Colonial Administration ◽  
Naval Vessel ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
British Colonial

Over twenty years ago, I started writing a doctoral dissertation on the history of the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu, an exercise that has had enduring professional and personal repercussions. Tuvalu is an atoll archipelago near the junction of the equator and the international date line, and is identified on older maps as the southern portion of a British dependency, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony—now the independent nations of Kiribati and Tuvalu respectively. The nine Tuvalu islands are tiny even by atoll standards, an aggregate 26km2 spread over 360 nautical miles. During the nineteenth century Tuvalu was incorporated into the world economy by a succession of European influences. The early explorers gave way in 1821 to whalers, who, in turn, were superseded by copra traders during the 1850s. From mid-century the pace of events quickened, with the traders being joined by the very occasional labor recruiter and, more to the point, by a concerted missionary drive.Accomplished largely through the instrumentality of resident Samoan pastors, missionization was comprehensive in scope and repressive in character. From the 1870s the occasional naval vessel visited the group and a British protectorate was declared in 1892, interspersed by the occasional scientific expedition and a brief and disastrous interlude in 1863 when some of the atolls were caught in the final stages of the Peruvian slave trade. The dominant European influences were the familiar triad of commerce, the cross, and the flag, with the primacy of trade giving way to missionary supremacy which, in turn, was displaced in local importance by a British colonial administration.

Lighting up the World? Empires and Islanders in the Pacific Whaling Industry, 1790-1860

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Haines
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Island ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
Island Communities ◽  
Whaling Industry ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter explores the surge in pelagic whaling in the nineteenth century and how it contributed to globalisation. It examines the contact between European empires and indigenous Pacific island communities and the relationship between the whaling industry and European expansionism. It is divided into four parts: the first reviews whaling historiography; the second examines the origin of the Pacific whaling industry and its international components; the third examines the impact of whaling on Pacific island communities; and the fourth uses case studies exploring the impact from New Zealander and Hawaiian perspectives. It concludes that the whaling industry had a relatively minor long-term impact on globalisation - bar the depletion of whale stock, but an enormous overall impact on the furthering of European expansionism.

scholarly journals Pacific island health inequities forecast to grow unless profound changes are made to health systems in the region

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Matheson ◽  
Kunhee Park ◽  
Taniela Sunia Soakai
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Maternal And Child Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Health Development ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
And Child Health

Objective Twenty years ago the Pacific’s health ministers developed a ‘Healthy Islands’ vision to lead health development in the subregion. This paper reports on a review of health development over this period and discusses the implications for the attainment of the health related Sustainable Development Goals. Methods The review used qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative review included conducting semi-structured interviews with Pacific Island Government Ministers and officials, regional agencies, health workers and community members. A document review was also conducted. The quantitative review consisted of examining secondary data from regional and global data collections. Results The review found improvement in health indicators, but increasing health inequality between the Pacific and the rest of the world. Many of the larger island populations were unable to reach the health Millennium Development Goals. The ‘Healthy Islands’ vision remained an inspiration to health ministers and senior officials in the region. However, implementation of the ‘Healthy Islands’ approach was patchy, under-resourced and un-sustained. Communicable and Maternal and Child Health challenges persist alongside unprecedented levels of non-communicable diseases, inadequate levels of health finance and few skilled health workers as the major impediments to health development for many of the Pacific’s countries. Conclusions The current trajectory for health in the Pacific will lead to increasing health inequity with the rest of the world. The challenges to health in the region include persisting communicable disease and maternal and child health threats, unprecedented levels of NCDs, climate change and instability, as well as low economic growth. In order to change the fortunes of this region in the age of the SDGs, a substantial investment in health is required, including in the health workforce, by countries and donors alike. That investment requires a nuanced response that takes into account the contextual differences between and within Pacific islands, adherence to aid effectiveness principles and interventions designed to strengthen local health systems. What is known about the topic? It is well established that the Pacific island countries are experiencing the double disease burden, and that the non-communicable disease epidemic is more advanced. What does this paper add? This paper discusses the review of 20 years of health development in the Pacific. It reveals that although progress is being made, health development in the region is falling behind that of the rest of the world. It also describes the progress made by the Pacific countries in pursuit of the ‘Healthy Islands’ concept. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper has significant implications for Pacific countries, donor partners and development partners operating across and within Pacific countries. It calls for a substantial increase in health resourcing and the way development assistance is organised to arrest the increasing inequities in health outcomes between Pacific people and those of the rest of the world.

scholarly journals On the Pathway to Independence: The Congress of the Representatives of the Lithuanian Military Officers of the Romanian Front (1917)

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-90
Author(s):  
Silviu-Marian Miloiu
Keyword(s):  
World War I ◽  
Russian Empire ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Military Officers ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
World War ◽  
Russian Army ◽  
The World ◽  
The Russian Empire ◽  
The Military

When the World War I began Lithuania was on the vanguards of the military operations. Around 60,000 Lithuanians were recruited in the Russian Army and employed on the operational fronts of the war. However, they were not blind performers of Tsarist ambitions, but, as The Amber Declaration showed, nurtured political ambitions of their own. The document issued on 4/17 August 1914 was signed, inter alia, by the patriarch of national credo, Jonas Basanavičius , and clearly affirmed the Lithuanian ideals, i.e. the aim of unifying Lithuania with Lithuania Minor then in German hands and the awarding of an autonomous status to a united Lithuania within the Russian Empire. This article tackles an enticing moment in the process of national rebirth, the Congress of the Representatives of the Lithuanian Military Officers of the Romanian Front held in Bender (Tighina), in southern Bessarabia, on 1-3 November 1917, calling for the creation of a Lithuanian national state. How this congress and the proclamation it issued fitted into the general frame of self-determination movements and Lithuanian national revival of 1917-1918, which led to the rebirth of the Lithuanian state? Who were the conveners and the participants to this congress? What arguments did they put forward in their national-building claims? What role did it play on the pathway to Lithuanian independence? Overlooked in most of the Lithuanian historical treatises, the Congress of the Representatives of the Lithuanian Military Officers of the Romanian Front in Bender City had in fact of greater significance than it allows to be understood when counting solely the relatively lower visibility of its leaders or the direct institutional lineage to the proclamation of independence.

China may see an opening in Pacific Islands

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Military Regime ◽  
Pacific Island ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
West Papua ◽  
Pacific Island Countries ◽  
Military Control

Significance Fiji returned to democracy in 2014 after being ruled by a military regime since 2006. Fiji's president, Frank Bainimarama, who was its military ruler, implemented a 'Look North' strategy to orient the island towards China. This was a response to Australia and New Zealand's attempts to end Fijian military control, but it heralds a re-ordering of Pacific Islands international fora that extends beyond Fiji's actions in this area. Impacts The Pacific Island countries will push hard for a climate change deal at COP21. Indonesia will be able to contain possible challenges to its position in (West) Papua. Development aid will be a key avenue to increasing Chinese influence in the region.

scholarly journals ANTROPOLOGERS OG INDFØDTE FOLKS FÆLLES VIRKELIGHED: Tre beretninger

1996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulla Hasager
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Global Factor ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common

Ulla Hasager: The common reality of anthropologists and Indigenous peoples: three narratives The „traditional object" of anthropology - the indigenous peoples of the world - are becoming an increasingly visible global factor with the fourth world movements for self-determination and with the United Nations’ efforts to create standards for indigenous human rights. However, at the same time as the indigenous peoples are celebrated as guardians of environmental sustainability and biological and cultural diversity - and thereby for securing the memory as well as the future of mankind - their lands and resources are coveted by multinational corporations, govemments and other agencies, their genes are patented and preserved and their cultures are recorded - most often by anthropologists. In spite of these opposing trends and threats, indigenous peoples now have a more powerful position vis-å-vis anthropologists, who on their part are beginning to acknowledge the responsibilities that come with being part of the same living world as the indigenous peoples and therefore have begun the task of revising their theoretical foundations. Not only because they want to, but because the relatively more powerful and outspoken indigenous peoples demand it. This article looks at the changing situation for indigenous peoples in the Pacific, primarily Hawai’i, and outline the consequences for the conditions of research, methods of research and publication for anthropologists.

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