Opposition to Tongan waste dump

There will be a revolt if a plan to store toxic waste from the United State in Tonga goes ahead, a member of parliament, Akilisi Pohiva, said on September 27. Pohiva, who leads the movement against the king's absolute powers, said pressure from the people would stop the proposal.

Another commoner MP, Viliame Fukofuka, warned the Legislative Assembly there would be chaos and civil war in Tonga if the proposal is accepted.

Details of the plan to use the island of Niuafo'ou are sketchy, but the prime minister, Baron Vaea, has told the Legislative Assembly that it involves storing about 35,000 barrels of waste a year for 10 years. Tonga would be paid US$14 a barrel and earn US$5 million.

Niuafo'ou is 640 kilometres north of the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa, and has a long history of volcanic eruptions. It was evacuated in 1946. Baron Vaea said the 250 people who now live on the island would be given jobs looking after the toxic waste. Niuafo'ou is equidistant from Tongatapu, Fiji and Western Samoa.

In August Baron Vaea signed the South Pacific Forum communique in Nauru which “expressed concern about the possible disastrous impact on the people and natural resources of the region of the importation into and the uncontrolled and unregulated movement of wastes”. It has been revealed that Baron Vaea knew of the Niuafo'u dumping plan before he signed the convention.

In New Zealand, the left-wing opposition Alliance has called on the New Zealand government to oppose the waste dump plans.

The Pacific should not be seen as a dumping ground for the environmental problems of the United States, the Alliance spokesperson on international affairs, Matt Robson, said. New Zealand should give full backing to those Tongan MPs who are mobilising opinion against the proposal.
[Pacnews via Pegasus]

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