International news briefs

International news briefs

Villagers blockade French TV station

NOUMEA, Kanaky — The French-controlled Pacific territory of Wallis
and Futuna is without television and radio after angry villagers launched
a blockade on May 5.

Fifty inhabitants of Ugtufua village in Wallis blockaded the French
state-run RFO television station, denouncing the poor coverage given to
a traditional dance spectacular on May 1. The station's director, Bernard
Joyeux, chief editor Philippe Voisin and technical director Alain Delabre
were taken hostage.

The incident coincided with the visit to Wallis and Futuna by France's
secretary of state for overseas territories, Jean-Jacques Queyranne.

Stiff fines for driftnet fishing

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — Parliament on May 4 approved legislation
to impose heavy fines on local and foreign fishers who use driftnets in
Solomon Islands waters. The bill provides for fines of up to $S2 million
($US427,000).

The bill also bans foreign and local fishing vessels engaged in driftnet
fishing from transhipping, landing or processing fish, or having access
to port and port-serving facilities in the country. It makes it an offence
for any fishing vessel to possess driftnets while licensed to fish in Solomon
Islands waters, for which the fine is $S500,000.

Hunger strike in Fiji

About 100 Chinese women are on hunger strike, in a protest over fees
charged by their agents to bring them to Fiji from China, ABC radio reported
on May 12.

The workers, employed at a Chinese-owned garment factory in the western
town of Lautoka, locked themselves in a house where some of them live.
The striking women are among about 300 recruited in China by garment factories
in Fiji owned by overseas Chinese.

West Papuan mining opponent blocked

Yosepha Alomang, an indigenous Amungme leader from West Papua, was prevented
from addressing shareholders at Rio Tinto's annual general meeting in London
on May 13 when Indonesian security officials barred her from boarding her
flight to England.

Mama Yosepha has consistently campaigned for rights for her people,
despite being imprisoned and tortured in 1994 close to the Grasberg gold
and copper mine. Rio Tinto is a major investor in the mine, which many
Amungme oppose. Mama Yosepha is currently taking legal action against Freeport
McMoRan Copper and Gold, the US-based mine operators.

Philippines indigenous people oppose mines

Tribal elders from the northernmost mountains of the island of Luzon in
the Philippines gathered in the village of Kili on April 24 to sign a bodong
(traditional unity pact) to oppose plans by mining multinationals to dig
for gold on their ancestral lands.

Newmont, an Australian mining company, and Newcrest, based in the US,
recently signed agreements with the Philippines government to explore for
gold. The permits cover 1.3 million hectares in the Cordillera mountains,
the traditional home of the Igorot people.

“The bodong is an affirmation of the strong opposition to all mining
multinationals. A total of 30 elders have sworn not to collaborate with
the companies; anybody who breaks the pact will face disciplinary action
from the others”, said Joan Carling, the secretary-general of the Cordillera
Peoples Alliance.

“We can and will take up an armed struggle against the mining companies
if they decide to explore for gold”, one of the elders, who asked to remain
anonymous, told Project Underground.