Asia-Pacific Network Weekly Report (Jul 19) 1/1

Weekly human rights monitoring

1. Near neighbours
a) Fiji
 (July 18) 5 Fijian magistrates have been dismissed without notice because they rejected prosecutions
brought by the Fijian military regime. According to Fiji’s Citizens Constitutional Forum, 30 magistrates
and 15 High Court judges had now been dismissed; most of these dismissals were under the Revocation
of Judicial Appointments Decree. http://www.smh.com.au/world/concern-over-fijian-dismissals-
20100718-10g2q.html
 (July 14) Fiji’s interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama has threatened to delay the scheduled 2014
elections because of “constant interference” by Australia and New Zealand, a day after expelling
Australia’ acting high commissioner, Sarah Roberts. http://www.smh.com.au/world/fiji-pm-rejects-
australian-meddling-20100713-109h5.html
b) Indonesia
 (July 19) Scott Rush’s (Bali Nine) final appeal against his death sentence was lodged on July 18 and is
likely to be heard in September.
c) Timor Leste
 (July 14) Timor Leste has achieved significant declines in infant mortality, under-five mortality and
fertility rates according to the country’s latest Demographic and Health Survey. Experts attribute the
drop in fertility rates to better educated women, more women in the workforce and increased
availability of reproductive-health services. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89821
 (July 13) Timor Leste’s Parliament voted unanimously to reject Australia’s informal proposal to host a
refugee center. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/07/13/Timor-Leste-backs-away-from-
refugee-plan/UPI-78601279027918/
d) PNG and Western Papua
 (Jul 19) PNG’s government has been split by the defection of 4 ministers to the opposition in a move
to topple current leader Sir Michael Somare with Sir Puka. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?
op=read&id=54784
 (Jul 19) Australia West Papua Association has written to the leaders of Pacific Islands Forum countries
requesting the forum to address the issue of human rights in the Indonesian region of Papua at next
month’s summit. http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=54781
2. Asia- Pacific
a) Tonga
 (July 15) Tongan government has repealed the Judicial Services Commission Act, thereby abolishing its
independent Judicial Services Commission and given the King control over the selection of judges.
Former Attornery General John Cauchi that such a move would undermine judicial independence.
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=54721
b) Burma
 (July 18) Amnesty International is calling on the ASEAN countries to press the Burmese government to
protect rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, especially during the
election season. Under the Electoral Laws enact in March 2010, no political prisoner can stand for
elections (including Aung San Suu Kyi). http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/23369/
c) Phillipines
 (July 16) Two human rights defenders have received death threats: (1) Yolanda Pineda is the leader of
KAISAKA (Unity of Women for Freedom) and a paralegal at the Central Luzon Human Rights Defenders.
She submitted a petition to the Commission of Human Rights demanding the removal of the military
detachment in her housing area. (2) Bernardino Patiga, a former fishermen collective organiser and
presently the secretary-general of the Northern Negros Alliance of Human Rights has been actively
involved documenting cases of human rights violations of sugarcane plantation workers.
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3508/
 (July 16) 50 farming families were evicted, 19 of whom were farmer beneficiaries under the land reform
program in Davao City. A sheriff of the Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board evicted and
demolished their homes despite a pending appeal by the farmers to the same office against the
execution of the demolition orders. http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3507/