BY MICHELLE BREAR
SUVA, Fiji As the South Pacific region's major imperialist power, Australia is in a strong position to influence regional political and economic decisions. At the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), held here on August 19-20, Australian Prime Minister John Howard openly exerted Australia's imperial influence to silence the small Pacific island countries' concerns.
Most of the Pacific's small countries are dependent on Australia in various ways. Australia is a major aid donor, the region's main military power and a key trading partner. Australia is a major regional investor, with huge mining and oil developments in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands, as well as having significant holdings in the manufacturing and service industries of most island states.
The annual PIF (formerly the South Pacific Forum) maintains a facade of being an open, democratic dialogue between equal partners. The reality is that Australia dominates the meeting. As at all previous conferences, at this year's PIF Australia used its influence to get what it wanted, before and during the meeting.
Before the PIF, Howard visited PNG for discussions with the newly elected prime minister, Michael Somare. Howard's goal was to pressure Somare to continue with the economic "reform" program of the previous PNG government, adopted under pressure from the International Monetary Fund and the Australian government. The essence of these "reforms" is privatisation of the remaining state-owned services and further cuts in social spending.
The PNG government has little choice but to comply with Howard's "requests". Non-compliance means the possible withdrawal of at least part of the more than $300 million in aid Australia gives PNG each year. While the aid predominately benefits Australian capitalist interests, its withdrawal would have serious consequences for the PNG economy and people.
Following his PNG stopover, Howard flew to Fiji. Even before the PIF had commenced, he was meddling in the affairs of sovereign states. In the Solomon Islands, airline workers were striking in protest at not being paid by their employer, the Solomon Island's government, for the last six weeks. The strike had been timed to prevent Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza from attending the PIF.
Howard showed complete disregard for the workers' struggle and right to strike by sending an RAAF plane to Honiara to transport Kemakeza to the forum.
Howard's interference did not stop when the forum commenced on August 19. Australia bullied, bribed and blackmailed the PIF to get its way on the major issues on the agenda, which included economic relations, environmental issues, treatment of refugees and national self-determination for non-self-governing territories in the Pacific.
Canberra also caused controversy by nominating an Australian to head the forum over the next period. The position has traditionally been reserved for a representative from one of the small Pacific island states, a recognition of the economic, military and political influence Australia and New Zealand already possess.
As director of the Suva-based Pacific Concerns Resources Centre, Motarilavoa Lini, told Green Left Weekly: "Australia consistently undermined regional solidarity to its own advantage and promoted regionalism only when it suited its agenda. Now, Australia is trying to turn the PIF into its own little institution."
Australia was the only delegation that refused to oppose nuclear shipments through the Pacific Ocean. A recent shipment of plutonium fuel passed directly through the South Pacific and breached the economic exclusion zones of Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Howard claimed the shipment was legal under international maritime law.
Australia refuses to sign the Kyoto Protocol, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The low-lying islands of the Pacific are most at risk from rising sea levels caused by global warming. However, they have no power to force the governments of the big industrialised powers (which are the biggest greenhouse gas polluters) to change their environmental practices. The Pacific countries have previously proposed that the PIF support a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for all developed countries.
However, Howard claims it is against Australia's "national interest" to sign the Kyoto Protocol. What he fails to mention is that even if Australia were to sign the Kyoto Protocol, it would not have to reduce emissions but only limit their increase to 8% of 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
Australia also refuses to take environmental refugees from the low-lying island countries. Tens of thousands of coastal dwellers (the vast majority of Pacific islanders) face dispossession due to rising sea levels. They face this threat with little hope of economic support from their own impoverished governments. The Australian government refuses to accept any responsibility for the region's potential refugee crisis, even though the environmental policies of developed countries like Australia will be the cause.
The Australian government's "Pacific solution" (the policy of expecting Pacific island countries to look after refugees bound for Australia) met with widespread resistance from Pacific governments. Those which have been forced to accept the refugees have not received all of the financial assistance promised by Canberra. Many of the camps will not be closed within the time frame that Australia has promised.
The Australian government also pressured the PIF to scuttle moves to support the struggle of the West Papuan people for national self-determination from Indonesia.
While most delegations disagreed with Australia on these issues, their opposition was largely silenced in the formal proceedings. Mention of Australia's delinquency was generally absent or toned down. The threats and bullying by Howard, on behalf of Australian big business, ensured that the interests of the people of the Pacific were sidelined.
From Green Left Weekly, September 4, 2002.
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