Reports from Indonesia indicate police arrested almost 1700 people in West Papua for taking part in a series of demonstrations across the region. Most have since been released. In the wake of the arrests, New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, not for the first time, was pressed about the rights situation in West Papua. “The Read more
Foreign Minister Murray McCully has suspended the funding New Zealand provides to Nauru each year for its justice system because of ongoing concerns about civil rights abuses. New Zealand had been giving Nauru $1.2 million a year, paid out quarterly. Mr McCully said several incidents had caused him concern, including the removal of senior members Read more
Nauru’s former Chief Justice says New Zealand is continuing to support an unjust system and should speak more strongly against what he calls an appalling abuse of power. New Zealand provides 600-thousand US dollars a year to fund Nauru’s justice system. New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, says he’s deeply concerned about recent developments but Read more
Prime Minister John Key has expressed alarm over a video showing two men being beaten by Fiji police. Key said the New Zealand government was taking reports of the attack seriously. “And we expect the Fijian authorities to deal with them appropriately and hold those people who have undertaken those beatings to account,” Key said. Read more
Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully would not meet West Papuan freedom fighter Benny Wenda when he was in New Zealand last month even though the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta had recommended a meeting take place if Mr Wenda requested it. There have been numerous reports from West Papua about the voilent behaviour of the Indonesian military and Read more
Australia and New Zealand will reappoint High Commissioners to Fiji and relax travel sanctions affecting members of its government. This announcement was made following a meeting in Sydney on Tuesday attended by New Zealand Foreign Minister Mr McCully, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Fijian Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. The decision has met with Read more
New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, will travel to Suva on Monday as a member of the Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group on Fiji. Mr McCully today thanked the Fiji administration for its agreement to the MCG visit. “This visit will enable the MCG to resume direct dialogue with Fiji after a significant interval,” Read more
New Zealand foreign minister Murray McCully says he’s keeping an open mind about sanctions on Fiji, after Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama announced plans last week to consult the public on a new constitution, which is expected to be ready by next February.
Commodore Bainimarama, who seized power in a 2006 coup, said the new constitution would enshrine principles of one-person-one-vote, an independent judiciary and transparent governance.
According to a media report, Mr McCully said Wellington saw the consultation as a step in the right direction for Fiji, and it was keeping an open mind about post-coup sanctions.
“We’ve never ruled out looking at the sanctions,” he said.
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Fiji’s Prime Minster last week announced that a consultation process will take place on Fiji’s constitution between July and September. There has been speculation that this announcement would give an opportunity for a change in policy towards Fiji in Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, has already broken ranks and begun to engage with Fiji. While Read more
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the aid agencies to receive some of the $1 million that the Government has made available for African drought relief. The Foreign Minsister, Murray McCully, has been criticised by aid agencies and opposition parties with claims of “unacceptable delays” in providing the money. McCully issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying that money has been allocated to Read more