Samoa Observer

By Maua Faleauto of Samoa

"Once the land is gone Sa Moa Sa Yoo nara"
A mamulu ese atu loa fanua Samoa-Sa Moa Tofa Soifua

Once the land is gone there will be no Sa Moa,
A mamulu ese atu loa fanua Samoa o le a leai foi ma se Sa Moa

Once the land is gone there will be no temple to the Ancestors,
A mamulu ese atu loa fanua Samoa o le a leai foi se malumalu o augatama

A long running battle between students and staff of Unitech continues against former Unitech chancellor Philip Stagg, former prochancellor Ralph Saulep, terminated unitech Professor Narayan Gehlot and highereducation minister David Arore.

Source: Asian Human Rights Commission

Source: Radio New Zealand

An NGO which pushed for an investigation into the issuing of Special Agriculture Business Leases in Papua New Guinea is questioning why the government hasn't acted on the findings of a Commission of Inquiry.

In September the prime minister Peter O'Neill tabled a report in parliament from the inquiry which found more than 90 percent of those leases were fraudulently or improperly obtained from customary landowners.

Source: Alison Bevege in the Herald Sun

HE WAS just a little kid, maybe six years old. Walking through the garden with his mother and two teenage aunties.

Then the Indonesian soldiers came.

"My mum was in front, leading me in the middle and my aunties behind,'' said Benny Wenda, now 39.

"My mum knows they will rape and she tries to defend.''

A soldier smashed her in the head with the butt of his gun.

"The Indonesian military beat my mum down in front of my eye,'' he said.

Source Sinclaire Solomon, PNG Edge

An East Sepik province commentator has called on the Government to cancel all Special Agriculture and Business Leases (SABL) and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for one of Papua New Guinea’s worst land development schemes ever.

Source: Radio Australia

By Pasifika Wardrobes Media Consultancy

Customary owned land is the secure source of sustaining livelihood and must be utilized well for the benefit of local Papua New Guineans.

This was one of the key conclusions from a rapid qualitative assessment report titled “Gender and Economic Choices in Papua New Guinea” which was commissioned by the World Bank, Papua New Guinea.

Source: Upreshal Singh, FMT news