People fighting back in Tonga - NZ Govt assisting the monarchy : Melbourne Indymedia

People fighting back in Tonga - NZ Govt assisting the monarchy

19 Nov 2006

by AIMC
Riots broke out in Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa after a demonstration on Thursday. About 800 people marched onto parliament with banners slogans calling for immediate reform, others attacked public figures, while another labeled the current structure a "deadly virus". At night, protesters set fires to businesses in the city centre and turned cars over. Windows were smashed in the Prime Minister's Office Parliament House, the Magistrates Court,the Public Service Commission Office, the Ministry of Finance and three vehicles overturned and government cars smashed in government parking lots. One company targeted was power company Shoreline, owned by the King. The aristocratic class control the economic and political aspects of life against which the people have been resisting for years. The protests and riots are part of the struggle against the feudal system which is oppressing the Tongan people.

The King and his government have now declared martial law. Some snippets: "Any person authorised by Cabinet, and every member of the Tonga Police Force and the Tonga Defence Services, shall for the purposes of preserving public order and securing the public safety, have power to order a meeting, procession of any assembly of 5 or more persons held in a place or building (whether public or private) to disperse; order every person to remain indoors between certain hours; regulate the movement or conduct of a person or class of persons; search or detain for the purpose of searching a person; detain any arrested person for a period not exceeding 48 hours."

The NZ and Australian Governments have now sent soldiers and cops to Tonga in attempt to crush the resistance. The capitalist media is trying to convince us here that the people are "welcoming" the troops but Tonga's pro-democracy movement has condemned the intervention. Pro-democracy supporter Akilisi Pohiva says the current regime and the monarchy have failed and can no longer maintain law and order. Peace Action Wellington is holding a protest against the deployment of troops to Tonga outside the New Zealand Defence Force Headquarters on Stout st on Monday, 20th November, at 12:30pm.

http://www1.tonga-now.to/Article.aspx?ID=2063
His Majesty's Order in Council for maintenance of Public Order

EMERGENCY POWERS ACT (CAP. 45)

SECTION 2

EMERGENCY POWERS (MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER REGULATIONS 2006

In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 2 of the Emergency Powers Act (Cap 45) His Majesty in Council makes the following regulations:

1 These regulations may be cited as the Emergency Powers (Maintenance of Public Order) Regulations 2006.

2 These regulations shall come into effect on 17 November 2006, and shall be effective for 30 days unless otherwise extended by an order of Cabinet.

3 Cabinet shall have the powers to make orders for the purpose of securing the public safety and the maintenance of public order in Tonga.

4 Any person authorised by Cabinet, and every member of the Tonga Police Force and the Tonga Defence Services, shall for the purposes of preserving public order and securing the public safety, have power to:

(i) regulate, restrict, control or prohibit the use of any road, street, path, waterway or public place by any person, vehicle or vessel or by any class of persons, vehicles or vessels;

(ii) absolutely or on conditions, prohibit the holding of a meeting or procession, or the assembly of 5 or more persons in a place or building (whether public or private) in that area;

(iii) order a meeting, procession of any assembly of 5 or more persons held in a place or building (whether public or private) to disperse;

(iv) use such force as necessary in the interest of public security to disperse a meeting, procession or assembly prohibited or order to be dispersed;

(v) erect or place barriers on a road, street, path, waterway or any public place if necessary for the preservation of law and order, prevention or detection of crimes or to regulate traffic;

(vi) take all reasonable steps and use such force necessary to prevent a person, whether on foot or in a vehicle or vessel from passing the barrier contrary to an instruction, direction or signal;

(vii) order every person to remain indoors between certain hours;

(viii) prohibit a person or class of persons from entering a place or building;

(ix) regulate the movement or conduct of a person or class of persons;

(x) search or detain for the purpose of searching a person;

(xi) remove any person who fails to comply with any order;

(xii) in relation to suspend persons, premises, vehicle, vessels, or aircraft, with or without warrant, stop and search any person, or enter and search any premises, or stop, board and search any vessel, vehicle or aircraft, and seize evidence;

(xiii) with or without warrant, stop and search any person or vehicle on a public road, and seize evidence;

(xiv) without warrant, arrest any person suspected on reasonable grounds of threatening public order;

(xv) detain any arrested person for a period not exceeding 48 hours.

(xvi) use such force as may be reasonably necessary to preserve public order.

Made at Nuku’alofa on this 17th day of November 2006.

King George Tupou V
KING OF TONGA

From: Peace Action Wellington
Date: 20 November 2006

Peace Action Wellington opposes the deployment of the New Zealand military and police to Tonga and will protest outside the New Zealand Defence Headquarters in Stout Street, Wellington, today (Monday, 20th November) from 12:30pm.

"These troops are serving the interests of the feudal class in Tonga, while crushing people's desire for change."

"We stand in solidarity with the people's resistance in Tonga and support them in their struggle for self determination," said Valerie
Morse.

"The Labour Government has supported recent occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, and are again eagerly sending soldiers and police into the Pacific Islands," said Valerie Morse, a member of Peace Action Wellington.

get it right....Its only New Zealand Troops being deployed....The Police are Australian.

Facts facts facts please not mis-informed moaning...

Well ok 'anonymous', troops or police - its still *New Zealand state forces* being sent to keep the pro democracy forces down, that is the essential point. Of course we're moaning. Good on PAW for taking swift action.

from nzdf.mil.nz/ "Approximately 70 NZDF personnel, and a small contingent of NZ Police and other government personnel arrived in Tonga on Saturday evening (18 November), where they will provide security to the Fau’amotu International Airport to enable the resumption of civilian air travel. A further 80 Australian Defence and Federal Police personnel join the NZDF contingent in assisting the Government of Tonga in this New Zealand-led Combined Joint Task Force."