Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SUVA215
2006-05-18 23:32:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Suva
Cable title:  

POLITICAL REFORM IN TONGA - OPTIMISM REIGNS, FOR

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON TN 
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VZCZCXRO0151
RR RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0215/01 1382332
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 182332Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3101
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1219
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1013
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0838
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000215 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON TN
SUBJECT: POLITICAL REFORM IN TONGA - OPTIMISM REIGNS, FOR
NOW

REF: SUVA 210

Classified By: AMBASSADOR LARRY M. DINGER. SECTIONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000215

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM ECON TN
SUBJECT: POLITICAL REFORM IN TONGA - OPTIMISM REIGNS, FOR
NOW

REF: SUVA 210

Classified By: AMBASSADOR LARRY M. DINGER. SECTIONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary. Government officials and diplomats we met
during a May 13-16 visit to Tonga are optimistic about
prospects for political reform over the next few months. The
New Zealand High Commissioner said PM Fred Sevele has gotten
off to a good start, and has demonstrated a willingness to
shake things up, pointing especially to a cabinet reshuffle
announced May 16. Reviews for the work done by the National
Committee on Political Reform are generally positive. Even
Akilisi Pohiva, the People's Representative in Parliament who
pulled out of the Committee earlier this year, praised the
Committee's work and said political reform is on the right
track. Sitiveni Halapua, Deputy Chair of the Committee, is
encouraged by the support the Committee has received from the
Crown Prince and the Prime Minister, and says public interest
is exceptionally high. He warned, however, that Pohiva and
others have unrealistic views about the Committee's work.
The Committee will not endorse any specific constitutional
model nor recommend a referendum on constitutional reform
when it issues its report in September. Those issues are up
to Parliament to decide. End summary.

NZ High Commissioner - A Good Start for Sevele
-------------- -


2. (C) New Zealand High Commissioner to Tonga Michael
McBryde told us Sevele has gotten off to a good start as PM.
Sevele has shown excellent leadership qualities, something
that could never be said for the previous PM, Prince
Lavaka'ata. Unlike Lavaka'ata, Sevele is willing to debate
issues, and enjoys public outreach. He is forming his own
cabinet team (reftel),and clearly intends to try to improve
governance and accountability in Tonga.


3. (C) McBryde doesn't agree with critics who charge that
Sevele is "in the Crown Prince's pocket." Sevele's new
cabinet appears to have been formed with a minimum of Royal
interference, a first for Tonga. Moreover, Sevele has shown
he is willing to advocate policies the Crown Prince opposes.

McBryde said the Crown Prince, who owns the domestic carrier
Peau Vava'u Airlines, asked Sevele not to renew the license
for Peau Vava'u's competitor, Airlines Tonga, which began
operations on a trial basis last December. Sevele refused
the Crown Prince's request, arguing that a Peau Vava'u
monopoly in Tonga is not in the Kingdom's best interests.


4. (C) McBryde acknowledged that Sevele and Finance
Minister 'Utoikamanu don't always see eye to eye on economic
policy, with the PM far more concerned about social issues
than the Finance Minister, and more reluctant to make budget
cuts and implement radical economic reforms. Nevertheless,
Sevele and 'Utoikamanu have demonstrated that they can
compromise on economic policy and work together. So far,
said McBryde, Sevele's "softer" approach to economic reform
appears to have won out. (Comment: Contacts in the
international donor community are far less sanguine about the
Prime Minister's approach to economic policy, given Tonga's
difficult budget situation. Septel reviews Tonga economic
issues in detail. End comment.)

Pohiva - "We are Moving in the Right Direction"
-------------- -


5. (C) Akilisi Pohiva, founder of the Human Rights and
Democracy Movement in Tonga and a long-time people's
representative in Parliament, was upbeat about prospects for
political reform. Although he is no longer a member of
Prince Tu'ipelehake's National Committee for Political
Reform, Akilisi remains on good terms with members of the
Committee. Pohiva agrees with fellow People's Representative
Clive Edwards that the Committee has incorrectly expanded its
mandate to include social and economic issues. Nevertheless,
the Committee is "moving in the right direction." Pohiva met
with the Committee twice in mid-May and presented his model
for constitutional change. More consultations are expected
in the next few weeks.


6. (C) Pohiva is not interested in participating in the
Committee's consultations with the Tongan public. As
People's Representative for nearly two decades, he considers
himself in continual contact with people from all walks of
life. Pohiva has made it clear to the Committee, however,
that he would like to be involved in the drafting of the
Committee's final report to the King. One key element of any
final report, he said. should be a recommendation for a

SUVA 00000215 002 OF 002


referendum on constitutional reform.

Halapua - Committee's Work is Only the First Step
-------------- --------------


7. (C) The East-West Center's Sitiveni Halapua, Deputy
Chairman of the Committee, said he is pleased about the
tremendous interest in the Committee's work and the response
it has received in dozens of community meetings throughout
the Kingdom. The Committee will conclude its community
meetings in Tonga by mid-June, after which members will
travel to New Zealand, Australia and the United States (about
one week in each location). The Committee's final report in
now expected to be completed no earlier than September. The
Crown Prince and the Prime Minister are very supportive of
the Committee's work, with the PM publicly stating that the
government is eagerly awaiting the Committee's report.
Halapua said that activists like Pohiva, however, continue to
have unrealistic expectations. The Committee will not
endorse Pohiva's or any other constitutional model, nor will
it recommend a referendum on constitutional reform. Instead,
the Committee will report its findings to Parliament,
including an analysis of possible constitutional reform
steps. It is then up to Parliament to debate issues related
to constitutional reform and decide whether it wants to move
forward with a referendum or take other action.


8. (C) Because Pohiva has extracted himself from the
Committee, continued Halapua, it is hard to see how he could
be allowed to play a role in the drafting of the final
report. Pohiva will have a hard time understanding this,
said Halapua, because he firmly believes that as a long-term
People's Representative, he has the right to speak for the
people of Tonga. What Pohiva doesn't seem to understand is
that the Committee strongly believes in letting the people
speak for themselves. Social and economic problems can't be
excluded from Committee discussion, as Pohiva and Edwards
insist, because the people who come to the meetings want to
talk about those issues. By the same token, the Committee
can't simply accept Pohiva's constitutional plan without
further consultation, as Pohiva seems to want. Halapua
concluded by noting that Pohiva and other activists run hot
and cold on the Committee's work. While Pohiva seems to be
happy with his recent opportunity to provide input to the
Committee, he will assuredly find reason to complain about
the Committee's work later on.

Comment
--------------


9. (C) We find the general current of optimism about
political reform encouraging. But, as Sitiveni Halapua
states, the Committee's work is only the beginning of the
political reform process. Where the Government and the Royal
Family will take the process, and how pro-democracy forces
will react, remains very unclear.

DINGER