TONGA NAT'L COMMITTEE CHAIR BLAMES PM SEVELE FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SUVA 000508 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID TN SUBJECT: TONGA NAT'L COMMITTEE CHAIR BLAMES PM SEVELE FOR RIOT ATMOSPHERE REF: SUVA 507 (AND PREVIOUS) Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) According to Sitiveni Halapua, the Chairman of Tonga's National Committee on Political Reform (NCPR),and a person whose instinct is always to find the middle ground, much of the blame for the atmosphere that led to last week's riot in Nuku'alofa rests on the shoulders of Prime Minister Sevele. Halapua figures Sevele did at least three things very wrong: he put forward an alternative reform proposal, outside the NCPR framework, thus sowing confusion. He moved the action from Parliament to Cabinet, probably hoping to evade street pressure from pro-democracy elements, thereby raising alarms. His security forces had no plan in place to deal with a major demonstration/riot. Halapua said Sevele no longer has the confidence of the people, so he should be replaced. Halapua urges the international community to help keep attention focused on all-important political reform. End summary. Halapua takes sides: blames PM Sevele for Tonga mess -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Sitiveni Halapua, head of the Pacific Island Development Program (PIDP) at the East West Center in Honolulu, has been a member of Tonga's NCPR for the past year. When Prince Tu'ipelehake died last July, Halapua became chair of the NCPR. His instinct is always to be a mediator, not to take sides. However, in an interview with a New Zealand reporter this week, Halapua placed blame on Tonga PM Sevele for the circumstances that led to a riot last Thursday (reftel) which left central Nuku'alofa devastated. Halapua is presently in Auckland, where we spoke with him by phone. Sevele skirted the framework, causing confusion -------------- -- ¶3. (C) Halapua accepts that pro-democracy elements must bear "some degree of responsibility" for the riot, but he believes it was actions of PM Sevele that incited the uproar. Halapua said the big achievement of the NCPR process was to create a framework for reform, within which there could be constructive debate about details. All sides, even pro-monarch conservatives, were happy. A sense of calm, of relief, was engendered. Pro-democracy leaders, especially Akilisi Pohiva, didn't get all that they wanted, but they accepted the framework and agreed to work within it. PM Sevele, on the other hand, insisted on putting forward an alternative proposal, outside the NCPR framework. Halapua said this "caused confusion in the people." It also "opened a flood gate," causing pro-democracy activists to put forward their own counter-proposal outside the framework. Shifting from Parliament to Cabinet -------------- ¶4. (C) When the competing proposals caused Parliamentary deliberations to grind to a halt last week, a Parliamentary leader phoned Halapua, asking him to put together terms of reference for discussions to find a way out. The Parliamentary leader said the only other option was to close down Parliament for the year. Halapua urged that Parliament stay in session, since "you can't shove this under a mat." He asked Sevele and pro-democracy leaders Pohiva, Clive Edwards, and others to withdraw their non-framework proposals so there could be a fresh start. Sevele and Edwards agreed. Pohiva wanted to discuss a few details. On Thursday, the day of the riot, PM Sevele called a Cabinet meeting, which in Halapua's view "deliberately shut down" Parliament. It moved the reform issue from the proper forum, Parliament, to Cabinet, which the King and PM control. Still, Pohiva went to the Cabinet and gained agreement on a political compromise. While that was being put into writing, the riot exploded. Demonstration captured by criminal elements? -------------- ¶5. (C) Halapua said that his sources in Tonga have told him elements of the pro-democracy movement had plans for a big demonstration if the Government voted down the NCPR/pro-democracy agenda in Parliament. The aim was to pressure Government, but within the context of democracy. Halapua expects it was to avoid such pressure that Sevele steered the issue away from Parliament to Cabinet. Halapua speculates that criminal elements got involved with the crowd of political demonstrators. (Note: some have suggested in the media that business interests who recently have opposed SUVA 00000508 002 OF 002 the PM's stated intention to clean up Tonga Customs could have encouraged the riot. Another rumor circulating is that deportees from abroad, including the U.S., were active in the violence.) Halapua: Sevele failed Tonga; must be replaced -------------- - ¶6. (C) In Halapua's view, Sevele failed Tonga on several counts. By putting forward his alternative reform proposal outside the NCPR framework, he sowed confusion. By moving consideration of reform from Parliament to Cabinet, he raised alarms in the street. By not having a "Plan B" in place for the contingency of a major disturbance, the Government was not ready to deal with criminals. In order to "put right" the atmosphere for rebuilding Tonga, Halapua has concluded that Sevele must go. Important: keep focus on political reform -------------- ¶7. (C) It disturbs Halapua that Sevele and the Tonga Government now seem to be focusing all attention on the looters -- "all condemn such acts" -- and on reconstruction activities. Halapua believes strongly that the real issue remains political leadership and the need for reform. In Halapua's view, Sevele no longer has the confidence of the people, and he lacks competence to deal with Tonga's problems. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) Halapua was not in Tonga last week when all hell broke loose. However, he is a Tongan himself and he has immersed himself for the past year in Tonga's current political adventure. He has heard from many Tongans from all aspects of the spectrum. Thus, his views bear consideration. A key judgment, already reflected in the State Department spokesman's guidance, is the need to keep Tonga focused on political reform. We now have Embassy Suva Pol/Econ Officer Siler and Defense Attache Reardon in Nuku'alofa to plug in as well. Siler is tasked, in particular, to gain perspective on what the need might be for immediate donor assistance. Our Consul returned to Fiji today, having ensured that all Amcits who want to depart have been able to do so. DINGER