Oceania

Fiji: Military Lifts State of Emergency

Date: October 11th, 2007 |

The state of emergency imposed last month when deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase returned to Suva was lifted Oct. 6 because, according to a military spokesman, there was no threat to the nation. The emergency allegedly was declared as a precaution against unrest but none materialized. Qarase has mounted a legal challenge against the military [read more]

New Zealand: Volcano Erupts onto Ski Slope

Date: September 26th, 2007 |

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Mount Ruapehu volcano erupted suddenly Sept. 25 spewing mudflows down a ski slope, causing the evacuation of two ski lodges, forcing the temporary closure of roads on the mountain, and injuring four people, one seriously when rocks crashed through a mountain shelter. Vulcanologists called the eruption minor but it came without warning. Scientists planned to [read more]

Fiji: New State of Emergency Imposed

Date: September 12th, 2007 |

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Military rulers reimposed a state of emergency three months after the previous one was lifted. The move permits authorities to detain people without charge. Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who overthrew the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in December, imposed the measure because Qarase returned to the capital Suva after eight months in exile on his [read more]

Fiji: Nurses’ Strike Could Cause Tensions

Date: July 25th, 2007 |

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The Australian government warned its citizens about travel to Fiji in the face of a nurses’ strike that began July 24. Other unions threatened to join the strike amid rumors that the military state of emergency, which was lifted May 31, may be reinstated. All police officers on leave were called back to duty and [read more]

Papua New Guinea: National Elections

Date: June 27th, 2007 |

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National elections are being held June 30 to July 10 with final results to be announced in early August. According to the U.S. State Department, the period around the elections may be volatile, with election-related violence between opposing clans and political groups possible in the Highlands region. Provinces of greatest concern are the Southern Highlands, [read more]

Australia: Fake Police Pilfer Tourists’ Bank Accounts

Date: September 26th, 2007 |

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Men posing as police in the Sydney district of The Rocks swindled tourists out of thousands of dollars by persuading them to hand over their passports and credit cards for scanning. The victims keyed in their PINs when instructed and later discovered that money had been withdrawn from their bank accounts. Police advise all visitors [read more]

Australia: Alcohol Ban on Aboriginal-Owned Land Lifted for Visitors on Organized Tours

Date: September 12th, 2007 |

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Travelers on organized tours will be spared a ban on alcohol on Aboriginal-owned land. The strict ban was scheduled to go into effect Sept. 14, and after protests from the tourism industry, the government decided to soften the law so tourists visiting places like Uluru (Ayers Rock) can still sip an alcoholic beverage while enjoying [read more]

Australia: Alcohol Ban to Affect Tourists at Uluru

Date: August 29th, 2007 |

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A ban on alcohol on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory will affect travelers visiting such iconic sites as Uluru (Ayers Rock) when it goes into effect Sept. 14. The ban being imposed by the federal government is an effort to reduce alcohol-related child abuse in Aboriginal communities. Thousands of visitors gather each day to [read more]

Australia: Aboriginal Elders Threaten to Ban Tourists from Uluru

Date: June 27th, 2007 |

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The sacred Aboriginal site of Uluru, or Ayers Rock, may be off limits to tourists if Aboriginal elders follow through on their threat to ban visitors on the landmark in protest of a new federal government policy. The government plans to clamp down on child abuse in some 70 Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory [read more]

Fiji: State of Emergency Lifted

Date: June 6th, 2007 |

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The state of emergency imposed by Commodore Frank Bainimarama after a bloodless military coup in December 2006 was scheduled to be lifted June 7. The regulations were necessary to ensure the safety of civilians and property, Bainimarama said, and anyone threatening public order will still face police action. Restrictions on the media and public gatherings [read more]