· May, 2007

Stories about Oceania from May, 2007

Papua New Guinea: Elections

  28 May 2007

Islandbaby describes the dynamics of voting in Papua New Guinea. “So the result is that people, as extensions of familial and tribal groups, vote in context rather than on perspective and what comes out are unrealistic expectations which appear to have very little to do with the job of political...

How the South is financing the North's internet connection

Reseau International de correspondants writes about pricing inequalities in the international telecom system (Fr) that place a disproportionate burden of payment on developing countries to the extent that “the South is financing the North” and it is in effect “three times more expensive to connect to the internet” in developing...

Fijian Freedom bloggers and the military junta

  23 May 2007

It seems that the persecution faced by the anti-military Fijian Freedom Bloggers – who are using blogs to protest against the coup of December 5th, 2006- has subsided following a decision by the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) to stop hunting for anti-military bloggers and abandon its efforts to block the...

French Polynesia's Beauty Pageant Fever

  22 May 2007

In May, French Polynesia, where even the smallest island communities host their own beauty pageants, choose a new Miss Tahiti, a Miss Pirae, and a Miss Dragon. The islands have seen a proliferation of pageants in recent years, including a “Miss Hinano,” named for a Tahitian beer, and a “Miss...

Fiji: Blogs are a threat to national security

  16 May 2007

On May 14th, Intelligentsiya reported that the army's Land Force Commander has a list of about 20 people who will be arrested in connection with anti-military blogs. It has also been reported that the Fiji Military Forces (FMF) have pressured FINTEL, Fiji's only ISP, to block blogspot.com blogging platform, nearly...

Fiji: Blogging Suspect Detained.

  13 May 2007

Pacific Empire comments on the arrest and detention of a Fijian businessman by the Fijian army. The army suspects that the businessman was writing anti-government posts. Fijian army took over the power last December in a coup. “Some had high hopes for this coup. But truth was the first casualty,...

Morocco: Two Australians Attacked

TWO Australians relaxing by a hotel pool in Marrakech, Morocco, with other guests have been hacked with machetes in a senseless, unprovoked attack, reports Moroccan blogger Samir. The attacker is said to have had previously received hospital treatment in the central town of Fes for mental problems.

About our Oceania coverage

Mong Palatino
Mong Palatino is the South East Asia editor (his region overlaps with this one). Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.