The recent elections in tonga: Democratic supporters win but does democracy follow?

Journal of Pacific History

Volumn 37, Issue 3, 2002, Pages 313-322

  James, Kerry ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 4344660626     PISSN: 00223344     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/0022334022000047858     Document Type: Review

References (22)

1. Pesi Fonua, 'A well-orchestrated campaign sweeps away the old-style', Matangi Tonga, May 2002, p. 11.
2. Pesi Fonua, Matangi Tonga's editor, pers. comm., 4 Apr. 2002, Nuku'alofa.
3. See also Kerry James, 'Political review 1998-1999: the Kingdom of Tonga', The Contemporary Pacific, 12 : 1 (2000), 249-53, esp. p. 250.
4. See interview, 'Moving the masses: Lopeti Senituli, the full time Director of the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement says that his organisation wants to change Tonga's structure of government, first with a mass movement and then later by introducing political parties', Matangi Tonga, May 2002, pp. 12-16.
5. See Kerry James, 'Tonga's Pro-Democracy Movement', Pacific Affairs, 67 (1994), 242-63.
6. See also Futa Helu's remark that the Crown Rince is likely to prove even more intransigent than his father in the matter of sharing power with the people when he accedes to the throne, in an interview with Mateni Tapueluelu, 'Politics, poverty, and wealth' (my trans.), Taimi 'o Tonga, 8 Mar. 2002, p. 15.
7. See Pesi Fonua, 'Outburst from NZ shocks Tongans: New Zealand politicians with the help of the media heap scorn on Tonga', Mafangi Tonga, May 2002, p. 17.
8. Tuisoso, editor, Kalonikali [The Tonga Chronicle), "'Akilisi requests New Zealand to push for change and, if not, stop aid' (my trails.), 9 Mar. 2002, p. 1.
9. Interview with Senituli, 'Moving the masses', Matangi Tonga, May 2002, p. 15.
10. Radio Tonga News, broadcast 8 Mar. 2002.
11. E.g., on Nuvakai ('The Observer'), a panel discussion on the election results conducted between Pōhiva, Sevele and Tuisoso, funded by the Sevele Group of companies, and aired on TV Tonga, 13 Mar. 2002.
12. Personal interviews, Nuku'alofa, 9 Mar. 2002.
13. Interview, Nuku'alofa, 10 Mar. 2002.
14. Helu, interview, 'Politics, poverty, and wealth', Tamil 'o Tonga, 8 Mar. 2002, p. 15.
15. Interview with a cleaning woman, Nuku'alofa, 4 Apr. 2002.
16. Interview with a small farmer, Nuku'alofa, 9 Mar. 2002.
17. James, 'Political review'.
18. From figures provided by the Government of Tonga, 4 Apr. 2002.
19. Niuvakii, 13 Mar. 2002.
20. Pilimisolo Tamo'ua, 'Democracy in Tongatapu and 'Eua; Vava'u and the Niuas, economics; and work tells in Ha'apai' (my trans.), Kalonikali (The Tonga Chronicle), 9 Mar. 2002, p. 5.
21. The degree of misinformation on the. part of overseas journalists about the situation in Tonga is reaching risible proportions even from otherwise reputable news sources. Before the election, I had calls from freelance journalists in both New Zealand and Australia who in rapid succession used all the well-worn inaccurate stereotypes such as 'the Tongan people's fight for democracy', the 'oppressive government', and the 'semi-feudal system'. One made me wonder if we were speaking of the same country when he asserted, first, that suffrage belonged only to men with property and, secondly, that the king was at that moment dying because he had seen Ms grave being dug among the Royal Tombs. Pesi Fonua has a choicer anecdote. He was phoned from overseas at 4 a.m. just as he reached his office through typically deserted streets to be asked excitedly for his comments on the present state of siege the country was undergoing!
22. See Pōhiva's statement in Pesi Fonua, 'The Pro-Democracy Movement: 'Akilisi wants to be the Oppposition', Matangi Tonga, July-Sept. 1993, p. 17.