Nauru says move is ‘misguided’

YAREN – In a statement, Nauru’s government blamed suspended MP Kun for the decision by New Zealand to suspend aid and said the move was “misguided”.

“Their decision is misguided and is based on misinformation by Nauru opposition MP Roland Kun and his wife,” the statement said.

“Any suggestion that the Nauru justice system is not independent or that the rule of law is not being upheld is completely wrong, and is furthermore offensive to the three highly respected judges of the Nauru Supreme Court.

“These independent judges were appointed following the much-needed reforms of the Waqa government to end the corruption and cronyism of the past.”

The government went on to say it had a right to investigate Kun for his alleged involvement in protests outside parliament in June.

“This riot was an attempt to overthrow a democratically elected government through a criminal act and should be condemned by all who value democracy.”

Adeang says his government implicitly respects the rule of law and the separation of powers, but stands by its right to uphold the law, which includes the current investigation of Kun for his alleged part in instigating what the government deemed a riot at Parliament House in June.

Adeang says since these investigations are continuing New Zealand is trying to undermine Nauru’s sovereignty and influence a criminal investigation.

The chairman of the New Zealand Law Society’s rule of law committee, Austin Forbes QC, said that New Zealand had to suspend judicial aid.

“Something had to be done because it’s not just unsatisfactory, it is totally unsatisfactory,” he said.

“MPs being held in prison, not allowed to leave the country, chief justice sacked, not allowed to have a lawyer come into the country to defend anyone charged with an offence – you have to do something.”

Nauru’s former chief justice, Australian Geoffrey Eames, says the island’s government cannot ignore New Zealand’s decision to suspend aid to its justice sector.

Eames says all members of the Nauru Government will have to look seriously at this.

“And say ‘are we prepared to be regarded internationally as a government which acted in such breach of the rule of law that a funding body in such good standing as the New Zealand government – what occurred was so serious that they had to take this step’.”