SOUNDS FAMILIAR

Many of us on Norfolk Island wake up to the ABC relay of the "Pacific Beat" programme, which deals with issues and problems in the Pacific region in a way that enables us to gain a local perspective rather than one that has been sensationalised, sanitised or censored by Australian or New Zealand media

As we listen, many of us shake our heads , because we recognise and empathise with many of the aspirations, problems and frustrations of our Pacific neighbours.

The situation in the Solomons has reached something of a crisis, and the Australian High Commissioner has been expelled by the Solomons' PM because of interference in local judicial and political processes. This action, in spite of a strong and angry reaction from Australia, seems to have given courage to leaders both in the Solomons and in other areas of Melanesia, to voice their dissatisfaction with what they see as an increasingly high-handed neo-colonial attitude on the part of their larger, richer and more powerful neighbour.

Areas of concern embrace not only what is described as unwarranted manipulation and interference, but a failure to respect the Solomon's sovereignty. They do not deny that they value the assistance that is given by RAMSI (Regional Asistance Mission to the Solomon Islands), but claim that this assistance comes with too many strings attached, and is heavy-handed, with local perceptions being that it consists more of Aussies with guns than Aussies sitting down and engaging in dialogue and asking where assistance is really needed. There has been insufficient attention given to cultural sensitivitiies when dealing with ethnic problems and unrest.

It was pointed out, moreover, that the figure frequently broadcast as Australia's contribution to stability, development and aid in the Solomons ($870 million over 4 years) is grossly misleading. By the time all the middlemen, bureaucrats, consultants and contractors have taken their share - and there are about 17 Aussie officials there being paid just to oversee the spending of this money- the balance is very thinly spread in meeting real needs. Most of it just ends up in Aussie pockets.

The PNG government voices similar frustrations. It is only in recent weeks that they have successfully negotiated to have some of the Australian aid projects put in the hands of their own local contractors rather than the ex-pats. A view was s trongly expressed this week by a PNG figure that there is an entrenched lobby group in Australia, including media and academics, who are persistently promoting the image of the sovereign countries of Melanesia as being "failed states." He said they failed to take into account that the people in the traditional rural areas of these islands were still managing to feed and clothe themselves and provide shelter for their families satisfactorily. It is, in fact, those who have moved to the urban areas and embraced more Western lifestyles and expectations who have been put at risk. But even these problems are being sensationalised and overstated as in the recent 4 Corners programme on HIV/Aids.

Australia and larger powers continue to cite "economic unsustainability" and "corruption" as the reason and rationale for their meddling in the judicial and political regimes and processes of these Pacific islands, whose only "sin" is to dare to operate on a smaller scale and to respect the traditions and cultural values of their own people.It is all very much a case of applying inappropriate yardsticks and regimes to economies and cultures that operate quite differently to the Australian way. Poverty, health and educational disadvantage are very much relative terms, and are more likely to have been created by Western interference in the first place.

The concept of Sovereignty and self-determination are very much misunderstood. It does not mean that you "go it alone" and thumb your nose at everyone else. It means that you have a right of choice, that you come to negotiations on matters of mutual interest as an equal partner, it means that you can accept offers of help that do not have unreasonable strings and conditions attached to them.

Sadly, the consequences of Australia's inappropriate and high-handed actions is that these nations are turning increasingly to Adsia and places like Taiwan, whose eyes are likely to be more on commercial interests.

But when we see what is happening, it is sobering to realise that we on Norfolk Island, as a mere external territory of Australia, have very little clout in our struggle to have our traditional values and rights recognised.