From: "Vikki John" <VIKKI-AT-lexsun.law.uts.edu.au>
Date:          Fri, 20 Feb 1998 15:10:47 GMT-1000
Subject: M-NEWS: (Fwd) Bougainville News 20/2/98 (PC)



Postcourier 20 Feb 98

 US critical of human rights abuses in PNG
                                                             
           Papua New Guinea has been severely criticised in a United States human rights report,
           which alleged ``serious human rights abuses'' by government security forces on
           Bougainville.

           The US State Department's annual review of human rights (1997) report, released by
           the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (dated January 30, 1998), also
           cited police brutality and violence against women as serious and prevalent problems.

           It said, ``The number of gang rapes is believed to have risen, there is extensive
           discrimination against the disabled and violence between tribes remain serious
           problems.''

           The report also highlighted the extremes of human rights abuses in other South Pacific
           Island nations including Fiji, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau,
           Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and Tuvalu. Tuvalu, it said, respects human rights but PNG was
           the worst abuser, next to Fiji whose ``new constitution preserves the paramountcy of
           indigenous Fijian interests which cannot be subordinated to interests of other
           communities''.

           ``Besides (Bougainville), there continued to be credible reports that members of the
           security forces committed extra-judicial killings, were responsible for disappearances,
           abused prisoners and detainees, and employed harsh enforcement measures against
           civilians,'' it said.