Seeking Justice in Nauru
Donation protected
In June 2015, a gathering of Nauruans, deeply concerned about the trashing of the country’s rule of law and the serious erosion of their human and legal rights, assembled outside Nauru’s Parliament House as a means to demonstrate to the current government their total disdain at the dictatorial practices the government had adopted since assuming power in 2013.
They were also unhappy with the fact that five of their parliamentary representatives had been insidiously suspended, three of whom had dared to speak to international media about their plight. The removal of those five democratically-elected Opposition MP’s from the parliament meant the current government could continue its abuses without any legislative accountability that an Opposition would normally provide.
That peaceful gathering, comprising ordinary Nauruans of all ages, along with the five suspended MP’s, saw many of them arrested by police who were ordered to don riot gear to “control” an event that was anything but a riot, but which was later seriously misrepresented by the government as such.
Around twenty of those arrested and jailed for a prolonged period until bail was finally granted, continue to plead their innocence; including the suspended MP’s who also attended. All have joined together to engage proper legal representation from outside of Nauru because there are no qualified lawyers on the island able to provide such representation. In the present legal environment, the Public Defender’s office has been seriously compromised and, in any event, has been ordered not to assist those fighting the charges.
To date, two international lawyers prepared to fight for the defendants have been denied visas to enable them to attend court – and that was before they formally applied! This is despite one of the senior barristers having earlier been admitted to the Supreme Court of Nauru.
The defendants have now engaged a team of five Australian barristers, headed by a highly respected Sydney QC in what is developing into an expensive – but highly winnable – legal exercise. Costs at this time are estimated at around $80,000.
Financial support through Crowd Funding is therefore sought from every fair-minded person or organisation who shares the disadvantaged Nauruans’ determination to remedy the gross injustices thrust upon them by a dictatorial government that is determined to suppress and unjustly punish any form of discontent or disagreement with their corrupt practices.
Eighteen months after being spuriously suspended, the five Opposition MP’s remain in legal and constitutional limbo, unable to represent the interests of their people in the country’s parliament. The situation says everything about a government that is hell-bent and desperate to remain power after the next scheduled election in July/August this year.
It’s a situation that can’t be allowed to continue and effective legal challenges to the government’s unconscionable abuses will be the first important step in returning the country to its former and respected status where rule of law was sacrosanct and where a democratic parliament provided the people with the representation and voices they so richly deserve. The alternative does not bear contemplation.
Funds raised will contribute to accommodating and feeding our legal team on Nauru. The major cost, however, is covering the prohibitive visa fees introduced by the Waqa government to keep our lawyers out - $6,000 each!
They were also unhappy with the fact that five of their parliamentary representatives had been insidiously suspended, three of whom had dared to speak to international media about their plight. The removal of those five democratically-elected Opposition MP’s from the parliament meant the current government could continue its abuses without any legislative accountability that an Opposition would normally provide.
That peaceful gathering, comprising ordinary Nauruans of all ages, along with the five suspended MP’s, saw many of them arrested by police who were ordered to don riot gear to “control” an event that was anything but a riot, but which was later seriously misrepresented by the government as such.
Around twenty of those arrested and jailed for a prolonged period until bail was finally granted, continue to plead their innocence; including the suspended MP’s who also attended. All have joined together to engage proper legal representation from outside of Nauru because there are no qualified lawyers on the island able to provide such representation. In the present legal environment, the Public Defender’s office has been seriously compromised and, in any event, has been ordered not to assist those fighting the charges.
To date, two international lawyers prepared to fight for the defendants have been denied visas to enable them to attend court – and that was before they formally applied! This is despite one of the senior barristers having earlier been admitted to the Supreme Court of Nauru.
The defendants have now engaged a team of five Australian barristers, headed by a highly respected Sydney QC in what is developing into an expensive – but highly winnable – legal exercise. Costs at this time are estimated at around $80,000.
Financial support through Crowd Funding is therefore sought from every fair-minded person or organisation who shares the disadvantaged Nauruans’ determination to remedy the gross injustices thrust upon them by a dictatorial government that is determined to suppress and unjustly punish any form of discontent or disagreement with their corrupt practices.
Eighteen months after being spuriously suspended, the five Opposition MP’s remain in legal and constitutional limbo, unable to represent the interests of their people in the country’s parliament. The situation says everything about a government that is hell-bent and desperate to remain power after the next scheduled election in July/August this year.
It’s a situation that can’t be allowed to continue and effective legal challenges to the government’s unconscionable abuses will be the first important step in returning the country to its former and respected status where rule of law was sacrosanct and where a democratic parliament provided the people with the representation and voices they so richly deserve. The alternative does not bear contemplation.
Funds raised will contribute to accommodating and feeding our legal team on Nauru. The major cost, however, is covering the prohibitive visa fees introduced by the Waqa government to keep our lawyers out - $6,000 each!
Organizer
Xavier Barker
Organizer
