Tuesday, January 6, 2004
By GREGG HERRINGTON, Columbian staff writer
PORTLAND -- A Vancouver man convicted in 1986 of rape lost his bid Monday to stay in his adopted country and was ordered deported to his native Tonga in the South Pacific.

Sione Telifia Afu, 54, fought back tears after Department of Justice Immigration Judge Michael Bennett declared, "I have no other choice under the law than to order you removed to Tonga."

Afu, of 3220 Kauffman Ave., was arrested Nov. 8 at his job at a meat packing plant in Boring, Ore., where friends say he had worked for years.

He was one of nine Clark County noncitizen residents rounded up between Nov. 18 and Dec. 5 as part of Operation Predator by agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Homeland Security Department.

He was the first of them to be deported.

"ICE is committed to the identification, investigation and removal of sexual predators from our streets," the agency said in a Dec. 10 statement. Most of the men arrested had prior convictions for rape of a child, sexual abuse, incest or indecent liberties.

Noncitizens can lose the privilege of residing in this country if convicted of a major crime.

Operation Predator, launched last summer, stepped up the effort to find and deport aliens convicted of sex crimes.

Through an interpreter, Afu told Judge Bennett Monday that he would not appeal, thereby facing almost immediate deportation to Tonga.

He had appeared before Bennett in early December and said he wanted a month to try to find an attorney, but was unsuccessful and had no counsel Monday.

Afu, like other detainees in the hearing room, wore leg irons. Large red letters on the back of his faded denim jail-issue shirt was marked, "Yamhill Co. Jail."

He has been incarcerated in that McMinnville, Ore., facility since his arrest.

Watching in the small hearing room in the old U.S. Post Office building near Union Station were a woman who described herself as Afu's "significant other" and her younger woman friend. Each asked to remain unnamed.

"He's the sweetest guy," said the younger woman. "He hasn't been in trouble in 17 years. It's a long time to be brought back on a crime. He's already served his time for it."

The tearful older woman said she hopes to see Afu at least one last time, at the airport when he is on his way out of the country.

06.01.2004
By THERESA GARNER

Two Pacific nations are bracing themselves as Tropical Cyclone Heta bears down on them, bringing winds raging at more than 300km/h.

Heta continued to build strength yesterday as it travelled south towards the Vava'u islands in the north of Tonga, the smaller islands of Niuafo'ou and Niuatoputapu, and the tiny country of Niue.

In Fiji, the Nadi Tropical Cyclone Centre issued tropical cyclone alerts for the areas.

Samoa and neighbouring American Samoa have already been lashed by gale-force winds and are believed to have escaped the worst of the cyclone.

In Niue yesterday afternoon, most of the 1300 residents were bunkered down in their homes.

Others were in town buying candles and other emergency supplies.

Some residents who live near the sea left their homes to wait the storm out in many of the island's empty inland houses.

NZ's Deputy High Commissioner to Niue, Tony Fautua, said the Niuean Government was well prepared and was broadcasting alerts over radio and television.

"There is some rain here and there," he said. "At the moment it's fine. The cyclone is still some way off, but the swells in the sea are starting to get bigger."

Mr Fautua said Cyclone Ofa, which hit the island in 1990, had made people stoic and allowed them to prepare without panic.

But there was concern for avocado crops, due to be harvested in the next few weeks.

"This storm will destroy a lot of people's hard work."

In Tonga, deputy police commander Taniela Faletau said the national disaster committee had met and was prepared for the cyclone.

"We have not directed any evacuation, but we have advised there will be a lot of rain and [have issued] warnings of high tides."

People were advised to protect their crops by cutting leaves off banana plants, leaving only the stems.

Little could be done to protect other plants and breadfruit trees.

Mr Faletau expected that Heta would come within 150km east of Niuatoputapu by 1am today.

"We are at stage 2 of the emergency plan, which is the alert and standby stage."

Earlier, Radio New Zealand International reported that two homes in a coastal village in American Samoa had been destroyed by large waves but no one had been hurt because the owner had moved his family to high ground.

Samoa was buffeted by 160km/h winds which uprooted trees, spread debris across roads and cut power supplies and telecommunications, including to all of Savai'i.

Sara Va'ai, 21, from Vaivase village near Apia, said earlier yesterday that her home was still standing "thank God, but the wind's getting bad and my family are putting boards on the windows".

Her family own the Vaisala Beach Hotel on Savai'i, one of the worst-hit areas. "We can't get in contact with them. We're really worried."

Seafarers were warned to expect hurricane-force winds and "phenomenal" seas near the cyclone's centre.

Winds were expected to average 200km/h at the centre, with gusts of up to 280km/h.

MetService forecaster Stephen Ready said Heta was "up there with the moderately large intense cyclones that occur in the South Pacific".

"If you got in its way, you'd certainly know all about it."

The cyclone had been relatively easy to track because it was slow moving, but its speed had picked up.

"It is too early to say how close it will pass to Niue, but it is certainly in the firing line for at least a gale."

New Zealand tourists in affected countries are being looked after in hotels.

Polynesian Airlines cancelled its flights to Apia yesterday and Air NZ postponed a flight until today.

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Maganti Tonga, Dec. 29) - A Tongan national has been appointed as the Forum Representative for Forum Island Countries (FICs) to the World Trade Organization based in Geneva.

The appointment of Mrs Ana Fusipala Kessie was announced by the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Mr Noel Levi, CBE in Suva, on December 23.

Mrs Kessie was recently working as the Specialised Legal Assistant in the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva, where she has lived since 1998.

Her background includes work in key policies and procedures of the WTO, as well as qualifications in International Relations and Legal Studies.

She also previously worked in the Government of Tonga's Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the areas of trade promotion, bilateral negotiations, trade policy including Tonga's WTO accession, and private sector development.

She takes up her appointment on 15 January 2004.

January 1, 2004

Matangi Tonga: www.matangitonga.to/nav.html

 

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Maganti Tonga, Dec. 30) - There was no Christmas cheer for the Tongan media from the Tonga Government this year. In the Christmas Eve mail postmarked "Nuku'alofa December 24, 2003" were the gazetted copies of the government's new Media Legislation, which had been with held from the eyes of the local press after being signed by the King in November this year.

The new acts include an Amendment to Clause 7 of the Constitution restricting Freedom of Speech, the Newspaper Act 2003, and an Act requiring the Licensing of Media Operators.

For weeks, copies of the legislation were made available only to a select few people, including foreign diplomats and the upper echelon of the public service. While the foreign media ran stories about Tonga's new oppressive media laws, the local Tongan media were left in the dark for a month about whether the King had actually given his consent to the bills or not.

The Government Printing Office, which prints and distributes the legislation, finally released two Gazette Supplement Extraordinary last week, following persistent queries about the Media legislation. The Government Printer said that the only media-related Gazette that he could release were the Newspaper Regulations 2003, dated December 16, and the Appointment of Registrar of Newspapers, dated December 18. Both were issued under the authority of the Acting Deputy Prime Minister and the Acting Minister responsible for Communications, Clive Edwards.

Finally, the three Acts making up the main body of the new media legislation were released on Christmas Eve. Matangi Tonga received its copy on 29 December 2003.

The timing of the release of these media Acts was important to the people responsible, considering that the King actually gave his consent way back on November 18, 21, and 24.

Many people had copies, but the people who will be disadvantaged the most, the local media and the Tongan public, received it as a Christmas present from government.

The deadline for Newspaper Licence applications to the Department of Communications is 30 January 2004.

January 1, 2004

Matangi Tonga: www.matangitonga.to/nav.html

PACIFIC DRUG RING LEADER GETS 22-YEAR SENTENCE

HONOLULU (The Maui News, Dec. 30) - Described as the leader of a Maui-based drug ring with ties to the Mainland and Pacific, a Wailuku man has been sentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison.

Polotani "Paul" Latu, 31, was also ordered to pay a $25,000 fine as part of the sentence imposed Dec. 15 by U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor.

Latu's prison term of 21 years and 10 months was the longest handed down so far to defendants indicted in connection with the drug ring, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Muehleck.

"I hope it sends the message that if you are involved in drug dealing and federal investigators are involved, you're going to be dealt with severely," Muehleck said. "If you violate the law, you're liable for federal investigation and prosecution and those sentences are more severe than under the state system."

Latu was among more than 55 people indicted in Hawaii and on the Mainland as part of "Operation Awaroot" in April 2002. At the time, officials estimated the drug ring was responsible for 50 percent to 70 percent of the crystal methamphetamine being sold on Maui.

During a 16-month investigation that began in December 2000, investigators used wiretaps to monitor telephone conversations of Latu and others.

FBI agents, working with police and Drug Enforcement Administration agents, seized 3 pounds of cocaine, 8 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and $600,000 in cash from the criminal enterprise that was tracked from Maui to Oahu, California, Utah, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.

One of those indicted along with Latu was his childhood friend James J. Mateaki, who was a Maui police officer at the time. While Mateaki didn't sell drugs, officials said he provided information about police investigations to Latu.

Mateaki, 30, of Wailuku, was fired from the Maui Police Department after his arrest. He pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and was sentenced in August to 46 months in federal prison.

Latu pleaded guilty to conducting a continuing criminal enterprise by organizing, supervising or managing the drug distribution ring.

"He was the ringleader," Muehleck said.

He said Latu was subject to a 20-year mandatory minimum prison term, but was sentenced to an even longer term because of the amount of drugs involved.

After he serves his prison term, Latu will face five years of federal supervision as part of his sentence.

His brothers Isileli "Loa" Latu and Evona Latu, who were also indicted for their involvement in the drug ring, are awaiting sentencing, Muehleck said.

Except for two defendants awaiting trial next month, all of those indicted in the investigation have either been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing, Muehleck said.

He said 15 of the defendants were indicted as part of a smaller Maui-based drug ring headed by Kava Mone Toia, 37, of Wailuku. He is serving a prison term of 10 years and one month after being sentenced earlier this month.
December 31, 2003

The Maui News: www.mauinews.com

Hate having to remember that weird password we sent you?

Did you know that you can change it? For that matter you can change just about everything on your account. All you have to do is choose "My Account" from the menu over there on the left! Once your there you can do all kinds of things. If you know a little HTML you can even add your own custom menu to save on our site! Now that's pretty cool! And hey, if you don't know HTML, or you want us to add the menu for you, just give us the URL's and we will be happy to help.

ciao,

From: tkh

Subject: Konifelenisi SUTT 2003

Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2003 00:18:52 +0000

Ko e kau Faifekau kuo fili ke nau hoko ko e kau Faifekau Akoako.

Siosiua Tu'itavuki
Siosiua Lale Fehoko
Atunaisa Siale (NZ)
Koloa Pakileata
Loniseni Okusi
Sioape Latu
Tevita I Faa
Maika Haupeakui
Isileli Taufa'ao
Semisi Kava
Siosaia F. Leameivaka (NZ)

From: tkh

Subject: Konifelenisi SUTT 2003

Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 19:03:58 +0000

'Oku 'ikai ke loko lava 'o lau lelei 'a e ngaahi taalafili 'i he Tasilisili,

kae tuku ke toki fai ha tokanga ki ai, kae hoko atu 'a e niuniusi ko eni.



Ne lava 'a e Fakanofo Palesiteni 'aneuhu, pea na'e too folofola ai 'a e Tu'i

ki he mahu'inga ke tauhi 'a e mo'ui loo tolu. Pea ne monu'ia 'a e

Konifelenisi he fakahinohino ki he mo'ui. Pea mo e fiema'u ke

ngaue'aonga'aki 'a e ngaahi 'ilo mo e me'a ngaue fo'ou ke tokoni ki he

fakalakalaka 'o e too vesitapolo mo e huo 'o e ngaahi ngoue. Ne 'oange foki

'a e ngaahi huo fakaonopooni 'e 3 ki he Konifelenisi 'o fakahinohino 'a e

anga hono ngaue'aki, pea mo e fu'u Pasikala ke ako'i 'a e kau SUTT ki he

fakapotopoto'i 'o e silini he fakamole ki he 'utu lolo. Ne fokotu'u 'a e

me'a 'e 3, ka ne fe'unga pe pea toe 'a e Konifelenisi ia mo e 2 ko ee, pea

tuku 'a e 3 ia ke fai 'a e lau 'a e Malanga 'a e motu'a 'a Piu na'e pehe: ko

e 3, 'Au ia!!

I was browsing through Mr Siosifa 'Isama'u website for the Tonga Consulate in San Francisco http://www.geocities.com/tongaconsul/and was amazed at the number of Faka-Tonga pages which are specially there ke tokoni'i hotau kainga 'i 'Amelika.

Toe hoko atu 'eku lau ki he 'ene fakamtala ki he founga 'ene fokotu'utu'u 'a e konga 'o e website 'ou toe 'ilo ai mo e kau Tonga kehee he Internet 'o hange ko:-

• Pacific Island Outreach mo e


• Voice of Tonga