Large turnout out for funeral of popular Papua activist, payout for exploited workers in Marianas, and Tonga by-election result announced
Banned flag defiantly raised at West Papua activist's funeral
The banned Morning Star flag has been raised at the funeral of West Papuan independence activist Filep Karma.
West Papuan independence campaigner Filep Karma. Photo: RNZI / Koroi Hawkins
Karma left home to go diving on Sunday and was found dead at Base G Beach on Tuesday morning, allegedly from drowning.
West Papua daily Jubi reports thousands of people attended his funeral, where his coffin was covered in a Morning Star flag.
During the funeral procession, six Morning Star flags were raised.
Last year, a group of students were jailed for raising the flag.
Overworked and underpaid Chinese workers get big payout
Seven construction workers from China have resolved their forced labour claim against the Northern Marianas casino developer, Imperial Pacific.
The group has now been paid $US6.9 million by several companies involved in the construction of a resort and casino.
The workers paid high recruitment fees to go to Saipan on the promise of high wages and good conditions.
Their lawyer, New York-based Aaron Halegua, said they regularly worked more than 12 hours a day, and sometimes 24-hour shifts.
He said the workers were paid below the minimum wage, or sometimes not at all, and housed in unsanitary, overcrowded dormitories where rats crawled on them.
Halegua said the defendants had also arranged for the plaintiffs to enter Saipan as "tourists" instead of under a lawful temporary work visa, held their passports, and instructed them to hide when government officials visited.
Three new representatives elected in Tonga
Three new People's Representatives have been elected into Tonga's Legislative Assembly.
The successful candidates are Mateni Tapueluelu [Tongatapu 4], Dulcie Elaine Tei [Tongatapu 6] and Paula Piveni Piukala [Tongatapu 7].
The previous representatives - Tatafu Toma Moeaki, Poasi Mataele Tei, and Sione Sangster Saulala - all lost their seats after unsuccessful appeals against bribery convictions.
America Samoa's chief epidemiologist quits
The American Samoa Department of Health will be without an epidemiologist from next week.
Chief epidemiologist Aifili John Tufa has resigned, saying it's time to move on.
The director of Health, Motusa Tuileama Nua, hasn't commented on the resignation.
Aifili and his pharmacist wife, Francine Amoa, were very prominent in explaining to American Samoans the threat posed by both the measles and covid pandemics.
Aifili, who was a health educator in Hawaii prior to taking up his epidemiologist role in American Samoa, also served two tours in Iraq.
Drug offender gets jail time
In Samoa, a repeat drug offender has been jailed and will serve two years and eight months in total for several concurrent sentences.
The Samoa Observer reports Junior Filifili Prichard of Vaigaga had also been assessed to have a severe dependence on both methamphetamine and marijuana.
Prichard had pleaded guilty to joint charges of possession of methamphetamine weighing 2.36g, possession of 3 marijuana branches, possession of utensils, and possession of ammunition without a permit.
The police summary said the drugs and ammunition were discovered at Prichard's property during a police raid in February.
The accused was in the house with three other males when the raid was effected and all four were jointly charged.
The other three maintain pleas of not guilty.