Monday, April 23, 2018

The Ben Bohane photo that Facebook censored on an article about Indonesia

The original version of this photo, of West Papuan nambas (traditional penis gourds), which was published
in the weekend edition of the family newspaper Vanuatu Daily Post and then by Asia Pacific Report,
was deemed to have breached Facebook's "community standards". The photo was by award-winning
photojournalist Ben Bohane, who lives in Vanuatu.
BEN BOHANE: CHINA? NO, LET'S FACE THE ELEPHANT IN THE PACIFIC ROOM

BRIEFING: By Ben Bohane in Port Vila

China … China … China …

All the talk is of increasing Chinese influence in our region. But this is to wilfully see past the elephant in the room.

Contrary to most commentary, the biggest destabilising player in Melanesia over the past five years is not China but Indonesia, which through its “look east” policy has deliberately paralysed the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) while financing local MPs and political parties across the Pacific to try and stop snowballing regional support for West Papuan independence.

Indonesia already has Peter O’Neill onside in PNG, and Voreqe Bainimarama in Fiji, and is busy trying to neutralise Vanuatu, the Solomons and FLNKS (Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front) leaders in New Caledonia, who are resisting Indonesian influence.

READ MORE: The Vanuatu Daily Post and the photo censored by Facebook

The reason Vanuatu and other Melanesian nations may be turning to China is because they are more worried about Indonesia, which has directly threatened Vanuatu over its strong diplomatic support for the West Papuans.

Chinese 'baseless rumour', Nauru 'justice' for refugees and Fiji diabetes



David Robie talks on 95bFM about current Pacific issues


Reuben McLaren of 95bFM talks to Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland University of Technology, on the centre's Southern Cross radio programme.

David speaks about various upheavals around the Pacific, including the alleged Chinese military "base plans" for Vanuatu, Nauru abolishing its Appeal Court in Australia, and a huge diabetes health bill blowout in Fiji.

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