https://heraldonlinejournal.com/2024/11/29/island-voices-raised/

Island voices raised
November 29, 2024 · by Your Herald · in News. ·
SPEAKERS from a range of Pacific nations are meeting in an online webinar this Saturday to discuss the impacts of a potential ‘World War III’ in the Asia Pacific.

The Pacific Peace Network was established by the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network, a grassroots organisation “aiming to build public dialogue and pressure for change to a truly independent foreign policy for Australia”.

IPAN has called for an end to military exercises in the pacific region, and said Saturday’s seminar will focus on the implication of Australia’s AUKUS involvement on its Pacific neighbours.

Vanuatu Human Right Coalition CEO Anna Pakoa is speaking at Saturday’s webinar.

She said the effects of future military activity in the region could be dire.

 • Vanuatu’s Anna Pakoe.
“For us Islanders, those of us that come from small island states, our economy is based on our environment, our marine resources and our environment resources.

“The AUKUS will only come to threaten us, so maybe it’s a security platform, but we see this as a threat to our environment and our blue Pacific.”

Ms Pakoa said Pacific Islanders have not forgotten the effects of both World Wars.

“There has not been any compensation for the people that were heavily impacted, let alone the life of the water and our resources that have been threatened.”

She said despite the threat to the economy and the environment, conversations around AUKUS and militarisation in the Pacific exclude Pacific Islander’s voices.

“Women’s voices are being excluded in this conversation. Civil society and traditional leaders… their voices are actually not being included in an early stage.”

“Whoever is making those decisions in those higher, global political spaces has not brought collective influences from our civil society cohorts or community cohorts.”

Ms Pakoa said it’s vital Australia talks more with its Pacific neighbours.

“Not just a seat at the national level to talk to our political leaders, but also come to the villages, sit under our banyan trees, sit on the mat and talk. How is this decision going to affect us and our environment? How is this decision going to affect human rights, the rights of our women, the rights of our children?”

Ms Pakoa says Aussies also play an important part in supporting islanders.

“Stand in solidarity with the people of the Pacific region. Please echo this importance of peace and security. Echo the importance of building peaceful societies; we need to do away with the militarisation and invest more in the peace processes.

by MACEY TURNER

Freemantle herald