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Vanuatu Vanuatu

the land. to make sure our people have sufficient food crops to live on.
The gigantic multitude listened to their leader and crossed We must also restore our leadership qualities”.
the Jordan River while God held back the waters for their safe Pastor Nafuki welcomed a recommendation from Finance
crossing. Minister Koanapo, for the Vanuatu Christian Council to organ-
Once in Canaan, Joshua divided the land into 12 plots for ise prayers in all the Ministries. He said new Bibles have been
the 12 tribes’ use, Pastor Nafuki said. “Then God blessed placed in the mailboxes of all MPs.
them with agricultural skills to till the land for the first time “Please, find time to read your Bibles to provide you with
in 40 years, which also saw the end of Manna from heaven. the necessary directions to lead our country forward”, he
They became self-sufficient in food stock. God also made sure said.
that they restored their politics and social ways of life. The The Prime Minister supported the VCC Chairman’s emphasis
land was filled with milk and honey. on the importance of prayer in the daily life of each Ministry.
“We in Vanuatu have come 40 years and we have not PM Loughman said the Government would appoint a chap-
achieved our economic independence yet. We have our lands, lain to work with VCC to facilitate the prayer sessions.
but we must utilise it in line with God’s direction. We must Reflecting on Pastor Nafuki’s teaching about the moments
restore this nation like Joshua restored Canaan. All of you when an easterly wind blew to ensure the children of Israel
members who are seated at the front in Malasitapu Presbyte- crossed the Jordan River in safety, the Prime Minister said it
rian Church today, are all chosen by God to restore Vanuatu is his prayer that the easterly wind would also blow away all
for our use”, Pastor Nafuki told the new government MPs. viruses, including COVID-19 from infecting Vanuatu, because
“We must restore all land for all the indigenous landowners the country is blessed.
in the manner that Joshua did to the Israelites. We must make After all, take a closer look at the shape of the layout of
sure that those of us who are responsible for land do not play the archipelago. The letter ‘Y’ is also the start of the Hebrew
up with it. We must do everything to correct all land issues word for Yahweh for God, Prime Minister Loughman said.
because we live off it.
“Our Government is going to restore all agricultural farming editor@islandsbusiness.com

French Polynesia

From page 17: French prosecutor pursues independence was “negligible risk” of radioactive contamination from
leader French testing. This meant the failure of more than 95 per
cent of initial compensation cases lodged by Maohi workers
of the church coming to pay a visit and give their support to who staffed the Moruroa and Fangataufa test sites. This provi-
Mr. Temaru,” Brotherson said. “We’ve seen leaders from the sion was removed in 2017, but new amendments in December
unions and we’ve received messages from most political lead- 2018 further restricted access to compensation.
ers here, even though they wouldn’t say so publicly. We’ve During his scheduled visit to Tahiti last April – postponed
also received messages of support from Corsica, New Zealand, during the COVID crisis – President Emmanuel Macron was
Australia, from the Maori people and other leaders from the expected to face public protests over the delays in fixing the
Pacific.” legislation. France is still under pressure from the workers’
From New Caledonia, the leading independence party association Moruroa e Tatou as well as Association 193, a new
Union Calédonienne issued a call for solidarity with the Maohi anti-nuclear group mobilising young people in Tahiti.
leader: “Let us recall the long tradition of the instrumentali- As Islands Business goes to press, the case is continuing and
sation of the law against autonomist or independence leaders. may even be relocated to Paris. For Moetai Brotherson, the
In October 1959, Pouvana’a a Oopa, who was protesting current legal harassment of Oscar Temaru aims to scare away
against the looming nuclear tests, was severely punished in a younger generation from campaigning on nuclear issues,
the courts. He was only rehabilitated in 2014 by the Court of even as young Tahitians are picking up the torch following the
Administrative Appeal, because his trial had relied on false recent deaths of long-time anti-nuclear campaigners John
evidence. Oscar Temaru is continuing his struggle. We call for Taroanui Doom, Bruno Barrillot and Roland Oldham.
solidarity from all democrats against this authoritarian trend “By putting so much undue pressure on Oscar Temaru be-
from France, and we say that the rule of law must apply in cause of his fight against nuclear testing, they are also trying
overseas France.” to scare a younger generation by sending a message,” said
The dispute comes the very month that the French Senate is Brotherson. “If you get involved in this nuclear testing fight,
– once again – amending the 2010 Morin Law that established you will lose. I think that’s the very strong political message
the Comité d’indemnisation des victimes des essais nucléaires that the French state is sending with Mr. Temaru’s case.”
(CIVEN – Compensation Commission for Nuclear Test Victims).
In the first few years of operation, provisions said that there nicmac3056@gmail.com

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