Results for Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement

When Professor Futa Helu withdrew his support from 'Akilisi Pohiva and Dr Feleti Sevele, and endorsed Clive Edwards as the Number One candidate for Tongatapu in the recent March parliamentary election, he initiated a split in Tonga's Pro-democracy Movement. Tonga now has two Demo camps, the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the People's Democratic Party, which have begun to be critical of each other. - Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua

As we are getting closer to Tonga's 2005 Parliamentary General Election on March 17 the idea of political change is still the popular campaign issue, and it is clearer now that we are looking at three different proposals, or models of government. - Editor's Comment by Pesi Fonua.

There is an urgent need to improve the current status of the Tongan government, Prince Tu'ipelehake said in Tonga, on Friday 13th, referring to what he called black clouds over the community. "What is most important to be done right now is for the chiefs, the government and the people of Tonga to be united in our search for the ultimate solution to the problem, which is beginning to come over us like a band of black cloud. It is urgently needed for us to decide on ways to improve the current status of our government," he said.

Tongans responded with shock and outrage after the New Zealand Foreign Ministry publicly accused the Tongan government of corruption, expressing concern about the state of democracy in the country and saying that the Tongan government appeared reluctant to introduce constitutional changes. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.

Lopeti Senituli, the full time Director of the Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement says that his organisation wants to change Tonga’s structure of government, first with a mass movement and then later by introducing political parties. Interview by Pesi Fonua. From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 17, no. 1, May 2002.