From the House By Pesi Fonua
Concern over land use in ‘Eua has touched on the sensitive issues of land rights, fresh water supply and environmental damage to the ‘Eua Forest over the last two decades. A petition to parliament by dislocated families has highlighted a growing conflict of interest between local residents and a foreign commercial interest that has cut forest for a kava plantation.
The issues presented to parliament in October, are set to be clarified by government when the House resumes in the last week of November.
Among the concerns, the petitioners complained that the kava plantation had introduced weed killer in a water catchment area.
“I am concerned with the issue relating to the spraying of the land and its impact on the water supply,” the ‘Eua People’s Representative, Dr Taniela Fusimalohi told the Minister of Lands.
He regretted that the Minister of Agriculture was not present, because forest had been cut.
The ‘Eua PR filed the petition (Tohi Tangi) signed by over 70 families who were told to move from Matavai, in a royal estate, to protect the waterflow and forest, under a water plan at the time. Over a decade ago, they were reluctantly resettled in a rocky area at Mo’unga Te’emoa - where a promised road was never built.
The Petition dated from 28 March 2024 was addressed to the Speaker, Lord Fakafonua.
The petitioners are pleading with the government to “return their allotments” in the area that they once regarded as their home.
Both the Acting Speaker and the Minister of Lands said it was “a sad story”.
There were 60 allotments in the petition but only 16 were registered allotments.
Tohi Tangi
The petition was considered by a Standing Committee and brought back to the House on October 15. It was agreed to read the Tohi Tangi in the House.
The Acting Speaker Lord Tu'iha'anganga presided.
The families were asked to relocate from Matavai to protect the waterflow and the forest in the area. However, subsequently, the area was leased to the Maori Trust from New Zealand.
The petition says after that, the forest was cleared and now the land was sprayed with weed killer.
A summary of the Tohi Tangi was read in the House, with the key points:
- “This letter is a Tangi – a plea from more than 70 families that had “tax allotments” at Matavai at the Funga Fonua, ‘Eua. The water flows through this area to where the people of ‘Eua collect their water.
- “Because of the importance of the water for the people of ‘Eua. We were told to move away from this area as soon as possible from our tax allotments in this area, even though it had been well looked after for the well-being of the people of ‘Eua, [and] even though we have decorated our homes and were very strict with the use of spraying chemicals and the cutting of trees in this area.
“We are Pleading:
- The land that we are moving to at the Mui’i Mo’unga Te’emoa are not accessible for traffic. Three vehicles, including a tractor, have flipped over in the area. It is also very difficult to grow any crops in this rocky area.
- We moved from our homes to protect Matavai, our source of water. After we moved, the government brought in a New Zealand [interest] to lease the area, which cut the trees and took them away. The water source of ‘Eua just flowed on land and was held by the trees, which guided it down to the rocks. After the cutting of the trees – we are now facing a big flood, the birds of the forest will be gone, there will be no Kaka and Pakuka birds during the summer season.
- The company that leased the land, planted kava in this “Restricted Area” Matavai. They sprayed the area with weed killer chemicals. We are worried about the water supply of ‘Eua. The question is: why were we told to move from our homes established over a number of years) because of the water supply and importance to the people but then they brought in this foreign company to damage the environment and the water source of the country?
- We are pleading to please return our tax allotments that have been taken away by the government.
- We have been told to move because of the water, is it wise for us to move then our government of the day brought in this strong company to lease the area?
- Were the people with authority who prepared the lease [aware] that the people of ‘Eua will now face the difficulties, the consequences of Climate Change today?
- Is there a compensation to the people of ‘Eua for this damage?
- Are there going to be advantages for agriculture and a better public road?
- Which of the government Ministries is keeping track on the national agreement with this company? Agriculture and Forestry? Water Board? or the Ministry of Lands and Survey?”
There were 84 signatures to this Petition that was filed by the ‘Eua People’s Representative, Dr Taniela Fusimalohi.
Whole House Committee
Lord Nuku said there was an agreement to move the people from Matavai.
“It was a femahino’aki -understanding, to move them to Mo’unga Te’emoa.”
He said there was also an agreement that government would also build a road. Those were the short falls. The families were told to go there because the road would be fixed, but it did not happen.
Ha'apai PR, Veivosa Taka – questioned that, according to Nuku, there was an agreement between government and the people from ‘Eua, for them to move to where they are now because they would fix the road. But the procedure was to move them there while they were fixing the road.
“Can we see a copy of this agreement?”
Lord Nuku said the nature of the agreement was to move them there and fix the road.
“But there is a problem, the building of the road is slow.”
He said there was no plan to draft a contract.
Lord Tu’i’afitu – said the decision on that day was in line with the Legislation of the Ministry of Lands – if there is a land that has been allocated for a settlement, it is for the Minister of Lands to plan for a road, and the road would be part of the land that had been allocated to be leased. The agreement for the construction of road is with the Minister responsible for major construction.
The Chairman of the Wholehouse Committee, Lord Tu'ilakepa - said that the company that had taken the land, were spraying the land. “They are planting Kava and not replacing the trees that they had chopped down.”
‘Eua PR Dr Fusimalohi said: “Unfortunately the Minister for Agriculture (Lord Fohe) is not here, - it is a concern for ‘Eua!”
The Acting Speaker Lord Tu'iha'anganga - said they would give the member from ‘Eua a chance to explain.
Dr Fusimalohi – said the Tohi Tangi speaks for itself.
“The land is very useful for the people. He heard that the government agreed with the agreement with the land which was, initially, the forest. But later the people were told to leave a land where they earn their livlihoods.
“Once the forest is cut. Then they plant frees, but it will take time for the trees to grow. The land has been taken from the people of ‘Eua.”
He questioned what the government earned from the selling of this land.
The Acting Speaker said - “It was very sad. We can do only what we can.”
Minister of Lands, Lord Tu’i’afitu said, “It is a very sad story. I appreciate this letter.”
He said the member should have come over and talk to him about it. This was taking place in 2013.
“The land in ‘Eua was only to be looked after by the people there. It was not registered,” he said.
“I propose to let me have a look at this issue. The owner of land. For a start let’s confirm who owns this land. The people have moved to Mo’unga Te’emoa.”
The 'Eua PR Fusimalohi - thanked the minister. “I am concerned with the issue relating to the spraying of the land, and its impact on the water supply.”
He explained that the people who had been living in the area in ‘Eua, considered it as their homes for years, until they were informed that the Tonga Government on 17 June 2016 agreed to lease the land to the Maori Trust for 50 years, with the option to renew for a further 25 years.
The Government, at the time, had agreed that the assets of the former Tonga Forest Products Ltd; the ‘Eua Forest Reserve, Vaitaki Sawmilling Site and the Mataliku Forest Plant would transfer to the Aotearoa-Tonga Forest Products Ltd. [At the time it was reported that the debt-burdened Tonga Forest Products Ltd. had 700 hectares of land on ‘Eua.]
It was also agreed for the Maori Trust to pay government $9,737,795 pa’anga and in return they would take control of the assets of the Tonga Forest Products Ltd. for 50 years, with the option to renew for a further 25 years.
The people had to move away because the forest in the area has been cut down to make popular timber and the new land-owner, has cleared up the area to plant Kava, which had become a profitable export product.
He said the complication with the issue, is that the land is a property of the King, which had been leased to a Maori chief from New Zealand, but there appeared to be a misunderstanding over the ownership of the land, and a letter of complaint from some people in ‘Eua to Parliament.
The Acting Speaker called for votes to let government have a look at the Tohi Tangi. It was carried in the Whole House Committee and agreed for government to work on the issue.
The House expects to find out what the government’s position is, when the 2024 session resumes in the last week of November.
Resettlements
‘Eua has been an island of resettlement in Tonga for several groups over the last two centuries. The people of ‘Ata were among the first to resettle in ‘Eua around 160 years ago to protect them from blackbirders. Then the people of Niua Fo’ou were evacuated to ‘Eua following a volcanic eruption in 1946. More recently, the people of Mango were evacuated to ‘Eua permanently, following the HTHH eruption in 2022.
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June 19, 2016 Maori Trust takes over Tonga Forest Products Ltd....The government expected that as part of the Agreement, the Trust will undertake an aggressive Replanting Scheme on the ‘Eua Forest Reserve, with a focus on the replanting of trees in the first 10 years. “The Trust has undertaken to implement sustainable forest management and harvesting practices, in order to allow the trees at the ‘Eua Forest to regenerate and grow at sustainable rates,...".
June 19, 2016, Tonga Forest Products Ltd was in “big trouble”, says Minister
August 21, 2016, Minister of Police has no authority, PM tells Parliament
September 1, 2016, Parliament decides to audit Maori Trust ‘Eua Forest
