After reading of the destruction and seeing the pictures of Nuku'alofa I am shocked that a group of protesters could be allowed to run wild and do so much damage. Here is Hawaii we have a sovereignty movement that would like to restore the Kingdom. In Tonga you have a movement that wants more democracy. It appears that there are unsatisfied people on both sides of that issue. -Steve Oberg
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Wednesday 22 November 2006
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Oahu, Hawaii
Many of us in Hawaii watch the recent events in Tonga, and as outsiders we are confused and saddend that so much destruction has happened to many of Tonga's innocent businesses and people.... Now at the end of 2006, we Hawaiians, find it interesting that an island with people like us...
are destroying a city to compel democracy....Tonga is going through riots for forced democratic reform, while here many of us (not me), sing songs of protest and march in the streets...
wishing King Kamehameha's royal line was still in command. - Joe

Wednesday 22 November 2006
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Auckland, New Zealand
Local Chinese communities were targeted by Tongan mob during their violent protest for democracy. With that kind of ill-disciplined behavior shown by those Tongans they have a long way to earn any respect or adhere to rules of law. They try to portray themselves as friendly and peace loving people when try attract tourists and donation from other people but few people know the violent ill-disciplined nature of Tongan who attacked Chinese in Tonga.

Wednesday 22 November 2006
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Pacific
How is it that the Government and its National Security Agencies allow the situation to get to a point where our capital continues to be engulfed with flames?For now, this event is unimaginable to go this far, and we can only read and listen to news overseas with immense disappointment for leaders who were involved, especially in inciting the riot in the first place, and also at all political parties involved for failing to put an end or at least prevent such acts from happening. - Molisi Manu'atu

Wednesday 22 November 2006
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Neiafu, Vava'u
Kole ke u hufanga he ngaahi talaaofaki kae'uma'a 'a e ngaahi tu'unga 'oku fa'a tapaekina hono fakatapua. 'Io kia Tupou V kae'uma'a e hou'eiki tauhi fonua; kau taki lotu mo e si'i kakai 'o e fonua. Fakamolemole pe 'a e haofanga ni kae'uma'a 'a e paengalafo 'o e Matangi Tonga kae tuku mu'a ke u hao atu hee mei he vao ate; he kuo te'ialoto pea mau kafo tu'unga'a he kuo lavea 'a e sino pea kafo ai pe ngaahi va'a 'akitaua tangata mo e fefine Tonga. 'Isa na'a mo hota kainga 'i muli na 'oku nau kau he lavea noa he ko e loto'i Tonga si'i kauvaha mai 'enau tu'a-'ofa-'eiki he vahanoa na ki Tonga ni si'onau tupu'anga.

Wednesday 22 November 2006
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Sunnyvale, USA
How sad it is to hear what is happening in Tonga. I was shocked to hear that the peaceful little island I grew up in and always held in high views has diminished its friendly reputation because of these ignorant rioters. Is this what they call democracy? What happened to the values that we grew up with? - M. Niukapu

Wednesday 15 November 2006
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Alaska, USA
Ne u pehe 'e au 'oku ninimo pe ta'e mahino e fokotu'u fakakaukau 'a S. Moehau, ko e mahino kiate au 'a e talanoa 'a Moehau 'oku ne tuku mai 'a e mo'oni 'oku takitaha pe 'a e fonua mo honau tukunga. Ko Siaina ko honau fe'unga pe 'o kinautolu e fa'ahinga Pule'anga koia'. Ko 'Amelika 'oku fe'unga pe kinautolu mo honau fa'unga pea pehe pe kihe ngaahi fonua kotoa pe 'o kau ai a Tonga. Ko 'Iulaki ko honau fe'unga pe 'o kinautolu a Sadam, he ko e tu'u he taimi ni kuo lahi ange e mate he taimi ni he mate 'oku tukuaki'i kihe tangata, pea 'oku tupu ia mei he fakaaoao 'a 'Amelika kae hili koia' 'oku fetaa'utu'i e masiva 'i 'Amelika he 'aho kotoa pe. -Siosaia Moimoiangaha

Tuesday 14 November 2006
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Long Beach, California, USA
Neongo `a e longoa`a `a e kau Temo mo e `ikai ha`anau fokotu`utu`u mahino makehe mei he veteki faka`aufuli `a e fa`unga lolotonga `o e Pule`anga `o fa`ao kotoa `a e ngaahi mafai faka-Konisitutone `o e Tu`i kae fili kotoa `e he kakai `a e Palemia mo e kau Minisita, `oku malie `aupito `a e tukutuku mamalie mai `e he Pule`anga `a e mafai koe`uhi kae `i ai ha faingamalie fe`unga ke mateuteu `a e kakai `o e fonua ki he ngaahi liliu.-`Ofa-ki-Tonga

Monday 13 November 2006
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Salt Lake City-Utah, USA
Of course, modern Tongans no longer hold that misconception (that palangis are selfish with their money), 200 years later. But I'm getting an ugly gut-feeling that Mr. Joe Smith still thinks that most Tongans "are lazy and leach off one another". -Sione A. Mokofisi

Thursday 9 November 2006
16 comments
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tension is mounting in the Tongan Parliament this week over the direction of the Political Reform that has been set in motion since the end of 2004. The drama is also a decoy by the politicians to distract public attention from the massive salary increase - backdated for two years - the Members have just taken for themselves.
Saturday 4 November 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongan MPs should learn something from Tuvalu. I read on the Pacnews of 27 October that the Small island state of Tuvalu makes Big decisions like freeze on allowances and overseas travels of MPs until cash flow problems improve, said new Prime Minister, Apisai Ielemia. "When my government came to power, we put in place some measures that we think would improve our finances. "These are allowances of all MPs, cabinet ministers and backbenchers have been frozen until such time our economy can cope with it. There is also a freeze on overseas travel for cabinet and civil servants." - Seini Pua Mafi
Friday 6 October 2006
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Please allow me a brief response to the challenge posed in your columns by MT Tuaileva "The Royal Spin", 5 October) against the Hon Prime Minister's public assertion that 23 out of the 32 members of the Legislative Assembly are elected members. -Lopeti Senituli
Thursday 14 September 2006
4 comments
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When Taufa'ahau Tupou IV came to the Tongan throne on July 4, 1967, for most Tongans it was the dawn of a new era. The new king, at 49, epitomised what Tongans of the 1960s perceived to be a perfect 20th century monarch. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.

Tuesday 5 September 2006
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Lennox-California, USA
'Oku 'oatu 'a e kole fakamolemole mei he Tano'a 'a Loa'u' ki he Tonga kotoa 'oku taka 'i he tapa 'o e kolope 'oku feohi he feangiaki 'a e Matangi Tonga'. Tuku mai mu'a e ki'i faingamalie ko 'eni' ke faka-kakato atu e Taalanga'i 'o Loa'u', pea kataki pe kau No'o Tapa'igatu mo hu Louifi atu. 'Oku ou kole ke u hufanga he 'Api ko Ma'ananga kae fakahoko atu hoku fononga'.-Siosaia Moimoiangaha

Friday 1 September 2006
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
This week's request by Shoreline Power for an electricity tariff increase to offset the rising cost of diesel fuel has brought into the limelight again the business of electricity generation and how Tonga is dealing with the complexity of a global economy where the price of a certain commodity is decided elsewhere. Editor' Comment, by Pesi Fonua.

Wednesday 30 August 2006
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Australia
'A e ongo Tangata Hao'uli mo Moimoiangaha malo 'a e tau mo e malu'i 'a e paenga ni, pea ne u foki ki Ma'a nanga ki hono lepa mo e 'ea haofano fakangalongata'a, pea u vakai mai kuo mo ui ange mo ho'omo ma'u kava, ko ha talanoa mala'e ako, pea 'oku ai 'a e mala'e ako mo e ngaue ia hange ko e mitia 'oku 'ikai ngofua ke fai ha talanoa ia ki ai, 'i he 'uhinga hange ko kinautolu kuo nau ako mo ngaue fuoloa ai 'oku nau 'ilo lahi taha ki ai. -Siosiua F. P. Lafitani Tofua'ipangai

Thursday 27 July 2006
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USA
The King is gravely ill and there is no doubt who will be the successor to the throne. Is it improper to ask, "Should He (Crown Prince) be king?" I wish it was like the early years of the Kanokupolu Dynasty where the king was selected by personal traits and leadership abilities, not birthright. I am sure the Crown Prince is a fine gentleman. My crystal ball does not predict what the future holds for him during his reign. - Tama Foa

Tuesday 18 July 2006
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The sudden death of Prince Tu'ipelehake was a great loss to Tonga's political reform movement. Editor's Comment, by Pesi Fonua.

Friday 23 June 2006
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Mounu, Vava'u
I read with interest comments supporting the resumption of whaling in the Kingdom. If the Government did allow whaling to resume, the whale watching industry would collapse- Allan Bowe

Thursday 22 June 2006
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Auckland, New Zealand
Call me a whale-watcher if you like but ‘Ofa-ki-Tonga's enthusiasm for whalemeat for the kingdom is unlikely to find favour in this part of the world where killing whales and dolphins for food is seen as barbaric. The recent Japanese success at the IWC was made possible by support from some Pacific nations who took money and changed their stance. And here in New Zealand there is a call for retribution through the withdrawl of aid or something similar. - Sefita Hao‘uli
