Thread by @WestPapuaRus

PM of Vanuatu Bob Loughman singled out Indonesia for its perceived human rights record. This is the video of Indonesia’s official reply. VANUATU IS HIDING MANY DARK SECRETS on its HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. Here are a few compiled from the US DOS HR Report 2019.

1. Vanuatu is a vassal of China. China already gives hundreds of millions of US dollars to Vanuatu. On orders from its Chinese masters, on July 5 2019, Vanuatu deported six Chinese people (4 are Vanuatu citizens) state.gov/reports/2019-c…

2. PM Bob Loughman is involved in corruption: In 2017 the Office of the Ombudsman recommended that Deputy PM Bob Loughman be prosecuted for breaching the leadership code by... freedomhouse.org/country/vanuat…

... trying to exercise undue influence over the member selection process for the Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education. As of November the Public Prosecutor’s Office had not acted on the recommendation.

3. Abuse against women are prevalent, the Police and other authorities turn a blind eye, seldom enforces court orders. api-gbv.org/resources/dvfa…

4. The media is regularly prosecuted for writing news the Vanuatu government does not like. In November, Dan McGarry, a Canadian citizen, longtime resident, and the editor of the country’s largest independent newspaper, the Daily Post, told media.... theguardian.com/world/commenti…

...that the government refused to renew his work permit. McGarry said that in July the prime minister had summoned him and berated him for “negative reporting.” rnz.co.nz/international/…

McGarry believed the prime minister was specifically displeased with Daily Post reporting in July about the government’s cooperation with China to deport six Chinese nationals, four of whom Vanuatu citizens. This is the report: dailypost.vu/news/six-chine…

5. 10,000 internally displaced persons cannot access food and water in many evacuee camps. Eventhough some has returned, many thousands remain displaced with no government services

6. Man can own woman. Customary bride-price payments continued and contributed to the perception of male ownership of women.

7. Vanuatu Law does not prohibit sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is widespread in the workplace.

8. Child labour is practiced in Vanuatu. The law allows children as young as 14 y.o. to work. The law establishes the minimum age for employment at 14.

Children ages 12 to 14 may perform domestic or agricultural work if a family member works alongside the child. A child age of 15 may work on a ship and other hazardous work such as industrial labor and work on ships.