PACIFIC PEOPLES PREPARE FOR THE STRUGGLE

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 3, 4 May 1978, Page 2

PACIFIC PEOPLES PREPARE FOR THE STRUGGLE

The PPAF is jointly sponsoring two conferences with the Pacific Conferences of Churches. These two conferences will be held over two weeks. The nuclear issue in the Pacific and communication of its dangers, etc. amongst people is more a PCC concern. The second conference, on indpendence movements and peoples movements in the Pacific, is more a PPAF concern.

The conferences will be held over two consecutive weeks. Learning from the experiences of the first NFPC conferences, where people with different issues where mixed together in one conference, and remembering that the great priority area that emerged was the independence and people’s movements of Pacific Islanders at that conference, the two issues have been seperated for the conferences planned. The first week will be attended by delegates concerned with action on nuclear issues in the region, and the second week, will only be of delegates involved in independence struggles and people’s movements, Pacific Island people.

In a joint effort such as these between the PCC and the PPAF, there is obviously going to be differences of emphasis from time to time. So that there is an equal balance of interest, we urged you to do the best you can to circulate the news of the conference and begin to think about what directions the PPAF should begin to take. Most important: PLEASE ADVERTISE THE POSITION OF ORGANISER WHICH ANYONE CAN APPLY FOR IF THEY ARE SUITABLE.

The PCC and the PPAFagreed to work together for these conferences because it was felt that both groups were supporting the same ideals, but working for them seperately, and it would be good to combine both elements if we wished to have a conference. The Importance of a conference for the PPAF The PPAF has been functioning mainly through POVAI since the last Nuclear Free Pacific Conference in 1975. The Fiji delegation at that conference was responsible for

doing the follow up work for the NFPC, and at that time, this involved working with other support groups from the conference in getting the Nuclear Free Zone proposal accepted internationally and organising the NFPC Delegation to the UN. The NFPC-PPAF was also engaged then in co-ordinating any supportive action needed by groups in the Pacific, particularly in the French colonial territorities. POVAI was started towards the end of 1975, and appeared throughout 1976, as our newspaper, keeping people informed, in contact, and acting as a link between Pacific peoples engaged in the same struggles against oppression and injustice.

After the conference, the actual work group for the Suva base became smaller.and in 1977 an attempt was made to move the centre to PNG to give another Pacific group a chance to run the PPAF, since it was part of our PPAF proposal that the centre move to different

parts of the Pacific from time to time to give us a broader base. The move in 1977 was not successful and as a result of the attempt, POVAI temporarily came to a halt.

PPAF is once more functioning from Suva and POVAI will be appearing again, up until the conference in September where we hope, the people attending the independence and peoples movements conference will work out the direction that the PPAF should take from there, and including the production of our newspaper POVAI, its usefulness etc.

Therefore this conference is very importance for the PPAF. It will be a chance for all the people’s groups and leaders to meet again and from that meeting decide any new direction and action for the PPAF so that it is really a joining of Pacific people’s movements in an action and supportive network that will really be a force for change in the Pacific. »