OCEANIA/TONGA - People ask the King for more democracy in the architecture and functioning of the state: riots in Tonga

Thursday, 16 November 2006

Nuku’alofa (Agenzia Fides) - The people of Tonga are asking for reforms. In the capital Nuku’alofa hundreds of people have taken part in demonstrations in front of the government buildings. The demonstrations became violent when some began to throw stones, burn cars and damage city centre buildings. The police were unable to check the violence and the capital hostage of rioters found itself in a climate of growing violence and tension.
Demonstrations started after the government postponed a vote on democratic reforms awaited for months. In anger and disappointment people demonstrated and some turned to violence.
Unrest started in May 2005, when over 10,000 people, a tenth of the whole population, took to the streets calling for democracy and participation in the architecture of the state. In August that year state workers in hospitals and schools went on strike. In September the new King of Tonga George Tupou V - who succeeded his brother who died after a long illness - gave permission for democratic reforms in the semi-feudal monarchy.
Tonga, 170 islands of volcanic origin, lies 2.000 km north of New Zealand and has a population of about 103,000. Tonga is a monarchy and democratic elections do not exist. Out of 14 members of the executive, 10 chosen by the Crown and 4 by the legislative assembly, but two are reserved for ‘nobility’. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/11/2006 righe 24 parole 243)


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