Pacific Islands Report

Four dead in PNG plane crash

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — Air safety investigators are heading to the site of a fatal plane crash Monday in the northern part of the country.

A Britten Norman Islander, operated by North Coast Aviation, crashed on takeoff from an airstrip at Bapi, Morobe province, killing four people including the pilot.

Cruise liner passengers to leave Solomons

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — Ninety-nine passengers from a luxury cruise liner which went aground Sunday are preparing to leave the country by air for Australia, with the rest of the cruise canceled.

The ship, the World Discoverer, was making its way to Gizo in the western part of the country in heavy rain and rough seas when it hit an uncharted reef.

There were no injuries and all passengers and 90 crew members were rescued, but most lost their clothes and baggage. They now are staying in various hotels in the capital.

Over 100 die in West Papua

JAYAPURA, Indonesia — A total of 106 people have been killed in a year of tribal warfare in West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya).

The conflict involves indigenous people from Wampe and Bilaga villages in the remote mountainous region of Puncak Jaya on the island of New Guinea.

Officials said it was proving difficult to bring peace to the region since one of the Wampe leaders had been killed in an early clash. Followers have said they will not accept a truce until they had avenged his death by killing the Bilaga leader.

Solomons peace meeting to go ahead

HONIARA, Solomon Islands — Peace talks aimed at resolving the country’s almost two-year ethnic crisis over land ownership and jobs are going ahead as planned this week, even though one of the two militant groups has refused to take part.

Up to 140 officials from the national and two provincial governments are expected to take part in the meeting at Buala in neutral Isabel province on Thursday and Friday.

While the Isatambu Freedom Movement leaders from Guadalcanal have agreed to attend their counterparts in the Malaitan Eagle Force have not, fearing arrest.

French overseas minister in New Caledonia

NOUMEA, New Caledonia — French overseas minister Jean-Jack Queyranne arrives in New Caledonia Tuesday for a two-day visit.

He will preside over a meeting of the Noumea Accord partners, the pro-independence coalition FLNKS and the anti-independence RPCR.

Several issues are on the agenda, including the lack of consensus in local government decisions leading to possible independence from France, and the sharing of New Caledonia’s holdings in the nickel industry.