Troubled island nation (Kiribati) receives food aid from Taiwan

[Stacey King]

THE UNIVERSITY REGISTER – Campus newspaper of University of Minnesota, Morris USA
Written by Mitch Grussing
Sunday, 01 February 2009

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati (pronounced ki-ri-bas) recently received a 200-ton donation of rice from Taiwan. According to a report by Television New Zealand, rising world food and petroleum prices have had a dramatic effect on the tiny republic, where the cost of rice has doubled in the past six months.

Kiribati is an expansive collection of islands straddling the Equator a thousand miles south of Hawaii and covering more than a million square miles of the Pacific Ocean. It has only about 300 square miles of land, however—barely half the size of Stevens County. The country is among the poorest in the Pacific, plagued by a lack of natural resources, declining fish stocks, rising sea levels, and overcrowding. What little food is produced there is not enough to feed the 110,000 residents, and the isolation is compounded by poor domestic transportation between the country’s three main islands groups. Ordinarily, fishing license fees, a trust fund from past phosphate mining income, remittances from overseas citizens, and foreign grants were enough for Kiribati to sustain itself, but higher fuel and food prices have made this much more difficult.

As the rising price of food puts more stress on the people of Kiribati, Taiwan has stepped in to provide assistance. Kiribati is one of the few nations that recognizes Taipei as the true capital of China, making Taiwan much more keen to share a small amount of its wealth with these friends. Nauru, even smaller than Kiribati, is in the aftermath of one of the world’s most tragic economic downfalls. This one-island nation, the world’s smallest republic, made a fortune on phosphate exports and was at one time among the world’s wealthiest countries (per capita). Since the depletion of this resource and the mismanagement of its revenues, Nauru’s economy has crumbled. This lead Nauru to switch its allegiance with Taipei to Beijing in exchange for millions of dollars in aid in 2002. In 2005, Nauru reversed its decision and has since received additional aid for this renewed recognition of Taipei while the tiny island’s crisis deepens.

Nauru’s crisis has also impacted Kiribati. Last year, according to Australia Network News, Nauru’s national airline, Our Airline, cancelled its flight service between Brisbane, Australia and Tarawa, Kiribati’s capital.

It appears that the crisis in Kiribati will last until the country ceases to exist—which could happen sooner than one might think. Almost all of Kiribati’s islands are mere feet above sea level, and due to climate change, Kiribati may one day be submerged. Until then, it appears that Kiribati will be forced to continue relying on foreign assistance for survival.

[Stacey King]

#431 | 05-Feb-09, 10:50:37, GMT +10 | Lovenotevol
BANABAN MESSAGE BOARD

"Troubled island nation (Kiribati) receives food aid from Taiwan".

Thank you for your clarifications. Any inconveniences caused is regretted.

My comments were partly influenced and inflated by the other Banaban who burst out laughing at the mention of life jackets and swimming suits. Who knows, she could be in a similar situation and origin as yourself...

It would have been more understandable (more fitting) if such comments originated from Kiribatians who are renowned for being " a bunch of smiling happy people even during difficult and hard times".
Now that I understand that you are 3/4 Kiribatian, I guess that explains why you keep smiling despite all the problems and threats back in the islands.

If my comments were of any value,.. it certainly did draw out a wealth of knowledge and information not only from you but also; thanks to Ken and Stacey for their constructive, worthwhile and informative comments.

Lovenotevol (NZ)

[Harold Kilts]

Mauri to All:

I continue to be fascinated by the interest shown toward these tiny island nations in the South Pacific from far-away places like Minnesota. ...By the way I am NOT fascinated with myself.

Your friend from Minnesota.

[Stacey King]

Mauri all!

I think what is important to realise in this debate is the fact that these international press releases are coming out of Kiribati and the President's office. The Kiribati government are being very PROACTIVE on this issue and trying to put their situation clearly on the agenda for the developed nations, especially those nations with historical ties Australia, New Zealand and lets not forget the old Mother country of UK, that now has conveniently removed most of its old Colonial ties to the Pacific. They are more interested now in their position within European Union (EU). However while the times have changed and evolved, UK also has to acknowledge the past like they have done with their past Colonial links to India, the Caribbean Islands, Africa just to name a few.

The reality will be that the main countries who will help Kiribati and Tuvalu in the future will be Australia and New Zealand and possibly USA. And this help will have to come in the form of ‘environmental refugees’ which has been discussed in more detail in previous blogs. I know that the Kiribati President has also spoken on this subject to Japanese broad stream media. While Japan and Taiwan may be wealthy and prosperous nations, they already are highly populated and the type of assimilation required would not be practical. Japan has a traditional ‘class system’ within its own society and already has problems with minority peoples living there such as Korean, Chinese and Okinawans who were brought into Japan as cheap labour. This type of discrimination would not be such an issue for NZ and Australia who are much more focused on ‘multiculturalism’.

This is why these working schemes are very important at this stage to set up long term workable relationships between our countries. It also acts in a way to help slowly build a type of assimilation into Australian and NZ life while providing the all important income for the families living back in the islands.

In real terms the Australian and New Zealand governments have recognised the Kiribati and Tuvaluan plight by trying to set up these schemes. It is there way of addressing the issue without officially admitting the problem and the nasty word ‘global warming’. It is all part of the ongoing process I believe of gradual assimilation.

These issues are also very important for Banabans living in Fiji who happen to fall into ‘no man’s land’ politically speaking. This is why I have tried to lobby the Australian government for BANABAN RECOGNITION to officially acknowledge the Banabans historical contribution to the ‘nation building’ of this country (Australia).

I have been bringing Banabans into Australia for the past 18 years at great expense and experienced the difficulties of now becoming a CROSS CULTURAL family in this nation. It is another major issue that the Australian government needs to address especially if plans to for Pacific worker and training schemes are to be realised.

I will keep lobbying from my end for Banaban Recognition with the Australian government and in the end I hope that the ‘powers that be’ will learn from their mistakes made in the Banaban case and at the same time bring about the proper RECOGNITION that the Banabans should receive politically and physically. In the end the Banabans (whether you are quarter, half or three-quarter Banaban blood) are a MINORITY who need to become proactive and stand up and be heard while these issues are now hitting the world stage.

Regards Stacey

[Ken Sigrah]

The last paragraph in the article 'Troubled island nation (kiribati) receives food aid from Taiwan' quotes " Almost all of Kiribati's islands are mere feet above sea level, and due to climate change, Kiribati may one day be submerged. Until then, it appears that Kiribati WILL BE FORCED to continue relying on foreign assistance for survival".

This to me sounds more like a doctor's last verdict on a dying cancer patient (how terrible). If this is a reality as Cindy mentioned then the Kiribati nation need more than rice to keep thier identity afloat (survive). They need new land to move to inorder to survive this castraphoe. My question is where are the Big Brother countries that have used Kiribati to milk phosphate from Banaba? Of course we can hear them talking about this issue but I can see no action coming, and that is my prediction.

[Stacey King]

#428 | 03-Feb-09, 07:02:34, GMT +10 | Lovenotevol
BANABAN MESSAGE BOARD

I refer to comments on "Troubled island nation (Kiribati) receives food aid from Taiwan".

I am at a loss (triple-minded) as to whether they were intended to be constructive,funny or sarcastic.

A comment from a Banaban could be taken wrongly as intending to ridicule and make fun of the bleak future of 110,000 Kiribatians despite the fact that this particular Banaban lives in Kiribati. If that very unfortunate day will actually come, I am sure these Banabans living in Kiribati have the option of either moving back to Rabi (Fiji) or even back to higher ground at Ocean Island. The poor full blooded Kiribatian are the ones to wear "life jackets and swimming suits"

Whatever the intention was, please have a heart like the Taiwanese ! They don't just sympathise with useless words. They acted !....Love in Action ? If you want the world to sympathise with your plight, show sympathy.

Lovenoevol (NZ)

[Teresa Taamoa]

Hopefully that day will never come for us living in Kiribati and Hopefully the government will deall with this matter asap otherwise we will end up somewhere terible hahahahahaha God have mercy