U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2000 - Tonga
Publisher | United States Department of State |
Publication Date | 26 February 2001 |
Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2000 - Tonga , 26 February 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aa97c.html [accessed 26 May 2023] |
Comments | This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with sections 116(d) and 502(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), as amended, and section 504 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, by February 25 "a full and complete report regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights, within the meaning of subsection (A) in countries that receive assistance under this part, and (B) in all other foreign countries which are members of the United Nations and which are not otherwise the subject of a human rights report under this Act." We have also included reports on several countries that do not fall into the categories established by these statutes and that thus are not covered by the congressional requirement. |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Kingdom of Tonga consists of 169 small islands scattered over a wide area of the South Pacific. Most of the approximately 105,000 inhabitants are Polynesian. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy in which political life is dominated by the King, the nobility, and a few prominent commoners. The judiciary is independent.
The security apparatus is composed of the Tonga Defense Services (TDS) and a police force. The 430-man TDS force is responsible to and controlled by the Minister of Defense.
The economy is based primarily on the cultivation of tropical and semitropical crops. Demand for imported goods and products has led to a substantial trade deficit. This deficit has been offset largely by remittances from Tongans employed abroad, overseas aid, and, to a lesser degree, tourism.
The Government's human rights record was generally poor in several areas, and the principal human rights abuse remains severe restrictions on the right of citizens to change their government. A relatively small group of commoners vocally challenges the Constitution, arguing for a more representative and accountable government. At times the authorities infringed on freedom of speech and of the press. Some women suffer from domestic violence, and discrimination limits the opportunities available to women. There were some incidents of racial violence.
RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:
a. Political and Other Extrajudicial Killing
There were no reports of political or other extrajudicial killings.
b. Disappearance
There were no reports of politically motivated disappearances.
c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
The Constitution forbids torture and inhuman or degrading punishment or other such treatment, and there were no reports of such practices. Prison conditions are Spartan but in accordance with local living standards. Church representatives and family members are permitted to visit prisoners. No nongovernmental organizations (NGO's) attempted human rights monitoring visits to prisons, and the permissibility of such visits has not arisen.
d. Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, or Exile
The Constitution proscribes arbitrary arrest or detention and provides for the right to judicial determination of the legality of arrest; these provisions are observed in practice. There is no preventive detention, although there are no statutory limits to the length of time a suspect may be held prior to being charged. The law does not limit access by counsel and family members to detained persons.
The Government does not use forced exile.
e. Denial of Fair Public Trial
The judiciary, whose top judges have been expatriates, is independent of the King and the executive branch.
The court system consists of the Supreme Court (which has original jurisdiction over all major cases), the police magistrates' courts, a general court, a court martial for the TDS, a court tribunal for the police force, and a court of review for the Inland Revenue Department. In addition the Court of Appeals, as the appellate court of last resort, is the highest court. The King's Privy Council presides over cases relating to disputes over titles of nobility and estate boundaries. The King has the right to commute a death sentence in cases of murder or treason.
The law provides for the right to a fair public trial, and the Government respects this in practice. A court may not summon anyone without providing the person a written indictment stating the offenses the person is accused of committing. Defendants are entitled to counsel, and lawyers have free access to defendants.
There were no reports of political prisoners.
f. Arbitrary Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence
By law and in practice, no one may enter or search the home of another or remove any item unless in possession of a warrant issued by a magistrate. Neither the State nor political organizations intrude arbitrarily into a person's private life.
2. Respect for Civil Liberties, Including:
a. Freedom of Speech and Press
The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press; however, at times the authorities infringed on these rights.
There are two weekly newspapers (one of which is government owned) and one privately owned national magazine. There is one privately owned television station, and in July a government-owned station began broadcasting. The Government owns one AM and one FM radio station. Three FM stations (one purely religious) are run privately. While there is generally little editorializing in the government-owned media, opposition opinion appears regularly alongside government statements and letters. A privately owned newspaper, Kele'a, openly criticized the Government without interference. Defamation suits brought by government officials and other individuals against media outlets for allowing interviewees to voice allegedly defamatory remarks – which are permitted in some circumstances under the law – may have the practical effect of limiting freedom of speech. However, the national media from time to time carries comments critical of government practices and policies, including some made by prominent citizens.
Academic freedom is respected.
b. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association
The law provides for these rights, and the Government respects them in practice.
c. Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
d. Freedom of Movement Within the Country, Foreign Travel, Emigration, and Repatriation
The law provides for these rights, and the Government respects them in practice.
The Government cooperates with the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and other humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees. No person in recent memory has applied for refugee status, and the Government has not formulated a formal policy regarding refugees, asylees, or first asylum.
3. Respect for Political Rights: The Right of Citizens to Change Their Government
Citizens do not have the ability to change their leaders or the system of government. The King and 33 hereditary nobles dominate political life. They assert authority largely through control of substantial landholdings and their dominant numbers in the Legislative Assembly (Parliament). While the Constitution allows the monarch broad powers, many of which do not require the legislative branch's endorsement, the King sometimes permits "the system" to operate without his guidance. The King appoints the Prime Minister and appoints and presides over the Privy Council (called the Cabinet when the King is not presiding), which makes major policy decisions. Currently the Cabinet is made up of nine ministers and two governors; it includes both nobles and commoners, who serve at the King's pleasure.
The unicameral legislature, the Legislative Assembly, consists of the Cabinet, nine nobles elected by their peers, and nine people's representatives elected by the general population. The King appoints the Speaker from among the representatives of the nobles. In January the King appointed his son, Prince Ulukalala Lavaka Ata, as Prime Minister. The new Prime Minister also holds five other ministerial portfolios, including those of defense and foreign affairs.
Cabinet members and nobles usually vote as a bloc; however, votes related to impeachment charges against a commoner member of the Cabinet demonstrated that nobles and people's representatives can override the Cabinet's wishes at times.
In recent years, a number of persons both inside and outside the establishment have called for democratic change, usually emphasizing the importance of more government accountability. Very few challenge the retention of the monarchy; the King is greatly respected. A prodemocracy movement continued, although it currently lacks formal structure due to differences of views among its leaders. All nine current people's representatives advocate various degrees of democratic reform. Proposals for constitutional revision tend to center on the popular election of all parliamentarians, with the parliamentarians then selecting their speaker.
Women are severely underrepresented in government and politics. There are no female Members of Parliament, although there have been in the past.
4. Governmental Attitude Regarding International and Nongovernmental Investigation of Alleged Violations of Human Rights
There are no legal barriers to the formation of local NGO's that concern themselves with human rights. Some local NGO's include among their interests human rights problems, although none undertakes investigations of alleged violations. No outside organizations are known to have made requests to investigate alleged human rights violations.
5. Discrimination Based on Race, Sex, Religion, Disability, Language, or Social Status
Social, cultural, and economic facilities are available to all citizens regardless of race or religion. However, members of the hereditary nobility have substantial advantages. These include control over most of the land and a generally privileged status. Nonetheless, it is possible for commoners to rise to cabinet positions in government and to accumulate great wealth and status in the private sector.
Women
Domestic violence seldom is publicized, but it is a problem. Incidents of wife beating generally are addressed in traditional ways within families or by village elders. Such abuse is seldom reported to the police. Abused wives sometimes return to their families if mediation fails.
The country is male dominated, and women generally occupy a subordinate role. For a woman to rise to a position of leadership, she usually needs to have the support of the nobility or to possess exceptional talent. The King's mother reigned for many years, and a royal princess is one of the country's most prominent businesspersons. Some female commoners hold senior leadership positions in business.
Some village women, with help from NGO's, led local development projects.
The Government has a women's unit in the Prime Minister's office. Although some NGO's initially viewed this unit with suspicion, it appeared to be functioning cooperatively with them. Many young, educated women still consider the unit to be ineffective. A government-sponsored National Council of Women is making positive contributions.
Children
The Government is committed to children's human rights and welfare and provides commensurate funding for children's welfare within the context of the total resources available to the State. Child abuse, if it occurs, is rare and has not become a source of concern in a society where the extended family participates in child rearing.
Education has been compulsory since 1882. Although it is sometimes criticized as being of poor quality, education is provided for all children through Form 6 (high school). Compliance rates are good.
People With Disabilities
No mandated provisions for accessibility to buildings and services for the disabled exist. There were no known complaints of discrimination in employment, education, or provision of other state services. The education of children with special needs has been a longstanding priority of the Queen.
National/Racial/Ethnic Minorities
In June a member of the royal family commented publicly on what he called the country's "racially based land laws," and stated that a previous spate of violence against Chinese-owned shops was racially motivated. Late in the year, a local official announced that Chinese-owned stores were banned from his district on the western side of the country.
6. Worker Rights
a. The Right of Association
Workers have the right to form unions under the 1964 Trade Union Act, but to date no unions have been formed, presumably because of the small size of the wage economy and the lack of a perceived need for unions.
b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively
Since no unions have been formed, collective bargaining is not practiced. There is no legislation permitting and protecting collective bargaining or the right to organize. Labor laws and regulations are enforced in all sectors of the economy, including in the two small export enhancement zones.
c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor
The law prohibits forced labor including forced and bonded labor by children, and it is not practiced.
d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment
Child labor is not used in the wage economy, although there is no legislation prohibiting it. The Government prohibits forced and bonded labor by children and enforces this prohibition effectively (see Section 6.c.).
Education has been compulsory since 1882, and it is provided for all children through Form 6 (high school).
e. Acceptable Conditions of Work
There is no minimum wage law, although there are government guidelines for wage levels. Labor laws and regulations, enforced by the Ministry of Labor, Commerce, and Industry, limit the workweek to 40 hours. The Ministry of Labor enforced laws and regulations reasonably well in the wage sector of the economy, particularly on the main island of Tongatapu. Enforcement in agriculture and on the outer islands is limited by isolation.
Industrial accidents are rare, since few industries exist that would expose workers to significant danger. Due to these factors, little or no work has been done on industrial safety standards.
f. Trafficking in Persons
The law does not specifically address trafficking; however, there were no reports that persons were trafficked to, from, within, or through the country.