The Commonwealth Secretariat has found that rule of law concerns are being addressed on Nauru in light of international criticism, but has called on all parties to mediate and propose ways forward to resolve political differences.
Solomon Islands' foreign affairs minister Milner Tozaka and the head of the Caribbean and Pacific section of the Commonwealth Secretariat's political division Albert Marina toured Nauru in mid-November after being asked by president Baron Waqa to survey rule of law concerns raised by the international community.
Marina told Pacific Beat that the Commonwealth Secretariat's understanding is that due process is being followed following meetings with the government, the speaker of parliament, the justice department and community groups.
The Commonwealth's advisory team was also able to meet with the opposition MP at the centre of political strife on the island.
“We met with Mr Roland Kun, the honourable member whose passport is the subject of dispute right now. We had a long conversation with Mr Kun, he expressed very strong views of developments ... and we did convey back to government some of those views,” he said.
New Zealand suspended aid to Nauru's justice sector in September after criticism of government actions seen as diminishing the rule of law.
Foreign minister Murray McCully highlighted the case of Nauru opposition MP Roland Kun, who has been banned from taking his seat in parliament since mid-2014, had his passport stripped in June, and is unable to return to his family based in New Zealand.
“We encouraged Kun and the president to have a conversation and see how best to resolve this,” Marina said.
In response,Kun told Pacific Beat this response is similar to that of the Pacific Islands Forum.
“Both organisations do not want to get involved and do not want the complications of having to differ with the government of the day of Nauru,” he said.
“As far as I'm concerned it would be well within their charter to advance and protect the working of democracy.”
Nauru MPs Matthew Batsiua, Roland Kun, Kieren Keke, Squire Jeremiah and Sprent Dabwido have not been permitted to take their seats in parliament since June 2014.
At the time, the speaker of Nauru's parliament reportedly accused the five suspended opposition MPs of high treason for speaking to the international media.
Marina said the delegation did have discussions about the investigation facing Kun, the details of which have not been relayed to Kun, but those discussions were confidential.
“We understand the issue is before the courts, that process is ongoing, and we do respect that the due process is ongoing in Nauru,” he said.
The visit follows an invite from Waqa to the Commonwealth secretary-general Kamalesh Sharma following their conversations in Suva, Papua New Guinea and New York, Marina said.
He said that Nauru's president was keen for the Commonwealth to come to Nauru and undertake an assessment and see where the Commonwealth could lend support to some of its activities, including June's elections.
“The Commonwealth's view is, in the issues raised, that the people of Nauru should be given the chance to pronounce on the state of developments in the country,” Marina said.
“We understand elections will be held in June next year. The Nauru government has asked us to see if we can provide an electoral expert to prepare the country, support the elections office, perhaps set up an independent election office, look at the issue of a voters' register, look at the old issue of the movement of voters who were in previous electoral districts who have moved into others.
“The government's very keen that the next elections are well supported and ensure that the process is credible. And the Commonwealth is looking very closely at this and we are prepared to provide this kind of support,” he said