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May 9, 2012
Weno, Chuuk— Concerned residents of Weno, Chuuk sent photos to the Kaselehlie Press this afternoon of the FSM Petroleum Corporation fuel tank farm engulfed in smoke.  Their accompanying messages described loud explosions but no one seemed to know for certain what was burning.

But the fire this morning was not at the FSMPC tank farm but at the former Chuuk Tuna Industry building in Weno, which is now occupied by the Chuuk Department of Transportation.

Some Chuuk residents were concerned that the fire might jump across the space between the two properties.  If it had done so the results would have been cataclysmic for Chuuk’s fuel supply now and for a long time to come.

But Bill Stinnett who was for a time, Chuuk’s Director of CDPS said that he was on the scene not too long after the fire broke out and that he had seen the efforts of the firefighters.

“I went all the way to the fire when I first learned about it, gave my advice to the manager of Petrol Corp, to the Public Utilities, and to the Police - which was basically ‘get pumps and start fighting the fire and keeping the fuel storage tanks wet - if that becomes necessary’,” he wrote.

In another email he wrote, “The airport ARFF trucks and personnel have responded and they are working well.  I've seen firemen fighting the fire while standing between the fuel farm and the burning structure.  The old Fisheries complex will certainly be completely destroyed but I believe this will be the only damage.”

Chuuk Department of Public Safety personnel evacuated the areas in the vicinity of the fire and there were no casualties from the fire.  At press time a CDPS spokesperson said that the fire had been contained.

Some communications with the newspaper while the fire raged said that the Bank of Guam was on fire.  The Bank of Guam is across the street from the building that burned.  

According to a person speaking on behalf of CDPS Director Kerson Rizal, no neighboring or adjacent properties were damaged.  The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and CDPS inquiries are continuing.

Details are few and far between but as best we have been able to determine from witnesses to the event, at the time the fire broke out a plane was on the ground at Chuuk International Airport. Airport firefighters attended to their duties at the airport and then came to help fight the fire at the burning building.

Witnesses say that the airport’s two striker firefighting vehicles were on the scene of the fire at least by noon and that by that time the Airport firefighters, dressed in full firefighting attire were standing alongside CDPS personnel to fight the fire.

Chuuk does not have its own fire truck.

“There was excellent inter-agency cooperation and support to CDPS during this incident including the Department of Public Works, Pacific International Incorporated, Chuuk Power and Utilities Corporation, FSM PetroCorp and local businesses,” the CDPS spokesperson said.

May 9, 2012
Pohnpei, FSM—Chuuk police have arrested their former boss, Jimmy Emilio, and Damian John, a fellow officer, on charges that they threatened and beat Theresa Price, a tourist, while she was in police custody last year.

Police arrested the two men late on the afternoon on Friday, April 27 based on a warrant issued by Associate Justice Miday O. Aisek on Monday, April 23.

According to a press release from the Chuuk Department of Public Safety CDPS also suspended Detective Damian John.

Chuuk’s Attorney General filed its case (097-2012) against Emilio and John on April 19 after a lengthy investigation by Chuuk’s Department of Public Safety (CDPS) and after a further investigation by the AG’s office.  Their case accuses Emilio and John of two counts of “Misconduct in Office”, one count of “Threats”, one count of “Reckless Endangering”, a count of “Assault and Battery”, and a count of “Assault with a Dangerous Weapon”.

In their court filing State prosecutors say that on the evening of March 18, 2011, Emilio and John, accompanied by other unnamed police officers responded to a complaint by Theresa Price. Sometime during the interview Emilio ordered her arrest and she was cuffed and forcibly placed in the back of the cab of a police truck.

The filing alleges that after their arrival at the police station Price, who was still handcuffed, was placed into a locked room alone with the two defendants who then beat her while she was she incapable of escaping or defending herself.

It alleges that during that beating Emilio and John hit her with a police baton or other blunt object, punched her, removed her shoes and stomped on her toes with their boots and threw her against a cement floor, and against a cement wall, and choked her.

It alleges that during the beating the two threatened to kill her and made other threats.

The prosecutors accuse the two of then taking her to another room where they continued to beat her and to verbally threaten her.

The counts against them carry a combine total maximum jail term of eight and a half years, or a total maximum fine of $7450, or both jail and fines.

Every charged defendant has the right to have an initial appearance in court within 24 hours. Late on the afternoon of Saturday, April 28 Emilio and John appeared at the Chuuk Supreme Court in front of Associate Justice Repeat Samuel.  Samuel pronounced in open court that he would be handling only the initial appearance because of conflicts of interest due to the fact that he is related to both of the defendants.

The initial appearance was not an arraignment.  Neither defendant has yet been offered an opportunity to declare their guilt or innocence on any of the charges in an arraignment hearing.

The case has been assigned to Associate Justice Aisek and the defendants have been instructed to see the presiding justice for the scheduling of arraignment and other proceedings.

During the initial hearing Samuel signed an order for release from custody with conditions for both defendants.  Under that order Emilio and John were released on their own recognizance.  They must remain in Chuuk State and obey all of the laws wherever they reside in the State.  They are not allowed to approach the victim, or Government witnesses except through counsel.  They were required to surrender their travel documents and were ordered not to apply for an FSM passport.  They may not consume any alcohol or drugs.  They cannot possess any dangerous weapons.

If they violate any of the terms of their release they can be returned to custody.

In a press release dated today CDPS Director Kerson Rizal said, “This is a major step foreward in this investigation and of course it is now a matter for the Court to determine and I will not go into the facts of the case.  However, I am prepared to say that these arrests demonstrate that we in the DPS are determined to ensure that our community and our Government can be assured that we are committed to the highest standards of integrity with the Police.  We will investigate our own where there are allegations of wrongdoing.”

A friend in need is a friend indeed. This widely quoted but truthful proverb was most manifestly embodied by the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami last year. We will never forget the compassionate encouragement and assistance from the people of the Federated States of Micronesia and other PICs at the time of the unprecedented national crisis. Here again, on behalf of the people of Japan, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to everyone concerned.

On the 25th and 26th of this month, I am hosting the sixth Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM6), a triennial summit between Japan and PICs since 1997. It will take place in Okinawa, an island prefecture in southern Japan, which shares unique but similar characteristics with PICs. In PALM6, we will discuss five major issues for our further cooperation: response to natural disasters, environment and climate change, sustainable development based upon human security, people-to-people exchanges, and maritime issues. I look forward to having frank discussions with His Excellency President Mori and other PIC leaders. These issues are of vital importance to the well being of the people of our region and are areas where Japan and PICs can jointly contribute to the international community. I am determined to work with the PIC leaders to make this summit a true success.

Japan, as a development partner on an equal footing, has been working together with PICs in their nation building. We cannot deny that Japan is still faced with enormous challenges including reconstruction from the disaster. I intend to declare at PALM6, however, that we will never let this fact undermine our commitment to the region. Hardship at home should not be an excuse for drawing back from the engagement in the region. Rather, hardship taught us the importance of “kizuna,” or the bond of friendship. The kizuna between Japan and PICs is deeply rooted in the fact that we share the same Pacific Ocean and the common spirits of islanders nurtured by this great Ocean. Your heartfelt support during our national crisis gave us the conviction that we should carry on.

This “kizuna” of course extends to Fiji, too. Fiji’s ongoing process to build a firmly based democracy is of great importance to the stability and prosperity of the region. Japan’s message is clear and consistent. We are friends of the Fijian people as we are of other PICs. We hope that Fiji will continue to take concrete actions towards free and fair elections no later than 2014 and, to this end, we intend to maintain close dialogue with the Fiji Government. We look forward to further positive developments.

It is “kizuna” that binds us all together in the Pacific and motivates us to keep on working hand in hand towards the future. I sincerely hope that Japan and PICs, based upon long-lasting friendship and cooperation, will continue to act together to achieve peaceful and prosperous future of the Pacific.

Yoshihiko Noda
Prime Minister of Japan