Gov to attend UN Decolonization Committee meeting after all
By Samoa News Staff reporters@samoanews.com

 Font | Size: 

Since announcing early this week that he will not attend the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization Pacific Seminar in Noumea, New Caledonia on May 18, Gov. Togiola Tulafono has been contacted by the UN Committee requesting his attendance with a formal invitation so that the Committee may hear the views of American Samoa as a Non-Self-Governing territory and its relationship with the United States.

Togiola has gladly accepted the invitation and will travel to Noumea on Sunday, May 16, the governor’s office said in a statement.

“I am very honored and grateful that the UN Committee has contacted me directly and extended the invitation to attend this very important meeting,” said Togiola. “I look forward to expressing the views of American Samoa as a territory of the United States.”

The Pacific Seminar is set for May 18 (May 17 local time) to May 20th. Togiola will be traveling to New Caledonia with Chief Legal Counsel Toetasi Fue Tuiteleleapaga. They will return to the Territory on Friday, May 21.

Togiola said on Wednesday that he had informed Donatus Keith St. Aimee, Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of the Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples that he was unable to attend due to the delay in arrival of the formal invitation.

The Governor’s invitation to attend the Decolonization meeting in Noumea, was send to the U.S. State Department in Washington DC on April 8, 2010 and received locally last Friday, May 7, while the deadline to register was April 23.

At the time, the Governor said, “this is a terrible tragedy and I think it highlights the dilemma we face as dependent territories. I am sorry that we are unable to provide important insight that your committee may need for your deliberations."

Togiola said earlier in the week, Monday, that with the Territory preparing for the Constitutional Convention next month, he was looking forward to participating in the seminar, if American Samoa was formally invited.

This year marks the end of the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism as well as the 50th Anniversary of the General Assembly Declaration of the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and People, said the UN in an earlier news release.

A key objective of the Seminar is thus to reflect on these events and to help the Special Committee assess progress made in the decolonization process in today’s world, with a particular emphasis on the Pacific region, it says.
Advertisement
Comments to this story (11)
taito  wrote:
16 May 2010 10:09 AM
A very important meeting. Wow, I wonder how it will pan out. New Caledonia is in the process of becoming independent hopefully by 2014. Most of the Pacific Region are independent with the exception of the French Polynesians, Rapanui and few others, including Am. Samoa. I don't know how we will justify being a US territory at a conference of decolonization. Anyhow, ia faamanuia le Atua i le Kovana ae maise i latou uma o le faimalaga atu i lena faamoemoe. This type of conference will honestly challenge the Governor. Choose words wisely!
Unstable man  wrote:
16 May 2010 07:05 AM
He cancelled and now he attends-- what you have is an unstable man at the front. He announces to the whole damn world, like a kid, he had no invitation. Then he 180 degree around and tells them he is "honored"? This is crazy-- no wodner we have nothing, for the guy running the place is a crazy dude alright.
Time to Focus  wrote:
16 May 2010 03:47 AM
There is nothing to stop the governor from inviting Fono leaders to join him in Noumea but given the crisis of the StarKist announcement, I wonder if anyone should be traveling anywhere right now unless it is the governor and Fono going to DC to try to rescue Eni's failed attempts to get federal help.
Taualaga a Solomona  wrote:
16 May 2010 01:49 AM
This meeting reminds me of a debate I had with a friend on our relationship with the US. His point was why do we need to change our relationship with the US? Everything is fine and why disturb the cow that is providing us with milk? My arguement was Uso a single cow wont do it we need a herd to meet our never ending and ever growing desire for that white liquid called susu. Don't tread on me susu fuafua. Ia manuia le folauga.
soia  wrote:
15 May 2010 09:15 PM
What will he say? I am curious because I dont know what will happen with this constitutional convention. What options do the majority of the people want and what options do these UN Committee suggest we should have? Will the Gov. be sucked in to the UN's demand or will he speak for us? Should the Gov ask Mr. Donatus to wait til after our Con. Con so he can get a comprehensive idea of what the locals want? What can our Con Con do to satisfy the needs of the majority, and at the same time satisfy this UN Committee?
Anonymous  wrote:
15 May 2010 07:24 PM
i don`t know when we became colonized by the u.s,i always thought that this is a territory of the u.s which means that our forefathers had a meeting with the u.s and agreed to a certaing conditions and that is what i thought happended.
WHAT ARE YOU UP TOO ?  wrote:
15 May 2010 06:40 PM
We have no reason whatsoever to be at this meeting at all to start with; cause I sworn, last I checked--we are under the Federal Gov: of the United States !!! And let's stay there. Mr. Governor, if you want Independence ???? then move to Western Samoa--PLEASE !!! We like all the free-education, etc, and thank America for it !!!
Samoan Student in Hilo  wrote:
15 May 2010 02:03 PM
More like Mr. Governor is anxious to attend this event to share his feelings about our relationship with the US and not the views of the American Samoa people.
Colony Member  wrote:
15 May 2010 01:42 PM
BUT, will he give YOUR opinion of the relationship of this colony? Who really runs this colony, and where does the money it take to run this place come from. He should tell what he has done to improve the economy here and what we will see when the auditors find where the money goes here. What real progress has not happend in AS since the deed was signed. Tell it is self? governed. Look up the word self--that means by ONE self- the local King with the power. What would the PEOPLE tell them? The two lawyers are your "mouthpieces"- will we see it and hear it, or will it be "behand closed doors"
toeaina  wrote:
15 May 2010 09:45 AM
I am glad the UN Comos finally got the cork off their posteriors and do the most reasonable thing - formally inviting our governor to attend their deliberations on our status-relationship with the US notwithstanding -. Reps. from the Fono should have been invited too, whether they comprehend what goes on on the international level or not, they should have been extended an invitation by our governor.
Did someone say free vacation?!  wrote:
15 May 2010 07:49 AM
You know Togiola can't pass up a free vacation. He is so embarassing.