Radio New Zealand correspondent call Tonga's independent members of parliament traitors

Radio NZ correspondent in Tonga, Mateni, wrote in an editorial on 24 December 2010 on page 8 in the Kele'a, the newspaper that he edits, about "these few representatives who betrayed the people." Huge betrayal by Sunia Fili and Fe'ao Vakata" [two of the five independent MPs in the new government] is the headline of Mateni's editorial on 29 December 2010. On page 32 there were two letters to the editor on the same theme under the following headings "We have been betrayed by Fe'ao Vakata" and "Fe'ao Vakata and Sunia Fili are two Judases." In the Kele'a on 5 January 2010, it is "betrayal" "betrayal" "betrayal" in all three letters to the editor. In an article by an anonymous author on page 27, "the five independents...are the Judas of this election." Before the formation of the new government Mateni wrote in the Kele'a on 15 December 2010 of the independent MPs, "if they betray change, all the struggle, sweat and blood that has flowed since the start of this crusade...will be placed on these representatives' heads." Incredibly in the very next sentence he denied that this is a threat. Well done Radio New Zealand!!!

Tonga's human rights organization call independent members of parliament Hispanics

The Friendly Islands Human Rights and Democracy Movement (FIHRDM) annoyed that independent MPs helped elect a noble as prime minister ran a full-page advertisement in the Kele'a newspaper on 5 January 2011titled "Nobles are smarter in Politics." Initially it labled the independents as "non-independents" and "drifters" in paragraph 1. In paragraph 2 it started with "drifters" then" those dear ones with sleep in their eyes" then it is "like they say in America 'thankfully they have got a miko'." Miko is a term that Tongans in the US use in reference to Hispanics, principally Mexicans; it is probably an abbreviation of amigo. It went on, "clearly the drifters are truly mikos of the nobles; whenever they want cool refreshments then the mikos are summoned; if they want to be comforted, again the mikos are summoned." Miko is mentioned one more time in paragraph 2; three times in paragraph 3, and twice more in paragraph 4; all in the context of being stupid and servile. The FIHRDM is funded from New Zealand by the Christian World Service to promote, believe it or not, human rights in Tonga. The owner of the Kele'a newspaper is Mr. Po'oi Pohiva who is also the director of the FIHRDM.
The office-holders of the FIHRDM are as follows:
Chairman : Rev. Simote Vea [an ordained minister of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga]
Secretary : Mr. 'Akilisi Pohiva [a populist politician]
Director : Mr. Po'oi Pohiva [son of 'Akilisi Pohiva]