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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000405 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR TN
SUBJECT: TONGA BREAKTHROUGH: TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE AGREES ON 
PLAN FOR SIGNIFICANT DEMOCRATIC REFORM; ISSUES REMAIN 
 
REF: SUVA 349 (AND PREVIOUS) 
 
Classified By: Amb. Dinger.  Sec. 1.4 (b and d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1. (C) A tripartite parliamentary committee tasked to forge a 
compromise deal between government and pro-democracy 
supporters on the political future of Tonga delivered a 
surprisingly strong democratic proposal on Aug. 3. The plan 
proposes 17 popularly elected People's Representatives, 9 
elected nobles, and up to 4 representatives appointed by the 
King, giving People's Reps a numerical majority in Parliament 
for the first time in Tonga's history.  The plan further 
proposes that elected parliamentarians select the Prime 
Minister from among their own ranks, with the PM then 
choosing cabinet members, again from within the elected 
parliament, though the King could add his 4 non-elected 
representatives.  If adopted by Parliament and agreed to by 
the King and Privy Council, the proposal would represent a 
watershed triumph for Tonga's democratic forces.  The King 
could retain significant influence, though reportedly the 
current monarch is inclined to leave day-to-day governing to 
the PM and Parliament.  The tripartite committee couldn't 
agree on several important issues.  Two in particular, the 
date of the first election under the arrangement and 
constituencies and electoral mechanisms for the expanded 
corps of People's Representatives, could yet stall the 
process.  PM Sevele wants the next election, due in January 
2008, to be postponed to 2010 or 2011.  The pro-democracy 
camp still wants the 2008 election on time.  As yet 
unsubstantiated reports claim the King favors an early poll, 
which, if true, could tip the scale in favor of democracy 
sooner rather than later.  Still, the nuts and bolts details 
of new People's Reps seats will trigger political-survival 
instincts and could take a good while to negotiate.  End 
summary. 
 
Details of the Proposal 
----------------------- 
 
2 (U) According to a summary posted on the Prime Minister's 
website, as well as information from contacts within the 
pro-democracy movement, the tripartite committee made the 
following proposals: 
 
-- the size and composition of the Parliament will change 
from a maximum of 34 members (of which nine are elected by 
Tonga's 33 nobles from their number, nine are elected by 
universal suffrage by Tonga's non-noble citizens, and up to 
16 Cabinet members are appointed by the king on the advice of 
the Prime Minister) to a maximum of 30 (consisting of 17 
elected "People's Representatives," nine nobles, and up to 
four members selected by the King); 
 
-- the Prime Minister, currently appointed by the King, will 
instead by chosen by the 26 elected MPs from among their own 
ranks; 
 
-- the Ministers of the Cabinet, who are currently chosen by 
the King (relying on advice from various quarters, including 
from the Prime Minister) and drawn with only a few historical 
exceptions from outside the Parliament, will now to be 
formally proposed by the Prime Minister for the King's 
approval, and drawn from the MPs; 
 
-- the term of the Parliament will be extended from the 
current three years to not less than four years and not more 
than five; 
 
-- the current People's Rep electoral system, with just five, 
island-based electoral districts, will be changed to an 
electoral-constituency system with an expanded number of 
districts; and 
 
-- further research, consultations and deliberations, 
including with outside experts, will be pursued to determine 
the final details of the changes to the electoral system. 
 
and the Devil in the Details 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The final two points have immediately raised concerns 
within the pro-democracy movement which suspects the 
 
SUVA 00000405  002 OF 003 
 
 
Government has proposed changing electoral procedures in an 
attempt to delay an early election under the new system. 
Under current arrangements, the distribution of People's Reps 
by islands bears little relationship to relative populations. 
 Voters on the main island of Tongatapu, where about 70 
percent of the population lives, elect only three of the nine 
People's Representatives, whereas the sparsely populated 
outer island groups elect the remaining six.  A candidate can 
run for a seat from any one island, regardless of residency. 
Each person on an island casts votes for all available seats. 
 Thus, a voter on Tongatapu currently casts three votes. 
According to our contacts, the Government favors more 
electoral constituencies, with something like equal numbers 
of voters in each, and a residency requirement for 
candidates, though details are still unknown. 
 
¶4. (C) A contact close to the pro-democracy movement claims 
the Government proposals to change the current system had not 
previously been raised and "are not apparently based upon the 
recommendations of any independent assessment of the current 
system."  That system has worked well, he said, and, in the 
view of the People's Reps, will continue to do so.  He said 
the traditional "over-representation" of the smaller, outer 
island constituencies is a politically sensitive issue that 
would augur against a purely numbers-driven approach to 
creating new electoral districts. 
 
¶5. (C) On timing of the next election, PM Sevele had made 
clear his strong preference for postponing the next election 
until 2010 or even 2011, wanting to allow a lengthy cooling 
off period from last November's riot.  Under the 
Constitution, though, the election must take place by early 
¶2008.  The People's Reps have said publicly they want the 
2008 elections to go ahead as scheduled, using the new 17-9-4 
formula and other aspects of the Committee's proposal. 
Privately they have told us they may be willing to negotiate 
the date, but 2010 is simply too much of a delay.  Rumors 
have begun circulating that the Government's effort to delay 
the election is a ploy to ensure the current leadership can 
control the implementation of a recently agreed Chinese loan 
to rebuild the capital, damaged in the riot.  Pro-democracy 
contacts believe PM Sevele and others realize they are 
unlikely to be reelected (under either the current or the 
reform system) and they want time to secure benefits before 
departing. 
 
His Majesty a Closet Democrat? 
------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (C) A key pro-democracy contact has reported to us that, 
in the wake of the tripartite committee's announcement, the 
King expressed pleasure at the compromise and a preference to 
maintain the 2008 election date, with the new provisions in 
place.  The source reports the King firmly rebuffed a Sevele 
proposal to insist that the monarch retain the prerogative to 
name the Prime Minister.  The contact said that the People's 
Reps have informed the King that, if elections go forward in 
2008 under the new scheme, he will have "the full support of 
the people." 
 
¶7. (C) The King has reportedly shown himself ready to turn 
over another new political leaf as well.  In an e-mail shared 
with us, the New Zealand attorney defending several of the 
People's Reps in sedition and "riotous assembly" cases 
arising from the November riot claims he has received a 
tentatively positive response from the King for the idea of a 
"national amnesty" regarding the riot.  According to the 
attorney's sources, the King reportedly only sought details 
about how an amnesty might affect pending insurance 
settlements, which insurers reportedly have stalled hoping 
convictions on sedition charges would permit triggering 
escape clauses. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8. (C) In light of the stony silence that had prevailed 
between the Government and People's Reps in the months 
following the riot, the swiftness and liberal nature of the 
Committee's recommendations come as a welcome surprise to 
all, except perhaps PM Sevele, who has repeatedly attempted 
to slow the pace.  Sevele has articulated a concern that 
Tongan conservatives remain influential and might rebel if 
pushed too fast.  Certainly, though, another factor in the 
 
SUVA 00000405  003 OF 003 
 
 
PM's thinking could be political survival for as long as 
possible.  The unresolved electoral details will be thorny. 
Those details will determine various individuals' political 
futures, including the futures of each current People's Rep 
and the PM.  Still, we sense that at least the People's Reps 
realize the current opportunity to transform Tonga politics 
must be seized.  While we cannot be certain of the King's 
views, our contacts in the pro-democracy camp believe he has 
signaled he is ready to let this historic power shift take 
place.  An open question is whether the very conservative 
Crown Prince, the King's younger brother, is on board; but 
democratic reform is likely to be very difficult to contain 
once well under way.  And the prospects for such reform in 
Tonga have never looked brighter, even with the remaining 
devilish details to be resolved. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DINGER