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Text File | 1994-05-02 | 6.5 KB | 141 lines

<text> <title> Nauru: History </title> <article> <hdr> Background Notes: Nauru History </hdr> <body> Little is known of Nauru's early history. The origin of the inhabitants and the circumstances of their coming are unknown, but they are believed to be castaways who drifted there from some other island. The island was discovered in 1798 by John Fearn, captain of the British whaling ship "Hunter," on a voyage from New Zealand to the China Seas. He noted that the attractive island was "extremely populous," with many houses, and named it Pleasant Island. The isolated island remained free of European contact for much longer than other Pacific islands. During the 19th century, however, European traders and beachcombers established themselves there. The Europeans were useful to the Nauruans as intermediaries with visiting ships; however, the Europeans obtained firearms and alcohol for the islanders, exacerbating intertribal warfare. Pleasant Island came under German control in 1881 under an Anglo-German Convention and reverted to its native name, Nauru. By 1881, when the Germans first sent an administrator to the island, continual warring between the 12 tribes had reduced the population from about 1,400 in 1842 to little more than 900. Alcohol was banned and arms and ammunition confiscated in an effort to restore order. With the arrival in 1899 of the first missionaries, Christianity and Western education were introduced. The translation of the Bible into Nauruan standardized the language. When World War I broke out in 1914, German authorities surrendered Nauru to an Australian expeditions force that landed on the island, and in 1919 Germany formally renounced its title to it. A League of Nations mandate was granted to Australia, Britain, and New Zealand, and Nauru was thereafter administered by Australia on behalf of the three governments. The island's rich deposits of high-grade phosphates had been discovered during the German administration, and a British company, the Pacific Phosphate Company, mined the deposits under license from Nauruan landowners. After the establishment of the mandate, the three governments purchased the company's interests and appointed a phosphate commissioner for each government to run the industry. In 1940, during World War II, German raiders sank British phosphate ships waiting off the island and shelled the phosphate installations. Less than a year later, the Japanese bombed Nauru and landed there in August 1942. In 1943, the Japanese restored the phosphate works and built an airstrip. Later that year, 1,200 of the 1,800 Nauruans were deported to Truk Island in the Carolines to build an airstrip. Only 737 Nauruans survived the brutal treatment by the Japanese on Truk and returned to Nauru on January 31, 1946--among them Hammer DeRoburt, current president of Nauru. Those who had stayed behind on Nauru also suffered privations, aggravated by food shortages that became even more acute when Japanese supply ships were sunk in 1944. After the war, Australia restored the Nauruan settlements, and phosphate mining resumed. On November 1, 1947, the United Nations made Nauru a trust territory of Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain, again under Australian administration. The political advancement of the Nauruans began in December 1951 when the Council of Chiefs, a largely hereditary body with no powers, was replaced by the Nauru Local Government Council (NLGC]. The council's formation and the emergence of strong leaders, particularly Timothy Detudamo and Hammer DeRoburt, accelerated the Nauruans' desire to control their own affairs. They began to press their claim for independence and ownership of the phosphate industry. Throughout the 1960s, the Nauruans were given an increasing share in the island's administration. In 1966, the Legislative and Executive Councils were established, and a large measure of internal self-government was granted. In the following year, agreement was reached that Nauru should become an independent republic, and on January 31, 1988, the trusteeship agreement was terminated and independence was celebrated. The date chosen for the inauguration was the 22nd anniversary of the return from Truk of the islanders deported by the Japanese. Independence negotiations included an agreement for the sale of the assets of the British Phosphate Company at $21 million over 3 years. In July 1970, the Nauru Phosphate Corporation took full control of the phosphate operations. Current Political Conditions Soon after independence, Hammer DeRoburt was elected the first president. He was reelected in May 1971 and December 1973. In December 1976, Bernard Dowiyogo was chosen president. Eleven months later on October 7, 1977, he dissolved Parliament to seek a mandate for his government because former President DeRoburt had refused to accept the 1976 election as constitutional. Although he received the mandate, his period of control was limited, and in April 1978, he resigned under pressure from DeRoburt's supporters. Dowiyogo's successor, Lagumot Harris, remained in office only 2 weeks before resigning. In the election following Harris' resignation, DeRoburt again became president and was reelected in December 1980 and December 1983. In September 1986, DeRoburt was defeated on an important bill in Parliament and resigned the presidency. Prominent opposition parliamentarian Kennan Adeang then became president, but 14 days later was replaced by DeRoburt. Elections held in December 1986 resulted in government and opposition forces tied nine to nine in Parliament. During several weeks of political manuevering, Adeang became president for 8 days before an impasse forced another election in January 1987. Although Parliament was again deadlocked, DeRoburt put together a 10-8 majority and was reelected president. All transfers of power have been peaceful and in accordance with the constitution. In February 1987, Adeang announced the formation of the opposition "Democratic Party." Traditionally, politics in Nauru have not been based on organized political parties, but rather on friendship, family ties, and business interests. Persons with diverse points of view run for and are elected to Parliament and the NLGC. Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, June 1988. </body> </article> </text>