Promoting democracy in Tonga

The foreign affairs, defence and trade select committee has released its report on its inquiry [PDF] into New Zealand's relationship with Tonga. Most of it is concerned with promoting trade and economic development, but it also addresses the question of Tonga's government. Tonga is a constitutional monarchy, but a grossly undemocratic one. The bulk of its people (the "commoners") have an extremely limited role in their government, and have no chance to either hold it accountable or change it. Political, economic, and social power is held by the King's family and the noble cast, whose behaviour is so self-serving and corrupt that Tonga would be better described as an aristocratic kleptocracy. This situation is increasingly unacceptable to the Tongan people, and obviously to the New Zealand government. The question is how we can promote change without risking tipping things over into a crisis which will result in repression or revolution.

The committee advocates a "softly, softly" approach, stating that they

...consider that the impetus for change must come from within Tonga; it is not New Zealand's role to force change upon Tonga. It is a sovereign country, and changes to meet the aspirations of the Tongan community must be instigated by the Tongan people themselves

Which is fair enough; Iraq shows the dangers of attempting to impose democracy suddenly from the outside, rather than letting it grow naturally. Instead, the committee advocates carefully assisting in that growth, through direct support for the independence of the Tongan judiciary and for its Legislative Assembly. This is good, but the government should also be using international organisations such as the Commonwealth and UN to apply pressure on the Tongan government to listen to its people and engage in further democratic reform. And it should make it clear that future assistance in some areas (such as defence cooperation) is contingent on progress, and will be withdrawn if there is any retreat from the limited democracy they have at present.