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History and Government
History: The Polynesian inhabitants of the Samoan islands had been in residence for some 2000 years before the first European colonialists became interested. After missionaries had converted many of the islanders to Christianity in the 1830s, it was the Germans and Americans who vied to take control. Ultimately, the island group was divided between the two. Contemporary Samoa comprises those islands colonised by the Germans, who formally declared a protectorate over them in 1899. During World War I, the Germans were driven out by New Zealand, which later acquired a United Nations mandate to administer the territory. Measures towards local autonomy were introduced in the 1950s, before Samoa acquired independence in 1962 (as Western Samoa, under which name it was known until 1997) – the first Pacific island state to do so. The period of rule from Auckland, typified by racism, neglect and casual brutality on the part of the New Zealanders, carries bitter memories for the Samoans. In June 2002, New Zealand premier Helen Clark formally apologised to the Samoan people for their maltreatment during that period.
Political parties in the normal sense did not feature in Samoan politics until the late 1970s when a group of Fono (national assembly) members in opposition to the Government created the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP). Three years after its creation, the party won the 1982 general election. Its sole rival, the Christian Democratic Party, was formed in 1985 but the Human Rights Protection Party formed the next government both then and in 1988. Despite the best efforts of the traditionalists – among them the head of the influential Catholic Church, Cardinal Pio Taofinuu – party politics appear to have taken a firm hold. At the elections of April 1991, universal suffrage was introduced for the first time, and the electorate responded with a 90 per cent turnout.
The Human Rights Protection Party was again returned to office under the leadership of Tofilau Eti Alesana. Two new Fono seats created in early 1992 were both won by the HRPP. At the general election of 26 April 1996, the HRPP retained its dominant position and Tofilau Eti was duly re-elected Prime Minister. However, this has not been a popular government: its autocratic style, intolerance of dissent, poor economic record and the perceived lack of accountability of its members, has produced frequent outbursts of civil protest. The Prime Minister came under increasing pressure to resign and eventually did so in 1998, to be replaced by Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. The new government has done little to mend its ways and has since imposed significant restrictions on media freedom. The HRPP was expected to lose office at the ensuing election in March 2001, but managed to hang on to power with Malielegaoi leading a minority HRPP faction supported by independent members of the Fono.
Government: Samoa has a 49-member legislative assembly (the Fono) which is elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term. 47 members are elected from the ranks of the 16,000 Matai (titleholders); the other two seats are reserved for non-Samoan candidates. The Fono appoints the head of state for a five-year term. Executive power rests with the cabinet, comprising the Prime Minister and eight other ministers, appointed by the head of state with the approval of the Fono.
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