Baron Divavesi Waqa is a Nauru

Nauru

Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...

an politician.

Policial role

He was elected in the May 2003 elections to the Parliament of Nauru

Parliament of Nauru

The Parliament of Nauru has 18 members, elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies. The President of Nauru is elected by the members of the Parliament.The members of the Parliament of Nauru are elected by a positional voting system....

, representing the constituency of Boe. Under president Ludwig Scotty

Ludwig Scotty

Ludwig Derangadage Scotty is a two-time former President of the Republic of Nauru. He served as President from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003, then from 22 June 2004 to his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007....

 he served as Minister of the Interior and of Education; he had, however, to leave the post upon Scotty's replacement by René Harris

René Harris

René Reynaldo Harris was President of the Republic of Nauru four times between 1999 and 2004. He was a Member of Parliament from 1977 to 2008.-Background and early career:...

. He kept his seat in Parliament.

On April 23, 2004, Waqa and his colleagues Kieren Keke

Kieren Keke

Kieren Aedogan Ankwong Keke is a Nauruan politician and medical doctor. He is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has previously been speaker of the Nauruan Parliament.-Background:...

, David Adeang

David Adeang

David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, and a former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and a former Foreign Minister of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo , currently the only successful political party on the island.-Background and Early career:David Adeang's father is Kennan...

 and Fabian Ribauw

Fabian Ribauw

Fabian Dominic Ribauw is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru.-Background and political role:Ribauw studied in Australia and earned a BA in Economics from La Trobe University, Melbourne....

 participated in protests at the Nauru International Airport

Nauru International Airport

Nauru International Airport is the sole airport on the island of the Republic of Nauru. The airport's former ICAO code was ANAU.- Location, designation and future :...

 in Yaren

Yaren

Yaren, in earlier times Makwa/Moqua, is a district and constituency of the Pacific nation of Nauru. It is the de facto capital of Nauru.Yaren is located in the south of the island . Its area is 1.5 km², and its population was 1,100 in 2003...

; these were meant to show displeasure regarding government policy against Afghan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 asylum

Right of asylum

Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...

-seekers in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and the Flotilla of Hope

Flotilla of Hope

The Flotilla of Hope was a voyage by yacht carried out in 2004 by protesters critical of the Australian government's asylum policy. The boats sailed to Nauru, a Pacific island nation which is host to Australia's offshore immigrant detention center...

, as well as against the deadlock then encountered in Parliament. All four faced up to fourteen years in jail because of their participation in the protest; charges were dropped, however, upon Scotty's re-ascension the following June. Scotty once again appointed Waqa to be Minister of Education.

Waqa remained loyal to his Administration during the ministerial crisis which occurred in 2007. Consequently, Waqa was not invited to serve in the subsequent Administration of President Marcus Stephen

Marcus Stephen

Marcus Stephen was President of the Republic of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. In addition to the presidency, he held the offices of Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, Minister for Police, Prisons, & Emergency Services, and Minister for Public...

which later took office.