Demand Repatriation
p. 55 · Read in the full issue
The Vietnamese
New Caledonians Demand Repatriation
THE campaign against the Vietnamese in New Caledonia continues although the Govern ment saw to it that no incidents involving these Asians, occurred on December 19. (This date is the anniversary of the massacre of the French, men, women and children, that took place in Hanoi 10 years ago).
Reasons for anti-Vietnamese feeling are both economic and patriotic. It is pointed out with some asperity that although there were 97 of them holding shop keepers’ licences in 1947, these have now increased to 391. The fact that some of the children topped examination lists in the 1956 tests is also taken amiss.
The French volunteers who fought in Indo-China find the presence of the Vietnamese in New Caledonia “intolerable.” They have given the Government three months in which to draw up some plan of repatriation.
The Government is trying to hold the balance of power, as it has the unenviable job oi removing these 5,000 Asians who are not wanted anywhere, not even in Indo-China.