Tahiti's Pouvanaa

The Case of the Molotov Cocktails Tahiti's Pouvanaa Still Awaits Trial

Travellers from Tahiti in June

made known the astonishing

ict that steps had just been ta en to bring to trial, before “the Criminal Court of French Poly-

nesia”, the former 64-years-old

French Polynesian Premier and

Deputy, Pouvanaa a Oopa, on charges connected with fire-raising incidents of October 10, 1958.

PIM reported in November, 1958, that following a series of political clashes—a muddled at tempt had been made in the night of October 10 to start fires in business premises: that the Governor had taken certain drastic action; and that Pouvanaa a Oopa and a number of his closest supporters had been arrested, on a series of criminal charges, apparently involving arson and assault.

Since then, there has been no rd about the Deputy or the item of government being fol lowed in Tahiti. It was assumed that the French authorities had let the whole unhappy incident be forgotten and taken no further action.

But now it appears that Pouvanaa Oopa—and presumably his as sociates—has been held as prisoner ir since October 11—over eight months—while high officialdom in French Polynesia has discussed the best way of bringing him to trial.

How Political Hatreds Led To

Terrorism

The discussions and arguments difficult to understand. French , which holds an accused guilty until he proves himself innocent, is different from English law, which s that an accused person is innocent until evidence satisfies a rt that he is guilty.

Delay has occurred because the French-Tahitian authorities insisted that Pouvanaa should have a fair trial; and it was feared that in Tahiti there would be too many per-

sons involved, with pre-conceived

ideas about the case.

The Criminal Court before which Pouvanaa is expected to appear, rtly, will consist of three magis trates (one of whom will preside) ? four jurymen.

We are indebted to M. Jacques ?vais, of Papeete, for the follow-

ing notes on this very remarkable case.

Before the leaders of the RDPT (Rassemblement Democratique Populations Tahiti), Pouvanaa Oopa and his lieutenant, J. B. H.

Ceran-Jerusalemy, got political power through the Loi Cadre elections at the end of 1957, they had developed much influence (apparently anti-European) among the Tahitian people—especially the large illiterate section.

They buttressed their influence by quoting freely from the Bible; and they were helped very much by two Tahitian pastors, formerly trained by a Protestant organisation The credulous native voters were easily persuaded that the two RDPT leaders were "the enjoys of God on earth"; and they did all that they were told to do. The majority were

quite incapable of an independent vote on political subjects, like the introduction of income tax, and an independent republican government.

When Ceran-Jerusalemy, as President of the Assembly, and Pouvanaa a Oopa, as Premier, took charge of the government early in 1958 they introduced these two “reforms”. The Rightist parties rose in revolt against the new Government on April 29 and 30, 1958, and broke up the Assembly. The Gov ernor resumed control of Admin istration.

The majority of the RDPT fol lowers were quite incapable of understanding what it was all about, The vote for or against De Gaulle and the Fifth Republic was taken on September 28, 1958. and the RDPT party worked very hard for

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“No”. The literate and instructed people of French Polynesia were strongly in favour of continued Union with France, and tried to make the issues clear to the RDPT followers.

There were many clashes and ex treme bitterness of feeling. The vote was: For De Gaulle, 16,003; against, 3,920.

The RDPT pointed out that if 3nly 3,500 more had voted “No”, in stead of “Yes”, French Polynesia would have declared against De Gaulle and broken the present Union.

Pouvanaa a Oopa made it clear that he felt that he had been improperly and unjustly treated by the rival parties and the government in the referendum compaign.

Molotov Cocktails

It was then, apparently, that he took the extraordinary course of discussing with his followers a campaign of violence. To what extent he was responsible for the events of the night of October 10, when “Molotov cocktails” were thrown into a few premises causing explosions and fires, is for the Court to determine.

The Police had been warned, but the Police Chief could not be found —he since has been removed from his post in Tahiti.

It was later, when bottles of flaming petrol were thrown at the house of M. Herve (president of the Chamber of Commerce and former Commander of the Pacific Battalion) that the National Gendarmes came into action, alerted the town, and found that the house of Pouvanaa a Oopa was barricaded, with a party of defenders and a collection of arms inside.

"Pouvanaa Is Old . . . Pai!"

In the early morning, the Deputy was arrested and his Parliamentary privileges cancelled by special decree.

The subsequent inquiry, and the compilation of an official file on the affair, have occupied seven months.

Meanwhile, the RDPT party has split. A large section still is loyal

to “ the Old Boss”; but the more influential section has followed

Ceran-Jerusalemy, in dissociating

himself entirely from the activities of Pouvanaa in October.

There have been many changes in the preliminary proceedings, and some charges of malpractice. How ever, the Papeete barrister, M.

Richecoeur, took charge of Pou yanaa’s defence on June 3; and there now are indications that an attempt will be made to have the Criminal Court declared incom petent to handle Pouvanaa’s case, and to have the trial transferred to another Court.

Legal disputations make it all very complicated.

The great majority of Tahiti citizens show no strong prejudice, one way or another. Their attitude can be summed up thus: “Pouvanaa a Oopa is old. He has been in prison for a long time, now.

He is to be pitied. Pai!”