Tahiti Independence

Movement “As Dead As A Doornail"

The movement for indepen dence in Tahiti, which erupted in violence in 1958 and resulted in the banishment of Leftist leader Pouvanaa a Oopa, is now “as dead as a doornail”, according to

a Papeete correspondent.

THE correspondent was commenting on a recent article in Parisian newpapers, reprinted in the Noumea Press, stating that a Tahitian political party headed by the Senator-Mayor of Papeete, Mr. Alfred Poroi, had asked for independence for Tahiti.

The article said it was probably for this reason that the French Minis ter for Overseas Territories, Mr.

Louis Jacquinot, who recently toured French Polynesia, had invited the President of Tahiti’s Territorial As sembly and four of its members to Paris.

The correspondent said the style of the article seemed to indicate that it was the work of a French journalist who had been expelled from Tahiti for his attacks “on almost everyone in the islands, including Alfred Poroi, the Governor, the Bambridges, and many others.”

“The whole thing would just be a joke if it weren’t that some people are taken in by him,” the correspon dent went on.

“Back in 1958, there was an in dependence movement sponsored by the RDPT, the party of Pouvanaa, which is now headed by Jacques Tauraa and Jean Teariki.

“However, today, they and their party are absolutely and completely for integration with France. The leaders have only recently pledged their whole-hearted support for France and her policies.

“The independence movement itself is as dead as a doornail. Nobody even talks about independence for Tahiti any more.

“Alfred Poroi has always been for this basic idea of loyalty to France.

Today, all the leaders of all the parties are 100 per cent, behind France and her plans.

“The reason Louis Jacquinot came here and invited the president of the Territorial Assembly and four of its members to visit France had nothing to do with the independence move ment.

“Jacquinot came here on one of his regular visits. He invited the local officials to France so they could visit Reggane in the Sahara Desert. The reason for this was that he wanted them to witness an atomic test and see the entire installation there to re assure them—and through them the people of French Polynesia—that they would be safe during France’s proposed atomic explosions at Mu ruroa Atoll in the Tuamotus.”

Atomic Test Centre The correspondent said that as far as he had observed, the people of Tahiti had almost completely ac cepted the idea of an atomic test centre at Mururoa.

“They know they must live in the 20th century, and that this is part of the French national defence plans,” he said.

“They believe that this activity will do the islands a great deal of econo mic good, and they are not afraid of any consequences, generally speak

ing.”

EDITORS’ NOTE : Since the fore going was written, Le Journal de Tahiti, a daily Tahiti newspaper, has published pictures of the Tahitian mission at Reggane. The members of the mission were Messrs. Rudy Barn bridge, Ceran Jerusalemy, Coppen rath, Marcel Hart and Tauraa (presi dent of the Territorial Assembly).

It is also reported that 69 members of the French Foreign Legion, under Commander Maestrelli, recently ar rived in Papeete to prepare for the testing centre at Mururoa. The Le gionaires are under canvas at Arue, a district between Papeete and Port Venus, where they will build a per manent transit camp. It was reported earlier ( PIM, Aug. p. 41) that the Territorial Assembly had unani mously opposed the arrival of the Legionaires in Tahiti.

Senator Alfred Poroi.