Two Political

Parties Banned

In Tahiti

A decree signed by President de Gaulle outlawed two political

parties in French Polynesia early

in November. The two parties are the Rassemblement Demo

cratiques des Populations

Tahitiennes (RDPT) and the Pupu Tiama Maohi headed by Mr. Jean-Baptiste Ceran-Jerusa

lemy.

THE RDPT, which is usually de scribed as Leftist, had 14 seats in the 30-member Territorial As sembly and the other party had one.

The banning of the two parties followed the circulation in Tahiti of petitions protesting against the “in vasion” of the island by French troops who will prepare the way for nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll, some 750 miles away.

When the Territorial Assembly met on November 15, Mr. Ceran- Jerusalemy attempted to get the As sembly to discuss the ban on the two political parties, but this move was defeated by an overwhelming majority.

The general feeling was that the Assembly was not competent to dis cuss the matter.

President de Gaulle’s decree ban ning the two parties was made under a law of January 10, 1936, which stipulates that “all associations or groups whose aim is to assault the integrity of the national territory shall be dissolved by decree.”

The law also forbids such associa tions or groups to reconstitute them selves, either directly or indirectly, by for example, changing their names.

The RDPT (meaning Democratic Rally of the Tahitian People) was founded in 1947 by Pouvanaa a Oopa, who was banished from French Polynesia in 1959 for his anti-French activities.

The RDPT, which was anti-cap italist and anti-colonialist, campaigned for the independence of French Polynesia before the de Gaulle referendum of September, 1958, which gave French colonies through out the world the chance to obtain independence simply by voting for it.

In this referendum, 36 per cent, of the people of French Polynesia voted for independence—a result

which was greeted by Pouvanaa and his followers with riots and attempted arson.

After a long delay, Pouvanaa was tried and sentenced to eight years’ de tention and 15 years’ banishment from French Polynesia, and was de ported to France late in 1959.

Since then, political affairs in Tahiti have generally been quiet, and almost nothing has been heard of the independence movement.

When members of the Territorial Assembly were asked earlier this year to affirm their desire to see French Polynesia remain an integral part of France, all 15 members of the RDPT and the other banned party voted in favour of the resolution.

Despite the ban on the two parties, the members in the Territorial As sembly have retained their seats, Lenormand Banned In Noumea in November it was announced that Governor Grimald of Tahiti had signed an order forbid ding Mr. Maurice Lenormand, New Caledonia’s Deputy, to land in or pass through French Polynesia. No reason was given.

Mr. Lenormand, who frequently passes through Tahiti en route to France on parliamentary business, protested against the action to the president of the Chamber of Deputies in Paris. The New Caledonia Assembly also wired the Territorial Assembly in Papeete to join with New Caledonia in protest.