Caledonia On Guinea Pigs' Side

The first official New Caledonum protest over French nuclear tests in the Pacific came out of Noumea in mid-June, when the local territorial Assembly passed a motion opposing the tests and thanking the Australian and New Zealand trade unions for sparing J\ew Caledonia during the boycott °* french' enterprises.

Ihe Caledoman territorial councillors expressed their “deep sympathy and solidarity towards the peoples subjected to the effects °iij* nuclear t( : sts ”‘ They also called for a meeting of ‘‘representatives of all Pacific countries, with a view to prohibiting all future atmospheric or underground testing r ! n the Fac fi c ”' I he text of the motion says that the assembly thanks the

Australian and New Zealand trade unions for their understanding of the position of our people and for having consequently spared New Caledonia from the boycott”.

The motion was presented by the largest group in the Assembly, the autonomist Union Caledonienne, led by deputy Roch Pidjot, Maurice Lenormand and Paul Griscelli. Voting was carried by 18 to 15 with the Union Multiraciale and Alain Bernut’s MPC group supporting the motion.

Voting against were Roger Laroque’s EDS, George Chatenay’s UD and Jean Deques ’ MLC, with two members absent.

The assembly pointed out that the “Mururoa nuclear tests have affected friendly relations between

France and South Pacific countries, and have upset the good relations between New Cale donia and its neighbours in the Pacific, especially Australia and New Zealand”. The Caledonians noted the harmful effects of radio active fallout on the environment and claimed that French Poly nesian islanders near to Mururoa were being treated like “human guinea pigs” and “enemies of France”.

The assembly motion also claimed that thermo-nuclear bombs are only arms of dissuasion and would not be able to guarantee France’s survival in an atomic war. Moreover, only 36 per cent of Frenchmen are in favour of nuclear tests, the Caledonians stated.