Caledonians
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Accept Paris
Proposals
A swing in power within the auto-! nomist ranks of the New Caledonian Territorial Assembly has resulted in the approval of Paris proposals over slight changes in the political statutes, relating especially to the ] Governor’s Advisory Council (Con seil de Gouvernement). The changes ! still leave executive control in the hands of the Governor, a public ser vant appointed by Paris.
The Paris project was voted by ] 18 out of the 35 members of the Territorial Assembly, after the autonomists walked out when they saw none of their amendments was being approved. The new shift in power in the assembly came about when certain former followers of Yann Celene Uregei, having broken away from the Union Multiraciale to join the Union Progressiste Multi raciale, voted with the so-called Anti- Autonomists.
Members of Uregei’s Multiraciale party were, of course, elected on an autonomist platform and after break ing off from the Paris talks earlier this year, Uregei who lost the Assem bly presidency, has since called for the independence of New Caledonia.
In the meantime, the breakaway pro administration group of Progressive Multiraciale has made a press state ment explaining that inevitably the island must have autonomy, since history cannot turn backwards. But, in the meantime, they think it better to accept whatever Paris offers rather than to rudely break off the dialogue and demand too much at once.
But although the Paris political proposals were approved by one vote in the Assembly, two strongly-worded protests were voiced by Melanesian autonomist leaders. In a call for ‘Kanaka Independence’, immediate past-president of the Assembly, Mr Uregei, denounced colonialist ex ploitation and concluded “We say ‘no’ to the French Government and to France, ‘yes’ to Canaque indepen dence and long live a free New Cale donia”.
New Caledonia’s Deputy to the Paris National Assembly, Roch Pidjot, claimed that after many weary years of discussion with Paris, “the talks have not advanced” and warned of the “grave consequences for the future”. He vowed the Caledonian Opposition parties would not take any part in “this pretence at demo cratic consultation”.