The Editor's Mailbag

Politics In The New Hebrides

I refer to the article by Mr David A. Joffick, UCNH’s assistant secret ary on “A rout for nationalists in New Hebrides elections” (PIM, Oct P 39).

As a New Hebridean, I wish to draw Mr Joffick’s attention to a number of points that he has over looked in his haste to once more speak for and about New Hebrideans in the New Hebrides situation.

Expatriate populations are concen trated in the two urban centres of Santo and Vila. Among them, the colonial attitude that the New Hebri dean is of little consequence pre dominates. The Protocol of 1914, which excludes the New Hebridean, is a reality. The bulk of New Heb rideans in town are employees while the bulk of expatriates are employers.

Colonialists, especially French, have never been known to support any in digenous effort to regain their right ful places that have been usurped through colonialism. The boundaries of the Municipal Council electorates were so designed that even if there were a few National Party hopes these were rendered impossible from the outset.

Mr Joffick considers it regrettable that two of the twelve protestant churches in the New Hebrides have adopted a political stance. All Chris tian churches purportedly teach Christianity. Jesus Christ was political.

Christian churches have a Christian duty to make a stand in the country’s politics. Christ made his stand for justice and for the people.

UCNH and MTN finance comes from within the New Hebrides be cause the coalition of the UCNH and MTN parties was a coalition of the controllers of New Hebrides economy.

The crux and the weight of Municipal Council elections is economic.

The entire economy of New Hebri des is controlled from Vila and Santo, controlled by expatriates who con gregate in the urban areas and who are the backbone of the UCNH and MTN coalition. The Administration and the economic sector work hand in hand and many administration deci sions are made with one ear open full valve to the economic sector.

UCNH and MTN have sought pre election information from the French Residency. When a non-New Hebri

dean entered the New Hebrides to have talks with the National Party prior to the elections, he was igno miniously arrested, and expelled, the reason given being that he was a Black Power man.

No one has ever labelled the ex patriates involved in politics in the New Hebrides as White Power men.

Power is neither black nor white.

It is a tool used by men. In New Hebrides power is in the hands of white men and they are doing all they can to keep their hold. The National Party intervened in the deportation proceedings and 20 of them were arrested and later convicted to either pay fines ranging from $2O to $6O or face two-three months imprison ment.

Concerning the popularity of UCNH and MTN membership cards being sold to expatriate and New Hebridean populations throughout the group. Mr Joffick failed to point out that the coalition receives assistance in sea transport from the French Ad ministration in the New Hebrides and France has sent over a private plane for their air transport while National Party can little afford air fares and does not receive free transport from either administration fleet.

In the election campaign, coalition money and money-power worked more than anything else. There were many subtle forms of bribery includ ing threats that if workers did not vote for the coalition they would lose their jobs. Even government per sonnel went around saying that if people vote for National Party they are voting for their deaths; if they vote for the coalition they vote for their lives. New Hebrideans know that any show of New Hebridean soli darity brings the military over from New Caledonia at very short notice.

In one of the first demonstrations New Hebrideans ever held, a police cordon waited for them with guns and a banner saying “Proceed no further or we shoot”. The New Hebrideans con cerned were unarmed.

Using numbers of New Hebrideans against number of expatriates is no reason or excuse as this kind of poli tics is a European game for which the expatriates make and change the rules when it suits them. Expatriates know

Letters

what an election is all about because it is part of the culture in which they were brought up while New Hebri deans are being grafted into it. For New Hebrideans from the oldest to the youngest this is their first nation wide election. The manner in which New Hebrideans are being introduced to democracy is disgusting.

Nationalism has its roots in the rural areas. The vocal Nationalists happen to be in the urban areas be cause that is where they need to make their voice heard because that is where the body and head of the colonising Octopus is located.

Traditional ways are rooted in rural areas. Mention was made of heredi tary and elected chiefs and age-old custom and social practices. Our New Hebridean cultures are diverse. In many, hereditary chieftainship did not exist. The very idea of elections is European. Our age-old customs and social practices have been massacred by European infiltration, intervention, and oppression. Whatever culture emerges from the past and the present as today’s New Hebrideans evolve it is still custom and New Hebridean no less. Time will give it the brand of approval. However, even if the National Party did break some cus toms it is time New Hebrideans made their own mistakes.

The French have established schools everywhere offering free edu cation but do not mention that French colonial policy on education is such that New Hebrideans will be system atically weeded out during their edu cation process so that only an oddly select few will ever see the last year of high school. There is enough evi dence of concrete buildings around so they can claim they are giving edu cation. French education is the teaching of the French language and culture so people can make better Frenchmen. That education does not proceed to spell out that, however French you become, you can never be nor be accepted as a Frenchman.

If the two Administrations recognised the existence of the New Hebridean people they would have changed the Protocol of 1914 and all its related attitudes but they haven’t. Now that there is some hope all efforts are being made by expatriates to hamper any progress towards its realisation.

Instead of leaving New Hebrideans to find themselves politically, expatriates are engaging themselves in politics on

behalf of New Hebrideans. This for absolutely no reason other than to cement and perpetuate European colonisation of the New Hebrides.

Jimmy Stevens’s alliances are for his own personal interests not for his followers who are New Hebridean mostly from the rural areas. Nagria mel leadership has been bought by the French. Nagriamel people remain New Hebridean.

Expatriates are always measuring us against other people and compar ing New Hebrides to other countries.

For example, Mr Joffick compares British education in the New Hebri des to the UK, Australia and New Zealand to show the stark differences but fails to state that this is the exact aim of the colonial education policy.

Many of us don’t know what the UK, Australia and New Zealand are like but if we were given the chance to know we will not want to be like the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Grace Mera

University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji • This letter has been considerably shortened.

Church's Role

As an elder and a past volunteer of the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides 1 can only affirm Mr David Joffick’s, and Mr David Curtis’s re marks in PIM.

I came to the group as a Presby terian bible class volunteer, and from working as a volunteer to attaining a responsible position in a major com pany in the group, I have seen most of the major islands in the group, and have worked with many New Heb rideans. I am also married to a New Hebridean, and as a result of these contacts have come to know a little of their life styles, hopes and fears.

As a past elder, I can only endorse these two gentlemen’s remarks, though I have never met either of them. I can only say that what is happening in the Church has happened before: eg Israel’s entry into politics in the Books of Samuel. When politics come into church policy it is the beginning of the end for that particular church, and I am afraid it will be a long time before the hierarchy at Paton Memorial Church see it this way, and can only hope that as the people in the Old Testament did, they even tually learn to differentiate from the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of the New Hebrides, as one person

put it to me one time. Until they learn to do this, I can see very little prospects for expansion in the proper role of the Presbyterian Church today in the New Hebrides.

David Joffick’s article was also very interesting. The pastor who was shouted down at the Presbyterian Church Assembly for saying that he thought it was wrong to mix church and politics, I believe is my pastor at the Presbyterian Church I am now attending in Santo. I feel very sad too, that this happened, and he has my full sympathy as I feel at this particular time he is a voice crying in the wilderness.

I can only hope that like the prophets of old, his prophecy will come true, and the remainder of his fellow pastors eventually see the role of the church as working for the ex pansion of God’s Kingdom, not the Kingdom of the New Hebrides.

As an elder, and a Sunday School Superintendent in the PCNH I see there is much conflict within the Presbyterian Church over the political role this church has taken in these islands, but the future of the church remains a promising one. I see many young people, and older ones too, who wonder just what is happening at PMC in Vila, and 1 think the time is fast coming when various church leaders will have to make a decision as to what calling they wish to take.

They cannot serve as a fulltime pastor, with the church supplying them with their worldly necessities, that is car, house, etc, and take part in full time politics too. It is not fair to expect their congregations to pro vide money to do this.

The Church has one particular role not only in these islands but through out the whole world, and that is not the role of politics, but the role of spreading the Good News of the Sal vation of Jesus Christ, and this means strict neutrality in the field of politics, if the true role of the Church is to be carried out in a Christlike manner.

David Burt

Santo

Loud Noises

It is good to read in PlM's October issue of all that has happened with Papua New Guinea Independence Day, all the celebrations, festivities and speeches made during that his toric time for one of our Island territories achieving its aim.

That historic day has marked an end to Australian colonial rule and opened a new nationalist era in which Papua New Guineans will be

able to manage their own affairs. All well-wishers throughout the Pacific region sent congratulations including our two Resident Commissioners from the New Hebrides.

Now that the Australian colonial ists will no longer be needed in Papua New Guinea they will move into the other Island territories with their colonial and capitalist doctrines.

Already in the New Hebrides we have two of them, probably more but the others made less noise. These two notorious Australians who hap pened to be called Mr David Curtis and Mr David Joffick have only arrived in the group but are already making loud noises in New Hebrides politics as if it was their birthplace.

If they really care about their busi ness it would be best to keep out of New Hebrides politics, otherwise they should go back to Australia and practise their politics where, at this very moment, Australia is facing a political crisis.

It is quite obvious that Mr Curtis and Mr Joffick have not travelled far and wide into the outer islands of the New Hebrides and therefore do not know the people. The only time Mr Curtis has taken his foot off the main Vila shopping centres was during the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the New Hebrides on Emae island in May this year.

Mr Curtis, a Presbyterian himself, should study the history of the Pres byterian Church of the New Heb rides before he starts to criticise its leaders. He must realise that the Presbyterian Church is a widely populated Church in the New Heb rides. It has been (when it was still under the supervision of both Pres byterian church of Australia and New Zealand Overseas Board of Missions) controlling schools for more than a decade. In 1971, the Presbyterian Church of the New Heb rides eventually handed over all its schools to the District Education Committee under the supervision of the British Government.

These young pastors, elders and teachers whom Mr Joffick referred to in his article (PIM, Oct, p 41) (A “rout” for nationalists in New Hebrides election) are well-educated and know what they are talking about. I am more surprised that noth ing is mentioned about students from USP and University of Papua New Guinea who have already gained degrees and are now employed in the New Hebrides. The Presbyterian Mission and others have played an important role in the development of the territory not to mention the Roman Catholic Church, a pet of

the French Government in the New Hebrides.

If the pastors did not involve themselves in politics what is wrong in their doing so now?

Do politicians have to be well edu cated? Would you say that some of the UCNH New Hebridean members now in both Vila and Santo Muni cipal Councils are better educated than their New Hebridean col leagues? Are all the customary chiefs who would be elected to the Repre sentative Assembly not literate?

I would like to remind Mr Curtis and Mr Joffick that we welcome expatriates who come to New Heb rides to help us develop our country

educationally, economically, socially

and politically. We oppose the ideas of people who come into the New Hebrides and make themselves as if they own the country.

W. Tasaruru.

Vila, New Hebrides.

Sport V Politics

France plays sport in the Pacific.

France, a funny old republic which rests on the flattering principles of liberty, equality and fraternity, still remains faithful to an outmoded colonialist policy which is quite out of date in the South Pacific.

But, to distract attention from this embarrassing attitude which she adopted in front of countries which are already independent and in face of her conduct towards her colonies, emphasis is placed on sport to avoid political issues. So the French autho rities think it is better to encourage sport rather than attend to the poli tical statutes.

New Hebrides was accepted at the last minute at Agana as the venue of the next South Pacific Games, as the outcome of a highly secret political strategy. France already knew that the National Party’s objective is independence in 1977, but orders came from on high in Paris.

The first thing necessary was to stop the British, whose desire to get out of the New Hebrides is seen by Paris as a bid to evict the French from the New Hebrides.

Mr Degaillande was entrusted with the mission of bringing back the Games to the New Hebrides, and he fought body and soul for this objective. In the New Hebrides there are now two new flags, the Games flag and the flag of independence, which are likely to replace those of the two governing powers. The idea of the 1978 Games in Port Vila

would certainly further accentuate the political dependence of the New Hebrides on the joint administration.

France, always generous in directions where it is least requested, is going to spend as much money as possible in order to take over the control of the Sixth South Pacific Games.

So, for King Stirn (French Minister for Overseas Territories), sport is highly desirable, as it gives one a youthful feeling and one auto matically forgets his duty to bring up his children to support themselves. (By concentrating on sport, people neglect bringing their children to adulthood).

The New Hebrides would obtain new modern sporting facilities, which would bring it rapidly out of the age of old coconut plantations and into the age of Olympic stadiums.

As for the New Hebridean, he continues to ask about his real identity and perhaps he will get his reply after the Games. At the moment, the New Hebridean still has not clearly-defined legal or political status. So, you may say, the 1978 Games will take place in a country where the existence of the Melanesian New Hebrideans is not even recog nised.

Saurei Arei Moso.

Noumea

Pim's Cover

I feel that Ms Griffen’s letter (PIM, Nov, p 28), which complains about the choice of the New Cale donian “Golden Girls” as the cover for your September issue is an example of how anti-colonialism, “Pacific for the Pacific Islanders”, or whatever you like to call it, can become such an obsession as to lead to the sort of petty-mindedness her letter illustrates. I agree with the Editor of PIM that the photograph is colourful, and shows some of the exuberance of young sportswomen, whatever race they may be.

However, if one is looking for political motives in PlM’s choice of photograph, surely it illustrates the fact that the Pacific is made up of many multi-racial societies. A great many white New Caledonians have been living in the Pacific for several generations, and whether Ms Griffen and others like it or not, they are now part of the Pacific; in the same way as are other immigrant commu nities, such as the Indians and Chinese, and I doubt that Ms Griffen would have objected if girls from one of these communities had been de picted on the cover instead.

Alice Mcgowon

Bureta Street, Suva

• More letters on p 25

Nauru House

When metropolitan-based journa lists comment on Pacific Islanders about whom they know very little, they are bound to put their foot in it. Mr Stevens' article on Melbourne’s tallest building. Nauru House (PIM.

July, p 15) and his interpretation of Nauruan motive in out-skyscraping every other building in town, aroused the ire of Mr Hansvold, Seattle,

Usa (Pim. Oct., P 33).

In passing, Mr Stevens had said that the Nauruans’ aim could be seen by some as a form of exploitation of the Australian people in retaliation for the years of Australian exploita tion of Nauru's phosphates. Revenge, in other words, of the “We’ll show you” kind.

Mr. Hansvold. in an angry, stick waving diatribe, accused Australia of ingratitude and said that we ought to be grateful that Nauru House had been built in Australia instead of Tokyo or Taipei. 1 am not a Nauruan, but after a lengthy association with the Nauruans 1 feel I am better qualified than Messrs Stevens and Hansvold to speak on the subject of the tallest building in town.

Despite everything, the Nauruans have a considerable fund of goodwill towards Australia. They will do business with everyone and sundry but still feel their main links lie with Australia. It would never have occurred to them to build Nauru House in Tokyo or Taipei.

But they are also realists. With a go-ahead President intent on ensuring Nauru’s ability to survive once the phosphate gives out, the building of Nauru House was a natural out growth of Nauru’s investment policy.

And if you’re going to build, what better return on your investment than to build as high as you can?

And if the decision had been consciously made to build higher than anyone else, it would certainly not have been done from a spirit of revenge. The Nauruans are not like that. The idea may have appealed to their sense of humour in the Annie Oakley tradition of “Anything you can do I can do better” but never with malice.

Mr Stevens’ two passing remarks were more calculated to irritate than upset. Why, then, Mr Hansvold’s angry letter all the way from America? Mr Hansvold is surely not stupid enough to suppose that two remarks by a journalist represent the Australian’s attitude to a fine asset to the city’s skyline. Why then, is Mr.

Hansvold constantly trying to get into the Nauruan act? As it is no secret that he had made at least two attempts to interest the Nauruans in ventures requiring their participation to the tune of several thousand if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, I feel that Mr Hansvold’s altruism is suspect.

The Nauruans have had more than enough of friendly back-slappers with an eye to the main chance.

If the Nauruans found anything objectionable in Mr Stevens’ article it was up to them to say so. They do not need someone to do it for them all the way from America. Nauru has come of age.

Anon

Victoria. (Name and address supplied)

Freedom Fighters

Through the medium of your magazine we would like to express our concern about the latest political development regarding West Papua/

West New Guinea as expressed by Indonesia and PNG earlier this (November) month.

We were rather shocked when we heard both Indonesia and PNG con templated to carry out “cleaning up” operations in the border areas where our freedom fighters are living. The men of the military arm of the Provisional Government of West Papua, are demanding to recapture our birthright which has been force fully removed from us 13 years ago and therefore any attempt to change this is an inhuman act which no man can tolerate.

We are very disappointed that even our Melanesian Blood brothers of the Eastern part of the island have been misled by Suharto’s neo-colonial forces to accept without question Indonesian-designed and selfishly drafted communiques.

One thing we are sure of is, that these sorts of practices have been carried out by PNG’s previous colonial master and wonder when this will end.

We now appeal to our fellow islanders from the Pacific nations to take note of the impending attempts to completely eliminate the Melane sian race in the Western half of the island of New Guinea.

Please help us in any possible way for the lives of our innocent people need saving from the hands of the notorious Indonesian Criminals.

We trust that you will consider our plea and thank you in anticipation.

Freedom Fighters Of

West Papua.

Per P. Grocott (USP), Port Moresby.

Guam Games

I refer to the article on the Guam Games (PIM, Sept, p 5) part of which refers to Far North Queens land Soccer Teams presence in Guam.

Well Sir: I was in Guam myself, with 22 Far North Queenslanders to “Participate” in the Games.

Officially invited by Mr T, Nelson, following the appeal by the Guam Football Federation to have addi tional teams in the Fifth South Paci fic Games Soccer Tournament, I rang Mr Nelson in Guam who enthusi astically agreed and, who sub sequently confirmed the invitation by telex. We received from the South

Pacific Games Council, the ID cards and completed and returned same.

FNQ Associated Sports Council appointed myself as their delegate with instructions to apply for full membership. We received two tele grams prior to our departure and each time I rang Guam to speak to Mr Nelson. He could not be found.

However, I spoke to Fr P. Brousseau, Chief Sports Co-ordinator to the Games. I explained we had 23 seats on the PNG Contingent Charter, that there was no chance of being able to get monies refunded. He stated some French members (New Cale donia were named) were objecting to us because they KNEW we were professionals. After assuring him of our amateur status, he said come ahead and sort it out later.

So we went to Guam! We were refused official participation and it was left to the soccer participants to play us if they wished. The fol lowing day I was given the oppor tunity to state our case.

The soccer nations were unable to go against their delegates’ deci sions and so we were excluded. This situation, in blunt contrast to the Charter Objects Art cite 9, para 2, “To create bonds of kindred friend ship and brotherhood amongst peoples of the Territories of the South Pacific Region, without any distinction whatever race, religion or politics, etc”, prompted Mr Don Pedro to resign in protest. Mr F.

Alvarez of FIFA was asked then to take the chair. He also refused for the same reason.

And who do you think upheld the objects of the Charter and took charge of the Soccer competition

after being elected unanimously?

None other than myself, and with five other referees controlled the soccer tournament. Mr Hedges and I, half an hour before the first match, were still marking the field at George

Washington High School. Soccer

would not have been competed at all had we not taken the responsibil ity upon ourselves to run it. This we did in the spirit of sportsmanship, whilst our players were refused par

ticipation.

Various incidents that New Cale donian officials were involved in, proved to the writer that there was no “shining example of sportsman

ship and competitive spirit”, on their

behalf.

We don’t blame Guam. They were marvellous people, they were in experienced, and needed all the help they could get.

J. Anzalone

(Chief Delegate)

Far North Queensland Soccer Federation.

Cairns, Q.