New Hebrides - Of Storms

And High Commissioners

From a Vila correspondent

Tropical cyclone Norman wended its way through the New Hebrides archipelago in mid-March teasing the islands with threats of damage, only to veer off at the last minute. At the same time the political storm, which had been brewing for many months, blew a similar course of mounting force but no one yet knows whether or not it has been

quelled.

The political depression in ques tion is by no means new to the New Hebrides, having its origins way back in 1975 with the first general elections for the country. Widely ac claimed as something of a milestone in the stagnant history of the Con dominium the elections for a Rep resentative Assembly appeared to go smoothly. But incomplete elec tions for the four chiefly rep resentatives, delays in the as sembly’s opening, and behind-the scenes manipulating, meant that by the time the assembly finally got down to pass its own standing orders a year later in November, 1976, the sugared pill had turned very sour indeed. And the bitterness was largely centred on the question of exactly how “representative” the as sembly could be when six of its 42 seats were occupied by Chamber of Commerce members, representing an electorate of only 500 out of a population of 100,000.

At its congress this year, the Vanuaaku Pati (ex-New Hebrides National Party) finally demanded the exclusion of these members, and the establishment of a Governing Council with executive powers of government. Other parties coun tered their demands, and the stage was set for a showdown at the scheduled opening of the assembly on February 21.

As reported (PIM, April, pi 7), the assembly found itself deadlock ed 20-20 when the Vanuaaku Pati motion was finally discussed on

February 24.

On February 28, speaking to a half-filled chamber, French Re sident Commissioner Gauger an nounced the session’s permanent closure. A statement from the Vanuaaku Pati called for “a major

constitutional conference . . . and re-elections”.

Meanwhile, events outside had not been standing still. Following the Vanuaaku Pati’s walk-out of February 24, TANUNION the newly formed opposition alliance of UCNH, MANH, Tabwemassana, Kabiel and Frend Melanesia Party held a march of 200-300 sup porters through Vila.

At the Condominium Building, Vincent Boulekone of UCNH read out a list of demands for “order and peace”, mainly seeking to force ad ministration reaction to Vanuaaku Pati land claims and the party’s abandonment of the local councils.

During the same period, a pressure group of the best-known settlers and plantation-owners held audience at the French Residency, and an old time colon spoke frankly in a French radio interview of how he and others like him —were going to fight for their property rights.

In the mounting tension, the op position, inspired by the success of their demonstration, called for a further show of support on March 3 in Vila, Santo, Malekula, and Tan na. Unsigned posters scattered through the towns called for “progress to a serene and peaceful independence . . . cannot be pre pared by voluntarily destroying our first democratic institutions”. In Vila, the Vanuaaku Pati organised a simultaneous gathering of their sup porters, and the capital was treated to the rather alarming spectacle of two banner-waving forces diametrically opposed to one another on the green turf of the Bri tish Paddock one side almost en tirely black, and the other outnum bered, and somewhat paler.

With the chips unequivocally down, the administrations re sponded, calling for a meeting of the leaders of all political parties, and High Commissioners Eriau and Stanley, “to consult ... on the cur rent situation, including their ideas and proposals for a new electoral system, and thereafter to make re commendations to the two metropolitan governments for an early solution to the present politi

cal impasse”. A ban on further rallies and demonstrations was to establish “an atmosphere of calm and mutual confidence”.

Before the meeting objected to from both sides for not being at ministerial level TANUNION and Vanuaaku Pati representatives met for several days to reach certain “understandings”. So, too, sup posedly, did the government rep resentatives, in Noumea. However, on March 14, final preparations were apparently being still under taken by the Vanuaaku Pati on a joint party position. This entailed their being one hour late for the meeting, and in a style not well-ad-

Kia Orana

Rock Welland, Californian artist who is based in Rarotonga, with Kia Orana, a painting of a Polynesian girl against the background of The Rarotongan. The oil was specially commissioned by Air New Zealand Kia Orana is the Cook Islands greeting Welland has lived and painted in Rarotonga for 15 years.

justed to Melanesia, the two High Commissioners called the meeting off until the following day. March 15 revealed that the governments had no agenda, and so in the after noon the parties excluded them from the talks in order to prepare one.

The talks closed on March 18 with no agreement reached. As both High Commissioners have to travel (Mr Eriau to Wallis and Futuna and Mr Stanley to the Solomons), talks could not resume until March 27.

Discussions had included new elec tions before the end of 1977 on the basis of universal suffrage, and the composition of an executive coun cil.

Later Mr Eriau said that as de manded by the Vanuaaku party, new elections would be held for the New Hebridean Assembly with voting by universal suffrage and that an ex ecutive council would be formed. At the first elections in 1975 the population was divided, with mem bers representing the Chamber of Commerce (6), co-operatives (3), chiefs (4) and universal suffrage (29).

The French High Commissioner said, however, that before new elec tions could be held a complete register of the population should be drawn up. New elections could not be held immediately, but the date could be decided upon by a joint meeting of British and French ministers due to be held in the northern hemisphere in autumn.

And so the waiting game con tinues, with the Vanuaaku party (ex- National Party) urging speedy progress to independence.

Unofficially, an interesting rumour held that France is prepared to leave the country before Britain.

What is perhaps most significant is that it appears that with some difficulty Melanesians from the dif ferent parties are at last beginning to shake off their largely European-in spired differences and come together. If there is any long-term truth to this, then the recent storm, and the anti-climactic appearance of the two High Commissioners will have achieved something that few would have believed possible in this uniquely and tragically divid ed colony.