Polynesian independence rally

What Olewale told the French Polynesian independence rally

Island leaders who addressed a big political rally of members of the French Polynesian independence movement in Papeete on October 11, had the same advice to give: unanimity among the parties seeking independence is vital to suc cess.

There are a number of small

independence parties in

French Polynesia and they don’t all share the same views.

Nor are their views necessarily shared by the United Autonomist Front, which is in power, and not as radical in its movement towards indepen dence as some of the smaller

parties represented at the

Papeete rally. The difference probably is that Francis San ford’s government now has the task of making self government work effectively before there can be the next step, and responsibility is in clined to bring with it cooler heads. Some of the smaller par ties are critical of this.

Papua New Guinea’s Minis ter for Foreign Affairs and Trade Ebia Olewale spent about 30 minutes at the rally, which was held in Papeete, and attended by about 250 men, women and children. Olewale had just come from a cocktail party put on by the New Hebrides delegation to the South Pacific Conference to mark agreement over the New Hebrides’ new constitution, and was already late for a party hosted by the High Com missioner in French Polynesia for heads of delegations. In fact he didn’t go, but went instead to a village feast farther up the coast, and later made his apologies. This is what Olewale

told the Papeete rally:

‘This invitation gave me a pleasant surprise because it is said in other world forums where political debates take place that the people of French Polynesia do no want indepen dence and sovereign status.

You have a political party here and one of its basic principles, which is the same as what we have in Papua New Guinea as a preamble to our Constitution,

is that power belongs to the

people.

‘I am very happy to be stand ing here in front of you. I have a very short time, but my think ing is that my aspirations, and my heart, for the struggle you are now in is with you. ‘My country only became independent in 1975. PNG is a developing country, like yours.

However, we are not afraid to

speak our mind internationally

for other Pacific Island terri tories which are still being governed from outside. All of you here are friends and brothers and sisters in the Pa cific. Whatever you have to tell us, we will speak for you in the United Nations, and in the Pa cific in the Forum. ‘And a word of advice: what ever you may do for the independence movement you must stand together because those people who govern and administer us are very clever there, they will try to divide you and rule you. They can

play one group against

another. I am speaking from experience because I and many other PNG leaders have gone through all these kinds of stages you are in now. You are not alone. We are with you.

Work together and stand

together!’

Olewale was applauded sev eral times during his speech.

Later, PNG’s deputy prime

minister stood up briefly to comment on a point made by one of the French Polynesian

speakers that the independence

movement needed help from educated people. ‘We have a university in Papua New Guinea.’ he said. ‘We have students from Tonga and from Samoa. We can look after your students in PNG.’

This was greeted with ap plause.

Minister for Public Adminis tration in the New Hebrides Government George Kalkoa told the meeting that ‘some of us share Mr Olewale’s views’.

He said: ‘Especially in your

struggle for independence we

are with you in our hearts. I come from the New Hebrides,

governed by Britain and

France, and I have the same problems you have now, and we have one more step before we go through that door.

T come from one of the

strong political parties

Vanuaaku and I must re mind you again of what Olewale said, that you have a

number of political parties

going for independence and

you must have team work in what you are going to do.

Tn the New Hebrides we work together to achieve our aim, and we’ve pushed France and the UK for the last seven years and now we are about to achieve independence. The Vanuaaku Party will always be behind New Caledonia and French Polynesia in your

struggle for independence.’

Papua New Guinea’s Deputy Prime Minister Ebia Olewale (left) at the conference with Cook Islands Premier Dr Tom Davis.