Land reform plan

well advanced

PIM this month introduces Noumea Notebook, a regular column of New Caledonian news and comments contributed by well-known New Caledonian journalist Daniel Tardieu.

Mr Tardieu is editor of the Noumea weekly Corail. As with other columnists, the views expressed by him are his own, and are not necessarily shared by the editors of PIM.

For two years now a process of returning land to Melanesians has been under way in New Caledonia. The French Parliament has just legalised this retrocession of land which had previously belonged to European colon ists, to the state, or to bodies of a religious or territorial character.

In 1979, 5000 hectares were redistributed in this way. In 1980, the figure reached I 0 900 ha. For the most part, the land went to Melanesian communities, but in some cases the beneficiaries were young farmers belonging to other races. This land reform is set to go on for 10 years, during which time it is hoped that a major part of the existing demands for land will be met. It also represents an agrarian reform, in that it is designed to achieve a more effective distribution of Caledonian land.

The Melanesian popu lation of New Caledonia represents 43% of the total population (140 000). But it owns 60% of the total land area, both on the main island and in the Loyalties group.

At the beginning of European colonisation, a number of tribes were driven off their lands, which were often near the coast, and moved on to areas with inferior soil. The present land reform is designed by the French Government to remedy these injustices.

Funds will be made avail able to young farmers who want to develop the new allotments.

Matters are going ahead, but not without problems.

There has been lengthy de bate in Paris about it all.

Various delegations have turned up in the French capital to make their view points known to government authorities. One group in particular, calling itself RURALE, has pressed the case of European colonists established in inland New Caledonia. Others, on the other hand, have supported the French Government’s plan, which has been the subject of heated arguments in New Caledonia’s Terri torial Assembly.

The Independence Front of New Caledonia, however, challenges the basic concept of the reforms. Basically, its view is that all New Caledonian land belongs to the Kanaks.

But it does seem that the reforms are being well re ceived by the Melanesian population, many of whom live on the islands of Lifou, Mare Ouvea, He des Pins and Belep.

They don’t feel great con cern because from the start their islands have been re serves on which all commer cial or real estate develop ments have been forbidden.

Row on sacked

teachers

The dismissal of two teachers from metropolitan France who had been work ing at a Catholic school on Ouvea, Loyalty Islands, has precipitated a major crisis between the Independence

Front of New Caledonia and the Catholic Church hier archy in the territory.

The elected representa tives of the Front, as well as Melanesian leaders, have protested vigorously against what they call ‘political sackings’. In substance they are accusing the Catholic Church of having acted under the influence of the French administration. The latter, however, points out that the dismissals were en tirely the affair of the re sponsible authorities in the Catholic education system.

A group representing Inde pendence Front members of the Territorial Assembly en tered the administrative headquarters of the Catholic education system in Noumea and held the direc tor of Catholic education, the Rev Fr R. P. Delbos, captive in his office. But he resisted their demands, and police intervened to clear the premises.

On the following day, a silent demonstation was staged by about 200 people outside the residence of the Catholic bishop. They sat on the road awaiting the out come of an interview granted by Monsignor Klein, Bishop of New Caledonia, to a deputation from the pro testers. But the bishop would not budge from his position.

The demonstrators then staged a march through town. There was no violence or disorder.

On Christmas Day dem onstrators blocked entry to Catholic churches on the east coast of the territory, in

particular at Tye near Poindimie, 400 km to the northwest of Noumea, where the missionary was unable to celebrate the traditional midnight mass. Likewise Mgr Klein was unable to go to Canala, on the east coast 200 km from Noumea, to officiate at planned First Communion services.

Political observers see in the affair a challenge by the Independence Front to the Catholic Church in New Caledonia, which has main tained a neutral stance on the question of indepen dence, probably because majority opinion among its flock is unwilling to under write the idea of the terri tory’s accession to indepen dence.

School holiday

flood

Flights between Sydney and Noumea and vice-versa are always rather crowded at school holiday times. It’s the traditional holiday flood, during which Australians are to be seen in Noumea in increasing numbers. In 1979, 54 521 tourists visited the territory. In 1981 the figure will probably be 62 000 a very healthy increase. It appears that it will be due to an increase in the numbers of Japanese visitors, but also to Aust ralians who are finding the Club Mediterranee ‘for mula’ to their liking. The Club’s success is hurting the traditional hotels, who find they’ve lost part of their former clientele.