Algiers...
pp. 15-18 · Read in the full issue
The Month
The word from Algiers...
“Mitterrand say clearly whether Kanak independence is to be found at the point of a gun.”
This was one of the major themes of an Independence Front and Palika Party demonstration on April 9. About 1000 people marched first on the French High Commission, where a resolution was handed over, and then to Noumea’s court house, where the recall to France of the state prosecutor was demanded. The demonstrators also called for the release of several Independen tists still in jail pending trial for the Koinde shootings (PIM Feb. pi 5), or for a brawl which broke out in Thio following the municipal elections (PIM Apr. p2l).
The motion given to the French High Commission called on France to recognise the Kanak people as the only legitimate people of their country. Speakers at the rally recalled that the French Socialist party was a sig natory to a 1979 joint platform with the Independence Front in support of self-determination for the Kanak people.
The demonstration, which was without incident, marked what Independence Front leaders have termed a new strategy for the movement that of resumption of demonstrations and other “street activities.” Front leaders say that they note that any prog ress which has been made to wards recognition of their inde pendence claim has come about after demonstrations, land occu
pations or road blocks. Since forming a majority in the govern ment council and territorial as sembly, in coalition with the centrist FNSC 11 months ago, the Front has ceased demonstra tions and land occupations.
But one Independence Front leader, Yeiwene Yeiwene of the Union Caledonienne party, warned that if France continued with her autonomy proposals, the Front would resign from new Caledonia’s government institutions.
The French Secretary of State for Overseas Territories, Georges Lemoine, was expected in Noumea about May 18 to open
discussions on New Caledonia’s autonomy statute (PIM May p2l). But so far (early May) there are not many takers for the autonomy project.
The Independence Front has said they won’t participate in discussions unless there is talk of independence, and the Republi can party (RPCR) has called for new elections before they will come to the discussion table.
The Union Caledonienne lead er, Jean-Marie Tjibaou (also vice-president of the government council), returned from his Paris trip in April charging the French Government with using doubletalk on the independence issue. Speaking to the press on his return, Mr Tjibaou said that his private understandings with government leaders differed from their public statements, which do not mention independence.
After attending a meeting of the Socialist International in Lis-
bon, Mr Tjibaou visited Algeria at the invitation of the FLN (Na tional Liberation Front). Alge rian leaders told Mr Tjibaou that France only responds to force, comments which provoked an angry reaction from one of the RPCR leaders, Roger Laroque.
Mr Laroque, who is mayor of Noumea as well as an RPCR member of the assembly, said that the RPCR could also speak of using force, “and to prove it we are going to organise de monstrations for the arrival of Mr Lemoine, for the moment peace ful .. . to prove to our secretary of state what we want, and how many of us there are to defend our French position in the
territory.”
Mr Laroque added that if Mr Tjibaou speaks of force, his party will be obliged to respond in the same way. “And we will do it,” he said.
Also back from Paris in April
was Stanley Camerlynck, an
FNSC member of the govern ment council who is in charge of the tourism and transport port folio. He brought back news that the new air routes between Mel bourne-Noumea and Brisbane- Noumea could be operating by November 1, if all goes well.
Mr Camerlynck had attended a “round table” concerning the creation of a New Caledonian based regional airline. New Caledonian government leaders have been pushing for a regional airline, and the related opening of new Australia-New Caledonia routes, for the past 12 months.
The French ministry of transport is due to make a decision on the project in May and Mr
Noumea Notebook Helen Fraser
The demonstration arrives out side the French High Commis sion where a submission was presented.
Camerlynck said he was “very
optimistic.’’
In a related development it has been announced that New Caledonia is to have the South Pacific’s biggest international re sort project. To be known as “Tiare’’ the resort is due to be completed by the end of 1985, on New Caledonia’s west coast 30 kilometres north of Noumea. The five-star resort complex will have 600 rooms, golf course, casino, marina, country club, etc., and will cover 150 hectares.
The project has 50 per cent French backing and 50 per cent foreign investment (Australian, Hongkong, etc), and will cost approximately 5U.5.35 million.
During construction, 800 people will be employed and after open ing the resort will have 600 em ployees, largely locals.
Late April saw the opening of the administrative session of the Territorial Assembly. French High Commissioner Jacques
Roynette delivered the opening
address, describing the French Government’s autonomy plans “as a necessary step in the histor ical process”. The assembly then elected its new bureau with Jean- Pierre Aifa (FNSC) beating Jean Deques (RPCR) by 23 votes to 12. Mr Aifa, who is also mayor of Bourail, was elected assembly president (speaker) on the votes of the Independence Front and the FNSC.
Independence Front members then won five of the bureau positions, with the sixth going to Mme Marie-Paule Serve, who is one of the three non-aligned members of the assembly.
The Independence Front ma jority in the assembly bureau was
strongly denounced by RPCR
President Jacques Lafleur. In a statement from Paris, where he is a deputy to the National Assem bly, Mr Lafleur called for new elections to the assembly. He described the assembly’s election of officers as a “travesty of de mocracy” and called for peaceful demonstration in New Caledonia to show “the desire of the territ ory to remain French”. The RPCR claim the IF-FNSC coali tion in the assembly and the government council is not repre sentative of majority views since it has yet to be tested in an election.
More than 400 people joined in the USTKE (Union of Kanak and Exploited Workers) May Day march. The union, joined by leaders of the Independence Front parties, the Exploited Kanak Women’s Group, the Pierre Declercq Memorial Com mittee and the League of Human Rights marched from downtown Noumea to Magenta Beach.
There they heard speeches, underlining the common aims of workers’ movements and the struggle for independence.
Jose Osaba, a member of the Paris-based Catholic Committee Against Hunger and for Develop
ment (CCFD) arrived in New Caledonia in late April as part of a CCFD mission in the Asia- Pacific region. But his arrival was marred by a one-hour search
and political interrogation at
Tontouta Airport.
Mr Osaba’s correspondence,
photographs, working docu
ments, bankbooks and personal affairs were closely scrutinised by an inspector, who gave him a false name. Mr Osaba was ac cused of having contact with agitators against France and of giving them money. He has com plained to the French authorities, demanding to know who was
behind the operation, which was of a type rarely seen in New Caledonia.
On Saturday May 7, more than
7000 people marched through
Noumea to show their opposition to IF demands for independence
The banner above, displayed outside the Noumea court building, asks President Mitter rand to indicate clearly whether Kanak socialist independence is to be at the point of a gun.
The top picture shows demon strators leaving the Place des Cocotiers.
in the territory. Organised by the “Fraternity Association”, and supported by other anti independence groups, the speak ers at the rally were Melanesians who want New Caledonia to re main French. However, about 90 per cent of the demonstrators were European.
The crowd delivered a resolu tion to the French High Commis sion, calling for new elections to the Territorial Assembly. Several
speakers at the rally criticised what they termed “Australian im perialism”, and Australia’s treat ment of Aborigines.
Despite assurances from de monstration organisers and French authorities that no prob lems were expected, I was at tacked and mauled by part of the crowd.
The incident, the second in four months, occurred when a small group started attacking the
Australian Government position in favor of Kanak independence and abusing me. The group failed to heed the instructions of
Fraternity officials to disperse,
their numbers grew, and they became rougher.
Noumea police then inter vened and escorted me to the safety of the police station while the crowd chanted “Australia out . . I was shaken but unhurt.
This incident follows a week
in which both the RPCR and the Front Caledonien have written open letters to Australian Prime Minister Hawke accusing Aust ralia of “shocking and unaccept able interference” in New Caledonian affairs, and telling Australia to “mind its own business”. The Republican party warns Australia not to “try and repeat, in the South Pacific, Argentina’s tragic error in the Falklands”.