Language of despair

despair

We are sending you a copy of a letter we have sent to Prime Minister Jacques Chirac.

We would like you to be aware of our situation, because settlers are trying with the ADRAF (Rural and Agricultural Land Development Agency) to push us to revolt a revolt which would, according to rumour, be wiped out bloodily by them with agreement of the Overseas Territories Minister, Bernard Pons.

We had hoped to get back the Goyetta property of 3000 hectares it has been divided between four settlers. We had the Cassis property of 450 ha the settler Orcan was installed by force. We have the Pidjen property (previously owned by Ballande) next to our tribal reserve, of 1600 ha. The

Technical Director of the Agen cy, Mr Christian Breton announced last week his inten tion of parcelling it out.

After this we will be reduced to the limits of the reserve such as it existed before the land reform of Mr Dijoud of 1980.

Everybody in New Caledonia is aware of the long standing project of the (anti -independ ence) RPCR of doing away with the reserves by dividing them into private property.

When we will have lost the Pidjen property, our only op tion will be revolt, the language of despair even if we know that we will be massacred by the Army. But at least you will know that the fault is not ours.

The Oundjo Tribe,

See page 36 for the letter to Mr Chirac.