A delegation of members of the independence movement in New Caledonia, a Melanesian group of Islands, and French Polynesia, traditionally known as Tahiti, a group of Polynesian Islands, spoke at the ‘UN Special Committee on Decolonization’.
Who are the Kanaks?
Kanaks is a term used by the French government to refer to indigenous tribal people of the Islands known today as New Caledonia. These indigenous people, like their cousins in West Papua, lived on their Islands for thousands of years before the arrival European explorers and later the French imperial forces. In 1774, a couple of years before the US Revolution, British explorer Captain James Cook landed here and named it New Caledonia after his father’s home town in Scotland. Two decades later, the islands were later explored by French navigator, Antoine de Bruni, chevalier d’Entrecasteaux. In 1841, Christian missionaries established themselves on this remote Islands. Ten years later, France declared New Caledonia its territory. It is important to note that the indigenous people of New Caledonia rejected French occupation and began fighting back, but with French military power, the French government maintained control to this day. Read more
According to RNZ, the indigenous pro-Independence speaker of the Kanak National Liberation Movement rejected the French sponsored self-determination referendum of 2021:
“We believe that through this illegitimate referendum, the French state has robbed us of our independence,” said Tingal-Leme.
RNZ
Tingal-Leme claimed that the indigenous people “boycotted” the referendum because of “COVID-19 concerns,” but the French government allowed the referendum, giving the anti-Independence voices the edge in the election. The referendum was touted by the French government as a success and a sign that the majority of the people who voted opted to remain with France. However, Tingal-Leme told the committee”:
“We will never accept this outcome and so, unable to contest the results under French internal law, we are turning to the international community for an impartial institution to indicate how to resume a process that complies with international rules on decolonisation.”
RNZ
Speaking for the indigenous pro-Independent group of French Polynesia, also known as Tahiti, which won most of the seats in the recent election was Vannina Crolas.
Crolas told the Decolonization Committee that the leader of their party had met with French President Manuel Macron on many issues, particularly the ‘Independent Question’ of the indigenous people of French Polynesia. She claimed that President Macron told their leader: “France values democracy as much as our government does, and if I stand here in front of you today it’s because of democracy.” But there’s no indication he is supporting the indigenous peoples’ call for independence.
Tahiti, as with New Caledonia, was formally colonized by France in the late 19th century, and since then, the territory has seen a number of violent protests as people wanted to be free from France, but again, the French military was sent in and stumped out the protest. However, the pro-Independent party’s stunning victory in the election this year – winning an absolute majority of the assembly, maybe a signal that the people are ready for their own country. The question is, how far will France go to maintain its colonial control of the territory?
The shocker of the delegation is the leader of the government of the Islands of Tokelau, a New Zealand territory in the heart of Polynesia. According to the report, the majority of the people of Tokelau wanted “self-determination. And though he expressed the views of the people of the Islands to the committee, he also pointed out the importance of the relationship between New Zealand and Tokelau.
The islands of Tokelau became part of the United Kingdom in the late 1800s. However, UK and New Zealand signed a agreement making Tokelau a territory of New Zealand.
Speaking to the committee, Mr. Kalolo said that “the relationship between Tokelau and the Government of New Zealand is significant and we will continue to look towards New Zealand and development partners for support.”
The West Papuan Self-determination
This is the same committee that the WPHRC Executive Director, Mr. Herman Wainggai, had attended in the past and spoke passionately about the indigenous West Papuan’s right to self-determination and how often Indonesia thwarted their independence. It is inconceivable that in this day and age people are still under colonialism. Even after world powers came together and signed various agreements on the issue of “decolonization,” countries such as France and Indonesia refused to honor those commitments to a world free of colonial occupation and oppression.
We support the rights of indigenous Kanaks and French Polynesian pro-independence groups to be independent. This is a right afforded to all indigenous colonized people: a free, independent state of their own. We also salute Tokelau for exploring their own path to self-determination. Tokelau demonstrates that size doesn’t matter; self-determination is what matters.
It is time that that ‘Committee on Decolonization’ must take their role seriously and make sure they take the words of these colonized people seriously, not treating this committee as just an exercise but rather a tool for the implementation of the UN’s goal of a world free of slavery, colonialism, and oppression. This committee must honor the wishes of the indigenous people of this world who are still under foreign rules, governments, and laws that they never asked for in the first place. It is time to correct the errors of the past and grant all colonized people in the Pacific independence and freedom.
From the WPHRC Desk