If President Oscar Manutahi Temaru gets his way, French Polynesia could one day become an independent nation - but at what cost?
RAROTONGA – In a far flung corner of the South Pacific a secessionist movement is stirring with its protagonists preparing for a major battle looming half a world away. And if Oscar Manutahi Temaru gets his way French Polynesia could one day become the world’s newest country.
Temaru has fought a 35-year campaign for independence and indigenous control of his country in a quiet, non-violent but calculated manner that has been largely ignored by the rest of the world.
However, the world is starting to take notice. Temaru is taking his fight to New York and staking his country’s claim in the United Nations General Assembly where he is drumming up support from the world leaders for recognition of French Polynesia’s right to self-government.
Paris is bristling at the thought of bidding farewell to the last vestiges of its colonial past, in particular to a group of idyllic, tropical islands that have served France well as an up-market retirement home for its citizens hoping to make ends meet on a state-pension.
French missionaries began arriving in these islands during the 1830's, sparking a series of rebellions and decades of gunboat diplomacy that ended in 1880 with France annexing French Polynesia as a colony.
France labeled French Polynesia an “overseas country inside the Republic,” endowing it with some autonomy including authority over health, town planning and the environment, while Paris continues to control its justice, education, security, public order, currency, defense and foreign policy.
An unassuming Temaru has been careful not to position himself and his campaign against the French and has been supportive of French President Francois Hollande, calling him a “friend” and a “democrat in the best possible way.”
Hollande is seen as the lesser of two difficulties.
Earlier this year, then President Nicolas Sarkozy irked the Polynesian leader with five terms as president under his belt by telling reporters that Temaru’s plea for sovereignty was “no urgent matter.”
But for Temaru the immediate priority is getting French Polynesia back on the UN List of Non Self Governing Territories, which for islanders is effectively telling the world that politically, places like Tahiti are effectively a remnant of an antiquated neo-imperial empire.
The UN Special Committee on Decolonization reviews the list annually to keep tabs on the application of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples (Resolution 1514).
Guam, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa all of the US; New Caledonia also of France; Western Sahara which falls under Moroccan rule and Tokelau which is governed by New Zealand are among the 16 non-governing territories currently on the list.
Passed after World War II, the declaration that accompanies the list uses emotive language to condemn colonization.
French Polynesia was on that list in 1946 and earmarked for decolonization but was removed by Paris a year later during a time when France was desperately attempting to hold onto its overseas possessions despite international pressure to divest itself of its colonies.
Temaru is not without support.
In March of last year, French Polynesia held an historic vote that came out in favor of the country’s right to be re-instated on the list, and since then Temaru’s movement has gathered paced.
Last month members of the Polynesian Leaders Group unanimously pledged their support for French Polynesia’s re-inscription.
Regional groups and island leaders – Pacific Conference of Churches, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Melanesian Spearhead Group – have all voiced support for Temaru.
At a meeting in Greece in September, the World Council of Churches (WCC) also called for French Polynesia to be reinstated on the list of countries to be decolonized and asked France to "fulfill their obligations and provide all necessary means for the economic, social and cultural development of the Maohi people."
However, sources close to Temaru say he remains only cautiously optimistic as he expects some resistance from Australia and New Zealand to self-determination because both countries have forged much closer alliances with France since 1996 when Paris ended nuclear testing in the South Pacific.
Temaru insists nuclear tests and the struggle for independence cannot be dissociated.
Almost 200 nuclear tests were conducted by France in French Polynesia between 1960 and 1996, which the WCC said have been linked to cases of cancer among civilians and former military personnel.
Temaru argues that these tests — most on which took place in Mururoa and Fangataufa – created a deeply-rooted sense of mistrust between islanders and France. Many feel a 10-year compensation package agreed to by France falls in 2009 fell well short of what they’re owed.
Temaru believes that French Polynesia’s return to the list of countries demanding independence would give it more leverage in dealing with France.
Still, further resistance is expected from those in Paris who fear for France’s international standing. France was granted a seat on the G-8 partly because of its overseas interests that encompasses the thousands of square kilometers of islands and ocean making up French Polynesia.
Independence has also been met with some resistance at home where many expatriates and some Tahitians fear independence would result in the loss of French subsidies, devastating the local economy and causing public sector wages to plummet by half.
Among the critics is Enrique Braun-Ortega, a former government minister and businessman, who said French Polynesia did not have the means to even think about winning independence.
“Temaru’s latest attempt is a ploy to divert public opinion in French Polynesia, from the fact that his government is unable, and has been incapable for the past year and a half now, to begin to resolve our local economic crisis.
“It is also a means to hide his incompetence in getting his job done, especially in reviving our crumbling tourist industry with hotels closing left and right,” he said.
But for Temaru and his supporters, self-determination has connotations that he considers more important than local economics, including the spiritual, cultural and historical.
“We have to prepare, educate our people how important (it is) to us, to us as a nation to be able to control our own destiny, to be ourselves. We have so (much) wealth and (so many) resources in this huge Pacific Ocean. It belongs to us,” he said during the PIF.
For the time being at least, those resources and the people who depend upon them belong to France.
However, if Temaru is able to convince the General Assembly to support his country’s return to the list of Non-Self Governing Territories, decades of French political intrigue will end and the people of French Polynesia will have put Paris on notice that its days in this isolated corner of the South Pacific are numbered.
Photo Credit: Pierre Lesage (flickr)
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patrickd27@live.com.au
french polynesian independance wont last long. just you wait until us aussies finally get around to dealing with you all and your economic back stabbing. we will make european colonial days look like disney land :)
poirava
I would like to let anyone who reads this know that I am Tahitian and this is what I have to say.
-The comments that have been previously posted are very outspoken and in an inproper way. It is noticable that the people who posted such comments are merely voicing out their opinions irrationally with no backround knowledge on the subject.
-France may have committed unappreciable acts in the past however France is also responsible for many positive contributions to my country. I would say more positive than negative.
-The topic surrounding our independence, I am a very big skeptic. I do not think that my country will improve economically, socially or enviornmentally if France were to allow French Polynesia to become independent.
-Polynesians, specifically Tahitians, are not all that concerned with independence and the Tahitians that I know who are advocating for independence tend to have unrealistic reasons and expectations.
-Remember, becoming independent is just that, independent. It is a very risky decisions and judging from my country's political enviornment, social integration and just the understanding of my people as a whole. I do not necessarily think independence is a good idea at the moment. I believe if we become independent, poverty levels will rise and there is statistical value that reveal there is also a proportional rise in civil unstability. If civil unstability is achieved then MNC and FDI will not continue, tourism will drop and our economy as a whole will become increasingly vulnerable and weak. (as brief as i can possible say so)
-I know my people, they think they can handle independence, but they cannot. My people love their ocean and mountains. The rivers and waves. They love the songs and dances that have been traditionally performed for generations. My people are fun, light hearted and peaceful. They are not politicians, doctors, economists or professionals for the most part. The proffessionals in my country come from Europe or of Europeean heritage.
-It is those words like mr. sky used "kick the infedels out" and other horrid comments as that which create hostilities and fricition. Whatever happens in the future in Tahiti and her islands, it will be founded within in just, legal and peacful mannar,
Denson
Along with Otahiti, Its also high time Hawaii was returned to its rightful owners too
Jonathon Sky
The only thing the frenchies brought to these islands is suffering and dropping massive nuclear bombs here, while the world sat and watched and did absolutely nothing, yes NOTHING, now there is a legacy of cancer and ill health and destruction, look what they did in Fangatufa, I cant believe the people sat back and let these invaders destroy some of the most beutiful places on the planet, someone should erupt some hydrogen bombs in biarritz or cannes see how the garlic munchers like that. The Tahitians should rise up and kick the infidels out, they are exploiting destroying and using your lands.
Shar Hall
Being a French Colony is not what puts food on Tahitians table. They have many other and better options for independence and would get support from all other South Pacific Nations. The French are occupiers and have taken the best and most from the Tahitians including not helping them develop better wages, health care, housing, and a sense of their own ability to govern themselves. Tahitians are pawns of the French and have no say in their own destiny. This has to end!
Denson
Exactly, give the indigenous people back there lands, you polluting exploitative arrogant thieves