Political Reviews

Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 john r haglelgam, david w kupferman, kelly g marsh, samuel f mcphetres, donald r shuster, tyrone j taitano

Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 lorenz gonschor, hapakuke pierre leleivai, margaret mutu, forrest wade young

© 2012 by University of Hawai‘i Press

135 Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011

Reviews of American Sëmoa, Cook claimed Tahoeraa to be an opposition Islands, Hawai‘i, Niue, Tokelau, party. During a budgetary debate on Tonga, and Tuvalu are not included in 2 August, Tahoeraa representatives this issue. charged Tong Sang with incompetency to lead the country and called on him French Polynesia to resign (tp, 2 Aug 2010). The period under review was not par- Tahoeraa’s confusing attitude of ticularly rich in new events. While no attacking the president and demand- economic recovery was in sight, local ing his resignation, while at the same politicians, fed by French subsidies, time allowing its members to keep continued their games of making and their cabinet portfolios, can only be unmaking majorities in the Assembly understood by looking at the pecu- of French Polynesia, culminating in liarities of French Polynesia’s political the eleventh change of government system. As long as Tong Sang did not since 2004. The only possibly inter- resign, he could only be overthrown esting development is that the new by a constructive vote of no confi- pro-independence majority now wants dence, which would require an overall to internationalize the country’s prob- majority and entail the automatic lems and get it out of the grip of Paris. election of a successor. A resignation, As the review period started, the on the other hand, would provoke a ongoing political instability continued new presidential election, which could to worsen as President Tong Sang’s take up to three rounds of voting. In minority government became more this scenario, Flosse, through clever and more immobilized. Tong Sang had tactics, might have had a chance to been leading a coalition government become president once more, since a between his own To Tatou Aia (Our relative majority would be sufficient Country) party and Gaston Flosse’s in the third round (see articles 1 and Tahoeraa Huiraatira (People’s Rally) 5 of the 2007 Organic Law of French since November 2009, but the coali- Polynesia). tion virtually broke apart in April While the stalemate continued 2010. However, there had not been a at home, the battleground for Tahi- motion of no confidence against Tong tian politics was temporarily shifted Sang because Tahoeraa could not overseas. During the annual Pacific agree on a common platform with the Islands Forum meeting in Port Vila, opposition Union Pour La Démocratie Vanuatu, on 3–6 August, Vice Presi- (upld, Union for Democracy), led dent Edouard Fritch asked that his by Oscar Temaru. Cabinet ministers country finally be granted full mem- from Tahoeraa refused to resign, bership. After having been granted even though the party leadership observer status in 2004, French Poly-

172 political reviews • polynesia 173 nesia became an associated member assembly passed a law prohibiting in 2006, which Fritch considered an outsider companies from establish- unjust, second-class status since it ing mobile telephone services in the precluded the country’s representa- country. This protected the monopoly tives from participating in some of of the local Postal and Telecommu- the Forum’s important political and nications Service, which has led to economic discussions. The request for French Polynesia’s mobile phone rates full membership was denied by the being among the most expensive in majority of Forum member countries the world (TPM, Nov 2010). When the because, according to the Forum’s French State Council declared the law statutes, full membership is limited to unconstitutional on 7 February 2011, independent or fully self-governing Ia Mana Te Nunaa, one of upld’s countries (such as those in free associ- constituent parties, characterized the ation), while French Polynesia is con- council’s decision as an act of colo- sidered only a partially autonomous nialism (tp, 8 Feb 2011). territory under French sovereignty. On 15–17 October, French Minister Assembly Speaker Oscar Temaru, of Overseas Territories Marie-Luce who also attended the Forum meeting, Penchard visited the country. One underlined that as long as the country of her agenda items was to discuss was not independent, full membership proposed changes to the election mode was not possible (tp, 4 Aug, 8 Aug for the next assembly elections, but 2010). In this sense, Fritch and the the changes were staunchly rejected by other pro-French politicians have been the three main local political parties, acting hypocritically—at home they while a few hundred demonstrators staunchly refuse independence from demanded immediate early elections. France while at international meetings In an interview before her departure, they act as if their country is a sover- she was quoted as saying that local eign state. politicians give her a headache (TPM, At the same time, irresponsible Nov 2010). behavior had been common in domes- Since local politics give headaches tic issues as well. In mid-August, the to others besides Mme Penchard, more employees of the municipal adminis- and more people are pursuing alterna- tration of Teva I Uta on Tahiti’s south tives to the current official political shore went on strike because upld system. One alternative is the creation Mayor Tina Cross had demanded of self-proclaimed governments. The that her employees accept a reduction most colorful and controversial among in salaries after misspending by the these, named “Hau Pakumotu,” once previous Tahoeraa municipal adminis- again made headlines when its “king” tration had brought Teva I Uta to the was crowned in front of the assembly brink of bankruptcy (TPM, Sept 2010). in July (TPM, Oct 2010). In October, It was nearly three months before the its adherents also occupied a property conflict was resolved and municipal in Outumaoro, Punaauia, on Tahiti’s services resumed on 3 October (TPM, west coast, with their uniformed mili- Nov 2010). tia intimidating other claimants to the A few days later, on 5 October, the property (tp, 18 Oct). The month of 174 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

October also saw the birth of another cost about 40 billion cfp francs royalist political movement, led by (approximately us$400 million), an Gaston Tetuanui, demanding the enormous sum for the small country. formation of an autonomous entity in After they had already staged a protest the Leeward Islands and the creation in front of the presidential palace in of a “Kingdom of Hawaiki Nui,” thus July 2010 following the inauguration, combining the popular themes of royal several construction companies set restoration and outer island secession up protest billboards at the entrance into one movement (TPM, Nov 2010). of the hospital because the country The latter theme, outer-island government had not paid their bills yet autonomy from “Tahitian imperial- (TPM, Aug 2010; tp, 25 Oct 2010). ism,” received a new boost with the Critics say that the maintenance creation of a “Community of Munici- costs for the huge complex will be palities” in the Marquesas Islands, an so high that the country government initiative by the six municipalities in will need more subsidies from Paris the archipelago to create a common in order to cover them. Furthermore, structure in order to facilitate direct the hospital’s energy supply depends negotiations with Paris and bypass entirely on external power sources, as bureaucracy on the country level. On no one thought to cover the gigantic 17 December, Joseph Kaiha, the mayor roof with solar cells or to use the cold of Ua Pou, was elected president of the water of the nearby ocean as coolant community (TPM, Jan 2011). for the air conditioning system (TPM, On 24 October, the new territorial Nov 2010). More generally speaking, hospital in Taaone, in the city of Pirae it is quite problematic that the current east of Papeete, was inaugurated after health policy of the country govern- nine years of construction. By late ment focuses almost entirely on Tahiti November, all patients were trans- Island, where cutting-edge medical ferred from the old Mamao hospital technology is made available in a giant in Papeete. With an overall floor hospital, while medical care on the surface of 65,000 square meters, 546 outer islands often remains precarious. beds, ten inner courtyards, and a giant Another improvement in infra- glass-covered hall twenty-three meters structure occurred on 1 September, high, the complex in Taaone is one when the underwater cable between of the largest hospitals in the Pacific. Tahiti and Hawai‘i, named Hono- The hospital was one of the prestige tua, was put into service, enabling projects of former President Flosse, high-speed Internet access for French whose administration had begun Polynesia (TPM, Oct 2010). However, construction of the project in 2001. in mid-March 2011 the cable project Since then, however, construction had also led to a judicial investigation of been slowed many times because the various politicians and administra- country government had not been able tors, including President Tong Sang, to afford the high costs and the French because there were irregularities in the government was at first reluctant to awarding of the contract to telecom- step in to cover the difference. Alto- munications company Alcatel (TPM, gether, construction of the hospital April 2011). political reviews • polynesia 175

But there was yet another, more 18 November, fifa decided to perma- severe scandal. Reynald Temarii, nently remove him from the executive the vice president of the Fédération board, suspend him for one year from Internationale du Football Associa- all sports activities, and fine him 5,000 tion (fifa [soccer]), was suspended Swiss francs (about us$5,675) (TPM, from office on 17 October 2010 Dec 2010). because he was under investigation On 1 December, an opinion poll for corruption. Temarii, as well as the revealed that 97 percent of the popula- Nigerian Amos Adamu, fifa execu- tion was unsatisfied with the political tive board members for Oceania and situation, 90 percent had no trust in Africa respectively, were charged any of the current politicians, and 57 with attempting to sell their votes for percent wanted early elections in order the 2018 Football World Cup host to replace them with different leaders country decision. Journalists from as well as a referendum on indepen- the London Times posing as Ameri- dence within the next five years (TPM, can lobbyists had asked Temarii how Jan 2011). much it would cost to convince him to The New Year started with a per- vote for the United States, and he had sonnel change in the local representa- suggested a sum of several million dol- tion of the French government. High lars. Even though the secretly recorded Commissioner Adolphe Colrat, in interview reveals that Temarii did office since July 2008, left his position not want to take the bribe personally on 7 January 2011 and returned to but rather have it invested into the France to assume another administra- comparatively poor Oceania Football tive post. He was replaced by Richard Federation, it was clearly a case of Didier, who was inaugurated on 22 illegal bribery. January. Since Didier was an advisor Former professional football player of former French President Jacques Temarii had served then President Chirac (a personal friend and sponsor Gaston Flosse in various positions of Gaston Flosse), speculations arose since 1991, had founded the Taho- that his appointment was part of a eraa youth organization Jeun’Orange, still-functioning Chirac-Flosse support and was cabinet minister for youth network (TPM, Feb 2011). and sports from 1998 to 2004. After The Union Pour La Démocratie, on Flosse lost power in 2004, Temarii the other hand, has its French sup- founded his own splinter political porters as well. On 23 January, former party but then left local politics when French Minister of Overseas Territo- he was offered a high position in fifa. ries Christian Paul visited Tahiti to In January 2010 he was promoted to renew the convention of partnership fifa vice president, the first repre- between his French Socialist Party and sentative of Oceania ever to hold that Temaru’s pro-independence Tavini position. It goes without saying that Huiraatira (People’s Servant) party, this was the climax of a brilliant career the leading component of upld (TPM, envied by many a Tahitian, which Feb 2011). made his irresponsible behavior all the Meanwhile, judicial investigations more saddening (TPM, Nov 2010). On and trials of various past corruption 176 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) scandals continued throughout the cabinet between 2004 and 2006, review period. Former directors of the Vernaudon had embezzled about 170 territorial television station tntv, Eric million cfp francs (about us$1.7 Monod and Loïc Brigato, were sen- million) from the postal budget for tenced to suspended prison terms and private purposes. During the last fines for misuse of company property general municipal elections in March on 10 August (TPM, Sept 2010). 2008, Vernaudon had been reelected The main targets of judicial activity, mayor in absentia while in deten- however, were the numerous mis- tion awaiting trial. One year later, in deeds of former President Flosse. The another corruption affair of a smaller investigations received a new twist in scale, he was sentenced to a suspended January, when Oscar Temaru and his jail term, which removed him from attorney, Stanley Cross, surprisingly office. When his probation term withdrew their earlier complaint that expired in late 2010, several of his a presidential intelligence unit that party’s municipal councilors resigned Flosse had established in violation of in order to provoke a special election French law had spied on them and so that Vernaudon could be reelected thus invaded their privacy (NT, 5 Jan to the council and regain the mayor- 2011; DT, 8 Jan 2011). Fears arose alty. However, during the campaign that the whole affair would be buried in mid-January 2011, Vernaudon was because of Flosse’s still-influential convicted of embezzlement, sentenced protection networks (TPM, March to five years in prison, and sent to 2011). However, Annie Rousseau jail immediately (tp, 18 Jan 2011). and journalist Alex du Prel, two of A Court of Appeal confirmed the the other original plaintiffs, refused sentence on 23 June (TPM, Aug 2011). to withdraw their suit, and the court The special municipal elections on 30 announced that it would pursue January and 6 February were won by investigations (TPM, April 2011). On a non-party-affiliated list, and their 18 April, another trial started in the leading candidate, Patrice Jamet, was Papeete Court against Flosse and elected mayor by the newly consti- eighty-six co-defendants for so-called tuted municipal council. Vernaudon’s fictional employments during Flosse’s list came in third, behind the local semi-authoritarian presidency in the Tahoeraa list of Nicolas Sanquer (tp, late 1990s and early 2000s (TPM, May 6 Feb 2011). Evidently, the people 2011). of Mahina have had enough of their While Flosse has so far politically formerly popular mayor’s escapades, survived all trials, another leading but besides this purely local inter- politician, Émile Vernaudon, the for- pretation, the election results were mer mayor of Mahina on Tahiti’s east also significant as an indication of coast, was indefinitely removed from a general dissatisfaction with the politics, receiving a sentence both liter- traditional party system. By voting for ally by the judiciary and figuratively an independent list, Mahina’s citizens by the voters. While serving as min- rejected not only Vernaudon but also ister for sports, postal services, and all the political parties represented in telecommunications in Oscar Temaru’s the assembly. political reviews • polynesia 177

Another scandal made headlines representatives increased. Finally, on in mid-January when the president of 20 February, a modified version of the the University of French Polynesia, budget proposal was passed by a solid Tahitian linguist Louise Peltzer, was majority of 43 votes out of a total of accused of plagiarism because parts of 57 assembly members. This majority her 1999 essay “Des Langues et des included UPLD and Tahoeraa, as well Hommes” (Languages and People) as Ia Ora Te Fenua (May the Land were found to be remarkably similar Live, a splinter group led by Jean- to the French translation of the 1993 Christophe Bouissou that had earlier book La ricerca della lingua perfetta broken away from To Tatou Aia), nella cultura europea (The Search for while the minority government caucus the Perfect Language in the European of To Tatou Aia abstained (tp, 20 Feb Culture) by Italian author Umberto 2011). Eco. Peltzer first reacted defensively In a press conference, Tong Sang and charged her critics with racial denounced the assembly vote, arguing prejudice against her as the first Tahi- that according to the Organic Law a tian at the helm of the university, but budget vote could only be legitimate after she lost the confidence of most with the president’s approval. There- of the faculty, Peltzer resigned on 1 fore, the French State Council (the April (TPM, May 2011). Eventually, highest court of France) was asked archeologist Eric Conte was elected to for its opinion (pir, 28 Feb 2011). succeed her (tp, 23 June 2011). Without waiting for the court’s deci- As the New Year progressed, the sion, Tong Sang issued a decree that political crisis worsened. By Febru- published his budget proposal in the ary 2011, the political stalemate had official bulletin as the actual 2011 gone on for more than nine months government budget. By enacting a with no end in sight. Tong Sang was budget by executive decree, Tong Sang still president but leading a minority clearly overstepped his authority, and government with no chance to pass this unconstitutional act was the final any legislation in the assembly. Since nail in the coffin for his government. the opposition upld as well as the When five of his cabinet ministers, semi-opposition Tahoeraa refused to including Vice President Fritch and the endorse the president’s 2011 budget other ministers from Tahoeraa, refused proposal, Tong Sang suggested dis- to endorse his budgetary decree, the solution of the assembly and fresh president summarily dismissed them elections to the French government, on 28 February. Among those dis- but at the same time kept refusing to missed was Minister of Economic resign (tp, 11 Feb 2011). Reconversion Teva Rohfritsch, who Because the 2007 modification of received the news of his immediate the Organic Law of French Polynesia dismissal while representing French provides severe consequences if the Polynesia at a conference of European assembly does not pass the annual Union–affiliated Overseas Territories budget by March each year (see article in New Caledonia. This did not help 34, section II, 2007 Organic Law of to improve the international image of French Polynesia), pressure on the the country, already tarnished by years 178 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) of political instability (tp, 28 Feb Tatou Aia members from the outer 2011). islands. The new vice president is Ant- Now reduced to a splinter group ony Geros, who had already held the with only a handful of supporters in position in earlier Temaru-led cabinets the assembly, Tong Sang’s minority (tp, 6 April 2011). On 14 May, upld government was still holding power caucus chairman Jacqui Drollet was since the opposition parties remained elected Temaru’s successor as Speaker unable to find a common candi- of the assembly (TPM, May 2011). date and form a common platform This change of government marked that would enable a constructive the end of Tong Sang’s third term in no-confidence vote. During the last office since 2006 and the beginning of weeks of March, however, upld, Temaru’s fifth term since 2004. What with the largest caucus in the assem- is interesting about this most recent bly, carefully maneuvered behind the act in French Polynesia’s political scenes to gather a bare majority of drama is the fact that the country is its own, without having to rely on now headed for the first time by a the two other, pro-French opposi- government that has an explicit man- tion groups, Tahoeraa and Ia Ora Te date to push for decolonization on the Fenua. A motion of no confidence international level. Temaru’s earlier was introduced on 24 March (tp, 24 majorities had always failed in this March 2011). This was made possible respect because they included repre- when a few To Tatou Aia representa- sentatives opposed to independence tives from the outer islands switched who accused Temaru of breaking his sides. In order to consolidate the new promise to them to remain neutral majority ideologically, upld required in the decolonization question in its new adherents to sign a declara- exchange for their political support. tion demanding French Polynesia’s Another project of the new Temaru reinscription on the United Nations government is the introduction of a list of non-self-governing territories progressive income tax, which is cur- (from which France had unilaterally rently nonexistent (tp, 4 April 2011). removed the country in 1947), a core This would be an important step to element of upld’s platform. Follow- curb the drastically increasing social ing negotiations that took place until inequalities in the country. But this the last minute, the political stalemate plan is just as bold politically as the of more than a year was finally over, decolonization initiative, since politi- at least for the time being, when Tong cians and government officials are the Sang was overthrown on 1 April in a main profiteers of both the French no-confidence motion and replaced government subsidies and the current once more by Oscar Temaru by a bare unjust taxation system. majority of twenty-nine votes (tp, 1 During the period under review, the April 2011). government took the first steps to curb On 6 April, Temaru presented his its spending by selling off unnecessary new cabinet of eleven ministers, most prestige objects. On 15 October, the of them upld members as well as Tong Sang government sold the his- several newly “converted” former To toric Rocklands Hostel in Auckland to political reviews • polynesia 179 a New Zealand real estate agency for maintenance cost for a few pretentious nz$5.1 million (us$4.2 million), much buildings. The only politician who has less than the purchase price paid by dared to take initiative in that direc- an earlier Temaru government in 2005 tion thus far is Sabrina Birk (upld), (tp, 15 Oct 2010). On 10 March, the who threatened to resign in protest of presidential airplane, bought by the her colleagues’ refusal to enact drastic Flosse government in the early 2000s pay cuts. She decided to stay in the and thus nicknamed “Air Flosse One,” assembly but chose to accept less than was sold to a European syndicate one third of her monthly salary of on behalf of the Bhutanese national 630,000 cfp francs (about us$6,300) airline Druk Air for 6.2 million euros and donate the rest to a children’s (about us$7.5 million) (TPM, April aid organization. She also announced 2011). that she would pay her staff the same A more drastic step was taken by salary as herself and also make a the new Temaru government when it charitable donation out of the rest of decided to move the presidency out the 580,000 cfp francs she receives of the Flosse-era luxury presidential monthly to pay staff members (TPM, palace and into an older government June–July 2011). building and to lease the palace to On 19 April, Papeete saw another businesses. Vice President Geros union-led demonstration against the stated that a colonial-style palace did failure of successive governments to not suit modern Tahiti and that when improve the economic situation. The he and his colleagues entered the whole protest, attended by about palace, they felt out of place. Accord- 2,000 participants, was rather hypo- ing to unconfirmed rumors, a Chinese critical, however, since it was once bank and a hotel chain were interested more led by people who benefit the in leasing the building (TPM, May most from the system (TPM, May 2011). Following this trend, in late 2011). A few days before, assembly April, the French Development Agency member Hiro Tefaarere, a former told the French Polynesia government union official with a notorious past as to sell the building that houses its a political turncoat, surprisingly told office in Paris as well; otherwise the the naked truth on the floor of the country would no longer receive loans assembly, denouncing both politicians from the agency (TPM, June 2011). and union officials and warning that While all of these measures may the system could not go on like this have important symbolic meaning, it (tp, 12 April 2011). would be far more prudent in light of At the same time, the economic the country’s disastrous economic and and social decay of the country is financial situation for the administra- becoming more and more visible. tion to cut the excessive salaries of Not only has the number of home- politicians as well as those of countless less in the streets of Papeete increased officials in the numerous and often dramatically (TPM, May 2009), unnecessary and incompetent govern- one can also see more and more ment departments, since the sum of abandoned buildings in downtown all these salaries by far exceeds the Papeete, some corners of which are 180 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) beginning to look like ghost towns. ritories is a bold step. The opposition The reason is usually property owners’ in the assembly, on the other hand, is lack of funds due to the bad economic running up against Temaru’s decolo- situation (NT, 28 Dec 2010). nization plans. When a resolution to With no solution for the economic support reinscription was introduced crisis in sight, it is not surprising that by the cabinet to the assembly com- more and more people are leaving the mittee on institutional issues, the three country. Due to the artificial economic “autonomist” (ie, anti-independence) growth brought about by French opposition caucuses of Tahoeraa, subsidies in the past, French Polynesia To Tatou Aia, and Ia Ora Te Fenua used to be among the Pacific Island denounced the government’s plan in a entities with the lowest number in the joint press statement and announced diaspora, but this is slowly changing. that they would fiercely resist the Tahitian expatriate communities are passing of the resolution. This led beginning to grow, mainly in New to an adjournment of debate on the Caledonia, France, and francophone resolution on the assembly floor until Canada (TPM, Aug 2010), but also in mid-August (tp, 21 June 2011). New Zealand, Hawai‘i, and the US Despite claims by the “autono- West Coast. mists” to the contrary, colonialism One has to wonder why the local is alive and well in French Polynesia. politicians, with quite a large amount Nothing shows this more clearly of policy-making powers at their than the French government’s policy disposal, have been preoccupied toward the Tahitian language. In May with power struggles and have com- 2011, the French ministry of educa- pletely failed to make any significant tion announced plans to abolish the improvements in the economic and capes (certificat d’aptitude au profes- social fields over the last couple of sorat de l’enseignement du second years. Attentively following the devel- degré [certificate of ability to teach in opments since the early 2000s, I have secondary education]) diploma for the lately begun to speculate whether the teaching of so-called regional lan- irresponsible, and in the long run self- guages (including Tahitian) by 2012. destructive behavior of the political This could jeopardize the official posi- elites might not be a kind of subcon- tion of the Tahitian language in French scious response to French colonial Polynesia’s education system, in which patronizing policies of the past and Tahitian can be chosen instead of a present. Since Tahitian politicians have foreign language in collège and lycée been constantly treated like children (middle and high school) and in which (who are either to be repressed or to Tahitian can be taken to satisfy the be spoiled), their reaction has indeed foreign language requirement in the been to behave like children. baccalaureat (high school diploma). In this sense, the initiative of the Representatives of various politi- new Temaru government to inter- cal parties, of the Maohi Protestant nationalize the issue by seeking to Church (the country’s largest denomi- reinscribe the country on the United nation), and the Tahitian Academy Nations list of non-self-governing ter- (the language commission) were out- political reviews • polynesia 181 raged over the plans. In early June, the so-called Morin Act, a law to enable Assembly of French Polynesia passed the compensation of former test work- a unanimous resolution denouncing ers suffering from radiation-related the education ministry’s plans and illnesses, the law contains numerous demanding to maintain the diploma. bureaucratic hurdles that prevent Speaker Jacqui Drollet stated that many victims from receiving recogni- this was part of a colonial political tion of their sufferings and, as a result, strategy by the French government to adequate compensation. Local nuclear further undermine Polynesian identity test victims’ association Moruroa e through language assimilation (tp, 14 Tatou repeatedly denounced the fail- June 2011). Senator Richard Tuheiava, ings of the compensation process and one of the two representatives of the demanded a revision of the Morin Act country in the French Senate, consid- (tp, 17 Nov 2010, 30 June 2011). ered the plan to be contradictory to Despite France’s continuing colo- the French constitution (which since a nial policies, however, its long-term 2008 amendment recognizes “regional interests in the country are becoming languages”) as well as the UN Dec- more and more dubious. An indica- laration of the Rights of Indigenous tion of this is the continuing military Peoples, which France ratified in 2007 pullout. At the end of 2010, the com- (tp, 30 May 2011). Led by the Tahi- mander of military forces in French tian Academy and the Maohi Protes- Polynesia, Rear Admiral Jérôme tant Church, hundreds demonstrated Régnier, announced that 1,000 posi- on June 26 in front of the Pouvanaa tions, including 750 military personnel a Oopa monument in Papeete for the and 250 civilian employees, will be cut maintenance of the diploma (tp, 26 by 2016 (DT, 20 Dec 2010). June 2011). Finally, yet another change in the It is quite apparent that Tahitian political system is under way. After and other Polynesian languages are consultation with some of the lead- indeed threatened. Already, most ing local politicians, French Minister young people speak French more for Overseas Territories Marie-Luce often and more fluently than they do Penchard introduced into the French Tahitian, as a recent study by a French legislature a bill for a new amendment scholar has shown (Ferment Mear to the French Polynesia Organic Act 2010), and the French government’s of 2004. After some debate, it was colonialist policies are reinforcing the passed by the French Senate on 31 trend. On 6 October, the European May and was thereafter transferred to Human Rights Court rejected a com- the National Assembly, the other legis- plaint by assembly member Sabrina lative chamber of the French Republic, Birk against an earlier French govern- where it was adopted at the end of ment ban on the official use of Tahi- June (tp, 30 June 2011). The bill pro- tian in the assembly (tp, 6 Oct 2010). poses to restore the one-third-of-seats A continuation of French colonial- bonus for the leading party, which was ism is also apparent in the treatment part of the 2004 organic law but had of the victims of nuclear testing. Even been removed in the last amendment though in 2010 France passed the of 2007. The election mode in two 182 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) rounds, on the other hand, with a 12.5 reacted far less critically than in 2007 percent threshold for admission to when Paris imposed the organic law the second round, first introduced in reform against the explicit will of the 2007, will be retained. Besides, the six assembly’s majority. current constituencies are to be deleted Leaving controversial politics aside and replaced with a unitary constitu- and looking at some positive events ency with several sections. Further- in the cultural field, the period under more, constructive no-confidence review was also marked by milestones votes will henceforth require a 60 in the revival of traditional naviga- percent majority of representatives. All tion. The race by two neo-traditional of these changes are supposed to cre- canoes to reach the 2010 Shanghai ate more solid majorities and thereby World Expo before its closing was decrease the country’s chronic insta- won by neither team. One of the bility. Unlike the 2007 amendment, two canoes, O Tahiti Nui Freedom, Penchard’s bill is not intended to lead reached Shanghai on November 22 to a dissolution of the assembly and after a voyage of 114 days. After early elections, but rather it is sup- leaving Tahiti on 11 July, the voyage posed to be applied to the next regular led through the Cook Islands, Niue, assembly elections in 2013 (rnzi, 1 Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, June 2011; tp, 2 June 2011, 15 July Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and 2011). the Philippines. The goal of the voy- In French Polynesia, the bill met age, led by Tahitian scientist Hiria mixed reactions. Many Tahitian Ottino, was to reversely duplicate politicians favor the creation of a the historic migration route of the unitary constituency, since this would Austronesian peoples—from southern lead to a more appropriate repre- China, through Taiwan and Southeast sentation of the political will of the Asia, and into the insular Pacific—and country’s body politic. Representatives thereby promote French Polynesia from the outer islands, on the other among the Expo visitors. Slowed by hand, criticized the deletion of the damage from several storms, the canoe separate constituencies because they arrived too late for the Expo, but the feared that this would lead to an even crew was nevertheless enthusiastically stronger dominance by Tahiti Island, received by the Chinese authorities which holds more than two-thirds of and greeted with a military honor the country’s inhabitants, and further guard in Shanwei Harbor, Guangdong marginalize the outer islands. On 14 (TPM, Dec 2010) April, the Assembly of French Polyne- The voyage of more than 15,000 sia adopted a “reserved” (ie, neither kilometers was one of the longest in for nor against, but skeptical) opin- the history of the modern revival of ion on the bill, and the two French Polynesian navigation. The compet- Polynesia deputies in the National ing canoe, Upoo Tahiti, with owner Assembly both criticized the adopted Clément Pito and navigator Teiki text and called for further modifica- Pambrun, was less fortunate. Pito and tions (tp, 30 June 2011). Altogether, Pambrun, who had originally col- however, the local political scene laborated with Ottino on one single political reviews • polynesia 183 project before having a falling out, review. On 12 February, Jean-Marc chose a straight route through central Teraituatini Pambrun passed away in Polynesia and Micronesia and decided Paris at the age of fifty-seven. Pam- to sail without an escort vessel or offi- brun was one of the most renowned cial permits. Unfortunately, damage contemporary Tahitian writers and and other problems ended the voyage artists. Among his numerous works in Tuvalu, where the canoe was aban- are Le Sale Petit Prince (a collection doned, and the crew returned to Tahiti of satirical short stories); Les Par- (TPM, Oct 2010). fums du Silence (a play based on Paul Another highlight in Polynesian Gauguin’s last years in the Marquesas navigation took place when a fleet of Islands); and the novel Le Bambou seven neo-traditional canoes, named Noir. Most of his literary works Tavaru 2011, sailed from French featured his own drawings. In 2006, Polynesia to Hawai‘i between April Pambrun, a lifelong pro-independence and June 2011. The fleet, sponsored activist, was appointed curator of the by German philanthropist Dieter territorial museum, Musée de Tahiti et Paulmann and his marine protection des Iles, in Punaauia by then President foundation Okeanos, consisted of the Oscar Temaru. As curator, Pam- Tahitian canoe Faafaite, one canoe brun was responsible for a thorough each from the Cook Islands, Sëmoa, renovation of the museum and several and Fiji, two from Aotearoa/New special exhibits featuring Polynesian Zealand, and one with a pan-Pacific artifacts from around the world. His crew. The canoes had first gathered last great literary work was a biog- on Fakarava atoll in the Tuamotu raphy of famed Tahitian poet and Archipelago, then sailed to Nuku Hiva filmmaker Henri Hiro (1944–1990), in the Marquesas Islands, and from which came out in late 2010. Strictly there to Hilo on Hawai‘i Island, where following his will, Pambrun’s funeral they were enthusiastically greeted by on Moorea Island was a rare occur- Hawaiian religious and cultural lead- rence, as it was celebrated with purely ers. The voyage of more than 4,000 traditional, non-Christian ceremonies kilometers between the Marquesas (TPM, March 2011). and Hawai‘i took the fleet only twelve Besides Pambrun, a few other days. After a tour of the Hawaiian notable personalities passed away. Islands, the canoes plan to make a trip Pierre Vérin, a former president of to the US West Coast and to hold a the University of French Polyne- reunion in the Marquesas in Novem- sia, died in July 2010 at the age of ber. Most significantly, Faafaite is the seventy-eight. Vérin was a French first neo-traditional Tahitian canoe to linguist and anthropologist who had sail to Hawai‘i, a somewhat belated become famous for his research in response to the famed voyage of the the Austral islands (TPM, Aug 2010). Hawaiian vessel Hýkąle‘a to Tahiti in On 14 August, Chinese-Tahitian 1976. painter Francois Teriitehau passed Besides these wonderful events, away at sixty-five (TPM, Sept 2011), the country’s cultural scene suffered and on 11 September, fisherman a terrible loss during the year under Tavae Raioaoa died at age sixty-four. 184 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

Raioaoa had become famous in 2002, DT, La Depêche de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. when, following engine damage, he http://www.ladepeche.pf survived 118 days drifting on an open Ferment Mear, Florence. 2010. Pour la boat before reaching Aitutaki in the défense de la langue tahitienne: Etat des Cook Islands, where a museum was lieux et propositions. Série “Lettres du subsequently built in his honor. His Pacifique” 26. Paris: L’Harmattan. adventure has also been told in a book NT, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. published in French and Tahitian (TPM, http://lesnouvelles.pf Oct 2010). Finally, on 16 January pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet 2011, René Calinaud, a former mag- news. Honolulu. http://pidp.eastwestcenter istrate and legal expert on land tenure .org/pireport matters who had served on the bench rnzi, Radio New Zealand International. since 1959, left this world at the age Daily radio and Internet news. of eighty (TPM, Feb 2011). http://www.rnzi.com On a final note, the Catholic tp, Tahitipresse. Daily Internet news. Church, the country’s second larg- Tahiti. http://www.tahitipresse.pf est religious denomination, had an important change in leadership. On TPM, Tahiti Pacifique Magazine. Monthly. Tahiti. http://www.tahiti-pacifique.com 31 March, Archbishop Hubert Cop- penrath, in office since 1998, retired at the record age of eighty. In his stead, Pope Benedict XVI appointed MêORI ISSUES Father Bruno Mai to serve as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until The year under review was one of a new archbishop is nominated (TPM, shocking upheavals for Mëori in more April 2011). ways than one. In August and Sep- lorenz gonschor tember 2010 we lost some key lead- ers. In September 2010, in February 2011, and in June 2011, Christchurch suffered a series of earthquakes that References left many Mëori families devastated 2007 Organic Law of French Polynesia. and feeling abandoned as recovery aid Loi organique nº 2007-1719 du 7 décem- passed them by. On the political scene, bre 2007 tendant à renforcer la stabilité Prime Minister John Key finally got des institutions et la transparence de la vie his wish when the Mëori Party forced politique en Polynésie française (Organic Hýne Harawira out, only to have Law no. 2007-1719 of 7 December 2007 Harawira win a by-election for his intending to reinforce institutional stabil- Taitokerau seat and return to Parlia- ity and transparency of politics in French ment as the leader of the new Mana Polynesia). http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/ Movement. But the most bewildering affichTexte.do;jsessionid =200886F3275435A8399547D6CCD5 development was the Mëori Party 5EB2.tpdjo17v_1?cidTexte turning its back on its constituents =JORFTEXT000017576150 and supporting the passage into law &categorieLien=id [accessed 31 August of the racist Marine and Coastal Area 2011] (Takutai Moana) Bill. political reviews • polynesia 185

On 17 August 2010, two very dif- away. He was staunchly Ngëti Porou, ferent leaders from different parts of a scholar, a thinker, and the architect the country passed away. In Taranaki, of the Mëori Studies Department at Te Miringa Hohaia died unexpect- Victoria University in Wellington. edly at the age of fifty-eight. He was a There he challenged the dry, dusty scholar, artist, and activist who spent approach to university teaching and his adult life fighting the injustices scholarship imported from Britain, perpetrated on his Taranaki people by writing the first MA thesis in the the British. He was trained and deeply Mëori language. However, he was skilled in the traditions, customs, passed over as the inaugural head of and history of his ancestral home, the department, so he left academia Parihaka, a place renowned for the and returned home to his Ngëti Porou atrocities that the British committed roots to farm and work for his people. there over many years. In the 1970s he It was many years before Victoria Uni- was involved in the eventually success- versity recognized his contributions. In ful Treaty of Waitangi claims against 2004 they awarded him an honorary the Crown to stop the pollution and doctorate in literature (Fox 2010). despoliation of the seafood beds off In September 2010, Sir Archie John the north Taranaki coast. In the 1990s Te Atawhai Taiaroa passed away. He he was one of the leaders of the com- was Te Atihaunui a Pëpërangi, Ngëti plex and successful Taranaki Treaty Tąwharetoa, and Ngëti Apa and claims. In 2000 he co-curated the chairman of the Whanganui River hugely successful landmark exhibition Mëori Trust Board. He played a key Parihaka, The Art of Passive Resis- role in one of the nation’s longest tance at Wellington’s City Gallery, running court cases—the Whanganui and in 2005 he created the Parihaka River claim. He took a number of International Peace Festival, which leading roles tribally, nationally, and has become an annual celebration of internationally. He was at the heart the heritage of Taranaki (Ashworth, of the protracted Mëori fisheries Hond, and Hohaia 2010; Mëori Party struggles and a leader of the Mëori 2010a). An obituary noted, “In life broadcasting litigation that spanned he was akin to his tupuna [ancestors], over twenty years and led to Mëori becoming perhaps the most hated radio and television. He traveled to person in the province among Pakeha the United Nations, the International in the 1980s as he fought the injustice Whaling Commission, and the Privy of the pittance paid by leaseholders Council in London to defend the farming confiscated Taranaki Maori rights of Mëori and indigenous people reserve land. . . . Opponents vilified (Mëori Party 2010b; Harawira 2010). him, echoing the 19th century settler On 8 September, the first earth- reaction to the non-violent campaign quake hit Christchurch. It measured of Parihaka founders Tohu and Te 7.1 on the Richter scale and, while Whiti” (Ashworth, Hond, and Hohaia there was extensive damage to build- 2010, 9). ings in the central business district in On the east coast, Te Kapunga particular, there was no loss of human (Koro) Matemoana Dewes passed life. Hundreds of aftershocks followed, 186 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) and a magnitude 6.3 quake on 22 In July 2010, Professor James February 2011 claimed 181 lives and Anaya, the United Nations Special caused widespread damage, mostly to Rapporteur on the Rights of Indig- buildings and infrastructure already enous Peoples, warned the government weakened by the September quake. about its mistreatment of Mëori. In On 13 June, a third quake, again of a preliminary statement issued at the magnitude 6.3, followed a magnitude end of his weeklong visit he said, “I 5.6 tremor, causing more damage. A cannot help but note the extreme dis- major problem, particularly in the advantage in the social and economic eastern suburbs, was liquefaction— conditions of the Mëori people” liquid mud and silt forced above (Anaya 2010). His 2011 report to ground by each major quake. the UN Human Rights Committee In September and then again in acknowledged the advances the New February, the news media focused Zealand government had made by, for on the central business district where example, formally expressing sup- there was significant loss of life. port for the UN Declaration on the While most suburban areas, includ- Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2010. ing the more wealthy areas, were not However, Anaya also pointed out a severely damaged, the poorer eastern number of serious ongoing problems, suburbs, which are home to many including the lack of adequate legal Mëori, were greatly impacted. Water, protection for the human rights of power, and other services were quickly Mëori as citizens and their rights to restored to the wealthy suburbs, but their lands and resources; the short- a fortnight after the February quake comings, inadequacy, and unfairness the eastern suburbs were still without of the treaty settlement process; and power, water, sewerage, food, shops, the extreme disadvantage in the social money, petrol, passable roads, and and economic conditions of the Mëori other necessities. One livid Mëori people in comparison to the rest of reporter noted that “officials from the New Zealand society (Anaya 2011). Prime Minister down . . . were seem- One of the areas the special rap- ingly oblivious to the real life human porteur warned about was the Marine tragedy taking place where tens of and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) thousands of people were without... Bill that was before the House. He necessities we take for granted in mod- pointed out that the bill “should be ern society” (Fox 2011, 11). In the in line with international standards days following the February quake, regarding the rights of indigenous thousands left Christchurch, making peoples to their traditional lands and their way home to their own tribal resources” (Anaya 2011, 2). As a areas. Many marae (Mëori communal result of the agreement entered into meeting places) north of the disaster by the ruling National Party and the area looked after weary, shaken travel- Mëori Party, the government agreed ers, who arrived with only the clothes to repeal the previous government’s on their backs, hungry, unwashed, loathed and discriminatory Foreshore and with little fuel in their tanks (Fox and Seabed Act 2004. It was to be 2011, 12). replaced by the Marine and Coastal political reviews • polynesia 187

Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011. The ty’s betrayal of its constituents became Mëori Party gave assurances that clear when submissions regarding the the legislation would respect Mëori bill that had been made to the Mëori wishes and the influential National Affairs Select Committee were ana- Iwi Chairs Forum conducted extensive lyzed. Of the seventy-two submissions discussions with the government to received from representatives of tra- ensure that it would uphold Mëori ditional Mëori groupings throughout rights. In the end, the National Party the country, only one had supported government ignored both of them. It the bill—and that was a tribal body, drew up legislation that was just as Te Rąnanga o Ngëti Porou, that had racist and discriminatory as the 2004 negotiated their own deal with the act and then looked to its coalition government. The seventy-one other partner, the Mëori Party, to get it past submissions either opposed the bill in the inevitable Mëori objections. Much its entirety, demanding its withdrawal, to the dismay of Mëori, rather than or insisted on significant amendments rejecting National’s racist bill, the (Kaitiaki o te Takutai, 2011). Mëori Party supported it, and in doing The dumping of Hýne Harawira so, turned its back on its constituents. caused disquiet in the Mëori com- The 2011 act, like the 2004 act, munity, and it was not only the Mëori confiscates the foreshore and seabed Party’s failure with regard to the territories of 660,000 Mëori while Marine and Coastal Area Bill that was protecting the 12,500 non-Mëori title troubling. The dumping itself was a holders who occupy land in the same clumsy affair that looked suspiciously area. The only Mëori Party member of like the Mëori Party was carrying out Parliament prepared to fight for Mëori the prime minister’s frequently and rights to their lands and resources publicly expressed admonitions that was Hýne Harawira, and his refusal they get rid of him (Mutu 2011a, 227– to stop criticizing the bill, the govern- 229; Francis 2010). Yet the National ment, and his Mëori Party colleagues government, which the prime minister resulted in the Mëori Party dumping leads, with its policies of looking after him. the wealthy, was causing increasing Despite repeated advice from Mëori hardship for many Mëori families and groups regarding their opposition to communities. Having seen and heard the bill, the Mëori Party continued the pain of Mëori families, Harawira to claim that they had support for it. had become increasingly strident in In December and again in February, his criticisms of the government. He the Mëori Party co-leaders appeared also reminded his own party that its before the National Iwi Chairs Forum mandate was to represent Mëori, not and made the bewildering statement to kowtow to the National Party. that because they were now part of Yet the Mëori Party seemed unable the government, they were now the to recognize that being wedded to Crown. As such, they argued, they had National was alienating them from little choice but to accept the National their constituents. In the months after Party’s bill as the “best they could his dumping, Harawira launched a do.” The magnitude of the Mëori Par- new political movement, Mana, which 188 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) advocated Mëori leadership to protect benefits. Additionally, the nz$1 bil- Mëori, workers, the unemployed, lion budgeted in 1994 to settle all the poor, and the disenfranchised. Mëori historical Treaty of Waitangi Mana drew support from both Mëori claims has still not been spent. Despite and non-Mëori. In May, Harawira international advice and Mëori insis- resigned from Parliament, forcing a tence that the lands, territories, and by-election for the Taitokerau (Mëori) resources that have been stolen from seat. Despite vigorous campaigning them be returned along with adequate by other parties, he was returned compensation, the government contin- to Parliament as the leader of the ues to impose settlements valued at an Mana Movement with a comfortable average of 0.1 percent of the esti- majority. The Mëori Party candidate mated value of the assets stolen (Mutu received only 8 percent of the vote. 2011b, 157) and refuses to pay com- Harawira’s criticisms of the pensation. Each settlement is assigned government echoed mounting unease a monetary value, but most of that is and dissatisfaction in the Mëori retained by the government as it forces community. Concerns had been claimants to pay for their own lands. increasing across the board as the One Far North iwi (tribal grouping), government seemed intent on open- Ngëti Kahu, has referred to these ing its coffers to the wealthy while retained funds as “ransom monies” increasing the taxes of the poor. and has refused to pay them. Instead nz$1.7 billion was paid out to the they have returned to the Waitangi investors of the failed South Canter- Tribunal to seek orders forcing the bury Finance Company (NZH, 11 April government to return their lands and 2011); more than nz$34 million in to pay compensation. Since the 1990s, incentives and subsidies along with governments have vowed to repeal the changes to New Zealand employment tribunal’s powers to make such orders law were given to Warner Brothers if they ever attempt to do so (Mutu to keep the filming of The Hobbit in 2011b, 108). New Zealand (NZH, 28 Oct 2010); and On top of all this, the govern- nz$36 million was paid to fund Team ment incurred the wrath of two large New Zealand’s challenge for the 2013 East Coast iwi, Ngëti Porou and Te America’s Cup yacht race (NZH, 28 Whënau a Apanui, when it allowed April 2011). On top of this were the the Brazilian oil giant Petrobras to tax cuts whose main beneficiaries are start exploring for oil in their territo- the wealthy. Offsetting these costs was rial seas. Apart from the fact that the a 2.5 percent increase in the goods and oil belongs to those iwi, the threat to services tax (to 15 percent), a tax that the well-being of the seas was of major hits low-income earners hard and the concern. A flotilla of protest vessels unemployed and social welfare benefi- authorized by the iwi shadowed the ciaries even harder. Mëori unemploy- company vessels until they packed up ment is at 13.5 percent, more than early and left. Shameless government twice the national rate of 6.5 percent appropriation and exploitation of iwi (Department of Labour 2011), and 31 oil and gas resources have resulted in percent of Mëori receive social welfare at least two Waitangi Tribunal reports political reviews • polynesia 189 upholding iwi claims to ownership of the board failed when the board took their own resources. Yet in Taranaki, the council to the high court in order where governments have been making to force it to abide by the legislation many millions of dollars every year for (NZH, 13 April 2011). over one hundred years from oil and Another bright spot occurred when gas, not one cent of the income has the Black Ferns, New Zealand Wom- been shared with its rightful owners. en’s Rugby team, won the Women’s Despite the inevitable animos- Rugby World cup. Most team mem- ity that this type of behavior fosters bers are Mëori, and they won despite between governments and Mëori, a lack of funding and the New Zea- the so-called settlements continued land Rugby Union withdrawing sup- around the country. Office of Treaty port (Mëori Party 2010c). Settlements reports indicate that margaret mutu since 1989, twenty-six claims have been “settled” and ten await their settlement legislation to be enacted. References Fourteen claimant groups have signed Anaya, James. 2010. New Zealand: some form of Agreement in Prin- More To Be Done to Improve Indigenous ciple, and twenty claimant groups People’s Rights, Says UN Expert. United are in negotiations with the govern- Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous ment (Mutu 2005, 204; OTS 2011, People’s website, 23 July. http://unsr 6–8). Those completed over the past .jamesanaya.org/statements/new-zealand year include Te Whare Wënanga -more-to-be-done-to-improve-indigenous o Awanuiërangi, which received a -peoples-rights-says-un-expert [accessed nz$14.5 million contribution toward 13 September 2011] the costs of establishing its Mëori- _____. 2011. Report of the Special Rap- focused tertiary institution following porteur on the rights of indigenous peo- a successful claim to the Waitangi ples, James Anaya: The Situation of Mëori Tribunal in 1999. People in New Zealand. 17 February. United Nations General Assembly docu- On a brighter note, the Independent ment a/hrc/18/XX/Add.y. Available at Mëori Statutory Board to the Auck- http://unsr.jamesanaya.org/country-reports/ land City Council has proved far more the-situation-of-maori-people-in-new effective than the three seats for Mëori -zealand-2011 [accessed 5 August 2011] on the Council, which the government Ashworth, Craig, Ruakere Hond, and refused to create. Legislation setting Ngahina Hohaia. 2010. Te Miringa’s Last up the board has ensured Mëori rep- Challenge. Mana Mëori (magazine) 96 resentation on all relevant city council (October–November), 8–9. committees, much to the annoyance of Department of Labour. 2011. Mëori several outspoken non-Mëori council Labour Market Factsheet – June 2011. members. But the annoyance turned Wellington: Department of Labour. to fury when funding requirements set Available at http://www.dol.govt.nz/ out in the legislation meant that the publications/lmr/quick-facts/maori.asp council had to adequately fund the [accessed 7 August 2011] board. Attempts by the racist elements Fox, Derek. 2010. Maimai Aroha. Mana within the council to cut funding for Mëori 96 (October–November), 6–7. 190 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

_____. 2011. The Forgotten Eastsiders. OTS9monthreportJul2010toMar2011.pdf Mana Mëori 99 (April–May), 10–19. [accessed 7 August 2011] Francis, Clio. 2010. Harawira Hindering Race Relations – Key. Stuff.co.nz, 13 January.

Harawira, Hone. 2010. êe Mërika! Rapa Nui Column, Northland Age, 28 September. Conflict between Rapa Nui people Kaitiaki o te Takutai. 2011. Summary of and the Chilean state escalated during Mëori Submissions on the Marine and the review year and peaked in Decem- Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Bill 2010. ber 2010 as Chilean military and Press release, 22 February. police forces committed state violence against Rapa Nui. While the intensity Mëori Party. 2010a. Turia Saddened by Death of Taranaki Leader. Press release, of conflict has lessened since Decem- 17 August. ber, Rapa Nui continue to engage in large-scale public demonstrations _____. 2010b. Poroporoaki ki Sir Archie against the Chilean state as of June John Te Atawhai Taiaroa. Press release, 2011. Interpreting the conflict is prob- 21 September. lematic given that there are compet- _____. 2010c. Black Ferns Win. Speech, ing discursive grounds by which it 14 September. can be framed (see Young this issue; Young 2011), and because most of the Mutu, Margaret. 2005. Recovering Fagin’s information available is represented Ill-gotten Gains: Settling Ngëti Kahu’s in Chilean media, not controlled by Treaty of Waitangi Claims against the Rapa Nui people. Herein I focus on Crown. In Waitangi Revisited: Perspec- tives on the Treaty of Waitangi, edited by representations of the conflict primar- Michael Belgrave, Merata Kawharu, and ily in terms of the ways it is portrayed David Williams, 187–209. Melbourne: by scattered Rapa Nui voices in the Oxford University Press. international media. At the close of the last review ———. 2011a. Polynesia in Review: Issues (Gonschor 2011), Rapa Nui were and Events, 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010: noted as embroiled in demonstrations Mëori Issues. The Contemporary Pacific 23:227–233. sparked by the Chilean state appoint- ment of Petero Edmunds Paoa as the ———. 2011b. The State of Mëori Rights. new governor of Rapa Nui. Following Wellington: Huia Publishers. the solar eclipse celebrations in July, Northland Age. Twice weekly. Kaitëia, conflict intensified as a number of New Zealand. hua‘ai (extended families) reclaimed hua‘ai lands currently occupied by NZH, New Zealand Herald. Daily. Auck- Chilean state institutions and busi- land. nesses, such as the Ministry of Public ots, Office of Treaty Settlements. 2011. Works, the Ministry of the Interior, the 9 Month Report July 2010–March 2011. municipality, the public school, part Wellington: ots. http://nz01.terabyte of a museum, and the Hangaroa Eco .co.nz/ots/DocumentLibrary/ Village and Spa (Indigenous News, political reviews • polynesia 191

3 Aug 2010). Lands began to be here until I die” (The Clinic blog, 15 reclaimed on Friday, 30 July (emol, 2 Sept 2010; translated from Spanish). Aug 2010). By Wednesday, 4 August, Some hua‘ai members stressed a total of eleven lands occupied by broader social and cultural problems. state institutions had been reclaimed Piru Huke Atan, a hua‘ai member (emol, 4 Aug 2010). Among the involved in the reclaiming of land at hua‘ai reportedly involved were Atan, the Chilean governor’s building in Chavez/Teave, Haoa, Hito, Huke, Rapa Nui, represented the reclaiming Hotus, Ika, Pakarati, Pate, Rapu, of ancestral lands as part of a struggle Tepano, and Tuki (emol, 2 Aug to retain the integrity of Rapa Nui as 2010; The Clinic, 15 Sept 2010; ST, 4 a people (pir, 17 Aug 2010). Hua‘ai Aug 2010; Te Rapa Nui website, Aug members felt threatened as a people, 2010)—some of the largest and most in part because of increasing Chilean powerful of the thirty-six total hua‘ai settlement on the island. Angela Tuki on the island. Hua‘ai members set up Chavez complained, “Everything they tents, cooking grills, and fire pits on do here goes badly. Especially immi- the reclaimed lands (The Clinic blog, gration—it’s not immigration, it’s an 15 Sept 2010). invasion. The state doesn’t listen to us Hua‘ai members who were directly as a distinct ethnic group” (National or indirectly involved in the conflict Public Radio, 9 Sept 2010). Valeria represented the reclaiming of land as Pakarati saw the conflict in terms a response to a range of problems. of social inequality; she emphasized Some hua‘ai reclaimed lands against that Rapa Nui are reclaiming land privatization. This was the case in the in a context where Chilean officials attempt of the Hito hua‘ai to reclaim have housing while Rapa Nui increas- land occupied by the new high-end ingly have nowhere to live (lt, 3 Aug hotel, the Hangaroa Eco Village and 2010). Such concerns were echoed by Spa. The us$50 million hotel is a other Rapa Nui. Tiare Paoa empha- development of Cristoph Schiess, the sized problems of health, pollution, chief executive of one of the largest power, and assimilation resulting from private companies in Chile, Empresas current state policies in Rapa Nui Transoceanica (ap, 7 Feb 2011). Resis- (ec, 9 Aug 2010). One anonymous tance to privatization was also funda- Rapa Nui commentator stated that mental to the Haoa hua‘ai’s reclaiming “the reality we live in today is one of of lands occupied by municipal institu- being crammed into a ghetto called tions. Reina Haoa, an eighty-five-year- Haƾa Roa. Our families are fighting old woman, emphasized that she had for a couple of crumbs of land for the provided the municipality land to use children and grandchildren, and there in order to improve the functioning is no space to plant even a potato” of the town at the request of her son (ec, 9 Aug 2010; translated from the Alfonso, who was mayor at the time. Spanish). On learning that new state leaders Other hua‘ai members framed the hoped to privatize and sell this land issue in more political terms. Tuhiira she stated, “I went from my home and Tuki conceived of hua‘ai resistance I came to get my land and I will stay as a struggle for “a better future for 192 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) our children, and not a life as we live and outside of Chilean institutions on in today. To reach this end, we have the island. Luz Zasso Paoa, mayor of to be in charge of our lives, our land the Chilean-organized municipality and everything that goes with it: laws of Haƾa Roa, and Governor Petero and social development” (ec, 9 Aug Edmunds Paoa were sympathetic to 2010; translated from Spanish). Santi the hua‘ai in some reports. Governor Hitorangi, a member of the hua‘ai Edmunds Paoa framed the actions as that reclaimed the land occupied by part of decades of Rapa Nui conflict the Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa, with the state; Mayor Zasso Paoa contextualized the conflict in terms represented the conflict as a response of international and national law. to ongoing state failures to reduce He stated, “The root of the current Chilean migration to the island, to revolution is based in the Chilean’s reconstitute hua‘ai lands, and to estab- continued occupation and systematic lish real autonomy for Rapa Nui (ST, abuse of the Rapanui people, in viola- 4 Aug 2010). Leviante Araki, current tion of the United Nations laws on president of the grassroots political political decolonization and today also organization Rapa Nui Parliament, the International Declaration on the threatened that the conflict could Rights of Indigenous People, to which lead to Rapa Nui independence from Chile became a signatory in 2007. Chile (emol, 4 Aug 2010). (The Chile’s actions also violate Chile’s Rapa Nui Parliament developed from own Indigenous Laws, which make the original hua‘ai-based Rapa Nui it illegal for non-Rapanui people to Council of Elders, which disbanded own land on the island. The Chilean when a faction led by Alberto Hotus government has continued to condone was incorporated into the Chilean abuses relating to health, usurpation state; the council retained the name of lands, and endangerment of the but its makeup was no longer deter- fragile environment and eco-system of mined by hua‘ai.) Mario Tuki, who the island by unrestricted immigration is an elected member of the Chilean of foreigners and Chilean nationals” state–based Development Commission (pir, 17 Aug 2010). Alfonso Rapu for Easter Island (codeipa) as well as Haoa, the leader of resistance in the a member of the Rapa Nui Parliament, 1960s that led to the end of military supported Leviante’s call for indepen- rule and to some civil rights for Rapa dence (EM, 6 Aug 2010). Nui in Chile, also emphasized the Initially, the state responded to the conflict as a struggle for self-determi- August events diplomatically. Raúl nation. In a letter addressed to Chilean Celis, mayor of the fifth region of President Sebastián Piñera that was Chile, which includes Rapa Nui, met later circulated in the media, he stated, with Rapa Nui elder representatives of “We want issues to be decided on all thirty-six hua‘ai along with Chilean Easter Island where it belongs: in this officials to discuss the conflict in a territory and by the Rapa Nui people” series of meetings. He acknowledged (ec, 16 Sept 2010). that Chile had failed to fulfill prom- Hua‘ai members were supported ises dating to the 1960s and earlier. by Rapa Nui leaders working within Celis proposed to resolve conflict with political reviews • polynesia 193 amendments to current Chilean land Interior Rodrigo Hinzpeter formed tenure laws. Interestingly, while Celis a committee to address three specific dismissed the threat of independence issues: the special status of the island, by the Rapa Nui Parliament, Mata immigration regulation, and land con- Atan, a leading representative of the flict. The committee’s mandate was hua‘ai, emphasized that the call for to propose solutions to the conflicts independence was reasonable in light within sixty days. Dialogue between of the decades of Chilean state failures hua‘ai members and the Chilean state in Rapa Nui (emol, 5 Aug 2010). dissolved as Celis threatened state vio- In a move to reduce tensions and lence against Rapa Nui and requested facilitate conflict resolution, Governor that forty-five members of Chilean Petero Edmunds Paoa resigned on 9 special forces be brought to the island August 2010 (bbc Mundo, 12 Aug to assist conflict resolution. Raul 2010). He resigned under accusations Teao, a Rapa Nui codeipa mem- of corruption for supporting the con- ber, emphasized that because Celis tested development of the Hangaroa threatened violence, Rapa Nui ceased Eco Village and Spa (Torrealba 2010), negotiations (ST, 9 Aug 2010). Rapa and for favoring other Chilean-based Nui Parliament leaders responded by developers who supported him as sending a letter to the Pacific Islands mayor and helped him gain appoint- Forum and Chilean President Piñera, ment as governor (ST, 8 Sept 2010). To requesting independence from Chile readers of past reviews of Rapa Nui in (otr, 18 Aug 2010). At gunpoint, the this journal, conflict regarding Petero majority of an estimated 1,000 Rapa Edmunds Paoa should come as no Nui were forced to end reclamations surprise. Edmunds Paoa, like Alberto of ancestral land occupied by colonial Hotus, the president of the Chilean Chilean institutions on 17 August (ST, state–organized Council of Elders, has 18 Aug 2010). Hito hua‘ai members often supported lucrative develop- continued to reclaim the lands occu- ment projects and policies strongly pied by the Hangaroa Eco Village and contested by the majority of the Rapa Spa, despite risking harm and death Nui population, such as a casino on (pir, 20 Aug 2010). the island (Gonschor 2008, 239) and a In September, the government watered-down autonomy bill com- announced that more than thirty land posed with little formal dialogue with titles for land in the Vaitea region Rapa Nui hua‘ai members (Gonschor would be released to Rapa Nui hua‘ai 2007). Carmen Cardinali Paoa was within sixty days. While some Rapa ultimately appointed to take his place Nui who were to receive titles were (ST, 8 Sept 2010). excited about the prospect, Marisol However, Edmunds Paoa’s resigna- Hito, the main spokesperson for the tion did not lead to any resolution or Hito hua‘ai (the hua‘ai in conflict with significant change in the conflict. By the Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa), the latter part of August, Rapa Nui emphasized that the lands scheduled hua‘ai had reclaimed an estimated for titles in the Vaitea region had thirty-five lands (Torrealba 2010). nothing to do with the ancestral lands On 9 August, Chilean Minister of the being reclaimed in Haƾa Roa (ST, 16 194 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

Sept 2010). Not surprisingly, hua‘ai (iachr) to stop Chilean forces from members began to reclaim the lands using state violence against hua‘ai that they had been forced from in members who were reclaiming lands August. Despite the September prom- (ilrc, 7 Feb 2011). The measures ise of titles, by October a reported were filed on the basis of a fact-find- eighteen of the total thirty-six Rapa ing mission Crippa had conducted in Nui hua‘ai had reclaimed buildings August and in light of the September they had been forced from in August eviction of Hito hua‘ai members from (ST, 12 Oct 2010). Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa, the Amid the protracted conflict, the arrival of additional Chilean forces, annual celebrations usually held on and the history of Chilean violence the island to celebrate the annexation toward its indigenous peoples (Crippa, of Rapa Nui by Chile on 9 September pers comm, June 2011). As the and the independence of Chile on 18 sixty-day Interior Ministry commit- September were suspended. Governor tee review drew to a close in October, Cardinali in part canceled the event the Chilean government announced because the place where it is usually its proposals for resolving conflict in conducted had been reclaimed by Rapa Nui. The state highlighted an hua‘ai members (emol, 9 Sept 2010). “investment plan” of us$203.4 mil- Though it was later reported that she lion (pir, 26 Oct 2010), which would had initially hoped to have the cel- utilize more than twenty times the ebration (emol, 17 Sept 2010), she total amount the state appropriated ultimately saw the event as inappro- for Rapa Nui over the past fifteen priate in the political context (emol, years. The proposal included bills to 9 Sept 2010). In contrast, Alberto improve land title transfers, clarify Hotus, president of the Chilean- the boundaries of the national park, organized Council of Elders—a man improve health care, increase infra- whom many Rapa Nui derogatively structure, and improve the conserva- nickname both “Kete” (pockets, as tion of the environment and cultural “in the pocket” of the Chilean govern- heritage (ST, 25 Oct 2010). Minister ment) and “Hokotahi ný” (someone of the Interior Hinzpeter discussed the who stands alone)—once again dem- investment plan and other matters of onstrated his lack of connection with concern (land titles, migration, and the Rapa Nui people he is formally the special status of the island) with supposed to represent. He conducted a select Rapa Nui at the public school private celebration of annexation with auditorium for five hours (emol, 23 Chilean officials aboard a navy ship Oct 2010). off the coast of Rapa Nui (emol, 9 While some Rapa Nui appear to Sept 2010). have been interested in the state’s In October, at the international proposal to resolve the conflict with level, attorney Leonardo Crippa of the promises of financial investment, Indian Law Resource Center (ilrc) more discussion, and further commit- in Washington DC filed precaution- tees, many clearly were dissatisfied. ary measures with the Inter-American Mario Tuki emphasized that that the Commission on Human Rights proposal did not really address the political reviews • polynesia 195 concerns of Rapa Nui hua‘ai, and that time spokesperson for Rapa Nui at the only some hua‘ai had been invited to United Nations, has recently empha- the meeting with Hinzpeter. Mario fur- sized that the investment plan is not ther stressed that the land titles were actually focused on problems of the limited to just three extended families Rapa Nui people at all (pers comm, while the rest were not addressed. Aug 2011). Her research has suggested Hinzpeter alienated the Hito hua‘ai, that the plan is primarily connected to as he did not meet with the family Chilean international trade interests members to discuss their conflict with as projected participants in various the Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa (ST, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 25 Oct 2010). Nor did he meet with (apec) programs. According to Erity, members of the Rapa Nui Parlia- the investment plan centers on the ment (pir, 27 Oct 2010). Raul Teao, development of a new port, as well a codeipa member, characterized as a project for airport expansion to the state’s development plan as mere increase international trade between “pills” that did not address the more Asia and Chile. fundamental demands for true politi- On 3 December, Chilean military cal autonomy for Rapa Nui (emol, 26 and police forces began acts of state Oct 2010). violence against unarmed Rapa Nui Thus it was no surprise that as men, women, and children. Violence Hinzpeter tried to fly away, demon- began at dawn as forty-five Chil- strations at the airport delayed the ean special forces entered a house departure for an hour (emol, 26 Oct reclaimed by members of several 2010). As Angela Tuki Chavez noted is hua‘ai at the center of town, under typical of the Chilean state, it appears a court order requested by Special the officials “‘ina he hakaroƾo” (did Prosecutor Guillermo Felipe Merino not listen). None of the comments and signed by local Judge Bernardo made by Rapa Nui explaining the rec- Toro (ec, 3 Dec 2010). Esther, lamations of land mentioned earlier in Roberto, and Verena Ika Pakarati, this review explicitly discussed a need as well as Margarita Pakarati Tuki, for a new Chilean “investment plan” Ricardo Hito Tuki, and Miguel Tuki or lands in Vaitea. At issue were ances- Atan were arrested (ec, 3 Dec 2010; tral lands in Haƾa Roa and the island emol, 4 Dec 2010; rnp, 5 Dec 2010). as a whole, as well as demands for According to Verena, “The police self-determination and independence. arrived at the house, knocked loudly While it supposedly does address some and violently entered. It was like a of the social concerns mentioned by war between us and them. We were all some Rapa Nui, it is clear that Chile’s crushed” (ls, 4 Dec 2010; translated plan failed to confront the more fun- from Spanish). State violence occurred damental concerns regarding ancestral in spite of the fact that Claudio Hito Rapa Nui lands and the question of Tuki confronted the Chilean special autonomy or independence for Rapa forces with paperwork indicating the Nui. Interestingly, Erity Teave, execu- precautionary measures filed with tive director for human rights within the Inter-American Commission on the Rapa Nui Parliament and long- Human Rights. Following the arrests, 196 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

Chilean special forces burned Rapa the violence represented the evictions Nui flags that surrounded the house as necessary; however, other Chilean (ec, 3 Dec 2010). leaders questioned the use of force. As Rapa Nui began to protest the Chilean President Piñera thought that violent eviction, conflict escalated fur- the evictions were justified methods ther when the special forces proceeded for reestablishing social order (ST, to fire rubber bullets and tear gas 14 Jan 2011). Regional Mayor Raúl into the gathering crowd of Rapa Nui Celis claimed that the actions were (rnp, 3 Dec 2010). Twenty-one Rapa necessary given Rapa Nui resistance Nui were reported injured during the (emol, 4 Dec 2010). According to events, which long-standing social Minister of the Interior Hinzpeter, anthropologist of Rapa Nui Grant “The police forces acted in compli- McCall characterized as “government ance with a court order. That’s how thuggery” (2010). Four children were institutions function, and we all must reported injured (Indigenous Peoples follow them. There is a limit to these Issues and Resources website, 4 Dec things and it was reached when there 2010). Mario Pakarati, Zita Atan, are illegal takeovers that cause dam- Pia Vargas, Claudio Tuki, Enrique age to the island” (New York Times, Tepano, Honu Tepano, and Santi 4 Dec 2010). Chilean Senator Alejan- Hitorangi were all shot with rubber dro Navarro, on the other hand, was bullets (rnp, 3 Dec 2010). A total of concerned that excessive force was seventeen were hospitalized (LT, 4 Dec used against the Rapa Nui (EM, 4 Dec 2010). Jose Riroroko was beaten on 2010). Chilean Senators Juan Pablo the head with a police baton (RNP, 3 Letelier and Ricardo Lagos Weber also Dec 2010). Ricardo Tepano was the questioned the treatment of Rapa Nui most seriously injured: he was shot and wondered if the state had ade- in the face at close range and lost an quately discussed alternative solutions eye (rnp, 5 Dec 2010). Rapa Nui with Rapa Nui (emol, 4 Dec 2010). Parliament President Leviante Araki Senator Letelier accused the judge who was shot in the hip twice (rnp, 3 Dec administered the court order of abuse 2010), as well as strangled and beaten and violation of United Nations Inter- to the ground by four policemen (EC, national Labour Organization (ilo) 3 Dec 2010). He and Ricardo Tepano Convention 169, which had been rati- were flown to Chile for medical care. fied by the Chilean government (ST, Rapa Nui emphasized that those 6 Dec 2010). Chilean Congressman arrested in the conflict were denied Hugo Gutiérrez also condemned the medical care and sufficient heat while actions of the Chilean government and incarcerated (EM, 4 Dec 2010). Vio- urged officials to immediately develop lent state evictions continued in late an autonomy statute for Rapa Nui December. On 29 December dozens (McCall 2010). of Rapa Nui were beaten with clubs In January 2011, Rapa Nui by one hundred Chilean special forces characterized the island as “a war around the central plaza of Haƾa Roa zone.” Three Chilean war ships were (ST, 3 Jan 2011). observed circling the island. Julie Chilean officials responsible for Brown Tuki was beaten outside her political reviews • polynesia 197 home by twenty police and arrested ing to Vargas, the police removed for criminal trespass along with her the hua‘ai members without a court cousin Tony Tuki (rnp, 21 Jan 2011). order and in defiance of the fact that The Hito hua‘ai encountered some a court order had been denied on two success, however, as the Valparaíso separate occasions in Valparaíso by Court of Appeals disqualified Chilean Judge Maria Cristina Cabello. Rapa Judge Bernardo Toro in Rapa Nui Nui defense attorney Rodrigo Gomez from presiding over the criminal case thought that the actions were based against seventeen hua‘ai members on on a fear that the court was going 12 January (lt, 12 Jan 2011). As a to decide against the Hangaroa Eco result, the court deferred the criminal Village and Spa and in favor of the case against the Hito hua‘ai members Hito hua‘ai members on 8 February until 8 February (pir, 13 Jan 2011). (rnp, 6 Feb 2010). In response, the police in Rapa Nui Internationally, Chile’s violent intensified their harassment of hua‘ai actions against Rapa Nui people have members. On 13 January they cut off been generally criticized. Fe‘iloakitau the Hito hua‘ai members from receiv- Tevi of the Pacific Conference of ing food and water from outside the Churches emphasized solidarity with hotel. This immediately jeopardized Rapa Nui and asked the Red Cross the health of Tita Hito, a diabetic, to intervene with medical care (pir, who was subsequently hospitalized 8 Dec 2010). The Union of British with police accompaniment (rnp, 21 Columbia Indian Chiefs (ubcic) con- Jan 2011). demned Chile’s actions as “ugly, unbe- State violence continued in Febru- lievable and reprehensible” (ubcic, ary, though court proceedings and 4 Dec 2010). Amnesty International international action increasingly officially called for investigations into supported the plight of Rapa Nui. excessive force and violations of the On 6 February, fifty policemen broke United Nations ilo Convention 169 through glass doors of the Hangaroa (Flemish Center for Indigenous Peo- Eco Village and Spa and physically ples blog, 10 Dec 2010). The United forced Hito hua‘ai members from the Nations appointed University of hotel. The hua‘ai members were taken Arizona Law Professor James Anaya to the local jail in buses owned by the as a special rapporteur to investigate Hangaroa Eco Village and Spa. Armed the Chilean use of excessive force police prohibited any photography of against Rapa Nui (ST, 14 Jan 2011). the events. Trini Farada, who tried to US Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawai‘i photograph the process, was imme- and Congressman Eni Falemavenga of diately assaulted by the police forces American Sëmoa wrote letters of sup- and jailed. A nineteen-year-old male port for Rapa Nui to Chilean Presi- was also assaulted for taking pictures, dent Piñera and US Secretary of State but was not jailed. Oscar Vargas, the Hillary Clinton (otr, 11 Feb 2011). defense attorney for the Hito hua‘ai, On 16 February, Congressman Fale- was “roughed up” by the police force mavenga spoke to the US House of and was not initially allowed to con- Representatives about the conflict in sult with the hua‘ai members. Accord- Rapa Nui and urged President Barack 198 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

Obama to discuss the issue during his land would be transferred to a Rapa forthcoming visit to Chile. On 7 Feb- Nui foundation (ST, 20 Feb 2011), ruary the Inter-American Commission which would be composed of Rapa on Human Rights granted the precau- Nui business associates of the Schiess tionary measures filed by the Indian family—among them Petero Edmunds Law Resource Center in October. Paoa, the former governor at the The commission demanded that Chile center of the conflict initially (rnp, 21 stop the use of armed violence against Feb 2011). Jeannette Schiess asserted Rapa Nui people and adopt a number that the hotel owners would continue of measures to ensure their safety and to press charges against the seven- integrity (otr, 12 Feb 2011). Attorney teen Hito hua‘ai members involved Crippa of the Indian Law Resource in reclaiming the lands occupied by Center commented, “The action by the hotel (ST, 20 Feb 2011). Minister the iachr validates our concerns that Hinzpeter did not discuss the matter human rights are being violated on with the Hito hua‘ai, and the hua‘ai Rapa Nui island. The Chilean govern- members are explicitly excluded from ment must review its policy on Rapa the foundation under the terms of Nui issues, take measures to comply the proposal (rnp, 21 Feb 2011). with international human rights law, Rapa Nui hua‘ai responded with a and begin a fair dialogue with the march through the main street on 26 Rapa Nui nation.” The measures were February. Marisol Hito emphasized filed by Crippa at the request of Rapa at the march that given that the Hito Nui representatives of twenty-nine of hua‘ai was not consulted, Minister the total thirty-six hua‘ai (ST, 8 Feb Hinzpeter’s solution disrespected and 2011). mocked Rapa Nui people (rnp, 26 Legal support for the Hito hua‘ai Feb 2011). has shifted over time. On 8 Febru- Though legal actions in February ary, Chilean Judge Cabello suspended seemed to support the Hito hua‘ai, in the charges against the seventeen May decisions began to shift in favor Hito hua‘ai members, given that the of the hotel. On 24 May, criminal Supreme Court has not adjudicated charges were reinstated against the regarding who officially owns the Hito hua‘ai by attorney Julian Lopez land (pir, 9 Feb 2011). The Schiess on behalf of the Hangaroa Eco Village family subsequently lost an appeal of and Spa Hotel. Measures were also the decision on 23 February in Val- filed by attorney Lopez to restrict the paraíso (rnp, 23 Feb 2011). Oddly, Hito hua‘ai from approaching the however, Chilean Minister of the hotel, as work to complete the hotel Interior Hinzpeter, following dialogue was scheduled to proceed. How hua‘ai with the Schiess family responsible members are to deal with these restric- for the development of the Hangaroa tions given that they live across the Eco Village and Spa Hotel, proposed road from the hotel remains unclear. a thirty-year lease of the land to the Oscar Vargas, the defense attorney Schiess family as a “final solution” for the Hito hua‘ai, subsequently filed to the conflict. At the culmination of an appeal in the court of Valparaíso the thirty-year period the hotel and against the resumption of criminal political reviews • polynesia 199 charges against the hua‘ai members and Chile’s National Forest Corpora- and also contested the legality of tion). A unified Chilean block of votes resuming work at the hotel (ECDM, within the commission easily cancels July 2011). the votes of the five elected Rapa Nui On 12 June, a new group was members. elected to the Development Commis- As the year in review closed, it did sion for Easter Island (codeipa). A not appear Chile had addressed or total of 1,196 votes were cast—30 resolved the long-standing conflicts percent more than in the prior elec- Rapa Nui hua‘ai have had regarding tion for the commission. Five people ancestral lands and self-determina- were elected from among thirty-seven tion. In May, Amnesty International candidates. Jose Rapu received the expressed concern with Chile’s failure most votes with 226, followed by to constitutionally recognize all of Osvaldo Pakarati with 218, Jorge Pont its indigenous peoples (pir, 14 May with 167, Anakena Manutomatoma 2011). On 13 June, over three hun- with 164, and Mario Tuki with 153 dred Rapa Nui again marched through (ECDM, July 2011). As is established by main street Haƾa Roa. They marched the Ley Indigena (Law 19253), those for ancestral lands, in support of the elected serve four-year terms. Unlike Hito hua‘ai, against Chilean treatment the municipality elections, only Rapa of Rapa Nui generally, and in protest Nui people are allowed to vote for of the closure and possible privatiza- the commission; Chilean settlers on tion of lands in Vaitea (rnp, June the island are not able to vote. Inter- 2011). In August, Crippa of the Indian estingly, while visiting the island in Law Resource Center and an interna- August 2011, I noted four of the five tional team working with the Inter- people elected were present in many American Commission on Human of the Rapa Nui Parliament meetings Rights scheduled public meetings in and projects. The election results thus Rapa Nui, Santiago, and Valparaíso suggest that radical political economic to discuss international legal measures change on the island is supported by and procedures for establishing true Rapa Nui people. Of course it is not self-determination for Rapa Nui and clear that the commission can ever the return of all ancestral lands to generate major changes. The five the Rapa Nui people. The Rapa Nui elected Rapa Nui members sit on the decolonization struggle continues. commission along with four Chilean forrest wade young ministers, the Chilean-appointed governor of Rapa Nui, the mayor of Haƾa Roa (elected by Chilean as well Contemporary newspapers and as Rapa Nui voters), the non-elected other publications on and off the president of the Chilean-organized island of Rapa Nui increasingly use Council of Elders, and three other the name “Rapa Nui” to refer to the members who are typically Chilean culture, language, and people as well (the directors of Chile’s Indigenous as the island. Spelling the name as Development Corporation, the Chil- two words is consistent with other ean Economic Development Agency, Polynesian languages, where “nui” 200 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) is typically represented as a distinct ilrc, Indian Law Resource Center. word. The shift from using a different Nongovernmental organization for indig- spelling—“Rapanui”—for the people, enous rights and representation. Helena, language, and culture of the island Montana. http://www.indianlaw.org/ also avoids implying a separation Indigenous News. Internet News: News on between these and the island itself. Indigenous Peoples with a Focus on Chile. The letter “ƾ” (as in Haƾa Roa) is pro- http://indigenousnews.org/ nounced like the “ng” in the English Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources. word “singing.” Winterpark, Colorado. http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/ lt, La Tercera Online. Daily Internet References news. Santiago. http://latercera.com/ ap, Associated Press. Global news net- McCall, Grant. 2010. Government Thug- work. http://www.ap.org/ gery on Rapanui: Chilean Parliamentarian bbc Mundo. Daily Internet news. United Reactions. Rapa Nui Press, 7 December. Kingdom. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/ National Public Radio. Daily radio and The Clinic. Political blog. Santiago, Chile. Internet news. United States. http://www.theclinic.cl/ http://www.npr.org/ ec, El Ciudando. Daily Internet news. New York Times. Daily. Chile. http://www.elciudadano.cl/ http://www.nytimes.com/

ECDM, El Correo del Moai. Monthly otr, Overseas Territories Review: A newspaper. Haƾa Roa. Forum for Critical Analysis of Inter- national Issues and Developments of EM, El Mostrador. Daily. Santiago, Chile. Particular Relevance to Overseas http://www.elmostrador.cl Countries and Territories. emol, El Mercurio Online. Daily http://overseasreview.blogspot.com/ Internet news. Santiago, Chile. pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet http://www.emol.com news. Honolulu. http://www.pidp Flemish Center for Indigenous Peoples. .eastwestcenter.org/pireport Sint Niklaus, Belgium. rnp, Rapa Nui Press. Internet news on http://flemishcentreforindigenouspeoples issues in Rapa Nui (updated monthly). .skynetblogs.be/ http://saverapanui.org/ Gonschor, Lorenz. 2007. Polynesia in ST, The Santiago Times. Daily. Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2005 to http://www.santiagotimes.cl 30 June 2006: Rapa Nui. The Contempo- rary Pacific 19:240–247. Te Rapa Nui. Sporadically updated Inter- ———. 2008. Polynesia in Review: Issues net news site. Haƾa Roa. and Events, 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007: http://www.rapanui.co.cl/ Rapa Nui. The Contemporary Pacific Torrealba, Francisco. 2010. Tomas de 20:238–244. terreno en Rapa Nui: Rebelión en isla. ———. 2011. Polynesia in Review: Issues El Sabado: Revista de El Mercurio, and Events, 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010: August 21. Rapa Nui. The Contemporary Pacific ubcic, Union of British Columbia Indian 23:233–241. Chiefs: NGO in Special Consultative Status political reviews • polynesia 201 with the Economic and Social Council island remained kingless for fourteen of the United Nations. months. http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/ In January 2008, a new health Young, Forrest Wade. 2011. Unwriting care center, encompassing the exist- “Easter Island”: Listening to Rapa Nui. ing Sia Hospital and new extensions, PhD dissertation, University of Hawai‘i at was established in Mata Utu, the Mënoa. territorial capital, on ‘Uvea. In accor- dance with the French Ministry of Health’s 13 January 2000 mandate, Wallis and Futuna the health center became the Health Agency of the Territory of the Wal- Because no reviews of Wallis and lis and Futuna Islands. The agency Futuna were published in TCP since also encompasses another hospital 2007, this review covers the 2007– (Kalevele) on Futuna and three dispen- 2011 period. saries, in Mua, Hahake, and Hihifo On 7 May 2007, a chapter of the (ieom 2010, 90–92). The agency is modern history of ‘Uvea Island (also a national and public establishment called Wallis) closed with the death of with administrative and financial Lavelua (King) Tomasi Kulimoetoke. autonomy and a primary mission— The lavelua’s passing also affected the to protect people’s health. The year social and political landscape of the 2008 also marked the beginning of whole Territory of Wallis and Futuna work extending and improving the (Angleviel 2008). Participating in the runway at Vele Futuna airport, which funeral procession were the two kings was undertaken mainly for security of Futuna, his majesty Tuiagaifo from reasons. In the economic arena, the Alo kingdom and his counterpart, Monitoring Committee of the Ninth Tuisigave, from Sigave kingdom. In European Development Fund (edf) his closing address at the very moving met in Mata Utu on 3 April to discuss ceremony, Tuiagaifo Soane Patita the development contract between Maituku reminded the crowd of the territory and the European Union the late king’s work and courage in (EU). Among the difficult issues dis- bringing modernity to ‘Uvea as well as cussed during the meeting was con- his efforts to maintain tradition and cern over elementary and high school local customs. Tomasi Kulimoetoke enrollments, which dropped by 5.8 was native to the southern district of and 5.1 percent, respectively, in 2010; Mu‘a on his father’s side and from this trend is expected to continue due the central district of Hahake on his to low birth rates and youth emigra- mother’s side. He had been appointed tion and may require education system king of ‘Uvea in 1959 with the sup- restructuring and class closures in port of Pelenato Pulufegu Fuluhea, an the future (ieom 2010, 88). Another influential personality from Mu‘a who thorny problem was the extension of was also the former lavelua (1947– Mata Utu harbor, which was delayed 1950). Lavelua Tomasi Kulimoetoke’s not only due to lack of materials but reign was mostly one of political and primarily because no local company social stability. After his death, the was able to handle the job. Finally a 202 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012)

French company was hired to under- reveals the gloomy social and eco- take the project. nomic climate prevailing in the terri- On 25 July 2008, Kapeliele tory. The decrease resulted from two Faupala, former Kalae Kivalu (prime trends—a reduction in the number minister) to Lavelua Kulimoetoke, of children born per woman and the was enthroned as king of ‘Uvea. The departure of youth abroad, mainly Royalist camp had to go through to France, for training purposes or in long and hard negotiations before search of jobs. making a choice that not everyone In the political arena, the 21 Sep- agreed with. There had been riots and tember 2008 legislative elections saw calls to depose Lavelua Kulimoetoke religious Brother Lopeleto Laufoa‘ulu after he gave refuge in 2005 to his win a second senate term over Social- grandson Tomasi Tuugahala, who had ist Vetelino Nau. Two days later, in an been sentenced to prison for invol- effort to strengthen air service passen- untary manslaughter following a car ger capacity, a second DHC Twin Otter accident (Angleviel 2006, 148). The aircraft named Manulele o Futuna Renovator (anti-royalist) side wanted (Flying Bird of Futuna) entered service every pulekolo (chief) and aliki fa‘u alongside the long-serving plane Ville (king’s minister) appointed during de Paris (City of Paris) (ieom 2009, and after that crisis to step down in 83; 2010, 80). In October, the exten- order to allow time for the two sides sion work underway at Vele airport to set up a peace process before look- on Futuna ran into problems when ing for a new king, but this was not some landowners threatened to done. Thus, from the outset, neither block access to the work site. They side unanimously accepted the new denounced the French administration’s king. On 28 July, Philippe Paolantoni proposed financial compensation as was appointed prefect of Wallis and disrespectful. Futuna, succeeding Richard Didier. After several attempts at peace, the But while former Prefect Didier gap between Royalists and Renovators seemed to have had cordial relation- widened, with each group maintaining ships with politicians and especially its own position. On 24 October, the with the Lavelua’s Royal Palace in Renovators lost one of their political Sagato Soane Place, the new superior leaders, Soane Uhila, who had been administrator did not. Tensions were a founding member of the major- palpable, and a poisonous atmosphere ity local union, Force Ouvrière, and existed between the French adminis- president of the Territorial Assembly, tration and the royal palace. 1992–1993 and 1999–2000. Dur- Also in July, the Territorial Statis- ing a visit to Wallis and Futuna in tical and Economic Studies Service November 2008, French Secretary of published the first demographic results State for Overseas Territories Yves of the 2008 population census, which Jego announced the establishment of showed a population decrease of 10 a price-monitoring committee charged percent from 2003 to 2008—down with annually determining the level from 14,944 to 13,484 inhabitants and structure of prices in Wallis and (Hadj 2009). This alarming fact Futuna and reporting to the pre- political reviews • polynesia 203 fect (ieom 2009, 1440); the setting tative of the commander of the French of a price cap on airfares between Armed Forces in the Pacific, based in Noumea and Wallis; and the creation Noumea, and the two kings of Futuna, of a locally adapted military service pursuant to talks with Secretary of (Service Militaire Adapté). In late State Jego. This accord laid the foun- 2008, two entrepreneurs were indicted dations of a future Groupements du for organized fraud and false use of service militaire adapté (gsma) center, invoices after an investigation into a to be based in Futuna Island. This tax-evasion scam. The investigation military center will provide training was conducted under the authority of to young unskilled people in various the Court of First Instance of Noumea fields such as building, agriculture, at Mata Utu and the financial supervi- security, and grounds maintenance. sion of New Caledonia. Since the signing, the kings and the Victor Brial from the Union pour chiefs of Futuna have been charged un Mouvement Populaire (ump, the with finding land on which to estab- majority party of the French President lish the gsma center. This proposal Nicolas Sarkozy), who served as dep- had been turned down several times uty of Wallis and Futuna from 2002 to by both Lavelua Tomasi Kulimoetoke 2007, was elected president of the Ter- and his successor, Lavelua Kapeliele ritorial Assembly on 4 February 2009. Faupala. On a broader scale, in Wal- He succeeded Pesamino Taputai, who lis on 27 March, New Caledonia was affiliated with the center-right President Harold Martin, Territorial party Union for French Democracy– Assembly President Brial, and Pre- Democratic Movement (udf-MoDem) fect Paolantoni held the first meeting under François Bayrou. President Brial of the committee that monitors the hosted representatives from the Euro- special agreement defining relations pean Council who were supervising between Noumea and Wallis and several projects supported under the Futuna. The talks orbited around ninth European Development Fund. Wallis and Futuna’s self-development, The European Council representa- with Caledonian support in various tives also helped local politicians in fields (education, agriculture, fish- the preparation of applications for the ing, sport, and so on). On 9 June the tenth European Development Fund. Wallis and Futuna price-monitoring The beginning of 2009 was marked committee was officially implemented by the first social conflict between (ieom 2009, 144). workers and executive staff of the As dawn arrived on 30 September, Health Agency on 23 February. The Wallis and Futuna awoke to find that workers denounced the administra- they had avoided the worst effects of tive methods of the director, who had a strong undersea earthquake that been in office since 2007, and called occurred near Sëmoa. A tsunami alert for higher wages. In response to the had been launched in the region, but workers’ demands, the director left the the alert system did not work in Wallis agency on 23 June. and Futuna or in the Fijian archi- At the end of March 2009, an pelago. accord was signed between a represen- On 2 November 2009, a new 204 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) branch of the Agence pour le droit à Wallis Island went from bad to worse. l’initiative économique (adie), head- On 14 April, the island experienced quartered in France, officially opened a general cut-off of power and water in Mata Utu (ieom 2009, 145). This when access to the company in charge agency makes small loans available to of the territory’s power and water unemployed people through a micro- supplies, Electricité et Eau de Wal- credit system, allowing them to imple- lis et Futuna (eewf), was blocked by ment projects in various sectors such the company’s main labor union. The as trade, building, and handicrafts. company has offices in Mata Utu (in On 25 November, the employees of the central district of Hahake), as well the Health Agency began an indefinite as in the southern district of Mu‘a and strike, leading to a blockade of the in the northern district, Hihifo. The administrative center of Havelu that union objected to the dismissal of the was not cleared until 2 December. company’s executive manager and One week later, on 9 December, in questioned the recruitment of a com- the course of the new 2010 budget- mercial representative. This company ary session, Victor Brial was reelected is a subsidiary of Electricité et Eau de as head of the Territorial Assembly. Calédonie (eec), which is itself a sub- In light of the economic priority of sidiary of the world’s second-largest increasing the volume of imports to power company, gdf (Gaz de France) Wallis and Futuna, the politicians Suez. eewf replaced unelco, becom- decided to extend Leava harbor in ing the main power company on Wal- Sigave, Futuna. lis Island in 1975 and on Futuna in On 13 March 2010, Tropical 1987. The company became the water Cyclone Tomas devastated the island supplier for Wallis Island in 1986. (On of Futuna, destroying houses, schools, Futuna, which has rivers and streams, shops, and infrastructure along the water is directly routed without treat- main road as well as in several other ment from source captures to house- places. After Wallisian representatives holds.) Ownership of eewf is split led an aerial reconnaissance mission, among eec (67 percent), the Territory they declared the island a disaster of Wallis and Futuna (32 percent) and area, although fortunately no people others (1 percent). In the first half of were killed. On ‘Uvea, it was mostly the twentieth century, the reigning the plantations that suffered. On 23 kings gave lands to the French admin- March the parent-teacher association istration so it could establish its main of the Mata Utu Public High School, offices. In 1975 the administration the only high school in Wallis and gave a piece of land to eewf so the Futuna, shut down the school. The company could build offices. In 1997 parents’ representatives decried the a contract renewing and extending severely dilapidated building and the the water and power supply arrange- lack of security due in part to a dys- ment until 2022 was signed by eewf, functional electrical supply network. the Territorial Assembly, the lavelua’s The high school reopened five weeks representative, and the French admin- later, on 12 April. istration. The social and economic life on The eewf executive manager was political reviews • polynesia 205 dismissed by the general manager in company to reimburse people for these New Caledonia, Yves Morault, based losses. On 14 July, the new prefect, on numerous charges of interference Michel Jeanjean, succeeded Philippe in company operations. The dismissal Paolantoni and had to deal with the resulted in a demonstration organized thorny eewf issue. Four days later, by employees protesting Morault’s Lavelua Faupala sent a message to the decision. Morault argued that the prefecture announcing his decision strikers were stealing the company to terminate the contract with eewf and blamed the French State for its and demanding that the company passivity during this crisis, which leave Wallis. Moreover, the chieftain- progressively became an institutional ship of Wallis Island formed a new matter pitting eewf shareholders (ie, water and power company, the Société eec, the Territorial Assembly, and gdf Wallisienne de l’Eau et de l’Electricité, Suez) and the French administration with the dismissed executive manager against the lavelua and the Grande as head of the new company. It is Chefferie (the customary government), important to note that the Wallisian who have no financial stakes in the king made these decisions unilaterally, company. without consulting the Futunan chiefs. A delegation of strikers was granted On 20 July, when the newborn com- an audience with Lavelua Kapeliele pany began its operations, the whole Faupala and the Royal Council at the island experienced power and water Palace Office in Sagato Soane Place. cut-offs. Prefect Jeanjean ordered Meanwhile, negotiations continued eewf to resume providing the power between the strikers and company and water supplies. Things returned representatives who had arrived from to normal on 23 July. Five days later New Caledonia. The king ordered police reinforcements arrived from the strikers to block access to the Noumea and took possession of the company offices, arguing that the company’s offices from the strikers. land belonged to the king and that The extension work on Mata Utu he could therefore take it over at any harbor began on 25 October, super- moment. Soon, employees’ families vised by Boyer Enterprises. On 30 and relatives came over and joined November, the digital television service in the demonstration. Another issue tnt (Télévision Numérique Terrestre) arose to complicate matters: The Tu‘i was officially launched with eight new Mata Utu (the chief of Mata Utu vil- channels instead of the one channel lage) intervened on the strikers’ behalf, that was previously available. At the arguing that, since one eewf office opening of the budget session on 7 is located in Mata Utu, the company December, Socialist Siliako Lauhea had to provide the villagers with jobs, was elected president of the Territorial such as interior and exterior clean- Assembly, thanks to a new majority ing and maintenance. Also, due to looking for a political alternative to multiple power cuts, the population former President Victor Brial of the suffered losses in terms of damaged ump. household appliances. Therefore the Excitement continued to build in local Customers Association asked the Wallis and Futuna for the central event 206 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) of 2011: the commemoration of the References fiftieth anniversary of their status as a French territory. In a broader perspec- Angleviel, Frédéric. 2006. Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2004 tive, French President Nicolas Sarkozy to 30 June 2005: Wallis and Futuna. The declared 2011 the Year of the French Contemporary Pacific 148–151. Overseas Territories. Wallis and Futuna also faces another challenge: ———. 2008. Polynesia in Review: Issues the organization of the next Pacific and Events, 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007: Wallis and Futuna. The Contemporary Minigames in 2013. Sports repre- Pacific 20:251–254. sentatives are working on planning a program and logistics. In February Hadj, Laure. 2009. Wallis et Futuna: 2011, the Internet provider Pacific Recensement de la population de 2008. Broadband resumed activity on Wallis, Institut nationale statistique et des étues économiques (insee) Première 1251 (July). being the sole Internet contract holder http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/document with the Department of Posts and .asp?ref_id=ip1251 [accessed 19 September Telecommunications. In the cultural 2011] and religious arena, the Protestant Pentecostals published a Wallisian ver- ieom, Institut d’émission d’Outre-Mer. 2009. Wallis et Futuna en 2008: Rapport sion of the Bible, surpassing Catholic annuel. Paris: Editions ieom. http://www translation efforts. With regard to the .ieom.fr/IMG/pdf/ra2009_wallis.pdf peace process between Royalists and Renovators, members of the Women’s ———. 2010. Wallis et Futuna en 2009: Association of Wallis Island from both Rapport annuel. Paris: Editions ieom. http://www.ieom.fr/IMG/pdf/ra2010 sides sat down together. After peace _wallis_et_futuna.pdf talks, they met with the lavelua in order to show his majesty their deter- tf1 News. 2010. GDF-Suez s’est fait chiper mination to move toward peace. ses installations à Wallis et Futuna. http:// lci.tf1.fr/economie/entreprise/2010-08/gdf hapakuke pierre leleivai -suez-s-est-fait-chiper-ses-installations-a -wallis-et-futuna-6030947.html