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

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 leaders. 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.