460 the contemporary pacifi c • 20:2 (2008)

Shameem, Shaista. 2007a. The Assump- to the territory (since 2003 referred to tion of Executive Authority on December offi cially as a semi-autonomous “over- 5th 2006 by Commodore J. V. Bainima- seas entity”) and working toward a rama, Commander of the Republic of “common destiny” for this multieth- Fiji Military Forces: Legal, Constitutional nic society. Progress continued in the and Human Rights Issues. 3 January. development of new nickel mining Online at http://www.humanrights.org .fj/publications /2007 /Investigation% projects despite ongoing concerns over 20Report%20on%20Events%20of% environmental pollution; in economic 20December%206%202006.pdf growth, despite rising problems with a high cost of living and homelessness; ———. 2007b. The Assumption of Execu- in the recognition of Kanak cultural tive Authority on December 5th 2006 by Commodore J. V. Bainimarama, Com- identity and the teaching of Kanak mander of the Republic of the Fiji Military languages; and in the country’s role Forces: Legal, Constitutional and Human in the Pacifi c region. Militant labor Rights Issues. Part II: Report to the UN unions remained as active as ever, even High Commissioner for Human Rights forming a new Labor Party. on Alleged Breaches of International Law The rpcr had dominated local poli- and the 1997 Constitution of Fiji in the tics for many years, building a repu- Removal of the Prime Minister, Laisenia tation for not consulting much with Qarase on December 5th 2006. 29 August. other parties in making government Online at http://www.humanrights.org decisions. But in the 2004 provincial .fj/pdf/FHRCReportPartII.pdf elections, loyalist opponents and dissi- dents formed the ae coalition and won control of Congress and the Southern New Caledonia Province. Since then it has been the After three years of ad hoc, issue-by- rpcr’s turn to complain about being issue cooperation in the Congress of marginalized in government decision- New Caledonia between the loyal- making. So, starting in 2006, rpcr ist but centrist Avenir Ensemble (ae, leader Pierre Frogier began a strident or “Future Together”) and various campaign reminiscent of the fear tac- pro-independence parties in the tics that had polarized the country in Front de Libération Nationale Kanak the 1980s. In a bid to appeal to French et Socialiste (fl nks), the formerly loyalists, especially recent immigrants, dominant Gaullist Rassemblement Frogier opposed the freezing of the pour la Calédonie dans la République electorate in congressional elections (rpcr) reconfi rmed its control over and referendums on independence, New Caledonian representation in calling the concept (embedded in the the French Parliament, thanks in part Noumea Accord, which he signed in to the victory of Nicolas Sarkozy as 1998) a violation of human rights. successor to Gaullist Jacques Chirac in The fl nks, on the other hand, has the presidential election. But the new been struggling for twenty-fi ve years regime in Paris confi rmed France’s against allowing new migrants from commitment to the Noumea Accord France and its other Pacifi c territo- of 1998, which stipulates a gradual ries to vote on the country’s destiny, devolution of self-governing powers considering that in the 1970s France pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 461 orchestrated an immigration wave Loueckhote even proposed that three that brought in 25,000 people, during rather than ten years of residence a nickel boom, to make a minority of should suffi ce for all voters, and in parties wanting autonomy or indepen- January 2007 the rpcr coalition dence. The fl nks adheres strongly to warned that the fl nks and its allies the Noumea Accord, which stipulated wanted to “confi scate the right to that only those who had been resi- vote” and ultimately impose an “ultra- dents for ten years in 1998, or their communalist” notion of citizenship adult descendants, could vote in key “based on blood, and not on soil,” congressional elections or referen- thereby creating second class citi- dums. But Frogier has complained that zens (kol, 8 Jan 2007). ae territorial such a stipulation would exclude 11 President Marie-Noëlle Thémereau percent of residents who could already called Frogier “irresponsible” because vote in national, municipal, and he himself had signed the Noumea even European Union elections; and Accord (Le Monde, 15 Jan 2007). in Noumea, the capital, perhaps 20 Ironically, many loyalists now in the percent of voters would be excluded, ae had not signed the accord, and including many rpcr supporters. had also voted against its approval in Because French presidential and 1998. Despite the acrimonious debates legislative elections were approaching and demonstrations, in December in 2007, the rhetoric grew more shrill 2006 the French National Assembly as 2006 came to a close, and some adopted the frozen electorate for New members of the Gaullist allies of the Caledonian congressional elections rpcr in France, Chirac’s ump (Union in 2009 and 2014 and in the possible pour un Mouvement Populaire) joined independence referendums (NC, 15 the debate, while the Socialists (gener- Dec 2006). In January the French Sen- ally pro-fl nks) and the centrist udf ate followed suit, and the combined (Union pour la Démocratie Fran- Parliament did likewise in February, çaise, to which many ae members by 724 votes to 91 with 55 absten- adhere) tended to side with the fl nks tions, thus enshrining the principle in viewpoint to uphold the consensual the French national constitution (NC, Noumea Accord and the organic laws 18 Jan, 21 Feb 2007). that enacted it in 1999. In April and May, the French As the issue moved through met- presidential election pitted primar- ropolitan and European institutions, ily Sarkozy of Chirac’s ump against the fl nks interpretation prevailed. Ségolène Royal of the Socialists and As early as 2005, the European Court François Bayrou of the udf (former of Human Rights had approved the President Giscard d’Estaing’s party), frozen electorate, and in March 2006 though lesser candidates like anti- the French Council of Ministers did immigration Jean-Marie Le Pen of the the same. But in December 2006 and Front National (fn) and anti-global- early 2007, the rpcr nevertheless ization activist José Bové made the mobilized opponents of the concept in campaign colorful. In New Caledonia, what was clearly an electoral gambit the rpcr and some ae members who for the 2007 elections. Senator Simon belong to the ump campaigned for 462 the contemporary pacifi c • 20:2 (2008)

Sarkozy, Didier Leroux of the ae cam- been 63 percent, but in the Islands paigned for Bayrou, and liberals and only 37 percent, while in the South, pro-independence supporters backed Bayrou got more votes than Royal did Royal, while the local fn supported (NC, 7–8 May 2007). In the French Le Pen and radical labor unions sup- legislative elections of May and June, ported Bové. In 2006, a French court eleven local candidates presented had convicted Le Pen of inciting racial themselves for the two deputy seats hatred because of his anti-immigra- in the National Assembly. For once, tion venom, yet in New Caledonia the fl nks showed more unity than its the immigrant fn opposes the frozen loyalist opponents did, but districting electorate as racist (bbc News, 16 and demography favored the loyal- April 2007; NC, 4 Dec 2006). After the ists: Noumea was grouped with the fi rst round of voting on 22 April, in much less populated outer islands in which a record 85 percent of French the fi rst district, and the populous voters participated, Sarkozy and Royal suburbs of the South were grouped had a run-off on 6 May, with the ump with the “Bush” (small communes and leader winning 53 percent of the fi nal Kanak tribes on Grande Terre) in the vote (bbc News, 22 April, 6 May second district. The competition was 2007). In New Caledonia, the Kanak- intense between the rpcr-ump and the ruled North and Islands provinces ae, complicated by various dissident voted about three-to-one for Royal, groups and the fn (NC, 7 May 2007). reaching as high as 93 percent in some With Jacques Lafl eur (who founded the communes, while the immigrant-domi- rpcr in 1978) and his longtime aide, nated South did the opposite, with Algerian pied noir Pierre Maresca, 80 percent of Noumeans choosing pushed to the loyalist margins in 2006, Sarkozy. Because the South is more Frogier ran in the second district for populous, overall 63 percent of New the rpcr-ump and Gaël Yanno in the Caledonians voted for Sarkozy (NC, 7 fi rst. Both Lafl eur and Maresca would May 2007). He promised to uphold run in the legislative election but with- French honor, identity, and security, out signifi cant support (NC, 16 April, and to promote economic growth 5 May, 11 May 2007). while reducing taxes (NC, 8 May Frogier argued that the Noumea 2007). Accord needed to be “dusted off” and The rpcr-ump regarded Sarkozy’s reconsidered, because it was not, he victory as a plebiscite for its loyalist said, a magic incantation nor a sacred platform, since the South, where the talisman. He claimed that the freezing turnout was 76 percent of the elector- of the New Caledonian electorate by ate, had voted overwhelmingly for France was caused more by the guilt him. The fn and many in the ae had felt by Chirac over the 1988 Ouvea also supported Sarkozy in the runoff, massacre than by real dialogue. Worse, since both are loyalist, and Loueck- the fl nks goal of a local citizenship hote conceded that the frozen elector- and favoritism in hiring for local-born ate issue did not really change much. residents “creates a sort of nationality Turnout in the pro-Royal North had before its time. It’s really independence pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 463 that they are preparing” (NC, 2 March, in the defeated ae that they ally with 14 June 2007). He criticized the new the rpcr in a “presidential” majority primary school history and geography in Congress against the fl nks (NC, textbook that the local congress had 12 June, 18 June, 25 July 2007). paid for, because its preface was signed The ump prevailed in France as by the president of New Caledonia, well, where it preserved its absolute Thémereau of the ae, and by Charles majority in the National Assembly, Washetine, the pro-independence min- while the udf, Communists, and fn ister of education; he said both were all declined. François Fillon, whom playing politics (NC, 9 March 2007). President Sarkozy had named as his The ae would propose Southern Prov- prime minister, kept his job (NC, 12 ince President Philippe Gomes as can- June 2007). But there was no direct didate for deputy in the fi rst district link between the French presidential and Congress President Harold Martin and legislative elections and the Con- of the ump in the second, thus alienat- gress of New Caledonia, which the ae ing Leroux, who was of the udf, and still ran along with the Southern Prov- thereby splitting the ae voters (NC, 12 ince. The rpcr had already controlled April, 11 May 2007). After more than the two deputy seats for twenty years, a decade of dissension, the pro-inde- but would the ump victory in France pendence Union Calédonienne (uc) change power relations in Noumea? agreed to form a single ticket with the The rpcr-ump certainly wanted that, rest of the fl nks, which was led by just as they had used the reelection of Palika (Parti de Libération Kanak). Lafl eur as deputy in 1982 as a lever to Together, they proposed Washetine of challenge a ruling coalition between Palika in the fi rst district and Charles pro-independence and centrist par- Pidjot of the uc in the second, who ties in the local Governing Council both upheld the Noumea Accord back then, claiming the majority had (NC, 13–15 June 2007). The only real spoken, but to no avail. The rpcr- dissidence came from the powerful ump now “offered its hand” to other pro-independence labor union, ustke loyalists in the Congress so that it (Union Syndicaliste des Travailleurs could try to regain its former place in Kanak et Exploités). After the fi rst local governing institutions (NC, 25 round, the runoff pitted Frogier/ June 2007). Prevented from expand- Yanno against the two Charleses, a ing its voice from local politics to the replay of the 1980s’ ethnic polariza- French Parliament and torn by the tion because each side had a differ- divided loyalties of its ump members, ent attitude toward the consensual the ae dialogued with the rpcr-ump accords that had brought peace. As for over a month, fi nally agreeing to in the presidential election, the more reshuffl e some positions in Congress numerous loyalists rallied behind the after Thémereau resigned as president rpcr-ump. Frogier and Yanno both of the government executive due to won their deputy seats, by percentages exhaustion, which forced the Congress of 54–46 and 69–31, respectively, and to elect a new territorial leader and they quickly proposed to ump voters cabinet (NC, 24 July 2007). 464 the contemporary pacifi c • 20:2 (2008)

The centrist ae arose essentially in Committee before the end of the year opposition to Lafl eur’s dominance for (NC, 20 July 2007). a quarter century, so would its ump By the end of the month, the members accept Frogier’s offer to form “sandwich” became a signed accord, a new majority in the Congress? Two as Frogier too would resign from the key policies of the ae might become territorial executive but remain in obstacles to such an arrangement: Congress, and Estrosi would support its adherence to the Noumea Accord ae socioeconomic policies, including (with its implied collegiality in deci- favoring locals in hiring. Frogier was sion-making), and its socioeconomic elected president of Congress, defeat- policy to help those middle and lower ing his fl nks opponent by two to one, income people who were not part of and congressional vice presidencies the old ruling elite that had battled were divided among the rpcr (2), ae with Maurice Lenormand’s multieth- (3), and fl nks (3) (NC, 31 July 2007; nic, autonomist version of the uc in pir, 31 July 2007). In August, the the 1950s and 1960s. While Frogier fi rst vote for the executive failed due now attacked the Noumea Accord, to an “error,” as two ballots stuck former rpcr dissident Martin (whom together in the urn and were disquali- Lafl eur had once tried but failed to fi ed, which led to an fl nks walkout remove as mayor of Paita) pointed because it would thus have gotten out that the ae position conformed only three positions in the cabinet (as with that of Sarkozy’s new Overseas before). The voting procedure was Secretary Christian Estrosi—namely, then improved, but in the revote, that the Noumea Accord was the Christiane Gambey of the ae (and lawful path to follow, since it had lks, or Libération Kanak Socialiste) been made part of the French constitu- deliberately left her ballot blank, thus tion in 1999 (NC, 26 June 2007). But enabling the fl nks to gain four cabi- Sarkozy had already tried to promote net seats proportionally (with 18 out a unifi cation of loyalists like Frogier of 35 votes instead of 36). Gambey, and Martin under the ump banner the only Kanak representative from in 2006 (in a publicized event now the South (because most Kanak vote known as “the sandwich accord”), in their home districts, not where they and now that he was president, Sar- work), said she was protesting against kozy continued that effort. By July, the rpcr’s longtime foot-dragging on Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes ran a the Noumea Accord, such as creat- headline announcing that the ae “bites ing a local citizenship, and its earlier the sandwich,” as Martin and Gomes opposition to peaceful solutions in the agreed to share power with Frogier, early 1980s (NC, 15 Aug 2007; pir, 13 while Leroux and Thémereau both Aug 2007). Yet even with four cabinet resigned from the executive, though posts out of eleven, it was clear that they would remain in the Congress. the independence cause was supported Sarkozy had promised that the French by only one-third of the total popula- State would remain an impartial arbi- tion (but by perhaps 80 percent of ter, and Estrosi promised a meeting of Kanak). the annual Noumea Accord Signers The fl nks had displayed new unity pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 465 in the French legislative elections, and min Boengkih reminded Frogier in a even after failing to win a seat (when letter that the United Nations had the old uc had dominated representa- passed a Declaration of the Rights of tion in Paris in the 1950s and 1960s, Indigenous Peoples in September that thanks to Lenormand and Kanak supported indigenous self-government leader Roch Pidjot), it had lobbied and autonomy over economic devel- hard in Paris to get the new regime to opment within the offi cial borders of support the Noumea Accord, while an established country, and that the also renewing its own friendships with Kanak opposed assimilation (kol, the Socialists and other metropolitan 24 Oct 2007). parties (NC, 4 July 2007). In October, Estrosi got off to a rocky start as uc President Pascal Naouna com- overseas secretary in October, when he plained that the congressional major- formally visited French High Commis- ity got angry when fl nks delegates sioner Michel Mathieu in Noumea. spoke of independence, arguing that As part of a general strike, ustke held French State support for the Noumea a barbecue nearby with loud music Accord was now the main source of playing, so Estrosi complained about hope in decolonization. But he admit- the lack of State police action against ted that locally “it is necessary to con- union blockades, a common problem quer a new electorate” by “convincing in New Caledonia. Mathieu resigned the others,” namely, enough loyalists in protest, an unprecedented action, to win the required 60 percent vote and Sarkozy quickly replaced him in Congress to hold a referendum on with Yves Dassonville, who assured independence toward the end of the the public that the State would play decade or soon after (NC, 1 Oct 2007). a more active role in mediating labor In November, Charles Pidjot replaced disputes and that he regarded police Naouna as head of the uc in a 96–83 action only as a last resort (NC, 15 vote and soon said of the radical- Oct, 10 Nov 2007). Meanwhile, ized loyalists, “We don’t need them Estrosi espoused the Signers Commit- in order to discuss with Paris and to tee meeting, which at fi rst displeased move forward on the Noumea Accord Frogier, because he opposed a “social- and the emancipation of the country” ist” reading of the Noumea Accord (NC, 5 Nov, 9 Nov 2007). With the that implied possible independence Signers Committee meeting approach- (NC, 8 Oct 2007). Trying to straddle ing, as well as municipal elections in the local political spectrum, Estrosi 2008 and provincial elections in 2009, also saw the ae as a legitimate partner the fl nks sought to solidify its new in the Signers Committee dialogue, unity and push for the rapid transfer along with the rpcr and fl nks, of more self-governing powers to the which had signed the accord in 1998 country. Spokesperson Victor Tutu- along with Socialist Prime Minister goro admitted that “independence Lionel Jospin (NC, 18 Oct 2007). The can cause fear,” so “to win in 2014, ae was regrouping and prepared a we must go beyond our own walls to detailed agenda for the December go look for the others beyond” (NC, signers meeting in Paris, which Prime 10 Dec 2007). Kanak activist Sari- Minister Fillon himself took charge of 466 the contemporary pacifi c • 20:2 (2008)

(NC, 19 Oct, 29 Oct 2007). The result of the potential working population was a document that prioritized the lack high school diplomas, while new irreversible transfer of more self-gov- immigration provides a fi fth of the erning powers to New Caledonia, thus annual demographic growth that is backing the ae /fl nks version of the expected to bring the total population accord, as well as promising State help to 250,000 in 2008 (NC, 15 Feb 2007). with economic development, particu- In response, the ae-led government larly the new nickel mining projects has increased family allowances, low- to balance the North and South while ered prices for essential products like paying closer attention to environ- food, frozen rents for a year, expanded mental issues such as protecting the social services, and raised the mini- offshore reef, addressing infrastructure mum wage (NC, 29 June 2007). It has issues, providing housing and educa- also tried to increase tourism, espe- tion for those with lower incomes, cially from China, but the dominance dealing with contentious labor dis- of mining and the fl ow of French aid putes, hosting the Pacifi c Games in keeps New Caledonia tourism small 2011, and enhancing France’s role in scale; in addition, agriculture has in the Pacifi c Forum now that New suffered from rainstorms, so there Caledonia and French Polynesia had is ongoing dependence on budget- become associate members. The ae ary help and development contracts and fl nks were happy, and the rpcr from Paris. In December, the Congress touted consensus and downplayed the passed a us$2 billion budget, fi nanced power transfers (NC, 22 Dec, 27 Dec partly from new local taxes and the 2007). rest from French or European Union Economic growth in New Caledo- fi nancial aid (NC, 21 Nov 2007; pir, nia is higher than in any other French 3 Dec, 14 Dec 2007). overseas entity, though the country In the most industrial country in also has serious socioeconomic Oceania, labor unions are quite strong challenges. On the basis of overall and active, and at times their strikes statistics, the economy is healthy, become militant and political, push- with low infl ation and rising con- ing politicians to complain or listen, sumption, rising job creation and for example, on the issue of favoring decreasing unemployment, but high local hiring that was inscribed in both housing costs are reaching the level the Noumea Accord and the organic of Paris, partly because metropolitan laws that followed (NC, 18 Oct 2007). offi cials and retirees receive almost Faced with rising living costs, they double the salary or pension they also want their share of the proceeds would receive in France. Rising urban from economic development, so the population is causing more crowd- minimum monthly wage was raised ing in homes and expanding squat- in January to 120,000 Pacifi c francs, ter camps and homelessness, and the or about us$1,200 (NC, 8 Jan 2007). primarily Kanak-inhabited North and Mining unions noted the rising price Islands provinces have higher poverty of nickel and demanded a correspond- and unemployment rates and lower ing increase in wages, and those in educational levels. Nearly 40 percent various support or service sectors felt pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 467 likewise. But social dialogue between tions buy and sell each other and chief workers and employers has all too executive offi cers come and go. For often not gone smoothly in New example, since January 2006 the price Caledonia, leading to roadblocks with of nickel had jumped 135 percent burning tires and work stoppages because of the demand for stainless without enough action by the State, steel in China and India. In January positive or negative (NC, 4 Sep, 2 Oct, 2007, when a single ship carrying 9 Oct 2007). France too has its power- 1,000 tons of nickel sank off England, ful labor unions who strike militantly, the price went up another 15 percent but in late 2007 Sarkozy battled on the London Metal Exchange, as transporters over pension reforms, that loss represented nearly a fi fth of while a thousand people marched in available world supply. Then in May Noumea against “terrorism” by local 2007, the price per ton dropped by unions (bbc News, 13 Nov 2007; NC, us$11,000 due to overspeculation, 12 Nov 2007). For example, ustke, rising competition among producers, which Estrosi had criticized, blocked and a decision by China (which buys the local cement industry and urban one fi fth of the global supply) to stop bus company for months—along with imports temporarily. By August, the other strikes to support favoring local price had dropped another $15,000, hiring and protecting workers fi red but by October, it had stabilized at for union activities—and in October about $25,000 a ton, and predictions ustke called a general strike because for rising demand in 2008 and a price the police had intervened (NC, 13 Oct of $35,000 a ton fueled local devel- 2007). After testing the waters in the opment projects in New Caledonia, presidential and legislative elections which has about a third of the world by backing Bové and then its own nickel reserves (NC, 27 Jan, 14 June, candidates, respectively, ustke defi ed 23 Aug, 24 Oct 2007). La Société Le appeals by the fl nks not to divide the Nickel (sln), the largest local mining Kanak vote and formed its own Labor company, enjoyed a record profi t in Party in November, with support from 2006 and is expanding its produc- metropolitan Trotskyists, dedicating tion at mining sites in the North and itself to independence, anti-globaliza- at the Doniambo processing plant tion, and revolutionary socialism (NC, outside Noumea, aiming to export 16 Nov 2007). It remained one of the 75,000 tons a year. New Caledonia two largest unions, as labor lead- has increased its shares in the sln to ers compete for membership using about one-third, giving it a consider- dramatic strikes to attract support (NC, able voice in policy-making in a fi rm 12 April 2007). that was once half State-owned and Nickel mining has long been the held a near-monopoly locally (NC, 15 mainstay of New Caledonian exports, March, 25 July 2007). and that sector is increasing still In contrast, the territory’s fi nancial further in importance, raising con- participation in the Goro nickel plant cerns about vulnerability to ups and project in the South and its nearby downs in price cycles and uncertainty power plant at Prony has actually as competing multinational corpora- dropped from 10 percent to only 5 468 the contemporary pacifi c • 20:2 (2008) percent, but Goro’s Brazilian part- project, showing needed support for ner cvrd (Companhia Vale do Rio working toward the common destiny Doce) assures the government that prescribed by the Noumea Accord (NC, after initial construction is complete 28 Dec 2007). and production starts in 2009, the In that spirit, notable progress was royalties will reach 10 percent. The made in 2007, despite all the politics, Goro-Prony project has been the in efforts to build a multicultural focus of repeated protests because citizenship. In April, the government of environmental and local hiring created a committee to develop iden- concerns, but cvrd says that the rise tity symbols, as the Noumea Accord in nickel prices will enable it to afford suggested, such as a new name for the better pollution controls, and it has country (Kanaky New Caledonia?), a increased efforts to train local work- fl ag, a hymn, banknote images, and a ers. Raphael Mapou of Rhéébù Nùù motto. The last three would be chosen has therefore changed his stance from by public competitions, while the open opposition to ongoing vigilance fi rst two, more contentious, would be (NC, 20 June, 17 Nov, 13 Dec 2007). negotiated in committee. Vice Presi- The Koniambo mining and process- dent Déwé Gorodey of Palika assem- ing project (a partnership between the bled twenty representatives of civil Kanak-run Northern Province and the society, from historians and customary Swiss fi rm Xstrata, with additional leaders to political parties and volun- support from France) will pay 51 per- tary associations, and told them, using cent of dividends to the province, and Kanak imagery, “The Great House it fi nally got the green light to begin we are going to build together is that construction, while addressing infra- of our children” (NC, 13 April, 28 structure development and environ- Dec 2007). A new, localized primary mental and local hiring concerns. In a school textbook of history and geogra- complex fi nancial arrangement made phy was also unveiled, the product of by local-born André Dang, director three years work by numerous experts of the North’s smsp (Société Minière from every community, complete with du Sud Pacifi que), the province will documents from different viewpoints. help pay for its share of construction Historian Christiane Terrier explained by partnering with the South Korean that it was not an offi cial history fi rm Posco to process nickel ore at because, despite accusations to the a new plant in that country (NC, 26 contrary, “We were under no pressure Feb, 18–19 Oct 2007). The Goro from politicians, who never looked and Koniambo projects each involve at the contents” (NC, 24 Feb 2007). investments of us$3–4 billion, or Congress also voted unanimously to about twice the territorial budget. create an Academy of Kanak Lan- The Koniambo project in particular is guages to preserve and promote the important to the fl nks for rebalanc- continued use of the forty indigenous ing the territory’s economy by creating languages and dialects of the country, more income and jobs in the North. some of which are now being taught Even Martin of the South and Loueck- in schools (NC, 18 Jan 2007; pir, 18 hote of the Islands applauded the Jan 2007). Once again on 24 Septem- pol i t ical reviews • melanesia 469 ber, a date that formerly commemo- The year began with a nagging rated the French taking possession of strain on diplomatic relations with New Caledonia in 1853, the 150 Years Australia. The political drama began Later Committee celebrated a multi- when twelve Solomon Islands police cultural day of unity around the site offi cers were sent to Taiwan for special of the Mwâ Kâ, a symbolic totem pole security training involving fi rearms made four years ago by Kanak artists. and self-defense. Although fi rearms- Participants expressed pride in their related training was denied by Tai- country in music, dance, poetry, and wan’s vice foreign minister who visited refreshments for eight hours, under Solomon Islands in February, the the rubric “Caledonia My Country” prime minister continued to stress the (NC, 22 Sep 2007). need to rearm the Personal Protection david chappell Unit, which normally provides security to government ministers and dignitar- ies. Widespread national and interna- References tional criticism over the rearmament bbc News. http://news.bbc.co.uk proposal followed its announcement. Notably, Australian Foreign Minister kol, Kanaky Online. http://fr.groups .yahoo.com/group/kanaky Alexander Downer took the unusual step of writing directly to the people of Le Monde. Daily. Paris. Solomon Islands to express his grave NC, Les Nouvelles-Calédoniennes. Daily. concern about the state of the rela- Noumea. http://www.lnc.nc tionship with Australia. In his “Letter pir, Pacific Islands Report. to the People of Solomon Islands,” http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport Downer said: “Australians and your regional neighbors who make up ramsi [Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands] remain commit- Solomon Islands ted to working with you to prevent Solomon Islanders entered 2007 a return to these bad old days; we with expectations that the Manasseh remain committed to keeping ramsi Sogavare–led Grand Coalition for in place, so that Solomon Islands Change government would make posi- can continue to move forward.” He tive changes, especially in the delivery added that “sadly there seems to be a of social services. These expectations deliberate push to undermine ramsi, were created partly by Sogavare to tarnish its reputation, and make government’s announcement of its it hard for it to continue its work” Bottom Up Approach to development, (Solomon Star News, 9 Feb 2007). which promised to develop rural areas Prime Minister Sogavare responded where a majority of Solomon Island- by accusing Downer of acting undip- ers live. The Bottom Up Approach lomatically, pushed to establish a time was expected to bring fundamental frame for ramsi to leave, and canceled changes in the development of the two appointments for the designated country after decades of dismal perfor- Australian High Commissioner to mance since independence. Solomon Islands, Peter Hooton, to