Political Reviews

Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 taberannang korauaba, kelly g marsh, clement yow mulalap, christina sablan, tyrone j taitano

Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 lorenz gonschor, margaret mutu, christina newport, forrest wade young

The Contemporary Pacic, Volume 27, Number 1, 209–293 © 2015 by University of Hawai‘i Press

209 Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014

Reviews of American Sāmoa, Hawai‘i, period and the drought conditions Niue, Sāmoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, forecast to extend the dry season and Wallis and Futuna are not (cin, 16 Dec 2013). With two water included in this issue. treatment plants and a desalination machine dispatched from Rarotonga, the New Zealand High Commission Cook Islands added its support by supplying one As the 49th year of Cook Islands of the solar-powered water-treatment “self-governing” in free association plants as part of a nz$225,000 grant with New Zealand, the period under to support the Cook Islands drought review has been characterized by a response strategy. The strategy number of political ups and downs, includes equipment, training, aware- culminating in a snap election with ness raising, and water level monitor- contested results and court action ing and reporting (cin, 31 Jan 2014). set to determine the outcome. The On a much larger scale, the nz$60 results highlight the need for reform million Cook Islands Water Partner- to address the disparity of the value ship, or Te Mato Vai, linked to climate of a vote across the country. As 2014 change, is intended to improve water is also the International Year of Small ­supply and quality­ on Rarotonga. The Islands Developing States, interna- initiative will refurbish water intakes, tional and local attention is focused increase water storage and treatment, on the country’s development partner- and replace ring mains and piping ships as it prepares to celebrate its (cin, 19 Oct 2013). Funding for the unique form of sovereignty in 2015. project has been raised, with nz$22 Other issues this year revolved around million from the Cook Islands gov- a rollout of tax reforms, marine ernment, a nz$15 million grant from resources, and the management of the New Zealand, and a nz$23 million climate change–related drought in the concessional loan from the People’s southern group islands. Republic of China. This jointly funded The Cook Islands continues to partnership has drawn international place priority on climate change and attention and is “believed to be a climate-related disaster risks, with first for the emerging Asian country a number of southern group islands which has ­traditionally been known “dealing with drought-like condi- to deliver aid unilaterally” (cin, tions after months without decent 12 Sept 2013). Visiting researcher rainfall” (cin, 16 Dec 2013). On Atiu, Philippa Brant of the Lowy Institute groundwater supplies were at criti- for International Policy in Australia cally low levels. These problems were suggested that because the Pacific further compounded with increased faced no current military conflict, the demands expected over the Christmas Cook Islands was ideal for Beijing

251 252 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) to test out its new aid strategy while above its weight, a potential game avoiding accusations of self-interest by lifter for the Cook Islands lies in its allowing the Cook Islands and New ability to deliver on the government’s Zealand to drive the project (cin, 12 optimistic energy security goals. Sept 2013). Locally the project also Targets of 50 percent of electricity to drew attention through public meet- be supplied from renewable energy ings and consultations on the Water sources by 2015 and 100 percent Master Plan. With construction due to by 2020 are looking attainable with start on 14 April 2014, a petition with the help of old and new develop- over two thousand signatures was ment friends. Support from a range delivered to Parliament seeking to put of donors has been negotiated. This a stop to the project “until misgiv- includes a nz$20.5 million project to ings and shortcomings on the project design and construct solar-powered can be identified and investigated and hybrid energy systems on Manihiki, other options explored,” said James Rakahanga, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Thomson, spokesman for the Te Mato Nassau, and Palmerston to enable Vai Petition Committee (cin, 5 April these communities to move toward 2014). It was agreed that a Parlia- 95 percent reliance on solar power. mentary Select Committee would be New Zealand company Power Smart established; however, the project still has been contracted and is expected proceeded. to start in August 2014 (cin, 12 June Since the 2011 establishment of the 2014). In addition, another New Zea- Climate Change Division in the Office land company, Infratec Renewables of the Prime Minister, a number of (NETcon International) was awarded initiatives have commenced. A us$5 a nz$3.3 million contract funded by million Adaptation Fund project facili- New Zealand and the European Union tated the development of a national to install a 960-kilowatt solar fan at climate-change policy. In November the Rarotonga Airport. Construction 2013, the Kaveinga Tapapa: Climate on that project commenced in April and Disaster Compatible Develop­ 2014 (cin, 29 April 2014). How- ment Policy 2013–2016 was launched. ever, it was not all plain sailing, with In taking an integrated approach, local businessman and Chamber of the policy is focused on low-carbon, Commerce President Steve Anderson climate-change–and disaster-resilient ­questioning decisions to send hazard- development. Prime Minister Henry ous lead-acid batteries rather than Puna’s introductory statement notes lithium-ion batteries to a number of that the policy, by integrating with low-lying atolls as part of the renew- existing policy instruments and plan- able energy plans. ning tools, “builds on our existing Given the potential of aid being tied structures and draws on our capability to a donor country’s foreign and trade to lift our game” and its “fundamental policies, and noting the nature of the message is to prepare today for tomor- relationship between the Cook Islands row” (Cook Islands Government and New Zealand, such decisions are 2013, 2). perceived as the Cook Islands govern- With a reputation for punching ment’s not wanting “to rock the boat political reviews • polynesia 253 too much with New Zealand and Aus- featured during this review year. With tralia and China and Japan who are an exclusive economic zone of over the donors, so . . . they’re being guided 200 million square kilometers of by the donors who basically lay down ocean, the Cook Islands establishment the criteria of what’s going to be of a marine protected area continues given,” said Anderson in an interview moving toward being “legally desig- on Radio Australia (Fayle 2014). nated and zoned by the end of 2015” Cook Islands efforts at the interna- (cin, 22 Feb 2014). Situated in the tional level took forward three policy southern region, the marine park will priorities of loss and damage, climate- cover an area of approximately 1.1 change adaptation, and climate-change million square kilometers. Following financing to the 19th meeting of the extensive consultations across the pa United Nations Framework Conven- enua (islands), Marae Moana Marine tion on Climate Change (unfccc) Park Project Manager Jacqui Evans Conference of Parties in Warsaw, stated that “we don’t want to prevent Poland, in November 2013. The opportunities for the country to use delegation leader (and one of seven its marine resources but we want to women on the eight-member team), see our ecosystems being sustained Ana Tira‘a, in commenting on the because they provide so much for us importance of attending such meet- in terms of food, shelter, recreation, ings and seeking global agreement to medicine, income through tourism and address climate-change impacts, said, basic ecosystem services such as water “In our northern atolls there are some treatment and coastal protection” areas that are less than 300 metres (cin, 14 May 2014). Meanwhile, with wide—ocean on one side, lagoon on zoning providing varied protections the other. Losing a little bit of land has within the Marae Moana area, the a big impact on low lying communities government continues in developing with limited land area. Loss of land the institutional and regulatory frame- is not easily replaced” (cin, 18 Nov work to enable the mining of mineral 2013). deposits from the seabed. Located During the period under review, the predominately through the central and Cook Islands gave support to regional northern parts of Cook Islands waters, climate-change efforts. Prime Minister at depths of up to 6,000 meters, man- Puna, as the outgoing Pacific Islands ganese nodules rich in cobalt, nickel, Forum chair, attended the 44th Forum and copper are said to offer 10 billion in the Marshall Islands in September tonnes of mineable resources (Cook 2013, adding his signature to the Islands Seabed Minerals Authority Majuro Declaration, but not before 2014). With the government’s eye calling on the leaders to support the on the potential economic benefits Nansen Initiative on climate-change– as an opportunity to diversify the and disaster-induced displacement country’s narrow economic base, the and the Oceans 21 initiative for the environmental and social implications sustainable development of the Pacific continue to be raised as prominent oceanscape (pifs 2013). concerns by cultural and environmen- Marine resource policy issues also tal watchdog groups. After a public 254 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) session of a Seabed Minerals regional protesters when he announced that the workshop focused on financial aspects Democratic Party would abolish the of deep-sea minerals and attended by a back tax (cin, 27 Feb 2014). However, range of international representatives, the government showed its ability to Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Com- take heed of its constituents’ voices missioner Paul Lynch said the meeting and undertook to amend the legisla- “was hijacked by people who didn’t tion and refund pensioner back taxes want to listen or ask questions of our (cin, 19 April 2014). panel” (cin, 19 May 2014). Attend- On the islands of Rarotonga, the ees included members of the national Murienua district by-election was environment organization, Te Ipu- announced for 19 September. This karea Society, which took the opportu- ­followed the resignation of Deputy nity to raise questions about cultural, Prime Minister Tom Masters and his legal, and environmental issues. While inauguration on 9 August as the new frustration and discomfort levels rose queen’s representative. during the meeting, the incident high- The Cook Islands Party candidate lighted that this is an area of economic Kaota Tuariki won the seat, beating development that will draw locals out Democratic Party candidate James of their shells. Beer. However, alleged bribery and This year under review saw a num- treating claims saw Tuariki resign ber of tax reforms rolled out. Tax rate before the petition went to court thresholds were amended and welfare (cin, 14 Jan 2014). A rerun of the payments were increased, making by-election was set for February. This more money available for low-income time James Beer was successful over earners. While many of these measures the Cook Islands Party’s Tare Mareiti, were seen as favorable, the increase leaving the Cook Islands Party with 13 in Value Added Tax to 15 percent seats, the Democratic Party 10 seats, was less popular, with price increases and Norman George holding one seat expected to be passed on to consumers as an independent. (cin, 3 Jan 2014). Since her appointment in 2012 as The instigation of back taxing the non-elected Speaker of the House, pensioners who collect New Zealand well-regarded former Secretary-Gen- superannuation was also unpopular. eral of the Cook Islands Red Cross The reform saw the Revenue Man- Niki Rattle has been kept busy inside agement Division of the Ministry of and outside of parliamentary sittings. Finance and Economic Management The termination of the Clerk of Parlia- take money directly out of pension- ment Tupuna Rakanui, a long-serving ers’ bank accounts. Such was the member of staff, featured in 2013. outcry that a pensioners lobby group Rakanui, who was appointed in Janu- was formed. Known as Grey Power, ary 2013 following the retirement they campaigned against the taxing of Nga Valoa, was discharged of his of pensions, with a march on Parlia- duties in August after a review of his ment in December 2013. Opposition performance. leader and Member of Parliament In reaction to the termination, Wilkie Rasmussen found favor with Democratic Party Member of Parlia- political reviews • polynesia 255 ment for Titikaveka Selena Napa and for the Nikao Cook Islands Christian stalwart Atiu Member of Parliament Church (cin, 2 July 2013). for Teenui-Mapumai Norman George On 24 August Samoan resident waded in to publically question the Tamanavao Navy Epati passed away termination. Prime Minister Puna suddenly after suffering a heart attack would not be drawn into commenting at the Rarotonga Golf Course at age out of respect for “the authority of the 49. Well known in Sāmoa and the Speaker in maintaining responsibility Cook Islands, he was a representative over any employment issues” (cin, 20 athlete and national sports administra- Aug 2013). tor for rugby, rugby league, and box- In consolation for his termination, ing. Epati was the head of the Ministry Rakanui was appointed back into par- of Marine Resources and held the post liamentary services in the role of clerk of public service commissioner for five to the Are Ariki (House of Paramount years until September 2011 (cin, 26 Chiefs), an appointment advocated Aug 2013). During that time he led for by the head of the Are Ariki, Tou public service reforms, which included Ariki (cin, 12 Sept 2013). the passing of the much-needed Public The subsequent appointment of Service Act in 2009. Pastor John Tangi as clerk of Parlia- Another passing of sorts also ment drew a reaction from the opposi- eventuated during the year of review. tion party leader Wilkie Rasmussen Investigations by authorities of Cabi- (cin, 19 Sept 2013). Despite Tangi’s net Minister Teina Bishop’s business suitability based on his previous expe- dealings remain unresolved, with no rience as Speaker of the House and a decision despite assistance from New Democratic Party member of Parlia- Zealand’s Serious Fraud Office (cin, ment for Tupapa, Rasmussen alleged 14 June 2014). The investigation interference by the prime minister and surrounded the 2012 purchase, sale, the Speaker in the appointment (cin, and trading of two fishing boats, the 14 Sept 2013). Orongo and the Bounty, to Huanan The period of review was also Fishery (Cook Islands) Limited, a sub- marked by the passing of two promi- sidiary of Luen Thai Fishing Venture, nent figures. The paramount chief of without the Business Trade Investment the Puaikura district on Rarotonga, Board’s approval to sell to an offshore Tinomana Ruta Tuoro Ariki, passed buyer, and the granting of a fishing away on 27 June 2013. She held the license to the company approved by title for over twenty years after her Bishop as minister of marine resources investiture in 1991. Affectionately (cin, 1 Aug 2013; cih, 10 July 2013). known as “Mama Bear,” her services With the allegations potentially posing extended beyond her tribal boundar- a threat to the credibility and survival ies to a number of nongovernmental of the Cook Islands Party–led govern- organizations and groups. Of note, ment, Puna accepted Bishop’s deci- in 1984 she was a founding member sion to hand in the marine resources of the Cook Islands National Council and pearl authority portfolios while of Women, and in 1988 she became investigations took place. Initially this the first woman deacon on Rarotonga led Bishop to relinquish his marine 256 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) resources and tourism portfolios in a caretaker role in order to manage early August, but Bishop remained a the country’s affairs in the run-up to cabinet minister, retaining the educa- the snap election. Legislative matters tion portfolio. There was speculation due to be tabled in the April sitting of that the investigation of Bishop as a Parliament have now been benched long-serving cabinet member might until after the election. These matters have had some bearing on his consid- included the 2013–14 supplementary eration for the deputy prime minister budget, which is intended to rectify position, which had also been vacated the unpopular taxing of pensions and in August. Four months later, in to fund the rebuilding of two schools December, Teariki Heather was named that were damaged by arson attacks in deputy prime minister, with Bishop 2013 (cin, 14 April 2014). himself believing that the investigation Finance Minister Mark Brown was the reason he was not appointed expected to keep rolling out exist- to the role (cin, 18 Dec 2013). ing commitments, while provisions By April, discord within the cabinet within the constitution allow for a 1.5 had taken hold, resulting in Bishop’s percent expenditure of the 2013–14 resignation from the party. In the nz$200 million annual budget as an midst of a Parliament sitting and administrative measure to address with the supplementary budget to be funding gaps created by the policy presented on 15 April, the no-show changes. No new initiatives will be by Bishop and Tupapa Member of addressed until after the election (cin, Parliament George Maggie reduced 14 April 2014). Parliamentary select the Cook Islands Party one-seat committees were also dissolved until majority of 13 to 11 (cin, 17 April after the election. This includes the 2014). On 17 April, Queen’s Repre- committee convened to review the Te sentative Tom Marsters was advised Mato Vai major infrastructure water to dissolve Parliament. Initially he project in response to the public peti- said that “it is necessary to have early tion (cin, 14 April 2014). elections because of the need to have Political campaigning for the early the incoming government in place well July general election dominated the in advance of the 50th anniversary final quarter of this year of review of self-government in 2015” (cin, and culminated in preliminary results 17 April 2014). showing no clear majority winner. With the general election set for Of the 24 parliamentary seats, elec- 9 July 2014, the prime minister also tion night results had the Democratic had a “conflict of interest” allega- Party ahead with 11 seats, followed by tion to deal with. This related to his the Cook Islands Party with 10 seats. pearl farm in Manihiki, which was The newly formed Cook Islands One allegedly set to gain over nz$100,000 had 2 seats and the Mangaia seat of in ­assistance as part of a nz$3 mil- ­Tamarua tied. Following the recount lion aid funding from New Zealand and additional special and postal to revitalize the pearl industry in the votes, the results swung to give the Cook Islands (cin, 20 May 2014). Cook Islands Party a 13-seat major- The current government assumed ity to lead the country. Despite the political reviews • polynesia 257

Cook Islands Party being out-polled References by the Democratic Party, the result highlights “the disparity in the value cih, Cook Islands Herald. Rarotonga. Weekly. of a vote across the Cook Islands” (cin, 23 July 2014), with the balance cin, Cook Islands News. Rarotonga. Daily. of power ­sitting with smaller voter Cook Islands Government. 2013. ­constituencies. Kaveinga Tapapa: Climate and ­Disaster The Democratic Party, now with Compatible Development Policy 2013– eight seats, saw their leader Wilkie 2016. August. Rarotonga: Office of the Rasmussen lose his seat by 10 votes. Prime Minister. http://www.mfem.gov The Mitiaro seat they won on election .ck/images/Climate__Disaster_Compatible night came back tied after the recount, _Development_Policy_Final_copy.pdf [accessed 23 June 2014] with both candidates garnering 50 votes each (cin, 18 Jul 2014). A by- Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority. election will be needed to sort out the 2014. Frequently Asked Questions. deadlock unless a petition to the court http://www.seabedmineralsauthority.gov proves successful for either party. .ck/index.php/about-us/15-faqs [accessed 1 July 2014] On that note, by the 25 July dead- line, nine electoral petitions had been Fayle, Tom. 2014. Cook Islands Solar lodged with the Cook Islands High Energy Project Causing Concerns. Court. As the post-election ­caretaker Interview with Steve Anderson, Radio ­government, the Cook Islands Party Australia, abc, 2 January. http://www will now have to wait for the outcome .radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/ program/pacific-beat/cook-islands-solar of the court actions. With the con- -energy-project-causing-concerns/1241848 stitutional provisions to enable the [accessed 30 June 2014] caretaker ­government to operate with one quarter of the 2013–14 govern- pifs, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. ment appropriations until the end of 2013. Forty-fourth Pacific Islands Forum, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands. September, the pressure is now on the Forum Communiqué. Suva: pifs. judiciary and Chief Justice Thomas http://www.forumsec.org/resources/ Weston, rather than the voting public, uploads/attachments/documents/2013 to determine the country’s govern- _Forum_Communique_Final.pdf ment for the next four years. While [accessed 1 July 2014] the year has featured a full range of political challenges and government- led reforms that have been contested and debated by the public, it is likely French Polynesia that the upcoming celebrations of fifty years of Cook Islands sovereignty will The political situation of French provide a positive focus for 2014–15. Polynesia during the period under christina newport review was in two ways fundamen- tally different from previous periods. First, as a result of May 2013 elec- tions, there is a two-thirds majority for Gaston Flosse’s anti-independence 258 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015)

Tahoeraa Huiraatira Party in the mittee of the UN General Assembly, legislative assembly that is most likely which is charged with decolonization to remain for the full term, setting issues. On 14 October, the commit- the present situation apart from the tee adopted a draft resolution to be preceding decade-long instability introduced to the floor of the 68th caused by ­constantly changing politi- UN General Assembly as a follow-up cal majorities. Yet the pending retrials to the reinscription resolution of the of President Flosse (who was earlier previous session in May. The draft sentenced to jail terms for corruption, ­followed Temaru’s and Tuheiava’s which he had appealed) as well as his advice in recommending a long period advancing age (he turned eighty-three of political education in order to over- in June 2013) make it doubtful that he come decades of French indoctrination will retain the presidency for the entire and propaganda before a meaning- five-year term. ful referendum of self-determination Second, due to the tireless efforts of could be conducted in the country Flosse’s pro-independence predecessor (United Nations Web tv 2013; ti, 9 Oscar Temaru and his administration Oct, 21 Oct 2013). to reinscribe the country on the United While the resolution was tabled to Nations list of Non-Self-Governing be voted on by the General Assembly Territories (nsgts), which succeeded floor, attempts by President Flosse and literally on Temaru’s last day in Office his government to undo, block, or stall in May 2013, French Polynesia is the UN decolonization process were now regarded by the international not successful. Despite yet another community as a territory to be decolo- resolution passed by Flosse’s two- nized, although France keeps resisting thirds majority in the French Polynesia what it regards as UN interference in Assembly on 28 August denouncing its domestic policies. The new inter- the UN activities as “interference in national status of the country gives the bilateral issues between France the pro-independence opposition and French Polynesia” and lobbying unprecedented possibilities to expose efforts by Flosse to influence Pacific the country’s problems before interna- Island leaders during the Pacific tional audiences and to promote their Islands Forum meeting in September long-term goals of building a sover- in Majuro to support this position (ti, eign state. 28 Aug 2013), the leaders preferred Temaru and his confidant, Senator to be silent on the issue, and the final Richard Ariihau Tuheiava (one of the communiqué of the Forum did not country’s two representatives in the contain any mention of French Poly- French Senate), thus continued their nesia (pifs 2013). Previously, at the lobbying at UN institutions, where Polynesian Leaders Group (plg) meet- they are now able to be admitted as ing in Auckland on 30 August, Flosse, official representatives of an nsgt who became president of the orga- and no longer need to find a friendly nization for a year on a principle of country to include them in its national alphabetical rotation, had convinced delegation. On 8 October 2013, the the other leaders of the Polynesian two testified before the Fourth Com- countries to include in their communi- political reviews • polynesia 259 qué a note acknowledging “the resolu- him personally by alluding to his black tion adopted by the French Polynesia Caribbean (= slave descendant) heri- Assembly reaffirming the democratic tage. Lurel was infuriated and accused choice of its population to remain the Temaru’s Tavini Huiraatira, the largest strongly autonomous overseas country constituent party within upld and that it is” (plg 2013), although the official local ally of the ruling French plg declined to make any concrete Socialist Party, of disloyalty (tpm, Dec commitments in support of Flosse’s 2013). The minister seemed to forget, position in the international arena. however, that it was the Socialist Party The French government, on the that broke the partnership agreement other hand, also frustrated Flosse, in the first place by opposing UN rein- since his demand for an immediate scription, which the two parties had ­referendum on independence that agreed to in 2004 and 2011. Temaru’s would not restrict the electorate to party had hitherto dutifully fulfilled its long-term residents—which most part of the agreements by constantly likely would turn out a majority lending local support to Socialist poli- against independence—fell on deaf ticians on the French national level. ears. When Minister of Overseas A year earlier, in a similar speech ­Territories Victorin Lurel visited Tahiti before the Congress of New Caledonia in late November and gave a program in Nouméa, Lurel had admitted that speech before the French Polynesia France “never knew how to decolo- Assembly, he declared that there nize” but added that “here [in New was no reason for any independence Caledonia] we are inventing a new referendum, neither according to UN formula” (ti, 24 Nov 2012). Given standards on decolonization nor under the attitude of his government toward current French electoral law. Instead, French Polynesia throughout the year, Lurel asked all local political forces to as well as other recent colonial poli- collaborate with the French govern- cies such as the départementalisation ment in developing the country (ti, (ie, annexation as a supposed part of 30 Nov 2013). metropolitan France) of the Comorian Temaru and his coalition of opposi- island of Mayotte in 2011 despite its tion parties, Union Pour La Démocra- contested international legal status, tie (upld), boycotted and protested one could conclude that France is Lurel’s visit, insisting that the Flosse creating a “new formula” only for government was illegitimate since it New Caledonia but remains clueless was run by the “mafia” (referring to on how to decolonize the rest of its the multiple criminal convictions of crypto-colonial “overseas” empire. Flosse for corruption, all of which In the old colonial fashion of were undergoing appeals at the time). his right-wing predecessors, Lurel Some protestors went as far as depict- accepted and replicated Flosse’s ing Lurel, a Socialist politician from discourse by claiming that the 2013 the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, election results should be seen as a as a “house negro”—in order to plebiscite against reinscription. This portray him as a sellout/colonial col- line of argument has frequently been laborator and simultaneously insult used by French governments whenever 260 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) pro-French parties held the majority of reinscription during the campaign, the seats in the local assembly and reflects absence of the topic in the manifestos an unfortunate tradition in French makes it even more of a stretch to con- political culture of misinterpreting strue votes for the two parties as votes elections of candidates to office as against UN reinscription. plebiscites on issues, and vice versa. At the same time, however, However, in a legal analysis written Tahiti-based French historian Jean- a few days after the UN reinscription Marc Regnault considers the French vote, University of New Caledonia Polynesia Assembly resolution of Law Professor Mathias Chauchat August 2011 (in which the then upld argued that a local election and a majority expressed itself in favor referendum of self-determination of reinscription) a tactical mistake. should not be confused. Furthermore, According to Regnault’s analysis, this even the rejection of a particular self- resolution tied the issue down to one governing status in a plebiscite should of majority support, which would not be equated with a vote in favor of eventually backfire on upld, as it no integration and therefore precipitate longer represents the majority since a removal from the nsgt list, as, for the 2013 elections. In contrast, the example, Tokelau was not removed Kanak pro-independence umbrella from the list when its voters did not group flnks (Front de Libéra- consent in sufficient numbers to a tion Nationale Kanak et Socialiste) ­status of free association with New achieved New Caledonia’s reinscrip- Zealand in 2007. Echoing Lurel’s tion in 1986 without ever attempting Nouméa statement, but without the to get a majority vote of the territo- hypocrisy of the latter, Chauchat rial institutions of New Caledonia argued that “in New Caledonia the and instead relied on international [French] Republic commits itself to legal principles that protect minori- a progressive, peaceful and irrevers- ties, especially indigenous minorities ible process of decolonization, which ­(Regnault 2013, 197, 223 n423). has not turned against her. Her policy Unimpressed by the French and would become incomprehensible, and French Polynesia governments’ oppo- quickly counter-productive, if she sition, the UN General Assembly on would not be able to see the Pacific 11 December unanimously passed the as it is today, as the Anglo-Saxons draft as resolution 68/93. The resolu- have been able to, and would offer no tion once more affirms French Poly- future perspective for French Polyne- nesia’s inalienable right to self-deter- sia” (Chauchat 2013). mination and calls on France and the Besides these fundamental legal local government to cooperate with arguments, it is also worth noting that UN agencies in order to implement neither Tahoeraa nor the pro-French this right and, specifically, “to develop opposition group A Tia Porinetia political education programmes for the (atp) mentioned opposition to rein- Territory in order to foster an aware- scription in their campaign manifestos. ness among the people of French Poly- While it is true that leading candi- nesia of their right to self-determina- dates of both parties agitated against tion in conformity with the legitimate political reviews • polynesia 261 political status options.” Furthermore, cies from accelerating their engage- the resolution “requests the Secretary- ment with the territory. General, in cooperation with relevant On 26 March, the UN Decoloni- specialized agencies of the United zation Committee released its first Nations, to compile a report on the working paper on the country, giving environmental, ­ecological, health and an overview of its political, economic, other impacts as a consequence of the and social situation; listing the resolu- 30-year period of nuclear testing in the tions and documents issued hitherto Territory” (UN 2013c). by the United Nations in its regard; Whereas the first sections of the and providing summaries of the testi- resolution have merely symbolic mony given by Temaru and Tuheiava value as long as both Paris and the before various UN bodies (UN 2014a). country government continue refus- The document was released in prepa- ing any cooperation with the United ration for the annual regional seminar Nations on the matter—Flosse once of the Decolonization Committee, more denounced the resolution as an which took place 21–23 May in ­“unacceptable interference” (ti, 13 Nadi, Fiji. While France participated, Dec 2013)—the section on nuclear its submission referred only to New testing is of great significance. Up Caledonia and mentioned not a word until now, the debate on the effects about French Polynesia (Government of French nuclear testing (1966 to of France 2014). Senator Tuheiava, 1996) was held within the constraints in his submission as an expert from of French domestic institutions; the an nsgt, denounced the hypocrisy of resolution officially declares the the French government in adhering consequences of French nuclear test- to UN principles only when it fits its ing an international matter that must interests, and he called on the Special be addressed at the UN level. Since Committee to include a passage to French Polynesia, unlike some totali- that effect in a draft resolution for the tarian regimes, is not cut off from the upcoming sixty-ninth General Assem- outside world, France will hardly be bly session. The senator furthermore able to prevent the compilation of the mentioned the control of France over UN report on nuclear testing effects, the resources in the territory’s Exclu- even if Paris refuses direct cooperation sive Economic Zone as well as over its with UN agencies in the matter. airspace as exemplary evidence for the In the annual UN General Assembly lack of true self-government (Tuheiava report on the nsgts, released on 17 2014). March 2014, one could see that of all At the meeting of the Decoloniza- seventeen nsgts on the list, the only tion Committee at the UN headquar- one for which the administering power ters in New York, 30 June–1 July, the had not transmitted information as scene from Fiji was repeated. After the required under article 73e of the UN section on New Caledonia, in which Charter was French Polynesia (UN French government representatives 2014b). France was thus openly defy- participated, the latter rushed out of ing principles of international law, but the chambers when the issue of French this would not discourage UN agen- Polynesia came up for discussion 262 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015)

(Overseas Territories Review, 30 June scription resolution in the UN General 2014). Assembly on 17 May 2013, the repre- If one analyzes the history of sentative of Indonesia, while endorsing French decolonization during the past the resolution, cautioned against using decades, Paris’s arrogant attitude as it as a precedent to “dismember or displayed in the UN meetings is not impair totally or in part the territorial very surprising. In his recent book on integrity or political unity of sovereign France’s “belated decolonizations” in or independent States”—referring the Pacific, Regnault described how most likely to the disputed status of it took France decades to accept New West Papua (UN 2013a). While the Caledonia’s 1986 reinscription as an latter is a more complex legal issue nsgt. UN officials were not invited to (involving a sovereignty dispute and visit New Caledonia until 1999, and the denial of self-determination in its the annual transmitting of information resolution rather than a classic case of under article 73e was only begun in denial of decolonization by an admin- 2004 (Regnault 2013, 74–76). In that istrative power), Indonesia’s concerns sense, the pattern of France’s attitude over the reinscription resolution show toward New Caledonia seems to be its potential for unforeseen far-reach- recurring now for French Polynesia, ing consequences. almost down to exact details. For Ni-Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana instance, the line of argument by the Carcasses Kalosil, Tahitian by birth Françoise Hollande administration and leading the one country that has against French Polynesia’s reinscrip- consistently supported West Papuan tion as being allegedly contrary to self-determination, certainly inter- public majority opinion is virtu- preted the resolution in this way in ally identical to the discourse of the his speech before the plenary ses- cohabitation governments of Mitter- sion of the UN General Assembly on rand and Chirac in the mid-1980s in 28 ­September. He commended the reference to New Caledonia (Regnault reinscription of French Polynesia as 2013, 225). While after decades of a recent effort to bring decoloniza- denial of colonialism some progress is tion efforts back to life at the United being made in New Caledonia, decolo- Nations, reminding the international nization of French Polynesia “still has community of other decolonization- a long history ahead” (Regnault 2013, related issues waiting to be resolved, 215). such as West Papua, as well as Besides its visible effects on the the continuing French claim over political dynamics of French Polynesia Vanuatu’s two southernmost islands and on the problem of belated French ­(Carcasses 2013). decolonization in general, the rein- Geographically closer to French scription of the country as an nsgt Polynesia, Rapa Nui also saw its also has ramifications for other issues struggle for decolonization from Chile of decolonization and related inter- significantly affected by the resolution. national legal issues throughout the Earlier in 2013, the pro-independence Pacific region. It is interesting to note umbrella group “Rapa Nui Parlia- that during the debate on the rein- ment” had gained significant inter- political reviews • polynesia 263 national momentum by being invited the ­Hawaiian Kingdom’s continued by the Temaru government to be a sovereignty under international law founding member of the Polynesian (Hawaiian Government blog 2014). Parliamentary Group at its inaugu- As far as domestic developments ral meeting in Papeete (ti, 4 March are concerned, the review period saw 2013). During a session of the UN two attempts to introduce new cur- Decolonization Committee on 21 rency to the country, one successful June 2013, the representative of Chile and regular in circumstances and the first expressed his annoyance that other unsuccessful and rather bizarre. a paper on Pacific decolonization Both, however, provide evidence of created in the UN Permanent Forum ongoing French colonialism. At the on Indigenous Issues that referred to beginning of the year, the Institut both French Polynesia and Rapa Nui d’Émission d’Outre-Mer (ieom, the was supposedly inaccurate, and then French central bank for overseas he mentioned, truly inaccurately, that territories) issued a new series of the country government of French cfp franc banknotes, which were Polynesia had less autonomy than put into circulation during the fol- a municipality in Chile—thereby lowing months, with the old notes implicitly arguing that French Polyne- gradually phased out by September sia could not serve as a precedent for 2014. The change in banknote design Rapa Nui, which currently is admin- was intended to pay lip service to istered as a municipality within Chile the 1998 Nouméa Accord on New (UN 2013b). The statement was an Caledonia, which stipulated that the attempt to curry favor with support- future banknotes of New Caledonia ers of French Polynesian independence shall show “Kanak cultural symbols” and thereby distract from Chile’s own instead of the French colonial officials atrocious colonial record in relation to and nondescript “island paradise” Rapa Nui. scenes depicted on the previous series Even at the plg meeting in Auck- (which is issued for all three French land in August 2013, which Flosse Pacific territories). While the logi- used as a platform for his propaganda cal step would have been to create a as mentioned above, the atmosphere separate series for New Caledonia of awakening in Pacific decoloniza- satisfying the passage in the accord, tion and related issues apparently took which was originally planned and the some hold. Kamana‘opono Crabbe, designs released on a numismatic web- the chief executive officer of the Office site (Banknote News 2012), the ieom of Hawaiian Affairs, attended the eventually decided to simply create a meeting as an observer representing new series for all three Pacific territo- Hawai‘i, which was duly mentioned ries, and only one out of the four new in the communiqué (plg 2013). It notes (the 10,000 francs note) actu- might not be a coincidence that it ally displays Kanak cultural symbols, was Crabbe who in May 2014 would while the other denominations depict ­create a stir in Hawaiian politics generic tropical flora and fauna. when he sent an open letter to US While the ieom was making those Secretary of State John Kerry about decisions behind closed doors, the 264 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) so-called Republic of Pakumotu (a Things turned ugly, however, when self-proclaimed entity with about a police arrived at Teiri’s house on 29 hundred supporters and its headquar- January in order to carry out the sen- ters in Outumaoro, within the munici- tence and take him to jail, since he had pality of Punaauia near its boundary not shown up to the court appoint- with Faaa) announced the issuing of ment. The armed bodyguards of the its own national currency, called the “king” opened fire at the approaching “patu.” In mid-October, Athanase­ police cars and a gunfight ensued. Teiri, the leader of the “republic” Luckily no one was injured, and Teiri (who, strangely enough, does not and his bodyguards were arrested style himself as president but as on charges of attempted murder and “King Taginui I”), announced that his illegal possession of firearms (tpm, Feb ­“government” had issued one billion 2014). patu, which would be put in circula- The “Pakumotu” affair raises tion at the exchange rate of 145 cfp some important questions. It must be francs for one patu and would be the asked why people get arrested and only legal tender starting in January charged within days for trivial affairs 2014 (ti, 17 Oct 2013). like attempting to defraud a business Even though most observers looked of a small amount of money in the on the actions of the group with mild case of the lady at the gas station, or amusement, French prosecutor José merely for the act of producing tons Thorel announced he would prosecute of valueless fantasy money in the the group for “issuing fake money” name of a fantasy state in the case of and would confiscate their patu notes, Teiri, whereas for various politicians, even though they resemble neither such as President Flosse, who have the old nor the new ieom notes, nor defrauded the public of the equiva- do they bear any inscription saying lent of hundreds of thousands of US they have any value in cfp francs. ­dollars through embezzlement, the After a Pakumotu supporter tried justice system takes years to prosecute to pay for her gasoline with a patu them. note, the police not only arrested her Second, the phenomenon of self- but a few days later also stormed proclaimed governments—of which into the group’s headquarters, seized there are several others in French all the patu notes, and arrested Teiri Polynesia, including two more emerg- for “counterfeiting” money (ti, 11 ing during the time under review Dec 2013). Eventually, however, the (ti, 23 Oct 2013; ti, 26 April, 27 court did not follow the prosecutor’s May 2014)—must be seen in a social excessive actions, and when Teiri was context. The relative success of these sentenced to six months imprison- eccentric groups is best explained as ment on Jan 21, it was not for issuing offering a utopian alternative to the “patu” but for intimidation, since he increasingly desperate situation many had authored letters threatening ieom poor and unemployed Tahitians find and the territorial government for not themselves in. This is even more the complying with his “currency-issuing” case as many of the latter become scheme (ti, 21 Jan 2014). progressively disillusioned with tradi- political reviews • polynesia 265 tional political parties, none of which job that appears especially superflu- have offered much to remedy the ever- ous since there already is a well-staffed aggravating social ills. office representing the territory in While Flosse and other pro-French Paris. In the same context of purely politicians had constantly denounced patronage politics should be seen the Temaru government for its per- the appointment of Teiva Manutahi, ceived incompetence in dealing with leader of a small political party that such issues and, instead, for its “obses- had joined Tahoeraa for the second sion” with decolonization, the new round of the 2013 elections, to the all-powerful Flosse government has similarly vague position of “mediator not done much in its first year in office of French Polynesia” (ti, 5 July 2013). to alleviate the situation either. At the In November 2013, the Flosse gov- beginning, the new government under- ernment went through its first major took a few good concrete steps such as crisis when Bruno Marty, the minister opening the country’s first shelter for for transport infrastructure, resigned homeless people in Tipaerui valley (ti, after crashing his car while driving 4 June 2013) and announcing reform drunk. The irony of the situation measures, such as the cutting of one was not lost on the opposition and thousand administrative positions (ti, the media, but, instead of punishing 3 July 2013). However, it soon became Marty’s scandalous behavior by sever- obvious that Flosse’s government ing all ties with him, Flosse announced was not interested in real structural he would appoint him director of a reforms but rather in continuing semi-public company (pir, 18 Nov “business as usual,” that is, a policy of 2013; tpm, Dec 2013). patronage and clientelism. Following Marty’s resignation triggered a this pattern, the new Flosse govern- reshuffling of Flosse’s cabinet. Not ment created new posts with question- only was his secretary, Albert Solia, able purpose, for instance, reinstalling appointed to succeed him, but Flosse the so-called High Council of French also created a ninth cabinet portfolio Polynesia (an institution supposedly for Manolita Ly, who became minister providing legal advice to the country for labor, social, and family issues, government that had previously been while the other portfolios were redis- abolished without any visible nega- tributed among the remaining seven tive consequences) and nominating ministers (ti, 17 Nov 2013). new members thereof (ti, 11 July, 29 During the final months of 2013 Aug 2013), before the controversial another controversy struck Tahitian institution ended up being declared society, namely, the attempt by Hishan illegal by the French Council of State El-Barkani, an ethnic Arab Islamic (highest administrative court) (tpm, cleric from France, to establish a March 2014). Controversies also con- mosque in downtown Papeete. Other tinued over the appointment of former than a few ethnic Arab French set- French Minister for Overseas Territo- tlers, there are virtually no Muslims ries Brigitte Girardin as the country’s in Tahiti. Al-Barkani, however, started “special representative in Paris” (tpm, a campaign to convert Tahitians to Aug 2013), a quite vaguely defined Islam, and indeed a few local individu- 266 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) als joined his congregation (nt, 15 Oct municipal district of Papeari, ­Tahoeraa 2013). Many local inhabitants were incumbent and French National outraged by this, and the specter of Assembly member Jonas Tahuaitu sur- Islamic fundamentalism was raised. prisingly lost the mayoralty. Tahoeraa On 9 November, about four hundred also lost the mayoralty of President people marched through Papeete, Flosse’s home island of Mangareva demanding the closure of the Islamic when the incumbent mayor was not community center El-Barkani had reelected. ­created in a Papeete office building Despite all predictions by pro- and supporting a liberal and secu- French leaders, upld was able to lar society (ti, 9 Nov 2003). While hold on to its stronghold of Faaa, such concerns seem understandable, where the list of ex-president Oscar it should also be recalled that Tahiti Temaru (mayor of Faaa since 1983) has for decades hosted a ­synagogue, a won a two-thirds majority in the first Chinese Taoist temple, a few revived round. Temaru’s lieutenant and former temples of traditional Polynesian Assembly Speaker Jacqui Drollet also religion, as well as churches of various won reelection as deputy mayor of Christian denominations (including his home district of Hitiaa on Tahiti’s some that are fundamentalist)—all east coast. The anticipated victory of without precipitating comparable upld in the entire East Coast munici- reactions. pality, of which Hitiaa is a constituent Party politics hit the headlines again district, was prevented by the resigna- when the municipal elections, held on tion of several Tahoeraa municipal 23 and 30 March 2014 in a complex councilors, which precipitated fresh two-round system, were approach- by-elections. A similar tactic was used ing. The results mainly confirmed the in the Western Taiarapu municipality. existing political landscape, but the These cases aside, upld was not able “orange wave” of 2012 and 2013, to further extend its municipal power referring to the Tahoeraa Party colors, base, since it lost the Moorea island did not continue. Most of the mayors municipality when its upld incum- affiliated with Tahoeraa kept their bent mayor, Raymond Van Bastolaer, offices, and Tahoeraa actually gained missed reelection. two more municipalities, but at the atp, the third political force, held price of losing two others. Papeete on to its strongholds. Incumbent atp Mayor Michel Buillard (Tahoeraa) mayors Ronald Tumahai of Punaauia was reelected, and in Pirae, Flosse’s and Philip Schyle of Arue were con- son-in-law and French National firmed in office, as well as former Assembly member Edouard Fritch, President Gaston Tong Sang, who who had already been mayor from retained the mayoralty of Bora Bora. 2000 to 2008, won an overall major- The city of Uturoa on Raiatea, as well ity against atp-affiliated incumbent as Ua Pou island in the Marquesas, Béatrice Vernaudon. In Mataiea, upld remained in the hands of atp, and incumbent Tina Cross was defeated Mangareva’s new mayor is an atp by Tahoeraa candidate Tearii Alpha in affiliate as well (ti, 26 March, 1 April the first round, but in the neighboring 2014; tpm, April 2014). political reviews • polynesia 267

The elections were overshadowed the election loss in May 2013, upld by multiple strikes of municipal was still a force to be reckoned with. employees throughout the coun- On the first anniversary of the coun- try. According to Tahiti-Pacifique try’s UN reinscription, a monument ­Magazine editor Alex du Prel, the was unveiled in Faaa at the end of strikes gave evidence, first, of the a commemoration march that was ­corruption of trade union leaders attended by about four thousand sup- who have regularly been using strikes porters and sympathizers (tpm, June– as a sort of protection racket to get July 2014). ­concessions from politicians, and, Support for upld was also shown second, of the impracticality of new during the European Parliament elec- municipal ­service standards that have tions on 25 May, when the majority been imposed by France as binding of votes cast in the country were won by the beginning of 2014 but that are by the Tavini-supported Socialist list. beyond the capacities of most munici- However, participation was extremely palities (tpm, April 2014; pir, 26 low, with only 14.97 percent vot- March 2014). ing in an election that most people The municipal by-elections in the see as irrelevant for the territory. Tahiti East Coast municipality on 15 Tahoeraa had decided to boycott the and 28 June brought no change, as vote, mainly as a strategy to then upld-affiliated Dauphin Domingo proclaim the overwhelming number won the mayoralty, rendering the of abstentions as actual votes in favor Tahoeraa challenge to the original of ­Tahoeraa—a contentious logic results a waste of taxpayer money. furnishing a fit occasion for upld to Since French law no longer allows for denounce Flosse as a hypocrite and the concurrent holding of national question his self-proclaimed loyalty to assembly membership and local the institutions of the French Repub- political office, Edouard Fritch had to lic. In any case, besides the hot air resign from his national assembly seat thus created, the election proved not on his inauguration as mayor of Pirae, practically relevant for the country, which necessitated a by-election for since the three seats assigned to French the first constituency (including the overseas territories in the EU parlia- municipalities of Papeete, Pirae, and ment were won by candidates from Arue on Tahiti as well as the Tuamotu other overseas possessions (ti, 25 and Marquesas Islands), also held May, 26 May 2014). on 15 and 28 June. Unsurprisingly, In terms of economic development, Tahoeraa candidate Maina Sage won the Flosse government did take a few in the second round, but the score promising steps to encourage foreign of opposing upld candidate Tauhiti investment in the country. In Decem- Nena (41.98%) was significantly ber, Flosse visited China to initiate higher than that of Fritch’s 2012 upld the negotiation of business deals with opponent Pierre Frébault (36.78 %) various Chinese companies (tpm, Jan (ti, 30 June 2014; tpm, Aug 2014). 2014). One of those projects, which Overall it became clear that despite has been in the making for several doomsday scenarios predicted after years, is the creation of a tuna farm in 268 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) the lagoon of one of the atolls of the tion of French civil law in the nine- Tuamotu Archipelago. On 25 Febru- teenth and early twentieth centuries ary, the country government signed a over previously existing customary contract with the Chinese company land systems. Land tenure issues also Tian Rui International Investment, surfaced near the golf course in Atima- which promised to invest 150 billion ono, where Flosse ordered the eviction cfp francs (approximately us$1.66 of families living on what the govern- billion) over fifteen years in order ment considers public land in order to to create the fish farm. The lagoon make place for another joint venture of Makemo atoll was chosen as the with Chinese capital (ti, 7 Jan 2014). site of the aquaculture project (tpm, Another project that has long been March 2014). It is interesting to note in the planning stages by the Papeete that the negotiations for the project Port Authority, supported by both had started under the Temaru govern- previous and current country govern- ment and that as long as Flosse was in ments, is to upgrade the commercial the opposition, he had denounced this port of Papeete to serve as a regional and other Chinese investment projects trade hub for the Southeastern Pacific, as evidence that Temaru was “selling similar to the way Suva does for the out our country to the Chinese.” Southwestern Pacific. However, tpm Whether the project will ever be editor du Prel cautioned against being realized or, like so many before, will too optimistic about this scheme, remain an empty promise doomed to since currently port operations are economic failure is still unclear. Only six times more expensive in Papeete a few months after the contract was than in Suva and since the potential signed, the project was once more foreign destinations to be supplied revised, with the location moved to by Papeete (Cook Islands, Pitcairn, Hao atoll instead of Makemo. As Christmas Island) are minimal in size, the site of a former French naval and with merely one-tenth of the domes- air force base that supported nuclear tic population of French Polynesia testing on the atolls farther southwest, and a much lower purchasing power, Hao has an existing infrastructure that thus making a port with high costs of would facilitate the building of the operation even less attractive for them farm (ti, 9 May 2014). The new site (tpm, March 2014). choice precipitated new controversies, On 14 April, the government however, since the project required the released a stimulus plan, elaborated expropriation of land, which many of by Vice President and Finance Min- Hao’s inhabitants were not happy to ister Nuihau Laurey. It consisted give up (ti, 1 June 2014), having had mainly of a few suggestions to reduce many of their lands already expropri- bureaucracy, while at the same time ated for the military base. creating new bureaucratic entities and Conflicts like these remind us of new subsidies to stimulate economic the complex issue of land tenure in growth but nothing that touches the the country, which has been a source basis of the economic system. Du of contention for more than a century, Prel commented that local economy starting with the colonial superimposi- “essentially consists of a bubble fed political reviews • polynesia 269 by the transfers and subsidies from imported (ti, 3 June 2014). All three France,” which feed an artificial sys- diseases are mosquito-borne and thus tem of economy based on consump- more heavily affect the poorer sec- tion, a “colonial trading post economy tions of the population, who live in that is limited to the urban population crowded shanty settlements on the and the politico-administrative caste bottom of valleys, with no window of Tahiti” (tpm, May 2014). screens and surrounded by puddles How important a major overhaul and rubbish items that provide ideal of the entire economic system and the breeding sites for mosquitoes. creation of genuine economic growth As the poor neighborhoods are would be is dramatically shown by infested with mosquitoes, the ruling the enormous French subsidies that classes are infested with corruption. constitute the lifeblood of the coun- Reynald Temarii, the former Tahi- try. According to official statistics, in tian football star involved in a major 2012 France spent 173.813 billion cfp corruption scandal of the Fédération francs (us$1.937 billion) in French Internationale du Football Association Polynesia, of which only 42 percent (fifa) in 2010, once more featured in was spent exercising French govern- negative headlines, as he turned out to ment responsibilities (defense, internal be one of the top fifa officials who security, justice, audiovisual communi- were bribed to award the 2022 World cation, tertiary education, etc), while Cup to Qatar (tpm, June–July 2014). 51 percent went toward the territorial The more sinister affair of the alleged government and 7 percent toward murder of anti-Flosse journalist Jean- the municipalities (tpm, May 2014). Pascal Couraud (known by his byline, While New Caledonia is moving away jpk) by henchmen of the presidential from such extreme levels of depen- militia Groupement d’Intervention de dency, and socioeconomic reforms are la Polynesie (gip) in 1997 received a slowly being implemented there, the new twist, as new testimony alleged structural problems of French Poly- that another former gip member who nesia remain unsolved. As Regnault committed suicide in 2003 had been commented, “In [French] Polynesia it part of the team, along with Tino seems that, to the contrary, the elites Mara and Tutu Manate, who have entrench themselves behind their been accused of having abducted and privileges and refuse any fundamental killed jpk in 1997 on orders of gip reform” (2013, 213). commander Léonard Puputauki. At As if the aggravating economic situ- the end of the review period, the case ation was not bad enough, the country was still under investigation, even was also plagued by tropical diseases. though murder charges against Mara An epidemic of dengue hit Tahiti and Manate have been dropped (tpm, throughout 2013, and, in addition, June–July, August 2014). for the first time there occurred an Flosse’s government created yet ­epidemic of the Zika virus, a disease another controversy when it decided similar to dengue but less virulent (ti, to remove a monument commemorat- 31 Oct 2013), and later the Chikun- ing the victims of nuclear testing in gunya virus from Africa was also the form of a marae (traditional place 270 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) of worship and burial), which had to bad financial management and been built by the test victims associa- competition from electronic media. tion Moruroa e Tatou (MeT), from its Tahiti thus became a “one-newspaper prominent position in a seafront park. island,” with La Depêche remaining Whereas the Temaru government had as the only daily. This is regretful, renamed the park “2 July 1966” to since Les Nouvelles usually provided commemorate the first nuclear test, deeper and more critical analyses of Flosse decided to re-rename it after local politics (nt, 23 May 2014, tpm, former French President Jacques June–July 2014). Chirac instead (ti, 12 June 2014). The review period also saw the In a press release, MeT declared its passing of three important local per- shock and outrage. After the firing of sonalities. On 21 August 2013, Marc nuclear-testing expert Bruno Barillot Maamaatuaiahutapu, more commonly from his position in the government, known as Maco Tevane, passed away the dissolution of the government’s at age 76. A surveyor and government Orientation Council for the Follow- interpreter by profession, Tevane was up on the Consequences of Nuclear one of the most prolific orators and Testing (coscen), and the elimination authors in the Tahitian language and of MeT representation in the Eco- one of the cofounders in 1972 of the nomic, Social and Cultural Council Tahitian Academy, of which he served (cesc, a lawmaking advisory body as the president for many years (tpm, consisting of civil society representa- Sept 2013). tives), the removal of the monument Another prolific writer in Tahitian was denounced as Flosse’s final insult and member of the Academy, Turo a to the victims of nuclear testing (ti, Raapoto, died on 7 May 2014 at age 16 June 2014). 66. A trained linguist and theologian, To put a good face on the matter, Raapoto contributed to the academic shortly after the monument removal, study of the Tahitian language, for the government celebrated the coun- which he created one of the two cur- try’s pan-Polynesian connections, rently used orthographic systems. albeit in a cultural-only, politically Within the country’s largest religious “safe” way, by naming a neighbor- denomination, which was then called ing seafront park after the visiting the Evangelical Church of French ­Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a. Polynesia and under his influence In the center of the park another became the Protestant Maohi Church marae was built, which President in 2004, he was probably the most Flosse inaugurated by conferring the influential Tahitian intellectual in the Order of Tahiti Nui on the Hōkūle‘a’s second half of the twentieth century. navigator Nainoa Thompson (ti, Aug Initially joined by his colleague Henri 2014). Hiro, Raapoto developed a Polynesian A major change in the local media liberation theology, in which tradi- landscape occurred in May, when the tional Polynesian culture is syncretized daily newspaper Les Nouvelles de with biblical ideas as a way of defend- Tahiti stopped publishing after more ing Maohi (native Polynesian) identity than five decades in existence, due against French materialism and the political reviews • polynesia 271 destruction of sacred land through local political culture. Even toward the nuclear testing. As a key figure in the end of his life he continued this erratic cultural renaissance of the 1970s and course, only recently switching from 1980s, Raapoto promoted the term Temaru’s Tavini Huiraatira to Gaston Maohi (hitherto rather obscure) as Tong Sang’s pro-French To Tatou Aia a self-designation for the indigenous Party (now a part of atp), yet profess- population of the country. With more ing to still be pro-independence and than a dozen theological and linguistic tirelessly advocating for a judicial books published exclusively in Tahi- rehabilitation of Pouvanaa. tian, Raapoto made a lasting contri- Céran-Jérusalemy was lucky to bution to the still meager corpus of witness before his passing one of the high-quality Tahitian-language texts. few positive actions by the French The country lost one of its politi- government during the review period, cal veterans providing links between namely, steps toward retrying the current politics and those of the 1959 case against Pouvanaa. After mid-twentieth century when, on a colonial show trial on trumped-up 15 May, Jean-Baptiste Heitarauri charges, Pouvanaa had been sentenced Céran-Jérusalémy passed away at to a decade of forced exile because the ­remarkable age of 93 (dt, 16 France considered him a nuisance to May 2014). A printer and trade- its plans to build the nuclear-weapons union activist, Céran-Jérusalemy testing facility that was being planned had assisted Pouvanaa a Oopa in the at the time. As a kind of would-be 1940s to found the party Rassemble- founding father of a nation on the ment Démocratique des Populations verge of independence in the late Tahitiennes (rdpt), the first political 1950s, Pouvanaa is today regarded as movement to institutionalize Tahitian a quasi-national hero by a wide politi- anticolonial nationalism and a prede- cal spectrum, epitomizing the tragic cessor to later autonomist and pro- history of a country led astray from independence parties. A colorful per- the regular path of decolonization by sonality, Céran-Jérusalemy had been French nuclear neocolonialism. Pouvanaa’s deputy throughout most In late February, French Minister of of the 1940s and 1950s but had then Justice Christiane Taubira announced fallen out with the latter and actu- that she would initiate a retrial (ti, ally campaigned against him in the 26 Feb 2013). Based on evidence 1958 referendum on the new French gathered through the tireless research constitution, after which Pouvanaa by historian Regnault in various was arrested and imprisoned. Since the hitherto ­classified French archives, 1960s, Céran-Jérusalemy had not been the Assembly of French Polynesia had in elected office but, after reconciling unanimously voted in early 2013 to with Pouvanaa, continued to support send an official request to the Ministry various political movements that he of Justice for the retrial. saw as carrying on Pouvanaa’s legacy, The affirmative reaction to the developing a pattern of frequently request, which was commended with switching allegiances, which became great satisfaction by both Tahoeraa a quasi-ubiquitous phenomenon in and upld, shows that the Hollande 272 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) administration can make a positive Hawaiian Government blog. contribution to decolonization. It is http://hawaiiankingdom.org/blog/ regrettable that this attitude has not [accessed 29 Aug 2014] spread to other fields of French policy. nt, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. To repeat Regnault’s statement, indeed http://lesnouvelles.pf in French Polynesia “decolonization Overseas Territories Review. still has a long history ahead.” http://overseasreview.blogspot.com lorenz gonschor [accessed 8 Oct 2014] pifs, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2013. Forum Communiqué. Forty-Fourth References Pacific Islands Forum, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands, ­September. Banknote News. 2012. New Caledonia 3–5 http://www.forumsec.org/resources/ New Banknote Designs Approved for 2013 uploads/attachments/documents/ Intro. 26 April. http://banknotenews.com/ 2013 _Forum_Communique_Final.pdf files/cc1386d67b0fd08abca0cecfa5eb3225 [accessed Aug ] -2068.php [accessed 19 Aug 2014] 21 2014 Carcasses Kalosil, Moana. 2013. State- pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet ment by the Right Honourable Moana news. Honolulu. http://pidp.eastwestcenter Carcasses Kalosil, Prime Minister of the .org/pireport Republic of Vanuatu, before the 68th plg, Polynesian Leaders Group. 2013. Session of the United Nations General Communiqué and Outcomes. 3rd Polyne- Assembly, UN Headquarters, New York, sian Leaders Group Meeting, ­Auckland, 23 September. http://gadebate.un.org/sites/ New Zealand, 30 August. Posted on default/files/gastatements/68/VU_en.pdf French Polynesian Presidency website [accessed 20 Aug 2014] http://web.presidence.pf/files/3rd Chauchat, Mathias. 2013. La ­réinscription _POLYNESIAN_LEADERS_GROUP de la Polynésie française sur la liste des _MEETING_COMMUNIQUE pays à décoloniser. Posted on the website­ _FINAL.docx [accessed 25 July 2014] of the Laboratory for Economic and Legal Regnault, Jean-Marc. 2013. L’onu, la Research, University of New Caledonia, France et les décolonisations tardives: 19 May. http://larje.univ-nc.nc/index. L’exemple des territoires françaises php/14-analyses-arrets-decisions/droit d’Océanie. Aix-en-Provence: Presses -compare/420-la-reinscription-de-la ­Universitaires d’Aix-Marseille. -polynesie-francaise-sur-la-liste-des-pays -a-decoloniser [accessed 20 Aug 2014] ti, Tahiti Infos. Daily Internet news. Tahiti. http://www.tahiti-infos.com dt, La Depêche de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. http://www.ladepeche.pf tpm, Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine. Monthly. Tahiti. http://www.tahiti-pacifique.com Government of France. 2014. Statement of France. Pacific Regional Seminary on Tuheiava, Richard Ariihau. 2014. Presen- the Implementation of the Third Inter­ tation by Mr Richard Ariihau Tuheiava national Decade for the Eradication of (Expert). Pacific Regional Seminary on the Colonialism, Denarau, Nadi, Fiji, 21–23 Implementation of the Third International May. Posted on UN website http://www Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, .un.org/en/decolonization/pdf/CRP.21 Denarau, Nadi, Fiji, 21–23 May. Posted on %20Statement%20by%20France.pdf UN website http://www.un.org/en/ [accessed 22 Aug 2014] decolonization/pdf/DP.2%20Richard political reviews • polynesia 273

%20Ariihau%20Tuheiava.pdf ing of the 68th session. 8 October. [accessed 22 Aug 2014]. http://webtv.un.org/watch/fourth -committee-4th-meeting-68th-general UN, United Nations. 2013a. Official -assembly/2732447142001/ [accessed Records. UN General Assembly, 67th 20 Aug 2014] session, 82nd plenary meeting, Friday, 17 May. A/67/PV.82. http://www.un.org/ en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/67/ PV.82 [accessed 20 Aug 2014] Māori Issues ———. 2013b. Press Release. As Session Concludes, Special Committee on Decolo- Before considering how decolonization nization Reaffirms Inalienable Right of manifests itself for Māori, we must French Polynesian People to Self-Determi- pause to remember those we have lost nation. Special Committee on Decoloniza- over the past year. Among our leaders tion, 9th Meeting, 21 June. http://www we bade farewell to were three who .un.org/News/Press/docs/2013/gacol3258 left important legacies. In September .doc.htm [accessed 23 Aug 2014]. 2013, we lost Denis Hansen of the ———. 2013c. Question of French Poly- iwi (tribal nations) of Ngāti Kahu and nesia. Resolution adopted by the General Ngāpuhi. He had worked tirelessly for Assembly on 11 December. UN General the Māori community and was a love- Assembly, 68th session. A/RES/68/93. able rogue who lit up any gathering http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc he walked into. Thousands of people .asp?symbol=A%2FRES%2F68%2F93 had attended his eightieth birthday &Submit=Search&Lang=E [accessed 20 Aug 2014]. celebration in June. In February 2014, we lost Nin ———. 2014a. French Polynesia: Working Tomas of the Ngāti Kahu and Te paper prepared by the Secretariat. Special ­Rarawa nations. As an associate Committee on the Situation with regard to professor of law, Nin had trained a the Implementation of the Declaration on generation of Māori lawyers, some of the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, 26 March. whom are now judges. They turned up A/AC.109/2014/19. http://www.un.org/ga/ in large numbers for her tangihanga search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A%2FAC (funerary ceremony) at the University .109%2F2014%2F19&Submit=Search of Auckland’s Waipapa marae. She &Lang=E [accessed 20 Aug 2014] had fought for recognition of the first law of New Zealand, tikanga Māori ———. 2014b. Report of the Secretary- General. Information from Non-Self-­ (Māori law), and its application to Governing Territories transmitted under environmental issues. Article 73e of the Charter of the United In May 2014, Morvin Simon of Nations. UN General Assembly, 69th Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi iwi passed session, 17 March. A/69/69. http://www away. He was a leading music com- .un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol poser and had dedicated his life to =A%2F69%2F69&Submit=Search&Lang tutoring kapa haka (dance), compos- =E [accessed 20 Aug 2014]. ing songs, and preserving the language United Nations Web tv. 2013. Video and customs of his people of the broadcast of statements made before the Whanganui. Fourth Committee during its fourth meet- For Māori, decolonization is about 274 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) removing the oppression and mar- ing our lands, resources, and terri- ginalization visited on us by British tories, our language, our social and colonizers and repairing the resultant spiritual practices, our history and damage. The devastating effects and traditions, our identity and rights, systemic injustices that Māori have our wealth and prosperity, our self- suffered are the same as those that determination and sovereignty (Smith European colonization visited on 2012, 121; Mutu 2011). It is about almost all indigenous peoples. The deconstructing the myths of coloni- ­colonization strategies employed by zation, breaking free of the Pākehā the British in Aotearoa/New Zealand (European) state, reconstructing our have been extensively documented: Māori reality through our own laws genocide; land and other resource and culture, and reclaiming effective theft; usurpation of our authority, sovereignty. This includes remedying power, and sovereignty; marginal- the numerous breaches of Te Tiriti and ization; banning and denial of our restoring the balance between Māori language, institutions, and intellec- as the indigenous owners and para- tual prowess; and social and cultural mount authority of the country and ­dislocation through the systematic ­British immigrants, who are here at ripping apart of our communities, our invitation and under our author- urbanization, incarceration, and relo- ity (Jackson 2004, 101). In the face of cation offshore to Australia (Jackson the often-ruthless exercise of unilateral 2004, 104; Smith 2012, 147; Mutu Crown power, Māori have engaged 2011; Webb 2012). The diseases of in peaceful protest. We also organize poverty that reduce our quality of life and run decolonization programs to and shorten our life expectancy, the empower our communities to take internalized violence born of oppres- back control of their lives and their sion, and the despair among young territories. And we continue to fight Māori shaped by an unemployment the government through its own rate almost four times higher than the tribunal and courts, ever hopeful that general population rate are all prod- it will eventually take heed of Māori ucts of the dispossession wrought by and international pressure to do what colonization (Jackson 2004, 104). is right and uphold widely recog- And this is all in violation of Te Tiriti nized international indigenous human o Waitangi, the 1840 treaty between rights instruments such as the United Māori and the British Crown that Nations Declaration on the Rights ­confirmed Māori sovereignty and of Indigenous Peoples (unga 2014), control of the country and guaranteed which it had endorsed in 2010. to the Crown control of her hitherto Decolonization in New Zealand “lawless” subjects. has been painfully slow. Pākehā have Decolonization in Aotearoa/New fought to retain unilateral power Zealand has therefore focused on and privilege, to continue to assert honoring, upholding, and implement- White supremacy, and to recreate and ing the treaty. It is about surviving readjust the myths that underpin these as Māori and recovering from the assertions. This is the only way they devastation of colonization: recover- can keep justifying their illegitimate political reviews • polynesia 275 status. For Māori, decolonization has Party and the Mana Party—although to start with what is often referred they have been restricted by the par- to as “decolonization of the mind.” liamentary system they operate within, The journey has been one fraught which is defined and controlled by and with political conflict and social strife. for Pākehā. Since 1840, the colonizers have fought Training Māori lawyers has con- to colonize the Māori mind and to tributed to some consideration of replace the Pacific history, traditions, Māori culture in the courts but has yet knowledge, language, laws, and social to result in a reduction in the rates of and political power structures of our Māori incarcerations (Webb 2012). ancestors with those of their culture, Training Māori doctors and health whose origins lie on the other side of professionals has started to improve the world. Empowering our culture the shocking Māori health statistics. to survive by privileging the world of On this front, there was a certain our ancestors over that of our English irony about a young Māori doctor, visitors can be bewildering and pain- Dr Lance O’Sullivan, being named ful for some. But as the devastation New Zealander of the Year for 2014 of colonization gnaws at the core of after being named Māori of the Year our existence, and the will to sur- for 2012. He has publicly highlighted vive as Māori under our own mana the racism in the health sector (incur- (power and authority derived from ring the wrath of his employers and the gods) pervades Māori communi- of Pākehā practitioners) and has set ties, submitting to the oppression of in place his own programs to combat the colonizer is an option that Māori that racism and to address the health are increasingly rejecting. Decoloniza- of Māori children and families in the tion wānanga (workshops and semi- Far North (Mutu 2014, 212). nars) have been operating in Māori At the international level, Māori communities for more than twenty have been engaging with other years. They work on encouraging oral indigenous communities in work- debate, confirming Māori culture and ing toward the implementation of identity through our own history, tra- widely recognized international ditions, language, and values; on iden- human rights instruments such as tifying and deconstructing the myths the UN Declaration on the Rights of of colonization; and on challenging Indigenous Peoples. Alliances have us to break free of the suffocating been formed not only through United oppression of the colonizers and to Nations groups such as the Working regain control of our lives. Māori Group on Indigenous Populations, immersion schools were established in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous the 1980s to ensure that our children Issues, the Expert Mechanism on the had the opportunity to learn free of Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the White oppression. Māori radio and, Special Rapporteurs on the Rights of after lengthy battles, Māori television Indigenous Peoples, but also through have made important contributions. numerous exchange visits, indigenous To a certain extent, so have the Māori conferences and gatherings, and political parties—these days the Māori international collaborative projects. 276 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015)

Despite the progress these initiatives clear belief that it is not only neces- have made, it has been clear for many sary, it is fundamental to the ongoing decades now that unless major consti- and long-term justice of the treaty tutional transformation takes place, relationship (Jackson and Mutu 2014, Māori will remain disadvantaged and 3–4). Despite Pākehā governments oppressed in our own land. being fearful of such change and the In 2009, the National Iwi Chairs’ inevitability of having to share power, Forum, an informal group of chair- international standards are now persons of iwi, established a work- well established, and it is becoming ing party to draw up a model for an ­increasingly difficult for New Zealand inclusive constitution for Aotearoa/ to keep evading them. New Zealand based on tikanga In the education sector, the govern- (Māori law), He Whakaputanga o ment has been exposed for violating­ te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (the Māori treaty and human rights. 1835 declaration of Māori sovereignty Despite acknowledging the Māori and independence), and Te Tiriti o immersion schools and agreeing to Waitangi, while taking into account resource them, government bureau- other indigenous human rights instru- crats have fought to maintain White ments such as the UN Declaration on hegemony in the schools, denying the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In them resources and interfering in their 2012 and 2013, the working party, management in order to force compli- named Matike Mai Aotearoa (Arise ance with Pākehā cultural norms. In Aotearoa), conducted more than 250 2012, the body representing Māori consultation hui (gatherings) with immersion preschools, the National Māori groups throughout the country, Kōhanga Reo Trust, successfully pur- including many Māori youth groups, sued a claim to the Waitangi ­Tribunal to discuss the values they wish such aimed at halting this behavior (Wai­ a constitution to be based on. Pre- tangi Tribunal 2012). However, in the liminary findings indicate the very past year the trust has come under strongly held belief expressed at the constant attack as government bureau- hui that the Westminster constitutional crats and the minister of education, system as introduced by the British who is Māori, refused to address Crown after 1840 does not—indeed the tribunal’s recommendations and cannot—adequately give effect to the instead tried to force the trust to come terms of He Whakaputanga or Te under the authority and control of Tiriti. In that context, the hui also the Ministry of Education. The usual indicated that the current Westminster Pākehā tactics of divide and rule were constitutional ­system is necessarily at adopted to set Māori communities odds with tikanga and the values that against the trust using spurious claims might more adequately provide a just of misappropriation and mismanage- and effective means of governance ment. Lengthy official investigations of the country. A different type of proved there had been no criminal constitutionalism is required. Imple- wrongdoing. The trust has refused to menting such a major constitutional bow to the demands but rather has shift may be difficult but there is a adopted a tikanga approach to restore political reviews • polynesia 277 calm and address the damage caused nization process, but it continues to by government interference. be fraught with difficulties. Despite One of the most seriously dysfunc- the Waitangi Tribunal upholding our tional and deeply harmful aspects claims to our territories, governments of the Pākehā education system for have refused to discuss, let alone reach Māori has been exposed through the agreement, with Māori about how conviction and sentencing of James those territories are to be recovered Parker in August 2013 to preventive or how the many other breaches of detention, with a minimum of seven the treaty are to be remedied. Instead, years imprisonment, after he was in 1994, they formulated and then found guilty on seventy-four charges imposed a much-resented treaty representing more than three hundred claims settlement policy (Mutu 2011, sexual offenses against twenty boys. 17–24). The primary aim of the policy Parker, whose parents are English, is to retain the power, property, and was a teacher who worked in primary privileges that Pākehā illegitimately schools in the Far North, rising to acquired through their colonization the position of deputy principal. As process in the colonizers’ hands, to part of his work, he gained access to bring Māori under their control and and immersed himself in local Māori to silence Māori protest and dissent. communities. When the police finally As a result, an average of less than 1 charged him, he had been sexually percent of lands is being recovered, violating young Māori boys attending no compensation is being paid, and those schools for more than thir- all claims for any and all histori- teen years. Those who tried to have cal breaches of the treaty are being authorities stop him, including the extinguished fully and finally. Most headmistress of one school he taught aspects of the claims are not addressed at, were not believed. One boy who before they are extinguished. The spoke out was forced to apologize to settlements aim to assimilate Māori Parker and remain in his class. The into the European majority, denying Māori communities in the Far North Māori self-determination, sovereignty, that he had violated for so long have and rights, and relegating Māori to a often buried knowledge of this type of permanent underclass. In June 2013, offending because of lack of support one senior Pākehā media commen- from authorities (tvnz 2013). Once tator claimed that Māori are being Parker’s offending was publicly recog- empowered to abandon te ao Māori nized, several other pedophiles operat- (the Māori world) that has so severely ing in the Far North were identified disadvantaged them (James 2013, 15). and charged. Decolonization includes These and many similar comments are removing our children from these designed to perpetuate the myths and harmful situations and being particu- fantasies conjured to preserve White larly vigilant in guarding against such hegemony and privilege. behavior intruding into our Māori Some Pākehā have attacked the immersion schools. Māori right to take claims to the Recovering our territories is ­Waitangi Tribunal or the courts for another crucial part of the decolo- many years now. They often appear at 278 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) the select committee hearings object- over the past twenty years has been ing to Māori receiving anything. fought to uphold Māori treaty and Some have organized extensive media human rights. It has the backing of campaigns aimed at preserving Pākehā international experts including the control of the country, unashamedly UN Human Rights Council. In its making numerous false statements and second Universal Periodic Review accusations against Māori communi- of New Zealand, which took place ties. In November 2013, one of the in January 2014, there were numer- leaders of these attacks, Allan Titford, ous recommendations relating to was finally unmasked when he was the government’s unacceptable convicted and jailed for twenty-four treatment of Māori. Three of these years after being found guilty of addressed the need to improve the thirty-nine charges including arson, treaty claims ­settlement process, while threatening to kill, assault with a another pointed out the need to start weapon, perjury, assault on a woman ­implementing and promoting the UN and children, and sexual violation. ­Declaration on the Rights of Indig- Over more than twenty years, enous Peoples. Titford received Pākehā media sup- Despite the injustices perpetrated port for his attacks on the Treaty of by the settlement policy and pro- Waitangi and on Te Rōroa, the right- cess, many claimants have taken a ful owners of land he had purchased pragmatic approach and accepted in Northland. He was responsible for government-determined settlements the government passing legislation in the mistaken belief that the only that prevents the Waitangi Tribu- other option they have is to receive no nal making recommendations over redress at all for their proven claims so-called “private land,” that is, land and that money is somehow equiva- wrongly acquired from its Māori own- lent to their mana (James 2013, 16). ers and sold to individuals. Titford In the 2013–2014 reporting period, had accused Te Rōroa of lying about legislation was passed extinguishing sacred sites located on property he all the claims of the iwi of Waitaha, had purchased after he had bull- Ngāti Rangiteaorere, Tapuika and dozed them, and of rustling his stock, Ngāti Rangiwewehi of the Te Arawa damaging his bulldozer, and burning confederation in the Bay of Plenty; down his house. Pākehā media vilified Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Te Rōroa, labeling them terrorists and Tama ki te Tau Ihu, Te Ātiawa o Te gangsters. Yet the High Court found Waka a Māui, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, that far from being a victim, Titford Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau and was a manipulative liar who burned Ngāti Toa Rangatira of Te Tau Ihu o down his own house in an attempt to Te Waka a Māui (the top of the South earn sympathy and blacken the name Island) and the south of Te Ika a Māui of Te Rōroa. His wife, who had turned (the North Island); Raukawa of the him in to the police, apologized to Te Tainui confederation in the Waikato Rōroa (Day and Dudding 2013). region; and the Maungaharuru- The Māori battle against the treaty Tangitū hapū of the Hawke’s Bay claims settlement policy and process region. A total of forty-seven settle- political reviews • polynesia 279 ments have now been legislated (ots attempts by hapū to keep control of 2014; mlr 2014). their claims saw large numbers of Large numbers of hapū (group- them resorting to applications to the ings of extended families) and iwi are Waitangi Tribunal for urgent hearings legally disenfranchised and disempow- into the government’s settlement pro- ered by the settlements and register cess, despite the decreasing confidence their protest in the courts, in the par- in the tribunal’s ability to provide liamentary process, or, most visibly, on relief for Māori in these matters (Jones the streets. Protest against settlements 2013, 28; Mutu 2014, 210). Govern- is now a permanent feature of the ment attempts to bulldoze through a process. So is the government’s deter- settlement while the tribunal was still mination to ridicule or ignore those hearing the claims simply drove claim- who point out the glaring injustices it ants onto the streets. perpetrates (Finlayson 2014). Courts For some who have settled claims, have been unsympathetic and at times Crown apologies made as part of hostile to Māori. The under-resourced their settlements started to sound and overworked Waitangi Tribunal hollow this year as the minister of has been dismissing objections (Jones treaty negotiations declined requests 2013, 28). Few claimants can afford that government representatives to appeal their decisions through the attend ­ceremonies to commemorate courts, and in the past those who have the ­atrocities the government had done so have most often failed. How- acknowledged and apologized for. ever, some recent judicial reviews of Between November 2013 and May Waitangi Tribunal decisions (Supreme 2014, Tainui and Tauranga Moana iwi Court of New Zealand 2011; High commemorated the 150th anniversa- Court of New Zealand 2014b) and ries of battles they fought when they government decisions relating to refused to give their lands to British ­settlements (High Court of New settlers in the 1860s and were invaded Zealand 2014a) have been at least by British troops. Ceremonies were partially successful. conducted at Mangatāwhiri, Rangiriri, The last resort of Māori trying to Waiari Pā, Rangiaowhia, Ōrākau, curb the greed and excesses of govern­ Pukehinahina (Gate Pā), and Te ments and stop gross injustices has Ranga. Calls were made for the true often been protest action. When the history of British colonization to be hapū of the country’s largest iwi, taught in schools and for the battle- Ngāpuhi, took to the streets repeat- grounds to be relinquished to the hapū edly as the government backed the they belong to so that they can be negotiators it preferred against the properly cared for. A plea for ­British wishes of these hapū, the government wars fought on New Zealand soil to was eventually forced to acknowl- be afforded the same recognition as edge and talk to them. Throughout those fought overseas was rejected by the entire reporting period, there was New Zealand’s prime minister. extensive coverage by Māori media Battles to protect Māori resources of the deep divisions the process had continued around the country fomented within the iwi. Desperate throughout the year. Many hapū 280 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) mounted protests against mining High Court of New Zealand. 2014a. licenses issued for oil drilling in the Ririnui v. Landcorp Farming Ltd, Minister seas off both the east and the west of State-Owned Enterprises and Minister coasts, sand mining in south Taranaki, of Finance and the Attorney-General, coal mining in North Waikato, and civ-2014-485-2915 [2014] nzhc 1128: Judgment May . gold mining at Puhipuhi in North- 26 2014 land, where previous mercury min- ———. 2014b. Baker and Winitana v. the ing had poisoned waters and led to Waitangi Tribunal, the Attorney-General long-term illness among mana whenua and Te Kotahi a Tūhoe, civ-2013-485- ­(indigenous owners) (Mutu 2014, 2796 [2014] nzhc 1176: Judgment 29 May 2014. 211). The battle continued to force insurance companies to remove the Jackson, Moana. 2004. Colonization as ship Rena, which had been wrecked Myth-Making: A Case Study in Aotearoa. on Ōtaiti (Astrolabe Reef) off Mōtītī In A Will to Survive: Indigenous Essays island in the Bay of Plenty in 2011 on the Politics of Culture, Language, and Identity, edited by Stephen Greymorning, (Mutu 2013, 168), as did the battle . New York: McGraw-Hill. to stop the Ruataniwha dam project 95–108 on the Tukituki river in Heretaunga Jackson, Moana, and Margaret Mutu. (Hawke’s Bay). 2014. Constitutionalism and Te Tiriti o North of Wellington, Te Atiawa Waitangi: A Preliminary Report on the ki Whakarongotai and Ngāti Awa ki Work of the Iwi Constitutional Trans­ Kāpiti finally won their battle to stop formation Working Group. In National Iwi Chairs’ Forum Agenda Papers, the New Zealand Transport Agency 4–5 February, Waitangi. from taking Māori land and destroy- ing wāhi tapu (sacred places) to build James, Colin. 2013. Transition from the Kāpiti expressway. And in the Far ­Tradition to Modernity. Māori Law North, Ngāti Kahu’s battle to stop Review July: 14–18. an American billionaire from build- Jones, Carwyn. 2013. Procedure in the ing luxury houses on their burial cave Waitangi Tribunal after Haronga. Māori ended when he sold the property and Law Review June: 20–28. the new Chinese owners agreed not to mlr, Māori Law Review: A Monthly build there. Review of Law Affecting Māori. margaret mutu Mutu, Margaret. 2011. The State of Māori Rights. Wellington: Huia. ———. 2013. Polynesia in Review: Issues References and Events, 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012: Māori Issues. The Contemporary Pacific Day, Simon, and Adam Dudding. 2013. 25:165–172. Bittersweet Vindication for Iwi. Stuff, 24 November. http://www.stuff.co.nz/ ______. 2014. Polynesia in Review: Issues national/crime/9435787/Bittersweet and Events, 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013: -vindication-for-iwi [accessed 2 Aug 2014] Māori Issues. The Contemporary Pacific 26:208–214. Finlayson, C. 2014. Treaty Settlements Working for the Betterment of Us. nzh, New Zealand Herald. Daily. New Zealand Herald, 6 February. ­Auckland. political reviews • polynesia 281 ots, Office of Treaty Settlements. 2014. Quarterly Report 1 July–31 December Rapa Nui 2013. Wellington: ots. http://nz01 Rapa Nui decolonization politics .terabyte.co.nz/ots/DocumentLibrary/ during the review period have been OTSQ2QuarterlyreporttoDec2013.pdf consistent on the island and in Chil- [accessed June ]. 28 2014 ean state and international arenas. ots website http://www.ots.govt.nz/ Highlights include: the reelection of [accessed 28 June 2014] Leviante Araki as president of Par- Palmer, Geoffrey. 2013. Māori, the Treaty lamento Rapa Nui in August; com- and the Constitution. Māori Law Review munity marches for decolonization July: 4–13. in September; political engagement against state plans to privatize and Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. 2012. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous develop the Rapa Nui island territory Peoples. Second edition. London: Zed of Fundo Vaitea; and advocacy by Books. Santi Hitorangi for reenlistment on the United Nations list of Non-Self- Supreme Court of New Zealand. 2011. Governing Territories (nsgts) during Haronga v Waitangi Tribunal, the Attorney General and Te Whakarau the 13th annual UN Permanent Forum (sc54/2010) [2011] nzsc 53: Judgment on Indigenous Issues in May 2014. 19 May 2011. Initially, there were four candidates running for president of Parlamento tvnz, 2013. “Sicko” Paedophile James Rapa Nui: Mario Tuki, Ioni Tuki, Parker Gets Preventive Detention. Petero Cardinali, and Leviante Araki National News, 15 August. http://tvnz.co .nz/national-news/sicko-paedophile-james (the incumbent). However, as Ioni -parker-gets-preventive-detention-5534084 Tuki dropped out to focus on fam- [accessed 2 Aug 2014] ily responsibilities and Mario Tuki canceled his candidacy to concentrate , United Nations General Assembly. unga on his work as a member of Easter 2014. Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Island Development Commission New Zealand. a/hrc/26/3. 7 April. (codeipa), Petero Cardinali and http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/ Leviante Araki ultimately became the GEN/G14/131/43/PDF/G1413143 only two candidates. Public dialogues .pdf?OpenElement [accessed 2 Aug 2014] between the two candidates on Radio Manukena Rapa Nui, moderated Waitangi Tribunal. 2013. Matua Rautia: The Report on the Kōhanga Reo Claim. by Joel Hucke (a leading member of Lower Hutt, nz: Legislation Direct. Parlamento Rapa Nui), did not reveal http://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/ significant differences between Araki waitangi-tribunal/reports_old/wai-2336 and Cardinali on major social and -the-kohanga-reo-claim/matua-rautia-the political issues. Candidate answers -report-on-the-kohanga-reo-claim to questions that Hucke posed about [accessed 2 Aug 2014] immigration—a problem the past three Webb, Robert. 2012. Incarceration. In political reviews have highlighted as Māori and Social Issues, edited by Tracey a focal concern of the community— McIntosh and Malcolm Mulholland, stressed the value of continuing to 249–262. Wellington: Huia. “haito te me‘e” (measure the thing), in 282 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) other words, continuing to study the in other words, enunciates his pri- actual extent of the problem. But both mary goal as not simply leading Rapa candidates also agreed that immigra- Nui or helping its cultural awakening tion had to be stopped. Cardinali­ but also leading processes for official stated that, ultimately, “He oho political decolonization, starting with tātou, he ture ki te gobierno Tire, he inscription on the UN nsgt list. hakapuru te me‘e ‘i runga o te henua As leaders met to organize the logis- nei” (We go fight the Chilean govern­ tics for the elections, they discussed ment, and close this thing on this broader aspects of some of the prac- island). Araki similarly stated, “Ka tices Parlamento Rapa Nui identified puru te me‘e; te me‘e hanga!” (Close as part of “me‘e decolonización” the thing [immigration]; [this is] the (decolonization things). Meetings thing desired). In response to ques- emphasizing me‘e decolonización tions about the increasing problems of involved such matters as the follow- waste and pollution on the island from ing: contesting the Chilean govern- unsustainable tourism, both supported ment’s desire to expand its control of added regulation and continued study Rapa Nui by administering its marine of the problem, stressing that current resources and reserves in addition to policies administered by Mayor Petero lands, all of which members see as Edmunds were failing the island. violating Rapa Nui rights to self-deter- While the candidates clearly agreed mination; writing letters to Bolivian on the basics of the substantive issues, President Evo Morales to inform him there were subtle—yet critical—dif- of the ongoing colonial condition of ferences in their political philosophies. Rapa Nui and to request informa- In response to questions about what tion about the Bolivian International generally the candidates should work Court of Justice; and continuing cor- toward, Cardinali stated in broad respondence with Oscar Temaru and philosophical terms: “Ta‘aku pahono other Mā‘ohi leaders regarding how mo te me‘e nei, he ma‘u te henua nei French Polynesia was inscribed on the a runga, mai mu‘a ‘ā ki te hora nei. Te UN nsgt list—a topic publicized in anga nei, he hakatitika te hora nei; ka local island media (mv, July 2013). oho mai ‘ā te ‘ara. Tō matou hā‘ū‘ū te In their meetings, Parlamento Rapa anga nei, ma‘u a runga” (My answer Nui members also discussed me‘e to this, is to lead the island, from its decolonización in terms of a general past to its present. The job now is to concern with the continued coloniza- make things straight; to bring forth tion of their island and other Pacific our awakening. This work is coopera- Island worlds. Parlamento Rapa Nui tive work to lead). Araki, in contrast, members believe Rapa Nui and other articulated his goals in a more specific Pacific Island nations are victims of formal political register: “Ta‘aku anga international discrimination and injus- mo anga, he ma‘u te Rapa Nui. He tice; they believe they should have the inscribe mo te me‘e decolonización. opportunity to decolonize and exercise Ka tahi” (My job is to work to lead self-determination like the postcolo- the Rapa Nui. The number one thing nial nations of Africa and Asia. is to inscribe decolonization). Araki, In July and August 2013, commu- political reviews • polynesia 283 nity politics concentrated on organiz- or Cardinali. Voters then placed their ing elections for the president of Par- folded slips in locked boxes and signed lamento Rapa Nui and discussing the their names in a supervised log book, official listing of Rapa Nui among the registering who cast votes among the UN nsgts. Logistical preparations for approximately 1,800 registered Rapa the 4 August 2013 election were orga- Nui voters. Joel Hucke coordinated a nized in multiple weekly meetings by process of vote certification by inter- one dozen to two dozen leaders of Par- national observers from Argentina, lamento Rapa Nui during each week France, and the United States as well of July. At meetings, leaders discussed as Chilean attorneys, as the votes were and developed materials and methods publicly counted after the elections for registering voters and collecting closed Sunday evening. and counting votes. Supervisory and Ultimately, Araki was reelected organizational responsibilities were president for the next four years, allocated among members: making ­having received 250 votes compared vote cards, organizing voting rooms, to 68 for Cardinali. Though the checking identification, monitoring numbers fell short of the total possible voting, and so on. Public announce- votes, local journalist Moises Hereveri ments of the election were coordinated emphasized that key leaders partici- on the radio and local television, and pated. He stated, “I tu‘u rō atu te nu‘u fliers were distributed to key social o te Mata o te Rapa Nui” (The people groups, municipal institutions, and in that lead the Rapa Nui clans came central locations throughout the town [to vote]) (Tāpura Re‘o, Aug 2013). of Hanga Roa. Written correspon- As one of the international observers, dence with the mayor and governor I was impressed by the diversity of authorized holding the elections at the voters, including not only elder leaders local public school, with the support but also significant numbers of youth of Chilean police to manage traffic and women. At least 122 votes by problems. women were registered, compared to On Sunday morning, 4 August 160 votes registered by men (36 votes 2013, Parlamento Rapa Nui lead- were registered under a booth for the ers raised the Reimiro flags of the elderly that was not distinguished by Rapa Nui nation outside the Chilean- gender). Moreover, as the numbers administered public school, Lorenzo resemble the results of another impor- Baeza Vega, in Hanga Roa. Ma‘eva tant election discussed below, this may Ika, a local journalist documenting be more or less the kind of turnout the events, characterized the election one can expect currently in Rapa Nui as illustrating the democratic “trans- elections. On Monday, hundreds of parency” of Parlamento Rapa Nui, Rapa Nui gathered to hear Araki’s and voters repeatedly expressed the acceptance speech and celebrate his view that the process was very well election with Reimiro flags, traditional organized. Following an identifica- songs, and a feast prepared from an tion check, voters entered private umu (a Polynesian underground oven) booths in gender-segregated rooms to in an inauguration ceremony staged inscribe their votes for either Araki confrontationally in front of the office 284 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) of the island governor, who is colo- focused on the importance of joining nially selected by the Chilean president the UN list of nsgts and organizing a rather than the Rapa Nui people. cohort of Rapa Nui to attend the 13th Regarding the significance of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous election, Erity Teave Hey, a regular Issues in New York City. A central representative of Parlamento Rapa local concern motivating the meetings Nui at the UN Permanent Forum on was a heightened sense that Chilean Indigenous Issues and other interna- state–based institutions and political tional forums, emphasized that the offices, as well as the people occupy- votes demonstrate that Rapa Nui ing the offices—whether they were people have “not only consciousness, genealogically Rapa Nui or not— but conviction, decision, and vision were, more often than not, serving for the future of the Rapa Nui chil- Chilean rather than Rapa Nui inter- dren.” The elections, for her, signify ests and self-determination. Meeting that Rapa Nui people will continue participants lamented that in general the process of “self-determination, the Rapa Nui community is “mauiui” decolonization, and demilitarization; (sick) because of “te manera o te Tire this is basically the right for freedom.” ‘i runga o te henua” (the Chilean President Araki stressed that the ways on the island). Chilean institu- elections were an “important historic tions and people administering them moment,” as they mark the first time were characterized in meetings as, the Rapa Nui people have demo- respectively, “me‘e mai haho” (things cratically elected the president of the from outside) and “paihenga o te organization. Araki sees the current Tire” (Chilean dogs). Alberto Hotus, goals of the organization as centered who holds the Chilean-created office on work that will facilitate the devel- of president of the Council of Elders opment of “Rapa Nui based laws” for that replaced the Rapa Nui organized the administration of island resources Council of Elders, was especially­ and the Rapa Nui nation. Concurrent targeted in discussions. Meeting with the meetings and preparations participants, who referred to him by for the election, over twenty Rapa the derogatory name “Kete” (pock- Nui leaders from many of the leading ets—as in the pocket of the Chilean hua‘ai (extended families, clans) and government), hoped to remove him organizations, including Parlamento from the office or eliminate the office Rapa Nui members, met weekly in a entirely, given that it was not created private forum independent of Parla- by Rapa Nui. Members stated, “Ta‘e mento Rapa Nui in July and August o tātou; o te Tire” ([He] is not of us; to discuss and learn about Rapa Nui [he] is of Chile). In other words, Kete opportunities for decolonization at is not seen by actual councils of fam- the United Nations. Coordinating ily elders as their representative but discussion with UN decolonization rather is considered a representative materials gathered by Santi Hitorangi, of Chile. The expression “paihenga a Parlamento Rapa Nui member o te Tire” is a particularly interesting based in New York and longtime UN one: paihenga (dog) is metaphorically representative of Rapa Nui, meetings used in Rapa Nui to refer to Chilean political reviews • polynesia 285 police. The metaphor recalls French for the decolonization of Rapa Nui. critical philosopher Jacques Rancière’s While Chilean media dampened the view that the everyday administration significance of the march by depicting of society is a policing of the normal- it merely as a march for “autonomy” ized status quo that must be distin- (bb, 9 Sept 2013), Rapa Nui–based guished from the real political acts of media displayed images and expres- “dissensus” that redistribute a social sions that highlighted the march as order (Rancière 2010, 92). Instead promoting decolonization for inde- of following the policing paihenga of pendence in flags, banners, and even Chilean institutions, meeting par- bumper stickers (Tāpura Re‘o, Nov ticipants emphasized governing the 2013; sr, 9 Sept 2013). Trini Fer- island in terms of Rapa Nui traditions dinand, a key photographer of the by “hakatere hai hua‘ai” (governing event, emphasized that Rapa Nui are through family clans)—a tradition the protesting the Chilean government’s participants saw themselves practicing “lack of respect and misinterpretation within the meetings. of the Treaty of 1888” (sr, 9 Sept While these UN-focused meetings 2013). Mata U‘iroa Atan, a Rapa Nui were being held, some of the Rapa lawyer and politician, represented the Nui leaders present also began orga- march as symbolic of a growing Rapa nizing a political march to protest the Nui social movement toward “un annual Chilean state commemoration proceso decolonización” (a process of of the 9 September 1888 signing of a decolonization) that he sees as critical treaty between Rapa Nui chiefs and in an era in which Rapa Nui still lack Policarpo Toro, representing the Chil- governance by Rapa Nui people ­acting ean state. This treaty, or “Agreement in terms of Rapa Nui–determined of Wills” was never officially rati- laws. Recognizing variable forms as fied by the state (iwgia 2012, 5–11), possible, including free association and it remains of strongly contested with another state that is not necessar- significance among Rapa Nui (Delsing ily Chile, he encourages decoloniza- 2009, 245–246), despite a recent state tion leading to the independence of truth commission designed to stabilize Rapa Nui from Chile (U‘iroa Atan its meaning (Gobierno de Chile 2003). 2013). Moises Hereveri reflected On 9 September 2013, as state govern- that this march for “independencia” ment and military officials staged a (independence) was about “he ture rally at Plaza Atamu Tekena to cel- tuai era ‘ā te ŋa henua” (a long- ebrate the purported treaty and stra- standing fight for the island lands). He tegically modulate its affective signifi- emphasized that the Rapa Nui must cance in positive state terms, hundreds continue to ­recognize that it is impor- of Rapa Nui people, coordinated by tant to “kī ō‘ou i tu‘u mana‘u, ‘ina Rapa Nui–determined organizations ko hakari‘ari‘a” (speak your precious (such as Makenu Re‘o Rapa Nui and thoughts, do not be afraid) (Tāpura Parlamento Rapa Nui) as well as Rapa Re‘o, Nov 2013). Nui–influenced codeipa, engaged In January 2014, Rafael (Rinko) in a tactical “line of flight” (Deleuze Tuki Tepano, Hanga Roa community– and Guattari 1985, 9) and marched elected Rapa Nui leader of the Cor- 286 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) poración Nacional de Pueblos Indí- plebiscite the same day for the com- genas (conadi), spearheaded local, munity to register votes that would national, and international political voice their opinions about the process. efforts against a state plan established President Piñera’s appointed governor under departing Chilean President of Easter Island, Rapa Nui Islander Sebastián Piñera’s administration to Carmen Cardinali Paoa, emphasized privatize the lands of the state-claimed that the plebiscite was an important territory of Fundo Vaitea. Since 1980, part of the “legal process” (bb, 6 Chile had indirectly managed the land Jan 2014). Minister of Housing and under the private company Sociedad National Assets Rodrigo Perez also Agrícola y Servicios Isla de Pascua saw the plan in very positive terms. He Limitada (sasipa) through a plan initi- characterized it as explicitly complying ated by the administration of former with International Labour Organiza- Chilean dictator General Augusto tion (ilo) Convention 169 on free, Pinochet, who began imposing neo- prior, and informed consent and an liberal policies in Chile nationwide “unprecedented” return of land—the in 1973 (Munck 2005, 65). sasipa largest in ten years. Government “dra- management followed fourteen years matizations” of the events in terms of of direct Chilean control under the a story of honoring Rapa Nui social state agency Corporación de Fomento goals in compliance with international de la Produción (corfo), which law “overcode” the critical content of governed the territory following the conadi leader Rinko Tuki’s publi- 1996 passage of Ley Pascua, which cized reports (Deleuze 2004). In Janu- established some civil rights for Rapa ary 2014, Tuki, in a report cosigned Nui (Gonschor 2011, 181). Piñera’s by other leading grassroots organi- plan had been reportedly organized zations of Rapa Nui—Parlamento in response to Rapa Nui political Rapa Nui, Makenu Re‘o Rapa Nui, occupations that resulted in inter- Assemblea de Clanes, Autoridades nationally condemned state violence Tradicionales de Rapa Nui—empha- against Rapa Nui in December 2010 sized that Rapa Nui political rights (Young 2012). The plan proposed to had been violated by the development distribute the 1,052 hectares of land of of the plan and the organization of the Fundo Vaitea among 264 families in plebiscite. Rather than engaging Rapa plots of 2.5 hectares (ec, 26 Jan 2014; Nui in an official ilo 169 consulta- bb, 6 Jan 2014). On 1 January 2014, tion mechanism, Tuki represented the the Ministerio de Bienes Nacionales state as having only applied a “report- (Ministry of National Goods) tried to ing mechanism” (cr, 25 Jan 2014). finalize the plan through actions the As Tuki understands ilo 169, Rapa state considered as part of an official Nui generally, and particularly lead- consultation process with the Rapa ers of codeipa and conadi, should Nui community (lt, 5 Jan 2014). The have been involved in the processes process was to conclude on 26 Janu- of developing the plan. However, ary 2014 with community workshops Rapa Nui were not given “access to to further inform and discuss the technical inputs” that resulted in the process of returning the land and a plan; they were simply given a folder political reviews • polynesia 287 with the plan on 1 January 2014 and administer land restitution to Rapa informed to trust the government (cr, Nui people; whether the lands of 22 Jan 2014). Instead, Tuki and other Fundo Vaitea should be distributed to Rapa Nui leaders immediately recog- the proposed 262 Rapa Nui families nized that the plan coded the territory in agricultural plots of 2.5 acres each; in ways designed to avoid the need and, if the voter voted no to the first to complete an environmental impact two questions, which of a set of five statement. After scrutinizing the plan, other options he or she recommended Rapa Nui leaders and groups con- for use of the land and its governance cluded that settling the territory with (cm, 26 Jan 2014). While voters hundreds of new houses would further approved of the plan to continue to endanger the already unstable water restore lands to the Rapa Nui people supply, hasten increasing problems (329 votes in favor, versus 41 against), of waste management, and amplify the community rejected the state plan questions of sustainability. As the area to return the Fundo Vaitea lands to is rich in cultural heritage sites, Rapa the families by a margin of 192 to Nui also noted that the plan could be 168 votes (pu, 10 Feb 2014). Chilean severely destructive of their patrimony. officials, had mixed responses to the Conceiving the Piñera plan as “colo- results: Minister Perez saw the plebi- nial” and as violating international scite as “a success” because it revealed legal conventions on consultation, “the real feelings of the Rapa Nui Tuki wrote to UN Special Rapporteur people,” while the mayor of Hanga James Anaya (cr, 22 Jan 2014) and Roa, Petero Edmunds Paoa—who the director of the Chilean National has promoted development projects Institute of Human Rights, Señora in the past against Rapa Nui will Lorena Fries (cr, 23 Jan 2014) to and resigned from being governor in request their help to fight Piñera’s plan 2010 amid accusations of corruption in general and to support Rapa Nui (Young 2012, 2014)—predictably desires to delay any plebiscite until called the results “a setback” to state the Islander groups could study and policy (pu, 10 Feb 2014). Rinko Tuki discuss the plan more thoroughly on extended his critique of the process. their own. He challenged the “cultural relevance” On 26 January, on-the-ground, of the plebiscite questions “since they active protests were staged by the were imposed in Santiago, which Rapa Nui community, in particular ­prevented their full understanding.” members of Parlamento Rapa Nui and And he accused Chile of violating Makenu Re‘o Rapa Nui, and commu- Rapa Nui rights to self-determination. nity leaders such as Rinko Tuki and He stressed, “This Sunday we wit- Marisol Hitorangi. But the Chilean nessed a serious violation of our government, coordinated by “a ­political rights, a process where the heavy police contingent,” proceeded government has decided the questions, with the plebiscite that day (ec, 28 the polling station, and used govern- Jan 2014). Voters were asked three ment officials from the mainland” questions: whether the Ministerio de (ec, 28 Jan 2014). Bienes Nacionales should continue to With the departure of the Piñera 288 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) administration and the April inaugu- concerns build on those of UN Special ration of the new president of Chile, Rapporteur James Anaya, who also Michelle Bachelet, the Fundo Viatea continues to challenge these policies of plan appears to be dead. President the Chilean government (me, 16 May Bachelet, who attended the first 2014; ru, 14 April 2014), as well as codeipa meeting under her adminis- the UN Committee on the Elimination tration on 9 April, promised “the full of Racial Discrimination (2013). The inclusion of indigenous peoples” in issues stem from Decrees 124, 66, and her administration (ip, 25 April 2014) 40 that the Chilean state legislated and a “new relationship between the to implement ilo convention 169 State of Chile and Rapa Nui” (bn, 28 following government ratification of April 2014). Her Ministerio de Bienes the convention in 2008. Decree 124, Nacionales, Victor Osorio, said that implemented by Bachelet in her first he hopes to “advance the resolution presidential administration (2006– of outstanding issues on the island” 2010), was found by indigenous in terms of the values of the new peoples of Chile, UN officials, and administration (lt, 28 April 2014). international nongovernmental organi- As the new government attempts to zations to violate ilo 169; its supple- distinguish itself from past Chilean mental replacements, Decrees 66 and regimes, however, it is likely Rapa 40, issued during the Piñera adminis- Nui will remain skeptical of profound tration, remain similarly contested at difference. They will anticipate state indigenous, state, and international dramatizations that simulate “differ- levels (Americas Quarterly­ 2014). ence” through “a displacement and a Despite her promises for difference, disguising within repetition” (Deleuze President Bachelet’s administrative 1994, xx). International human rights ­history does not suggest much hope organizations have been repeatedly for real change. challenging Chilean state policies At the 13th UN Permanent Forum toward indigenous peoples. In May, on Indigenous Issues, held on 13–14 Amnesty International encouraged May 2014, Santi Hitorangi advocated President Bachelet to pursue a differ- for the political decolonization of ent policy for the indigenous peoples the Rapa Nui nation from the state of Chile so that “human rights do not of Chile during the “Decolonization remain on paper” (me, 16 May 2014). Dialogues” at the UN Church Cen- Of particular concern to Amnesty ter in New York City. The dialogues International, amplifying the struggles were addressed to an audience of over of Rapa Nui against Chilean adminis- a hundred participants of the UN tration of Fundo Vaitea, is Chile’s lack Permanent Forum and were spon- of implementation of ilo 169 con- sored by the General Board of Church ventions of free, prior, and informed and Society of the United Method- consent, but also its application of a ist Church, the World Council of Pinochet-era anti-terrorist law that the Churches, United Methodist Women, Piñera administration applied in con- and members of the Decolonization flicts with indigenous peoples includ- Alliance organization housed at UN ing Rapa Nui. Amnesty International’s Plaza. Emphasizing that decoloniza- political reviews • polynesia 289 tion must engage cultural minds, striving to develop a “coordinating social bodies, and state governments, structure” to access the UN decolo- both political and theological decolo- nization process. In part, this struc- nization were discussed during the ture would assist colonially occupied dialogues. Hitorangi, a panel speaker, nations with the process of becoming was joined by fellow Decoloniza- listed as nsgts by the United Nations. tion Alliance members of the Pacific Alliance members see themselves Islands: Menase W Kaisiepo and Rosa developing the coordinating ­structure Moiwend advocated for the political in response to recent UN reports decolonization of West Papua, and and resolutions: the “Study on the Leon K Siu advocated for the politi- Decolonization of the Pacific Region” cal decolonization of Hawai‘i. While presented at the 12th UN Perma- engaged with the theological discus- nent Forum on Indigenous Issues by sions of church panel members that Pacific Caucus leader Valmaine Toki criticized the historical and ongoing and submitted to the UN Economic institutional role of Christianity in and Social Council (2013); the May the destruction of indigenous peoples’ 2013 UN General Assembly ­adoption cultures, lands, and natural resources of a resolution asserting the right of worldwide (umw, May 2014), French Polynesia to self-determination Hitorangi’s presentation articulated and decolonization; and the July more with the concerns of moderator 2013 UN Human Rights Council Reverend Liberato Bautista (United Report of the Independent Expert Methodist Church representative to authored by Alfred-Maurice de Zayas the United Nations) that the three on the ­promotion of a democratic Pacific Island nations represented and ­equitable international order. by members of the Decolonization ­Consistent with the concerns of Alliance were, in a sense, “political Parlamento Rapa Nui members as prisoners.” Hitorangi traced Chilean noted in the beginning of this review, colonial history in Rapa Nui to late Toki’s study stresses that “decoloniza- nineteenth and early twentieth century tion in the Pacific does not follow the violations of the terms of the afore- precedent set by Asia, Africa and the mentioned 1888 political treaty, which Caribbean” and encourages the United Rapa Nui see as having been drafted, Nations to consider “convening an wrongfully translated, and signed expert group meeting on the decoloni- under fraudulent and duplicitous cir- zation of the Pacific.” The study offers cumstances. In light of the internation- detailed reasoning for considering the ally documented 2010 state violence decolonization of New Caledonia, of Chile against Rapa Nui people Hawai‘i, West Papua, and French (iwgia 2012), Hitorangi stressed that Polynesia and explicitly problematizes it is clear that “Chile keeps Rapa Nui the colonial status of Rapa Nui. It by guns” and that Rapa Nui “remains stresses that “Chile maintains con- a colony of Chile.” trol over Easter Island (Rapa Nui)” As a founding member of the and highlights that Rapa Nui people Decolonization Alliance, Hitorangi have recently become criminalized as emphasized that the organization is “terrorists” in contexts of “peacefully 290 the contemporary pacific • 27:1 (2015) demanding that their human rights be free-trade agreement being developed respected.” between Chile and other signatories Hitorangi depicted both Toki’s (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, study of decolonization in the Pacific Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Islands and the resolution adopted Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the on the right of French Polynesia to United States). Hitorangi fears the self-determination as positively articu- tpp will result in the further “opening lating with de Zayas’s report. That of the door for privatization of our report notes that a “spirit of interna- natural resources without our con- tional solidarity” is increasingly being sent.” In speaking at the UN Church undermined by state governments Center and the UN Millennium that are more responsive to “special Development Goals Forum, Hitorangi interests such as the military-industrial is fundamentally seeking to strengthen complex, financial bankers, and Rapa Nui capacity for realizing their transnational corporations” than to human rights to self-determination at the peoples of the world. In contrast, an official international level. Yet, at indigenous people “maintain that the an abstract level, Hitorangi’s interven- right of self-determination cannot tions on behalf of the Rapa Nui nation be exercised against the will of the articulate with universal concerns for population concerned, and that self- improving global social justice. The determination referenda should only movement for indigenous rights is part allow the indigenous to vote and not of a general “international program to the colonizers” (UN General Assem- advance human rights” (Anaya 2009, bly Human Rights Council 2013, 5, 1). As UN High Commissioner for 6, 11). Reform of UN instruments of Human Rights Navi Pillay has recently self-determination is highlighted in noted, the rights of indigenous peoples this report by de Zayas as generally are “essential for the promotion and critical for the development of a more protection of all other human rights” democratic and equitable international (Barkan and Pillay 2014). order, particularly for indigenous As the review period closes, inter- peoples. national media report that the eco- Santi Hitorangi’s advocacy for the logical and social sustainability of Rapa Nui decolonization alliance Chile’s development of Easter Island is the second time he has engaged is facing increasingly severe problems the United Nations in 2014 as an (bbc, 17 April 2014). While Rapa advocate for Rapa Nui rights. On 7 Nui remain, in Reverend Bautista’s February, he provided a statement of words, “political prisoners” subject intervention at the Eighth Session of to unsustainable state policies, armed the Open Work Group on Sustainable plebiscites determined by the Chilean Development Goals of the UN Mil- Ministerio de Bienes Nacionales, and lennium Development Goals Forum international ttp projects without (sr, 10 Feb 2014). The intervention reliable access to internationally legal highlighted the lack of consultation of forms of free, prior, and informed Rapa Nui in the Trans Pacific Strategic consent, their decolonializing everyday Economic Partnership (tpp) neoliberal practices and key political acts during political reviews • polynesia 291 the year in review have been constant. References Rapa Nui engagement illustrates an increasing trend in international Americas Quarterly. 2014. Country Study: indigenous politics: social movement Chile. Spring issue. Magazine of the ­Americas Society and Council of the beyond state politics of recognition Americas, North Hollywood, ca. and toward a “politics of refusal” of http://www.americasquarterly.org what settler colonial states consider officially settled (Simpson 2014, Anaya, S James. 2009. International 11–12). While Rapa Nui refusal is, in Rights and Indigenous Peoples. New York: Aspen Publishers. part, necessarily reactive, an affective and affirmative “politics of hope” Barkin, Elazar, and Navi Pillay. 2014. is manifest in the ways Rapa Nui Foreword. In Indigenous Peoples Access to are “navigating movements” within Justice, Including Truth and Reconciliation global and Chilean assemblages of Processes, edited by William Littlechild and Elsa Stamatopoulou, ix x. New York: power (Massumi and Zournazi 2002). – Columbia University Institute for the Study While Rapa Nui leaders like Rinko of Human Rights. Tuki react to Chilean plans by work- ing in part within Chilean-determined bb, Biobio. 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