3RO\QHVLDLQ5HYLHZ,VVXHVDQG(YHQWV -XO\WR-XQH

5HYLHZVRI$PHULFDQ6ëPRD+DZDL©L ing nz$1.7 million. Since 2004, New Niue, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Zealand and Australia have combined Wallis and Futuna are not included in their aid programs (CIN, 8 July 2009), this issue. with almost 40 percent now going to education and training. Key portrayed his visit to the Cook Islands as an Continued political maneuvering, effort to “reinforce the already close public budget mismanagement, and links New Zealand has with its Pacific population decline dominated public neighbors” (CIN, 9 July 2009). discourse in the Cook Islands from As the Cook Islands celebrated the July 2009 to June 2010. By June 2009, arrival of Christianity 186 years ago Cook Islands population had dimin- (CIN, 28 July 2009), political cabinet ished to an estimated 13,200 (CIN, 4 shuffles and reshuffles, and realign- Dec 2009), with around 70 percent ments among members of Parliament of people living on the main island (mps) continued. Quests for political of Rarotonga. During the year, New power often overflowed into public Zealand Prime Minister John Key led consciousness, and most residents a sixty-eight-member delegation to the reflected on it with much distaste. The Cook Islands that included two min- constant strain on the government isters, nine members of Parliament, budget was of particular concern. three mayors, several business industry Financial secretary Sholan Ivaiti representatives, a hip-hop band, and summarized the budget strain as com- sixteen media representatives (CIN, 9 peting interests chasing after limited July 2009). government funds, but he identified While in Rarotonga, Prime Minister the hosting of the Mini South Pacific Key announced a NZ$1 million subsidy Games as having the most pull on the for the Air New Zealand flight from budget (CIN, 1 July 2009). Mini games Los Angeles to Rarotonga (CIN, 10 Minister challenged July 2009). (nz$1 is the equivalent Ivaiti’s claim by issuing a statement of approximately US$0.73.) Key also that the government’s funding of the confirmed his country’s commitment mini games was expected to total no to provide aid for the Pacific, although more than nz$3.3 million (to cover he expressed “a desire to change the accommodation, food, and sports emphasis from poverty alleviation to equipment), with this amount “not economic development” (CIN, 8 July putting a strain on the government’s 2009). The 2008–2009 New Zealand 2009/10 budget” (CIN, 2 July 2009). budget included a total aid pack- Rasmussen even suggested that the age of around nz$10 million for the “financial secretary’s insistence on Cook Islands, with AusAID provid- drip-feeding funds to games organiz-

209 210 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) ers” was actually creating further dif- “future loans by government would be ficulties (CIN, 2 July 2009). However, unsustainable . . . for the next 20 plus there was a widespread notion that years” (CIN, 4 Sept 2009). Rasmussen hosting the Pacific Mini Games would went on to suggest that the mentality cost the Cook Islands closer to nz$20 seemed to be “Think Big and Borrow million (CIN, 7 Oct 2009). Large regardless of our capacity.” A Deputy Prime Minister and Min- letter to the editor of the &RRN,VODQGV ister of Finance Sir News reacted to Rasmussen’s com- joined the public debate on govern- ments, pointing out that until he was ment finances, indicating that the sacked he was actually part of the government had contributed well over problem (CIN, 4 Sept 2009). nz$13 million toward infrastructure Also during the year under review, for the Pacific Mini Games—which a new terminal at the Rarotonga Inter- future generations will pay for. Oppo- national Airport took shape (CIN, 8 sition spokesman for finance and Atiu Oct 2009), and the Cook Islands eco- MP described the bud- nomic development task force revealed get inaccuracies coming from Ivaiti’s initiatives that include private-public office as “alarming” (CIN, 4 July partnerships and cooperation with 2009). When Maoate later described China. The task force suggested that his 2009–2010 budget totaling China was “ready and willing to assist NZ$215 million as “the mother of all the Cook Islands in the areas of trade, budgets” (CIN, 25 July 2009), George tourism, investment, food sustainabil- countered by calling it the “mother of ity, banking, insurance, shipping, and all mistakes” (CIN, 30 July 2009). The the development of sports” (CIN, 14 status of the budget was particularly Oct 2009). Chinese aid to the Cook disconcerting for average Cook Island- Islands already included a nz$15.6 ers given that total national revenue million soft loan and another pro- for the same period was projected at jected nz$50 million loan (CIN, 23 only nz$96 million. June 2009). In July, Cabinet Minister and Pen- The government secured a NZ$13.4 rhyn MP Wilkie Rasmussen admitted million Asian Development Bank he was making plans to form a new loan for investment in infrastructure government and was subsequently improvement, and the tourism road sacked by the prime minister (CIN, networks in and Rarotonga 25 July, 29 July 2009). Rasmussen became priorities (CIN, 8 Dec 2009, 1). responded by calling for Prime Min- By early 2010, the Ministry of Finance ister to resign. Titika- and Economic Management released a veka MP , who was report that showed total government rumored to have leaked the takeover debt estimated at nz$103.2 million, attempt, was sworn in as the new or “32 percent of gross domestic minister in place of Rasmussen (CIN, product for financial year ending June 30 July 2009). Even though he was 30, 2010” (CIN, 5 Jan 2010, 1). New no longer in the cabinet, Rasmussen Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen, continued to publically comment on who by then had regained a ministe- the national budget, declaring that rial position during a cabinet reshuffle pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 211

(discussed later in this review), vering, a “secret” government fuel admitted “a budget deficit of up to farm proposal emerged and dominated $4 million,” but others suggested a public discourse (CIN, 13 Oct, 15 Oct, nz$7 million shortfall (CIN, 12 March 15 Dec 2009). Atiu Island MP Norman 2010, 1). George described the deal to purchase The nation’s social welfare system the Toa depot as a Democratic Party cost the government NZ$11.3 mil- government bungle and called for lion in the current financial year and transparency on the NZ$5.16 million is up for review (CIN, 5 Feb 2010). purchase (CIN, 16 Dec 2009). Then a The Cook Islands state-owned prison secret settlement between the govern- in Rarotonga received NZ$200,000 ment and Toa Petroleum resulted in worth of renovations (CIN, 26 April the government withdrawing from the 2010), although there were ten escapes purchase but agreeing to pay the com- in 2009 that had plagued prison pany NZ$1.7 million in an out-of-court authorities; apparently in some of the settlement (CIN, 17 Dec 2009). In spite incidences “the security gate was not of an effort by the government to locked at the time of the escape” (CIN, modify the settlement agreement, the 9 Nov, 12 Nov 2009). Public focus chief justice eventually ruled in favor on the nation’s judicial system also of the company (CIN, 19 May 2010). noted other disturbing events. Lawyer Cook Islands workers expressed their Tevita Vakalalabure was disqualified concern, describing the Toa episode from driving for two years after being as “a conspiracy, mismanagement and convicted of drunken driving causing exploitation of public funds” (CIN, 18 injury (CIN, 11 July 2009). He was Dec 2009). The so-called “Toagate” eventually struck off from the roll of cost government nz$3 million, with barristers of the Cook Islands High nothing in return—reminding many Court after a long history of miscon- of the 1999 nz$120 million Sheraton duct (CIN, 20 Nov 2009). debacle, in which an abandoned resort Cook Islands hosted several events project left the Cook Islands govern- during the year including an under- ment on the hook for a massive loan 21 international netball event, the (CIN, 22 Dec 2009). The debt to the previously mentioned Pacific Mini Italian government was negotiated Games (CIN, 22 Sept 2009), and the down to nz$13 million but the Cook Pacific Parliamentary Assembly on Islands government still ended up pay- Population and Development-Forum ing a large sum of money for nothing Presiding Officers and Clerks Bian- in return. nual thematic conference (CIN, 17 Nov As the Toagate incident unfolded, 2009). Although such events were the prime minister tried to make great opportunities to showcase the the case that he was unaware of the politicians and the country’s dynamic deal by sacking his deputy Sir Tere- culture (CIN, 19 Sept 2009), many pai Maoate (CIN, 23 Dec 2009). The observers pondered the wisdom of shared responsibility of cabinet deci- hosting commitments, given the bud- sion making was thus marginalized, getary struggles facing the country. and Toagate became widely viewed Amid all the political power maneu- by observers as a soap opera at the 212 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) expense of taxpayers (CIN, 24 April tive Sir Frederick Goodwin. As the 2010). It prompted the sacking of newly appointed minister and attorney key government personnel and the general, Wilkie Rasmussen revealed reshuffling of others (CIN, 19 May that he and Marurai were “following 2010). The court decision upholding the constitution to the letter” (CIN, 8 the settlement arrangement increased Jan 2010) and refused to request that public anger, with blame being leveled Parliament be called into session. MP at the Democratic Party and politi- Norman George argued that since the cians in general (CIN, 20 May 2010). majority of Parliament (19 out of 24) The sacking of Sir Terepai Maoate did not support the prime minister from the cabinet led to the resignation and his government, the prime minis- of several other members of cabinet ter should not be allowed to continue who remained loyal members of the (CIN, 8 Jan 2010). The remaining 5 Democratic Party and their party members of Parliament were benefi- leader, Maoate. Although also a Dem- ciaries as members of the cabinet and ocrat, Robert Wigmore stayed on in could in essence be perceived as col- the cabinet to become the new deputy laborators in the usurping of power, prime minister. Wilkie Rasmussen, since no clear mandate was sought who had been previously sacked by from Parliament. Both of the country’s the prime minister, returned to Maru- political parties contended that Maru- rai’s cabinet. Two other disillusioned rai’s new five-member cabinet falls Democrat members of Parliament, short of the constitutional requirement William Heather Jr and Apii Piho, (CIN, 9 Jan 2010). The queen’s repre- also accepted ministerial posts (CIN, sentative rejected the no-confidence 6 Jan 2010), and Marurai continued petition and apparently also rejected with his governance even though it a plea to call a sitting of Parliament was apparent that he no longer com- (CIN, 12 Jan 2010). Rumors circulated manded the confidence of Parliament. that the queen’s representative’s con- Acutely aware of the public outcry on tract had been renewed, and Maru- public budget waste, Marurai declared rai revealed that he was unlikely to that his priority in his newly reshuffled request a sitting of Parliament unless cabinet was cutting costs (CIN, 7 Jan he was forced to do so for budget- 2010). ary reasons (CIN, 13 Jan 2010). With Disappointed by Marurai’s latest increasing outcry for changes in the cabinet reshuffle, the leaders of the nation’s governance system, Marurai two political parties (the Democratic sent out public signals that he favored Party and the ) political reform (CIN, 14 Jan 2010). prepared to remove the prime minister Marurai continued to rely on a and his five new cabinet members with legal opinion regarding the calling of an expected vote of no confidence Parliament, asserting that “without when Parliament reconvened (CIN, his advice the [queen’s representative] 8 Jan 2010). Requests for a parlia- cannot call parliament to sit” (CIN, 15 mentary sitting to table the motion Jan 2010). Marurai declared he would of no confidence were made to the not quit the job of prime minister head of state, Queen’s Representa- despite calls from some for him to pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 213 do so (CIN, 21 Jan 2010). With the The political drama further fueled Democratic Party leadership warning a growing independent movement that members of Parliament who did among voters. With a general elec- not toe the official line could lose their tion expected soon, several concerned party membership, Minister Rasmus- voters began seeking a third option. sen hinted that the cabinet of five Dr Philip Nicholas, a prominent might form a new political party (CIN, dentist and traditional leader, declared 4 March 2010). The three remaining himself an independent candidate for Democratic Party cabinet ministers in the Nikao constituency in the upcom- the five-member cabinet were “given ing election (CIN, 23 June 2010). an ultimatum by the party—resign Others indicated interest in standing from Cabinet or be booted out of the as independent candidates in other party” (CIN, 18 March 2010). Both the constituencies, signaling an increasing Democratic and Cook Islands parties loss of confidence in the political party again urged Marurai to call Parlia- system (CIN, 24 June 2010). Even ment into session (CIN, 19 March Teariki Matenga, the former mayor of 2010), while Marurai confirmed that , declared his candidacy as the queen’s representative had talked an independent for Titikaveka (CIN, 25 him out of a dissolution of Parliament June 2010). (CIN, 25 May 2010). The government’s continued In response to the cabinet members’ active policy of supporting the land- refusal to resign, Democratic Party ing of planes on Aitutaki Island on President Makiuti Tongia declared Sundays also caused many problems. that “the four Democratic Party Perceived government resistance to a ministers have sacked themselves from referendum on the issue angered many the party by not resigning from their Aitutakians, who had long expressed a cabinet posts” (CIN, 8 April 2010). desire to allow only emergency flights Democratic Party affiliate and Mata- into Aitutaki on Sundays. From this vera MP Cassey Eggleton complicated issue emerged a new political move- the debate when she became the sixth ment called Te Kura O Te Au, with member of the controversial minority an expanded aim of pursuing major government (CIN, 24 March 2010). As changes in the country’s political the standoff continued, Democratic system—a system interpreted by most Party puna (or constituency commit- Cook Islanders as focusing over- tees) called for a conference (CIN, 11 whelmingly on the interests of those in May 2010). In spite of party leader power (CIN, 2 Oct 2009). Prime Min- Sir Terepai Maoate, party president ister Marurai blamed the Democratic Makiuti Tongia, and party secre- Party for causing the fracture in the tary John Tangi filing an injunction party that resulted in some Aitutaki to stop the party conference (CIN, 1 members breaking away to form this June 2010), the conference proceeded new political organization (CIN, 9 Oct and Maoate was replaced as leader 2009). by Robert Wigmore and Sean Willis Other challenges to the country’s replaced Tongia as party president governance system emerged. Business- (CIN, 3 Jun 2010). woman Teina McKenzie and a group 214 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) of concerned supporters promoted a any of its promises and also had paid public petition pushing for political only a portion of the NZ$640,000 in reform (CIN, 24 Oct, 4 Nov 2009). license fees (NZ$40,000 per vessel) that They launched their petition, calling it owed the government (CIN, 30 Nov themselves Mou Piri and declaring 2009). that all voters should “have the right In October the Greenpeace vessel to vote for the national seats and the Esperanza alerted the government prime minister” (CIN, 28 Nov 2009). about the Japanese fishing boat Koyu They lobbied for political reform (CIN, Maru 3 illegally fishing in Cook 4 Dec 2009), hoping to acquire 4,000 Islands waters (CIN, 16 Oct 2009). A signatures that would be submitted payout settlement of NZ$1 million was through a member into Parliament. later reached between Cook Islands The changes put forward included the and Japanese governments regarding following: (1) the number of members the illegal fishing in the Cook Islands of Parliament would be reduced from exclusive economic zone by the vessels 24 to 19, with a new mix of 9 constit- Koyu Maru  and Koyu Maru  (CIN, uency and 10 national seats; (2) the 10 17 Dec 2009). national seats would be contested by Marine activities were not limited candidates from any electorate, with to fishing ventures. A Seabed Minerals the 10 receiving the highest number Bill was completed, setting out laws of votes winning the seats; and (3) the and regulations for the exploration prime minister would be the national of Cook Islands manganese nodule seat candidate with the highest num- resources (CIN, 31 Oct 2009). The ber of votes, assuming that he or she Cook Islands also planned to have must have received at least 51 percent the largest marine park in the world, of votes (CIN, 4 Dec 2009). covering all the territorial waters of During the year the government the Southern group islands (CIN, 11 received almost NZ$650,000 in settle- May 2010). There were also addi- ments from “three South American tional efforts to incorporate customary purse seine vessels that illegally fished law into marine activities; the Ministry in the countries waters between of Marine Resources acknowledged 2006 and 2007” (CIN, 21 July 2009). that the government could not cur- The Cook Islands government also rently penalize people for breaching reviewed fishing licenses that had the customary law of the raui (marine been granted in 2008 to Northern reserve) but hinted that “it might be Fishing Cook Islands Ltd and their about time to introduce legislation to sixteen Taiwanese long-line ves- cover it” (CIN, 13 Oct 2009). sels. The company had promised to There were several Cook Islands incorporate “proposals to develop national alerts during 2009–2010. ’s harbor and airport, and A general panic arose after an earth- provide employment and income to quake with a magnitude of 8.3 on the islanders” (CIN, 30 Nov 2009). the Richter scale struck Pago Pago, Although Northern Fishing began $PHULFDQ6ëPRD CIN, 30 Sept 2009). operations in February 2009, a year Lack of information fueled panic and later, the company had not fulfilled became a wake-up call (CIN, 1 Oct pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 215

2009). While reviewing their own been stranded for ten days on Manuae alert system, Cook Islanders raised Island when their rundown Gypsy thousands of dollars for the Red Cross Trader broke anchor and disappeared WRDVVLVWWVXQDPLYLFWLPVLQ6ëPRD out to sea (CIN, 17 May 2010). Police $PHULFDQ6ëPRDDQG7RQJD CIN, 7 launched an investigation into the Oct 2009). The Cook Islands also had incident (CIN, 18 May 2010). other national alerts: tropical cyclone Cook Islands Voyaging Society Nisha (CIN, 29 Jan 2010), cyclone Oli members assisted in constructing (CIN, 2 Feb 2010), cyclone Pat (CIN, 8 several sea-voyaging canoes (CIN, Feb 2010, 1), a tropical depression in 28 July 2009). Two months later, February 2010 (CIN, 22 Feb, 23 Feb double-hulled canoes Te Marumaru 2010), and cyclone Sarah (CIN, 27 Feb Atua (Cook Islands), Faafaite (Tahiti, 2010). When cyclone Pat hit Aitutaki, French Polynesia), Uto ni Yalo (Fiji), the island was pounded (CIN, 11 Feb Matau O Maui (Aotearoa), and Hine 2010). Most houses were flattened by Moana PL[HGQDWLRQV6ëPRD7RQJD the winds and damages were estimated and Vanuatu) arrived in Avana (CIN, at NZ$10 million (CIN, 12 Feb 2010). 31 May 2010). A symbolic traditional Reconstruction became a major prior- stone-laying ceremony followed in ity for the government (CIN, 22 Feb honor of the five voyaging canoes 2010), and New Zealand announced that had sailed from New Zealand to a NZ$5.5 million recovery plan for the Rarotonga (CIN, 2 June 2010). island (CIN, 13 Mar 2010). However, jon tikivanotau m jonassen the Aitutaki mayor expressed opposi- tion to Habitat for Humanity New Zealand’s offer to build seventy-two References new homes, saying that the island needs housing that is strong and suits CIN,&RRN,VODQGV1HZV Daily. Rarotonga. the environment (CIN, 17 Mar 2010). Air New Zealand launched a NZ$1.00 fare to Aitutaki for the period 21–29 French Polynesia March to assist in the Aitutaki recov- ery program (CIN, 20 Mar 2010). The frequent making and unmaking of There were two dramatic rescues political alliances by opportunist poli- during 2009–2010. The country’s ticians, resulting in regularly occurring police-managed patrol boat Te ousters of governments since 2004, .XNXSD rescued a Canadian sailor continued during the review period, about 450 km (280 miles) northeast of with one successful motion of no Rarotonga (CIN, 6 Oct 2009). Forty- confidence in late 2009 and another eight-year-old Sylvain Caron and his change of majority in the assembly in fox terrier Eddie had for three days 2010. Yet none of these events repre- hung on to their sinking forty-foot sented anything substantially new. The ketch Inherit the Wind before being ongoing chaotic situation continued to rescued (CIN, 7 Oct 2009). Some six annoy the French government, which months later, four other people were by mid-2010 was planning yet another rescued by 7H.XNXSD after having revision of the territory’s organic law. 216 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

Meanwhile, the economic situation is Michel Yonker; and Haddad him- further deteriorating. self. Another former postal director, Before this inevitable round of the Alphonse Teriierooiterai, who had political debacle began, however, pub- been detained earlier, was released in lic attention in Tahiti during the begin- July pending further investigations ning of the review period was turned (TPM, Aug 2009). for a while to the long overdue efforts However, the principal suspect in by the French judiciary to examine the affair, Flosse himself, was initially some of the earlier misdeeds of lead- protected from investigations because ing politicians. Most prominently, of his parliamentary immunity as a the investigation of corruption senator. In late June, the prosecutor’s charges against Senator Gaston office formally demanded the lifting Flosse intensified in the second half of Flosse’s immunity, and on 22 July, of 2009 at a pace never seen before. the Senate granted a partial lift so that (Former President Flosse held office he could be interrogated for a short as the country’s top elected official while in Paris a few days later. Because under various titles 1982–1987; increasing evidence was accumulating, 1991–2004; Nov 2004–Feb 2005; in late August the prosecutor’s office Feb–April 2008.) Among other things, once more demanded the lifting of the Flosse was accused of receiving bribes senator’s immunity (TPM, Aug 2010, amounting to several million euros Sept 2010). from French businessman Hubert The intensification of these judicial Haddad. Because some of the pay- inquiries coincided with the appoint- ments were apparently masked as ment of José Thorel as the new public payments for advertisements in the prosecutor on 31 August. During French Polynesia telephone directory, his first few months in office, Thorel as well as in the onboard magazine of proved that he was much more deter- the territorial airline Air Tahiti Nui, mined to prosecute political corrup- the corruption plot became known as tion cases than his predecessor Jean the “phone book affair.” Bianconi, whom some suspected of In connection with this affair, vari- being a crony of former French Presi- ous government departments, banks, dent Jacques Chirac and there fore offices, residences, and the head- rather inclined to protect Flosse and quarters of Flosse’s party, Tahoeraa his collaborators (TPM, March 2010). Huiraatira (People’s Rally), were Besides the “phone book affair,” searched by the authorities, incrimi- judicial investigations were also nating materials were seized, and c onducted into the activities of the enough evidence was gathered to former presidential intelligence service, arrest several officials and business- staffed with retired French secret ser- men and place them in detention. vice agents, which Flosse had illegally By July 2009, the detained included set up during his presidency in order Geffry Salmon, the former director to carry out surveillance and spying of the territorial post office and Air operations on his political opponents Tahiti Nui; Flosse’s secretary Melba during the 1990s and early 2000s Ortas; Haddad’s business partner (TPM, Sept 2009). pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 217

A third matter, dubbed the “sushi the country’s former strongman was affair,” involved the embezzlement of arrested on 9 November and placed public funds to pay for an exclusive in detention in Tahiti’s Nuutania party hosted in the presidential palace Prison. Flosse’s detention was con- to celebrate the expected election sidered a landmark event because it victory of Tahoeraa in May 2004 (a signified that the justice system was at miscalculation, since the elections last working properly and that even were ultimately won by Flosse’s formerly all-powerful political lead- opponents and marked the end of his ers had to submit to it. After further semi-authoritarian regime). On 24 investigation, Flosse was released on September, for this “affair,” Flosse bail on 25 November but remained received a one-year suspended prison under judicial control (TPM, Dec sentence, a fine of more than one mil- 2009). lion cfp francs (US$10,000), and one By that time, however, current year of ineligibility for public office, to politics had once again caught up with be effective immediately (meaning he investigations of the past. To recall would lose his position as senator, and the existing situation: Oscar Temaru thereby his immunity). However, the had been president of the country senator’s attorneys managed to obtain since February 2009 in a coalition a delay by lodging a second appeal comprising his own pro-independence (TPM, Oct 2009). UPLD; Jean-Christophe Bouissou’s pro- As if three affairs were not enough, French splinter party Rautahi (Unity; Flosse and his party leadership were the name of its caucus is Ia Ora Te also charged with bribing Noa Tetu- Fenua [May the Land Live]); and anui, an assembly member who was initially, as major coalition partner, part of the opposing coalition, Union Flosse’s Tahoeraa. In April, how- pour la Démocratie (upld), which ever, after heavy arguments between had won the 2004 elections. Tetuanui Temaru and Flosse, Tahoeraa left the crossed the floor to join Tahoeraa in government, and Temaru made a new October of the same year, which led to alliance with Gaston Tong Sang’s Flosse retaking the presidency again more pronouncedly pro-French coali- for a few months before by-elections tion, To Tatou Aia (Our Land). definitively ousted him in February Given the difference in ideologies, 2005. While Tetuanui had always it was not surprising that conflicts claimed his switching of allegiance had between Temaru and Tong Sang arose been caused by his disappointment quickly during the following months, with the policies of upld leader Oscar particularly because of Temaru’s fre- Temaru, the investigations uncovered quent statements in favor of indepen- evidence that Tetuanui had received dence, each of which were strongly financial aid from members of Taho- contradicted by Tong Sang (TP, 17 eraa at the time of his floor crossing June 2009). At the same time, a group (DT, 28 Oct 2009; NT, 28 Oct 2009; of opportunistic outer islands repre- TPM, Nov 2009). sentatives gradually shifted their sup- After the French Senate finally port away from Temaru and formed lifted Flosse’s immunity completely, their own assembly caucus, named Te 218 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

Mana o te Mau Motu (The Power of Edouard Fritch was appointed vice the Islands), in September (TP, 18 Sept president (TP, 28 Nov 2009). 2009). In mid-October, Clarenntz Ver- The replacement of Temaru with naudon, another politician notorious Tong Sang represented the third for his constant changes of allegiance, change of government in 2009, and formed his own political party with a the fifth since the early election of few fellow opportunists, contributing 2008. Since new parties and caucuses even more to the political instability are often created and dissolved, and (NT, 26 Oct 2009). individual politicians switch parties While Tong Sang still rejected even more frequently, it is increasingly speculation about an overthrow of more difficult to constitute majorities. the Temaru government in October, Shortly after Tong Sang’s election, a by mid-November To Tatou Aia, group of several hundred concerned Tahoeraa, and Te Mana o te Mau citizens demonstrated against the Motu had agreed on the formation political instability and demanded of a new government. On 19 Novem- fresh elections in order to end the ber, a motion of defiance, intended to political chaos (TPM, Dec 2009). replace Temaru with Tong Sang, was Further evidence for, and instances filed in the Assembly of French Poly- of, political opportunism soon nesia. The text of the motion charged appeared. In December, it was Temaru with lacking the skills to lead revealed that Michel Yip (a former the country out of the ongoing eco- ally of Temaru who had voted for nomic crisis and being unable to unify Tong Sang) was granted a concession the divided political forces. UPLD repre- for his pearl farm less than a month sentatives, however, considered Tong after the formation of the new gov- Sang’s move to overthrow a coalition ernment (TPM, Jan 2010). But on 30 government in which he was a partici- November, less than a week after the pant, in order to gain the presidency vote, another reconfiguration had for himself, as nothing but selfish and already taken place; Hiro Tefaarere hypocritical (TP, 19 Nov 2009). and Clarenntz Vernaudon resigned On 24 November, even though from To Tatou Aia’s caucus and Tong Sang had stated before the vote joined UPLD. (Vernaudon subsequently that he was holding a strong majority resigned from upld on 25 January.) of 32 seats, the motion was adopted Meanwhile, Te Mana o te Mau Motu, by only a bare majority of 29 votes after a few months in existence, was of the three caucuses, against the 24 dissolved, with its members rejoining votes of upld and its ally Ia Ora Te other formations (TPM, Jan 2010). Fenua, with 3 abstentions (TP, 24 Nov How absurd the level of political 2009). opportunism had become was demon- Four days later, Tong Sang pre- strated by representative Heifara Izal, sented his new cabinet of thirteen min- who on 3 December switched parties isters, mainly composed of To Tatou twice within a single day, from Taho- Aia and Tahoeraa politicians who had eraa to upld in the morning and back served in previous Flosse and Tong to Tahoeraa in the afternoon. Both Sang governments. Flosse’s son-in-law switches were documented by written pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 219 declarations—a deed possibly worthy any such expenses because he had of mention in the Guinness World always eaten in the presidential palace Records as the quickest political floor cafeteria and had always worn the crossing in history (TP, 3 Dec 2009). same suit. Furthermore, he said, the On 11 December, another group amount of his debt largely exceeded of opportunists formed a new caucus his funds (TPM, Jan 2010). Accord- named Te Natiraa (The Alliance), ing to Flosse, the money illegally presided over by Sandra Levy-Agami received from Hubert Haddad had (TPM, Jan 2010). A few days later, been used to pay child support for his Chantal Galenon resigned from many illegitimate children, not for his Tahoeraa to become an independent. personal enrichment. Supporters of This meant that Tong Sang’s coalition Flosse, including his son-in-law Fritch, had once again lost the majority (TP, therefore denied that his behavior 14 Dec 2009). constituted anything reproachable like While plenty of new material for embezzlement but rather gave Flosse future investigations was being cre- credit for being a responsible parent ated, the investigation and sanction- (TP, 12 Dec 2009). ing of old misdeeds continued. On 1 More financial irregularities and December, former minister Armelle misappropriations of funds were Merceron, an ex-Tahoeraa member revealed to have taken place within with her own adventurous history the territorial television station TNTV of party switching, was sentenced in a report from the Territorial Audit to a fine of 2 million cfp francs Court, released on 23 February (TPM, (US$20,000) for favoritism because March 2010). A few months later, during her ministerial term she had similar irregularities and misdeeds awarded contracts to friends without were reported to have occurred within proper public advertisement. On 2 the Institut Louis Malardé, a public December, Gaston Flosse was once medical research institute in Papeete more detained but was released again (TPM, May 2009). Meanwhile, the on bail before Christmas (TPM, Jan gigantic new territorial hospital in 2010). Taaone (one of the prestige projects While the investigations revealed from Flosse’s presidency, totally ever more details about Flosse’s oversized for a small country) was still corrupt activities, both he and his not in service, and its costs of opera- supporters remained stubbornly tion are estimated to be so high that convinced that none of his deeds con- they risk ruining the entire govern- stituted anything illegal or immoral. ment budget (TPM, Jan 2010). After During one examination, the judge similar instances of mismanagement asked Flosse how he had covered his were revealed concerning the interna- food and clothing expenses, since tional airport at Faa‘a, management of water and electricity bills were all that the airport was taken away from the was ever paid from his official bank country government and returned to account, which was fed by his gener- French state control (TPM, April 2010). ous salaries as president and senator. The juridical examinations con- Flosse responded that he had not had tinued but slowed in the following 220 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) months. After several convicted leaders in both French Polynesia and politicians, including Flosse, had filed New Caledonia expressed their deep a constitutional lawsuit, on 10 June concern about this statement, since the French Constitutional Council the concept was in clear violation of declared sentences including automatic the French constitution and the UN loss of eligibility to be unconstitutional Charter, both of which include the (TPM, June 2010). In consequence, right of overseas territories to self- the Paris court of appeal confirmed determination (TPM, Feb 2010). Sar- Flosse’s earlier sentence for the “sushi kozy’s controversial anti-independence affair,” but left decisions regarding statement, which had not been heard his ineligibility for public office to be as unambiguously from the French made at another trial by a higher court government for many years, was then (TPM, July 2010). Reflecting on this reiterated by French Deputy Philippe situation, Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine Gosselin (from Sarkozy’s party, Union editor Alex Du Prel expressed suspi- pour un Mouvement Populaire), who cion that certain protective networks visited Tahiti together with Minister from the Chirac-Flosse era were still for Overseas Territories Marie-Luce working behind the scenes (TPM, Penchard in early February (TPM, May 2010). March 2010). The first significant event in the Sarkozy’s apparently chauvinistic New Year was French President and colonialist attitude had raised Nicolas Sarkozy’s speech on principles eyebrows earlier. In September 2009, of French overseas territories policy, the final report of the “Etats Généraux given on Réunion Island in the Indian d’Outre-Mer,” a series of public work- Ocean on 19 January. Concerning shops about the future of all French French Polynesia, the president con- overseas territories, had been pre- sidered it intolerable that the people sented to the president, and the section of the country had to suffer from the from French Polynesia contained the irresponsibility of their politicians and recommendation to create a memorial announced the elaboration of a new for the victims of nuclear testing on electoral system before the end of the the atolls of Moruroa and Fangataufa year. This announcement received a in the Tuamotu archipelago from 1966 rather lukewarm reception in Tahiti, to 1996 (TPM, Nov 2009). Pretending since Sarkozy’s government had to follow these recommendations, Sar- already imposed an electoral system kozy announced in October his inten- reform in 2007 (against the expressed tion to declare the former nuclear test opinion of the French Polynesia sites on Moruroa, as well as the site assembly) and held early elections of the former air force supply base on under that reform in early 2008, with- Hao Atoll, as “places of memory and out improving political stability at all. territorial pride” in order to commem- Another section of Sarkozy’s speech orate French Polynesia’s contribution encountered major criticism; accord- to French national defense—thus ing to the president, independence was twisting the original proposition into an “impassable red line” for French its exact opposite. The local nuclear overseas territories. Pro-independence test victims’ association, Moruroa e pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 221

Tatou (MeT), reacted with outrage close to the testing site that were also to the president’s statement, calling affected by nuclear fallout (TP, 5 Dec it a provocation and a mockery of 2009). On 19 December, a protest the thousands of Polynesians suffer- march against the bill in its current ing from various radiation-induced form, organized in Papeete by MeT, diseases because of the tests (TP, 30 gathered about 2,000 people, includ- Oct 2009). ing upld and Tahoeraa political lead- The issue of health damages caused ers (TP, 19 Dec 2009). However, the by nuclear testing was another topic demonstration was to no avail, as the prevalent during the review period. French Parliament passed the bill into After long debates and much criticism law on 22 December (TPM, Jan 2010). from nuclear veterans’ associations, As the year went along, politi- the bill providing for the compensa- cal struggles once more filled the tion of nuclear test victims introduced headlines. As part of the coalition by Defense Minister Hervé Morin was agreement between To Tatou Aia and passed in the French National Assem- Tahoeraa that had brought Gaston bly on 30 June and on 14 October Tong Sang to power in November, in the Senate (TPM, Aug 2009, Nov Assembly Speaker Philip Schyle (of 2009). The Morin bill is intended to To Tatou Aia), elected in April 2009, provide compensation for former test was to resign after his one-year term site workers who suffer from a num- expired and leave the position to a ber of listed radiation-specific diseases. member of Tahoeraa. In mid-March Hitherto the victims had to prove the 2010, Gaston Flosse announced his connection between their symptoms candidacy for this position, as per the and radiation exposure in individual coalition agreement, and Tong Sang costly and time-consuming lawsuits. indicated acceptance of this. Schyle However, both MeT and the French protested vehemently on the grounds metropolitan nuclear victims’ associa- that Flosse was unacceptable due to tion aven have criticized the bill for the ongoing judicial investigations. In not going far enough. For example, in early April Schyle resigned from the order to be eligible for compensation, To Tatou Aia caucus to become an patients need to prove their employ- independent, thereby causing Tong ment at the testing base, which is Sang to lose his majority (TP, 3 April not always easy since many of them 2010). were hired on a casual basis, without Intensive negotiations between the much documentation. Second, the list different political camps followed, and of diseases recognized as radiation- eventually the three leaders presenting caused in the bill is limited, and many their candidacy for the vote on 9 April symptoms that were suggested by the were Gaston Flosse for Tahoeraa (and victims’ associations are not included. purportedly also for To Tatou Aia, Furthermore, the entire process is according to their agreement); Oscar limited to people who had been physi- Temaru for upld; and, surprisingly, cally present on the testing sites and a Temaru’s former ally Jean-Christophe few defined neighboring islands, but Bouissou (who had been close to Tong it excludes other inhabited islands Sang before joining Temaru’s camp). 222 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

In the first two rounds of voting, nents, themselves deeply divided into none of the candidates received a two camps—upld and Tahoeraa. majority, because most To Tatou Aia With no solution to continuing members refused to vote for Flosse political chaos in sight, in addition to and preferred Bouissou instead. In the worldwide financial crisis, it is not the third round, Flosse as the third- surprising that the economy of French rate contestant had to drop out, and Polynesia is in bad shape. In mid- Temaru was elected the new Speaker April, when the renowned American with a majority of 30 votes, against 20 financial rating agency Standard & for Bouissou and 7 abstentions. While Poor’s released its annual credit rating Bouissou’s scores remained constant of all countries and territories, French throughout the voting, Temaru’s tally Polynesia received a rating of bbb-, increased compared to his scores in the second-to-worst possible grade (TP, the first and second rounds, indicat- 22 April 2010). The country was thus ing that several Tahoeraa members ranked on par with many developing had eventually voted for him. In his countries in economic distress, such inaugural speech, Temaru thanked as Bangladesh, Gabon, and Mongolia, Flosse, whom he addressed as “aito” and got even lower ratings than other (hero), for his support; Flosse sarcasti- Pacific nations with economic dif- cally responded that Temaru should ficulties such as Fiji and Papua New rather thank Tong Sang, because the Guinea. Reasons given for the low latter had broken his promise and rating were the negative growth of thereby prevented Flosse from winning French Polynesia’s economy, financial (TP, 9 April 2010). Between the first mismanagement by the local govern- and the second rounds, Tong Sang had ment, and especially the rampant formally asked President Sarkozy to political instability, which makes dissolve the assembly and call for early economic policy unpredictable and elections, but the French president the country therefore unattractive for refused, pending the planned electoral investors (TPM, May 2010). In a move reform yet to be elaborated. that might further aggravate the bad In the ensuing election of the credit ranking, in January President assembly board and committees, upld Tong Sang procured a loan of 4.8 bil- and Tahoeraa divided the leadership lion cfp francs (US$48 million) from positions between themselves, while France, even though French Polynesia To Tatou Aia got none (TP, 14 April is already highly in debt from previ- 2010). Flosse meanwhile announced ous loans that have never been paid that Tahoeraa was no longer part of back (TPM, Feb 2010). In addition, the majority, but that for the time the country has become highly depen- being he would not ally himself with dent on direct financial assistance Temaru in order to overthrow Tong from Paris, as the French government Sang as president (TP, 15 April 2010). spent 239 billion cfp francs (US$2.39 This essentially meant a deadlocked billion) in the territory in 2009 (TP, situation in which Tong Sang was now 5 Aug 2010). In mid-May, President leading a minority government while Tong Sang claimed he had not been the assembly was run by his oppo- informed about the devastating finan- pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 223 cial situation during his earlier terms comparable to that of Latin American in office and thus had been unable to countries (TP, 10 March 2010). The do anything to improve it—a state- reason for this inequality lies in the ment through which he indirectly extreme disparity between the high admitted how dysfunctional the politi- salaries of the public service function- cal apparatus of the government was aries, who receive approximately 180 (TPM, June 2010). percent of their French metropolitan The low ranking by Standard & equivalents, and the minimum wage in Poor’s was not the only alarming the private sector, which is only about economic news. The tourism industry, 60 percent of the French level (TPM, once praised as the motor of French Dec 2008). Polynesia’s economic development, The agricultural sector, a basis for is in massive recession. The overall all successful Pacific Islands econo- number of visitors in 2009 was only mies, has been totally neglected in 163,000, lower than it was twenty French Polynesia. While most locally years ago (TPM, Feb 2010). With consumed food is imported, many most hotels seeing only 35 percent fertile lands, formerly intensively occupancy rates, many of them find cultivated, lie unused and overgrown. themselves only one step away from This seems astonishing, since unlike bankruptcy (TPM, April 2010). During in the two other Polynesian political the past two years, 6,000 Tahitians entities with a comparable rate of food lost their jobs, which for many of imports, Hawai‘i and Rapa Nui, most them meant sinking into total pov- land in French Polynesia is in pos- erty, since many urban working-class session of native families and should families have no access to subsistence thus be easily available for agriculture. agriculture and, unlike metropolitan In an interview during the annual France, French Polynesia has neither agricultural fair in September, Tahitian unemployment insurance nor welfare agriculturalist, scholar, and activist payments (TPM, May 2010). Gabriel Tetiarahi deplored the absence According to a study by the territo- of any significant agricultural policy rial office of statistics and the Agence by the successive territorial govern- Française de Développement (French ments for decades (TP, 13 Sept 2009). Development Agency) conducted in As if all of this was not enough, August 2009, more than one quarter the economic problems were aggra- of the population of French Poly- vated by natural disaster on 4 Febru- nesia were living below the poverty ary, when cyclone Oli devastated the line (defined as having an income Tuhaa Pae (Austral Islands) archipel- corres ponding to the legal minimum ago south of Tahiti. Especially hard hit wage), while at the same time the gap was the principal island Tubuai (TPM, between the rich and the poor was March 2010). increasing at an alarming rate. Accord- Despite all the internal troubles, ing to the study, income distribution foreign affairs remained an important in French Polynesia is much more field of political action. During the unequal than in metropolitan France; annual Pacific Islands Forum meeting the distribution pattern is rather in Cairns, Australia, in August 2009, 224 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) then President Temaru demanded a trasts markedly with New Caledonia, Tahiti embassy in Australia as well as where no one in the political spectrum full Forum membership. Both of these objects to the territory’s decoloniza- efforts were in vain (pir, 5 Aug 2009, tion, even though the pro-French par- 12 Aug 2009). ties there want the process of decolo- More dramatic was Temaru’s nization to result in a status other attempt to attend the United Nations than independence, which is only one Decolonisation Seminar, held in May of several options under international 2009 in Noumea, New Caledonia. law (Regnault 2010). Heading a UPLD delegation including In this context of lacking decolo- his lieutenant, Vito Maamaatuaia- nization with international oversight, hutapu; Senator Richard Tuheiava; one of the most burning issues is the and Representative Hiro Tefaarere currently uncontrolled immigration of (a turncoat politician who, originally French settlers. The need for a sepa- radically pro-independence, had been rate body politic for French Polynesia, part of Tong Sang’s party for some as was created for New Caledonia in time before recently rejoining upld), the 1998 Noumea Accord, became Temaru attempted to enter the pro- clear once again when the French ceedings of the seminar, to which he State Council (France’s highest court) had been invited by Kanak leaders. declared unconstitutional a local law His delegation was denied entry and enacted by the Assembly of French physically removed from the scene Polynesia that reserved 95 percent by French police forces, apparently of jobs in territorial administration because French Polynesia is not on the to persons resident for five years or UN list of non-self-governing territo- more, because it infringed on equality ries, and thus its representatives were clauses in the French constitution (TP, precluded from participating (TPM, 26 Nov 2009). June 2010). With an ongoing economic crisis, The incident once more resulted in increasingly corrupted and meaning- intensive polemics between pro- and less politics, as well as frustration anti-independence leaders in Tahiti. over the lack of progress toward The absence of French Polynesia decolonization through the as yet from that UN list (it was unilater- unsuccessful initiatives of the upld ally removed by France in 1947) leadership, it is not surprising that represents a great anomaly, since more radical activists are turning away virtually all other dependent territo- from the political system entirely and ries in the Pacific are listed. Temaru creating their own institutions and had demanded reinscription at every governments. One of these activ- Pacific Islands Forum meeting he ists, heir of the Tahitian royal family attended during his presidencies, Teriihinoiatua Joinville Pomare, had gaining some, but not yet sufficient, to postpone his planned installation as international support (Corbin 2009). king in September due to protests by Each time, his initiatives provoked his opponents (TP, 9 Sept 2009). But polemic and irrational critiques from his organization, Te Huiarii Mata- his adversaries at home. This con- ara e Pae (The Five Watchful Eyes of pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 225

Royalty, also known as the Royal/ an annual cultural event and was cel- Indigenous Customary Council), con- ebrated this year in Papeari on Tahiti’s tinued land occupations (TP, 10 May south shore (TP, 27 Nov 2009). In 2010), and strongly denounced party mid-May, five traditional Polynesian politics in an open letter to President sailing canoes, from Aotearoa (New Sarkozy complaining about corrup- =HDODQG WKH&RRN,VODQGV6ëPRD tion among the established politicians Fiji, and Tahiti, met off Raivavae in (TP, 7 Dec 2009). In addition to three the Austral Islands and continued their more obscure self-proclaimed royalist voyage through the country, gathering governments established a few years in Moorea, Tahiti, and finally Raiatea before (led by claimants Tauatomo for extensive ceremonies and cultural Mairau, Bruno Tapunui Fuller, and protocol (TPM, June 2010). Keatuaura Kemataru, respectively), The big cultural event of the year three others were created during the 2010, however, was to be the sailing review period: the highly controversial of an outrigger canoe from Tahiti to Hau Pakumotu (Government of the China, traversing more than 10,000 Island Clouds), led by Beky Teamo; kilometers of ocean through various the Nation Autochtone Maohi (Indige- countries of Polynesia, Melanesia, nous Maohi Nation), presided over by Southeast Asia, and East Asia. The Faahei a Tapu (TPM, April 2010); and voyage, intended to reversely duplicate the État Indépendent du Royaume de the historic migration route of the Tahiti et ses dépendances (Independent Austronesian peoples from southern State of the Tahitian Kingdom and its China through Taiwan and Southeast Dependencies), led by Michel Teha- Asia into the insular Pacific, was to ruru and other chiefly descendants end in Shanghai during the 2010 Expo (M Teharuru, pers comm, May 2010). and attract attention to the stand All of these organizations (the list of of French Polynesia and the Pacific which might not be exhaustive here) Islands pavilion. The project was argue, if not for immediate restoration initiated as a collaboration between of independent precolonial kingdoms Tahitian scientist and journalist Hiria in the area, then for recognition of Ottino and cultural activist Clément customary law and customary politi- Pito, who had started building the cal representation, as they have been canoe several years ago. While Pito recognized by France for more than a continued the construction of the century in both New Caledonia and vessel and contributed his cultural Wallis and Futuna. knowledge, Ottino, who had lived in Less explicitly political traditional China for several years, was able to cultural activities also continued to establish the necessary international play an important role during the contacts and procure funding from review period. The annual celebra- local philanthropists (TPM, Dec 2009). tion of Matarii I Nia (Rising of the However, after the canoe had been Pleiades) in late November, introduced completed, and was named Upoo in 2005 by an earlier Temaru govern- Tahiti (Head of Tahiti) and blessed in ment as a possible future national a traditional ceremony in mid-April, holiday, is now firmly established as the two partners had a falling-out and 226 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

Ottino subsequently left the project. 2009); US-born journalist Al Prince, Gaining the support of Assembly editor of the territory’s only English- Speaker Oscar Temaru, Ottino built language publication in the 1990s, the his own canoe in record time and Tahiti Beach Press, passed away at named it O Tahiti Nui Freedom, in 67 on 9 April (TP, 9 April 2010); and tune with Temaru’s political message. French mathematics professor Jacques Both canoes were ready to go by June, Borzeix, who was instrumental in the turning the cultural project into a race 1987 founding of the Tahiti branch to reach Shanghai before the closing of of French University of the Pacific the Expo (TPM, May 2010, July 2010). (which later became the separate A more serious controversy devel- University of French Polynesia in oped over another kind of vessel, the 1999) died in June in Noumea at age giant rapid ferry ship King Tamatoa, 67 (TPM, July 2010). which was brought to the country by The review period ended with yet international shipowner Bill Ravel another display of local politics, when and started service between Tahiti and on 10–14 June, French Polynesia’s the Leeward Islands in March 2010, public servants attempted to hold a intending to revolutionize interisland general strike to protest against the communications. While many people gradual cutting back of the bonuses appreciated the service offered, others on top of their pensions. The strike were concerned about the economic blocked the international airport impact and sustainability of operat- for four days, leaving thousands ing the huge ship, which was clearly of tourists stuck, which once more oversized for operating between small worsened the image of the country islands like those of French Polynesia as a destination and thus contributed (TPM, April 2010). Tong Sang’s gov- to the decreasing number of tourists ernment refused to exempt the ferry (TPM, July 2010). In the end, the strike from taxation, and since the business achieved nothing substantial, similar was not profitable, Ravel announced to many previous “general strikes” led that the ship would suspend service by union leaders well connected with unless it was granted tax-exempt the political class and not seriously status (TP, 7 June 2010). Since the interested in solving the country’s government would not give in to these economic problems. demands, the ferry eventually faced lorenz gonschor bankruptcy and in early July ceased operations and left the country (TP, 5 July 2010). References One of the few positive items in Corbin, Carlyle. 2009. Caribbean Self this review period might be that fewer Determination in the 21st Century. prominent people passed away than Address to a conference of Pueblo Sober- during the previous review period. ano of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, 27 Tahitian economist Emile Vanfasse, November. Published online in the Over- former minister of finance in the seas Territories Report 8 (4): 1–10. first Temaru government, died on http://www.normangirvan.info/wp-content/ 22 November at age 69 (TPM, Dec uploads/2009/12/corbin-caribbean-self pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 227

-determination.pdf [accessed 10 September maker, Merata Mita, who produced 2010] a number of outstanding television

DT, La Depêche de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. DQGILOPGRFXPHQWDULHVRQWKH0ëRUL VWUXJJOHDJDLQVW3ëNHKëRSSUHVVLRQ NT, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti. Daily. Tahiti. and racism, passed away. pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet 0XFKRIWKH3ëNHKëPHGLDDQL- news. Honolulu. http://pidp.eastwestcen- PRVLW\WRZDUG0ëRULLQWKHSDVW\HDU ter.org/pireport IRFXVHGRQWKH0ëRUL3DUW\PHPEHUV Regnault, Jean-Marc. 2010. Comprendre of Parliament (mps), and one in par- les mécanismes du Comité de Décolonisa- ticular. The media had been sniping tion de l’ONU. Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine, for some time with headlines such as June: 25. §0ëRUL$FWLYLVWVRQ:DUSDWK¨ Sun- tp, Tahitipresse. Daily Internet news. day News, 28 June 2009) and “mp’s Tahiti. http://www.tahitipresse.pf 8QFOHWR/HDG0ëRUL6RYHUHLJQW\3UR- tests” (nzpa, 28 June 2009), referring TPM, Tahiti-Pacifique Magazine. Monthly. Tahiti. http://www.tahiti-pacifique.com WR0ëRUL3DUW\MP Hone Harawira; §*RYHUQPHQW6FXSSHUV0ëRULTV’s Bid for Rugby Rights” (NZH, 13 Oct 2009); and “Luck Running Out for 0ëRUL,VVXHV Gaffe-prone Sharples” (NZH, 17 Oct 2009), referring to the party’s co- Since 20080ëRULKDYHVWDUWHGFODZ- leader, the Honorable Dr Pita Sharp- ing back a few hard-earned rights. We les. Late in October unauthorized mp KDGKRSHGWKDWWKH3ëNHKëPDMRULW\ spending came under parliamentary generally supported these. But our and media scrutiny, and several mem- hopes were dashed over the past year bers were targeted. At the time, Hone as first the media and then the gov- Harawira was part of a parliamentary ernment launched racist attacks on delegation to Geneva for a meeting YDULRXVVHJPHQWVRIWKH0ëRULFRP- of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the munity as part of its ongoing agenda world organization of parliaments. WRPDLQWDLQ3ëNHKëKHJHPRQ\WKDWLV During that meeting he sought and the retention of control of the coun- was given permission for leave to try’s resources, wealth, and privilege go to Paris for a day with his wife, LQ3ëNHKëKDQGV0ëRULPDQDJHGWR a private trip that he paid for him- withstand the onslaught and stand self. On 3 November he reported the firm in the face of determined efforts visit, and the permission to go, in his to undermine our leadership. How- weekly column in the 1RUWKODQG$JH ever, along the way we lost several 3ëNHKëPHGLDLPPHGLDWHO\GURSSHGLWV important leaders, including our investigation of unauthorized spend- entertainer extraordinaire, Sir Howard ing by other members of Parliament Morrison, with his beautiful voice, and turned their sights on Harawira’s dazzling showmanship, and unique trip to Paris, attacking him for using 0ëRULVHQVHRIKXPRU:HORVWKLPLQ New Zealand taxpayers’ money, when September 2009. Then in May 2010, LQIDFWKHKDGQRW7KH0ëRUL3DUW\ our internationally renowned film- issued a press statement answering 228 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

WKHPHGLDTXHVWLRQLQJ 0ëRUL3DUW\ He had miscalculated the level of 2009a), and the matter should have VXSSRUWIRU+DUDZLUDLQWKH0ëRUL ended there. community, and particularly in his However, among the numerous RZQ7DLWRNHUDXHOHFWRUDWH7KH0ëRUL threatening and abusive private Party leadership reeled under the racist e-mails Harawira received on the onslaught, which was fueled by the matter (pers comm, 10 Nov 2009) prime minister’s publicly advising the was one from an individual known 0ëRUL3DUW\WKDW+DUDZLUDVKRXOGJR IRUKLVDWWDFNVRQKLVRZQ0ëRUL Harawira apologized for the hurt he people (Mutu 2007). Most unwisely, had caused the party, for the offense Harawira dashed off an angry but pri- he had caused to women by his use vate response in which he used English of English expletives, and for the bad expletives to remind the individual of H[DPSOHKHKDGVHWIRU\RXQJ0ëRUL the widely published history of ongo- 0ëRUL3DUW\2009b). However, he ing stealing, raping, and pillaging by did not withdraw his reference to the 3ëNHKëRI0ëRULDQGRXUODQGVDQG KLVWRU\RI3ëNHKëWUHDWPHQWRI0ëRUL resources. 7KH0ëRUL3DUW\VRUWHGLWVHOIRXWDQG For an unscrupulous and unprin- Harawira returned to Parliament after cipled person this presented an the Christmas break. opportunity for media exposure, That did not stop the prime minis- ZKLFKVRPHHOHPHQWVRI3ëNHKëPHGLD WHUªVRUWKH3ëNHKëPHGLDªVFDPSDLJQ in this country could be relied on to against Harawira. In January, the fully exploit. After his visit in 2005, prime minister was reported as saying, Professor Rodolfo Stavenhagen, the “I would utterly reject the perspective United Nations (UN) Special Rap- that Hone Harawira has on New Zea- porteur on the Situation of Human land’s history and the role of settlers Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and others in New Zealand” (tvnz of Indigenous People, had issued a 2010). The prime minister was advised damning report in which he stated, to read the reports of the Waitangi Tri- “Public media should be encouraged bunal in order to be better informed. to provide a balanced, unbiased and In February 2010, the Dargaville QRQUDFLVWSLFWXUHRI0ëRULLQ1HZ News reported that Harawira had told Zealand society” (Stavenhagen 2006). people at a public meeting to dump But that advice has been ignored, and chains and anchors into the Kaipara 0ëRULZKRUDLVHWKHLVVXHRI3ëNHKë harbor. Harawira issued a statement DWURFLWLHVFRPPLWWHGDJDLQVW0ëRULDUH H[SODLQLQJWKDW3ëNHKëVSHDNHUVDW still typically vilified by members of the meeting had advocated the action, WKH3ëNHKëPHGLD not he. No apology was issued for the So the unscrupulous opportun- erroneous report (Dargaville News ist immediately released the private editor, pers comm, 30 Aug 2010). e-mail from Harawira to the media But Harawira was not deterred. and then exploited the resulting frenzy, He continued calling hui (gather- JLYLQJQXPHURXVLQWHUYLHZVWR3ëNHKë ings) around the country to ascertain PHGLD+RZHYHU0ëRULPHGLDZHUH 0ëRULRSLQLRQRQNH\LVVXHVSDUWLFX- much less tolerant of his behavior. larly the ownership and control of pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 229 the foreshore and seabed, as well as ered a hard-hitting speech on Race the damage that tobacco has done to Relations Day in which he admitted 0ëRUL+HDQGWKHRWKHU0ëRUL3DUW\ that the relationship between the members of Parliament continued 1DWLRQDO3DUW\DQGWKH0ëRUL3DUW\ their punishing schedule of speak- in government was at times “very dif- ing to every bill that came before the ficult and stressful.” He regretted the House, while actively supporting their decision of the government of which constituents as they were driven to he is a part to have no designated protest the theft of their lands and the VHDWVIRU0ëRULRQWKHQHZ$XFNODQG GHVHFUDWLRQRIWKHLUZëKLWDSX VDFUHG super-city council. Noting that New sites). In the Far North in August Zealand’s refusal to ratify or support 20090ëRULLVVXHGDWUHVSDVVQRWLFH the UN Declaration on the Rights of to a forestry company that had leased Indigenous Peoples was “a source land that the Crown had confiscated, of race-relations embarrassment to citing several years of illegal logging 0ëRUL¨6KDUSOHVVDLGKHZDVZRUN- of native timber, failure to protect LQJKDUGWRFKDQJHWKDW 0ëRUL3DUW\ ZëKLWDSXDQGGDPDJHWRQHLJKERU- 2010b). LQJ0ëRULODQG,QWKHVDPHDUHDLQ Later in the year, it was embarrass- January 20101JëWL.DKXVXSSRUWHG LQJIRUWKH0ëRUL3DUW\WRKDYHWRVXS- WKHUHSRVVHVVLRQRIWKHLUODQGVDW7DLSë port tax cuts for the wealthy and an after the Crown refused to discuss the increase in goods and services tax after return of private lands as part of the they had campaigned for tax relief settlement of their claims. In August IRUWKHSRRU0ëRULXQHPSOR\PHQW 2009 in the central North Island, was up to 15.4 percent, while the rate 1JëWL+DND3DWXKHXKHXUHSRVVHVVHGD IRU3ëNHKëZDV4.6 percent. Unem- road through their territories, accusing SOR\PHQWDPRQJ0ëRUL\RXWKZDV the government of negotiating with particularly worrying, having climbed others to settle their claims to their to 30.4 percent (hrc 2010). Then, in own lands. In March 2010 desper- May, the prime minister intervened DWHDWWHPSWVE\1JëWL0DQLDSRWRRI in negotiations to settle the Treaty of 0DURNRSDPDUDHWRVWRSWKHLUZëKL :DLWDQJLFODLPVRI7ąKRHGHFODULQJ tapu, Te Rongomai o Te Karaka, that the Crown refused to relinquish from being blown up by a private Te Urewera National Park to its company, failed. Even pleas from the rightful owners after negotiators had 0ëRUL3DUW\FROHDGHUWKH+RQRUDEOH reached agreement that it would. On 7DUDLDQD7ąULDZHQWXQKHHGHG2Q PRVWRIWKHVHLVVXHVWKH0ëRUL3DUW\ 10 March, the day after Clearwater did challenge and attack the National +\GURFRPSDQ\GHVWUR\HGWKHZëKL government. WDSX7ąULDLVVXHGDQDQJU\SUHVV Yet in his Race Relations Day statement calling them coldhearted speech, Sharples also listed positive and accusing them of having reckless aspects of the National–0ëRUL3DUW\ disregard for mana whenua (people relationship. These included the fact KROGLQJWUDGLWLRQDODXWKRULW\  0ëRUL that the loathed Foreshore and Seabed Party, 2010a). Act 2004 would be repealed, although Also in March, Pita Sharples deliv- the gains from this were almost lost 230 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) when the government issued a discus- 3ëNHKë 7DRQXL2010). The design sion document indicating that the act represents the balance of natural would be replaced by legislation that forces with each other. The central was almost exactly the same as what white koru (depicting a young fern was being repealed. To try to ensure frond) symbolizes new beginnings and fairer and more just legislation, intense the unfolding of new life, offering the discussions were held among the promise of renewal and hope for the 1DWLRQDO3DUW\WKH0ëRUL3DUW\WKH future. It lies between horizontal pan- National Iwi Chairs Forum (a group els of black and red. The upper black of mandated leaders of iwi [tribal panel represents the realm of potential JURXSLQJV@DQGKDSą>JURXSLQJVRI being, the beginnings of creation, and extended families]). the long, deep darkness from whence 7KHGHYHORSPHQWRIWKH:KëQDX the world emerged. It also represents Ora (Well Families) program that the heavens and the male element. The would see government agencies lower red panel represents the realm of GHOLYHULQJVHUYLFHVDFFRUGLQJWR0ëRUL coming into being, the female element. societal needs and directives rather ,WUHSUHVHQWV3DSDWąëQXNXWKHHDUWK than government preferences was also mother, the nurturer and sustainer of DQLPSRUWDQW0ëRUL3DUW\LQLWLDWLYH all living things (New Zealand History Yet it appeared that implementation of online). such a program would not be straight- 0ëRUL3DUW\VXSSRUWIRU0ëRUL forward. The prime minister declared Television to lead the bid for television that services had to be delivered to coverage of the Rugby World Cup all New Zealanders and not just to LQFOXGHGWKHPLQLVWHURI0ëRUL$IIDLUV 0ëRUL*RYHUQPHQWDJHQFLHVZHUH providing funding for them to mount also resisting having to work together their bid. This brought the wrath of and having to transfer their budgets to 3ëNHKëWHOHYLVLRQLQWHUHVWVGRZQRQ 0ëRULIRFXVHGDJHQFLHVEHWWHUSODFHG the minister’s head when their bids to deliver services. As a result, only were rejected by the International a relatively small proportion of the 5XJE\%RDUGZKLOHWKH0ëRUL7HOHYL- welfare budget was allocated to the sion bid was kept in the running. For initiative. a short but embarrassing few days, it 7KH0ëRUL3DUW\FRXOGDOVRWDNH seemed that another government min- credit for the tino rangatiratanga flag LVWHUFRXOGSUHYHQW0ëRUL7HOHYLVLRQ flying at Parliament and on the Auck- from continuing to bid. But on this land harbor bridge, even if it did only occasion the prime minister intervened fly on Waitangi Day. The tino ran- to ensure that such blatant racism gatiratanga flag was voted for as the could not feature in an international SUHIHUUHG0ëRULIODJIRUWKHFRXQWU\ bidding round, correctly assessing the ,WLVVWURQJO\DVVRFLDWHGZLWK0ëRUL likely damage it would do to the coun- VRYHUHLJQW\DQGWKHVWUXJJOHIRU0ëRUL WU\ªVUHSXWDWLRQRQ0ëRULLVVXHV to free ourselves from the oppres- 7KH0ëRUL3DUW\KDVLQVLVWHGRQ sion, discrimination, marginalization, a “rangatira to rangatira” (chief to subjugation, and near obliteration we chief ) approach in its dealings with the have experienced at the hands of the National Party as well as any dealings pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 231

EHWZHHQ0ëRULWULEDOJURXSLQJVDQG money to buy back lands stolen by the the government. In the Treaty of Wai- Crown and smaller amounts of land tangi claims settlement area, the previ- to which the Crown has agreed to ous government set this as a precedent relinquish its claims. Deeds of settle- DQGWKH0ëRUL3DUW\KDVLQVLVWHGRQ ment are needed to confirm each of it being retained. As a result, several these agreements. deeds of settlement have been signed By far the most significant achieve- between the Crown and the claimant PHQWRIWKH0ëRUL3DUW\WKLV\HDUZDV JURXSVDOWKRXJKWKH0ëRUL3DUW\KDV gaining the government’s support for acknowledged that they still deliver the UN Declaration on the Rights of only a tiny fraction of what was stolen Indigenous Peoples. It is indicative of and none of them deliver restitution WKHVWDWHRI0ëRUL3ëNHKëUHODWLRQV DWWKHOHYHOVDYDLODEOHIRU3ëNHKëZKR LQWKLVFRXQWU\WKDWZKLOH0ëRULZHUH take claims against the Crown. jubilant on hearing the news filtering In December 2009ERWK1JëWL through from New York, the prime :KDUHDQG1JëWL0DQDZDVLJQHG minister was desperately trying to deeds of settlement. Both are part of play down its significance. Fearing the larger Central North Island for- D3ëNHKëEDFNODVKWKHJRYHUQPHQW estry settlement (Mutu 2009, 165– had encouraged little public discus- 166), and both had been left virtually sion about the declaration. There landless as a result of the Crown’s ille- was also no announcement that New gal activities. Their deeds of settlement Zealand was now supporting it, signal the return of small areas of their prior to Dr Sharples’s delivering the ODQGWRWKHLUFRQWURO)RU1JëWL:KDUH government’s statement at the meet- the Crown will relinquish its claims ing of the UN Permanent Forum for to a little less than 60 hectares of their Indigenous Issues in New York on 20 approximately 192,000-hectare terri- April 2010$QGWKH3ëNHKëUHDFWLRQ tories (OTS 2009E )RU1JëWL0DQDZD LIPHDVXUHGE\WKDWRI3ëNHKëPHGLD the Crown will relinquish its claims to did appear to be generally negative. approximately 800 hectares of their %XWWKH3ëNHKëPHGLDVHHPHGWREH “large” territories (ots 2009a). Also PRUHFRQFHUQHGWKDWZKLOH0ëRUL in December 2009, Waikato-Tainui Television had been present in New signed a deed of settlement for the York for the announcement, they had management of their river (Mutu known nothing about it. And viewers 2010, 182 DVGLG1JëWL5DXNDZD RI0ëRUL7HOHYLVLRQZHUHWROGRIWKH The five iwi of Te Hiku o te Ika pending announcement several hours (the Far North); Te Kawerau a Maki before it was made. In response to of West Auckland; the Tamaki Collec- 3ëNHKëPHGLDªVLQGLJQDQWGHPDQGVRI WLYHRI$XFNODQG1JëWL0DQXKLULD 7DULDQD7ąULDIRUDQH[SODQDWLRQDV KDSąRI1JëWL:DLMXVWQRUWKRI$XFN- to why they were not told, she simply ODQGDQG1JëWL:KëWXDR.DLSDUD smiled and quipped that they were not from the Kaipara harbor all signed indigenous. agreements in principle to settle their But the significance of New Zea- claims (ots 2010). All agreements land’s support for the declaration mention relatively small amounts of ZDVQRWORVWRQ0ëRUL6LU7DLKëNXUHL 232 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011)

Edward Durie, retired high court who helped to achieve this result” judge and long-serving chairman of (Harawira 2010). the Waitangi Tribunal, sent the follow- margaret mutu LQJPHVVDJHWRWKH0ëRUL3DUW\VKRUWO\ after the announcement in New York: §0\FRQJUDWXODWLRQVWRWKH0ëRUL References Party caucus for the Party’s role in 'DUJDYLOOH1HZV 2010. Hone Tells Protes- securing New Zealand’s support tors to Drop Chains into Harbour. 26 for the UN Declaration of Rights of February. Indigenous Peoples. Were nothing else Harawira, Hone. 2010. Speech: The Decla- done in the Party’s lifetime, this one ration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples. thing would be enough to secure for it Delivered in Parliament, 21 April. DWUHDVXUHGSODFHLQ0ëRULKLVWRU\ “Notwithstanding the progress hrc, Human Rights Commission. 2010. made through all the tribunal reports Youth Unemployment Needs Action. Press Release. http://www.hrc.co and court cases from the 1980s, and .nz/home/hrc/newsandissues/ the consequential changes in legisla- youthunemploymentneedsaction.php tion and official policy, I would still [accessed 27 August 2010] rank the day that New Zealand gave support to the Declaration as the most 0ëRUL3DUW\2009a. To Paris or Not to Paris. Press release, 5 November. VLJQLILFDQWGD\LQDGYDQFLQJ0ëRUL rights since 6th February 1840 [when ———. 2009E6WDWHPHQWIURPWKH0ëRUL the Treaty of Waitangi was signed]. Party. Press release, 2 December. “I do not overlook that the Decla- ———. 2010a. Kohatu Blow-up Was ration has only moral force. The same Cold-hearted and Unnecessary Says Turia. is said of the Treaty. Important state- Press release, 10 March. ments of principle established through ———. 2010b. Speech: Race Relations international negotiation and accla- Dinner. The Honorable Dr Pita Sharples, mation filter into law in time through 0LQLVWHURI0ëRUL$IIDLUV21 March. both governments and the courts, Mutu, Margaret. 2007. Evidence of which look constantly for universal Professor Margaret Mutu on Behalf statements of principle in developing of the Appellant in Nga Uri o Wiremu policy or deciding cases. 0RURPRQD5DXD.R:KDNDURQJRKDX “Most significant for the present is 3LWD,QFRUSRUDWHGY.LQJVIRUG%DUNHU the statement that recurs throughout and Associates and the Far North Dis- the Declaration that indigenous people trict Council in the Environment Court, should be dealt with through their Auckland. own institutions, a matter with potent ———. 2009. Polynesia in Review: Issues implications for the Office of Treaty and Events, 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008: Settlements, the Crown Forestry 0ëRUL,VVXHVThe Contemporary Pacific Rental Trust, the Waitangi Tribunal 21:162–169. and for those developing policy for ———. 2010. Polynesia in Review: Issues social service delivery. and Events, 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009: “I hope something will be done in 0ëRUL,VVXHVThe Contemporary Pacific time to honour those of our people 22:179–183. pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 233

New Zealand History online. The =1&pagesize=5 [accessed 21 September National Maori Flag. http://www 2010] .nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/national -maori-flag [accessed 31 August 2010]. 1RUWKODQG$JH7ZLFHZHHNO\.DLWëLD Rapa Nui New Zealand. The year under review was marked by NZH, New Zealand Herald. Daily. Auckland. heavy political upheavals on Rapa Nui that were still unfolding at the time of nzpa, New Zealand Press Association. this writing. A very successful protest ots, Office of Treaty Settlements. 2009a. action in August 2009 initiated a pro- Summary of the Deed of Settlement cess of limiting immigration, while a EHWZHHQWKH&URZQDQG7H5ąQDQJDR historic change of political leadership 1JëWL0DQDZDKWWSZZZQ]01.2day in Chile in early 2010 caused a recon- .terabyte.co.nz/ots/DocumentLibrary/ figuration of local politics through the NgatiManawaDeedofSettlementsummary controversial appointment of former .pdf [accessed 14 August 2010] Mayor Petero Edmunds as governor. ———. 2009b. Summary of Deed of This in turn precipitated a far-reaching Settlement between the Crown and and ongoing political crisis. 7H5ąQDQJDR1JëWL:KDUH The review period started rather http://www.nz01.2day.terabyte.co calmly. On 11–14 July, the French .nz/ots/DocumentLibrary/ warship Prairial visited the Island in NgatiWhareDeedofSettlementSummary order to unload building materials .pdf. [accessed 14 August 2010] for the establishment of a branch of ———. 2010. Four Monthly Report the Alliance Française, an organiza- November 2009–February 2010. http:// tion promoting French language and nz01.terabyte.co.nz/ots/DocumentLibrary/ culture abroad, in Hanga Roa. This FourMonthlyReportNov09toFeb10final followed a visit by the French ambas- .pdf [accessed 14 August 2010] sador to Chile earlier in 2009 (French Stavenhagen, Rodolfo. 2006. Report of embassy in Chile website, undated the Special Rapporteur on the Situation article), an act symbolizing the nor- of Human Rights and Fundamental malization of Franco-Chilean relations Freedoms of Indigenous People. Mission regarding Rapa Nui, which was in the to New Zealand. E/CN.4/2006/78/Add.3. French colonial sphere of influence for United Nations Human Rights Commis- sion, Geneva, 13 March. two decades before being annexed by Chile in 1888. 6XQGD\1HZVWeekly, Auckland. In mid-July, a controversy arose Taonui, Rawiri. 2010. Time for New over planning for the solar eclipse of Zealand to Show All Its Colours. NZH, 31 11 July 2010, named “Honu Eclipse” December 2009. on the Island, for which all tourist accommodations were booked out tvnz, TV New Zealand website. 2010. Key: Harawira Comments Divisive and a year in advance (RNJ, Oct 2009, Negative. 13 January. http://tvnz.co.nz/ 172). Since the event was expected politics-news/key-harawira-comments to bring up to 50,000 tourists at -divisive-and-negative-3329623?page one time, local authorities were very 234 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) concerned (ST, 3 Aug 2009). The Paralleling the visitor count, polemics about the event increased the number of cars on Rapa Nui as a group of Chilean promoters is exploding as well: according to planned a techno dance festival during estimates, there are now up to four the eclipse, which gained the sup- vehicles per inhabitant, which would port of the Rapa Nui Parliament, the mean over 19,000 total (RNJ, Oct Island’s pro- independence body under 2009, 173). Though this estimate may its president, Leviante Araki; but no seem much too high, there is indeed government entity authorized it. In a frequent traffic congestion on the protest letter published online, Cris- Island, and the density of vehicles in tian Moreno- Pakarati criticized Araki Hanga Roa is certainly extraordinarily for his support of the event, arguing high for such a small community. that tourists would come anyway to During 2009, a second bank, Banco see the eclipse and that the planned Santander, opened in Hanga Roa to festival would pose unnecessary risks compete with the hitherto monopoly- for the Island’s historic monuments wielding Chilean State Bank (RNJ, (trn, 11 July 2009). After long hesi- Oct 2009, 171). While competition tation, the governor’s office finally may bring more advantages for bank authorized the festival in May 2010 customers, the installation of such (La Tercera, 8 May 2010). outsider-controlled businesses raises Even without the possible visitor concerns among Rapanui who are overkill for the eclipse, the growth of worried about losing control over the tourism has reached extreme dimen- Island’s economy. sions, with 64,495 visitors in 2008 On 5 August, virtually the entire (ST, 25 Aug 2009). This figure (which community gathered at the Hanga was then about twelve annual visitors Roa stadium to support the aspiring per inhabitant and has been increasing Rapanui national football team, cf at an annual growth rate of about 20 Rapa Nui, in what was called by local percent) now constitutes the highest media the “match of the century” per capita tourism rate in any Pacific against the popular professional Chil- Island entity, —more than twice that ean team Colo-Colo. While cf Rapa of Hawai‘i, which held that distinc- Nui unsurprisingly lost the match, it tion for decades. While many Islanders did so with a rather fair score of 0 to appreciate the economic benefits of 4, a very good showing for an ama- tourism (since, unlike in other mass teur team playing for the first time tourism destinations like Hawai‘i and against professionals (trn, 5 Aug Guam, the visitor industry on Rapa 2009; RNJ, Oct 2009, 171–172). More Nui is almost completely in native importantly from the point of view of hands), its recent exponential explo- political analysis, the match became a sion has made more and more people manifestation of an emerging Rapanui concerned about its sustainability. national consciousness. When the Earlier estimates had set the Island’s team as well as the spectators enthu- carrying capacity at 20,000 yearly siastically sang the Rapanui national visitors (di Castri 2003, 45)—a figure DQWKHP§©,+ï$+RWX0DWX©D¨ now far surpassed. before the start, dozens of Rapanui pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 235 flags (but not a single Chilean one) but these requests have been to no could be seen proudly flying among avail. the audience (YouTube 2009). It was not surprising then that While aspirations for more political more drastic actions of resistance fol- autonomy, if not independence, are lowed. On 17 August, activists of the thus clearly on the rise, the organic Rapanui Parliament—led by Leviante law bill for a special political sta- Araki as well as the two pro-indepen- tus introduced by Chilean President dence members of the Easter Island Michelle Bachelet in July 2008, which Development Commission (codeipa), in its current form is clearly insuffi- Mario Tuki and Raúl Teao—blocked cient but would nevertheless represent the runway of the Island’s interna- a small first step in the right direc- tional airport with several cars and tion, was dragging along in Chile’s trucks, preventing flights to and from Congress (for an evaluation of the the Island, in order to protest against bill, see Gonschor 2009, 172–174). the unchecked growth of mass tourism By March 2009 the bill had not even and the ongoing unlimited immigra- passed in the Chamber of Deputies, tion of Chilean settlers. Araki, Tuki, let alone in the Senate, and since that and Teao demanded that the Chilean time there has been no further action government immediately initiate steps (Congress of the Republic of Chile to control immigration; otherwise the website, accessed 17 Aug 2010). This occupation of the airport would go on incredibly slow legislative process fur- (ST, 17 Aug 2000; gip, 17 Aug 2009). ther increased the frustration among In the event of continuing government Rapanui with the Chilean political inaction, Araki threatened to declare system, especially compared with the the Island independent. He said there French legislature, which introduced, was no problem with tourists as such, debated, and passed a new, albeit con- but there were big problems with troversial, organic law for neighboring people from the Chilean continent, French Polynesia within three months some of them with criminal records, in late 2007. coming to stay on Rapa Nui (People’s What was most frustrating about Daily, 27 Aug 2009). the special status bill, however, was In a video conference, the activists the total absence of measures to con- reached an understanding with Chil- trol immigration of Chilean nationals ean Undersecretary for the Interior to the Island. The number of inhab- Patricio Rosende, and they agreed to itants has risen dramatically in the end the blockade when Rosende prom- last few years, from 3,800 in 2002 ised to enact measures of immigra- to almost 5,000 today (pir, 18 Aug tion control within twenty days. The 2010), and aboriginal Rapanui have leaders of the protest planned to fly to not been in the majority since 2006 Santiago on the next scheduled flight (RNJ, May 2006, 86). For many years, to discuss with him the details of the a large majority of Islanders have been immigration control regime. A group asking the Chilean government to put of women within the group, however, in place immigration controls like did not agree with the settlement and those in Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, blocked the runway again in order to 236 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) prevent the delegation from leaving, ernment initially complied with the arguing that the undersecretary should ruling by declaring the filing of the come to the Island and not vice versa. form to be voluntary (ST, 8 Oct 2009), Rosende agreed with the request, and but the possibility of further acts of after forty hours, the blockade was civil disobedience indicated that this ended (trn, Aug 2009). could not be a permanent solution. In the following week, Undersec- The government eventually decided retary Rosende traveled to Rapa Nui to hold a plebiscite on the Island and and was presented with a proposed then amend the Chilean constitution immigration control scheme, which accordingly (trn, Oct 2009). had been elaborated in community Conveniently, on 15 September workshops prior to his arrival. The 2009, Convention 169 of the Inter- government promised to make this national Labour Organisation (ILO) proposal into law as soon as pos- concerning Indigenous and Tribal sible (GIP, 21 Aug 2009; EMOL, 23 Aug Peoples in Independent Countries 2009; ST, 25 Aug 2009). The ongo- entered into force in Chile, since Chile ing negotiations about the proposal had ratified it a year before (Fondo overlapped with the 121st anniversary Indígena, 19 Aug 2008; Government of the Island’s annexation by Chile on of Chile 2008). The application of this 9 September, which was as usual com- convention to Rapa Nui is generally memorated by the Chilean govern- problematic, since the Rapanui are ment and a few elite Rapanui leaders not an indigenous people within an (La Nación, special edition, 25 Sept independent country but rather the 2009). people of a dependent territory—an On 15 September the immigration- important distinction in international control system elaborated in the work- law. But in the case of the immigration shops and negotiations was enacted dilemma, the convention turned out by decree by Undersecretary Rosende. to be indeed helpful. According to the According to the scheme, all visitors to convention: “Special measures shall be Rapa Nui would be required to fill out adopted as appropriate for safeguard- a form declaring the duration of and ing the persons, institutions, property, reason for their visit. In a dramatic labour, cultures and environment of action, Rosende personally handed the peoples concerned,” and “govern- the first forms to passengers bound to ments shall . . . consult the peoples Rapa Nui at Santiago Airport (trn, concerned, through appropriate proce- Sept 2009). dures and in particular through their However, an unidentified plaintiff representative institutions, whenever filed a judicial complaint against this consideration is being given to legisla- measure. The Supreme Court of Chile tive or administrative measures which ruled on 7 October that the scheme may affect them directly” (ilo 1989, was unconstitutional, as the con- articles 4.1 and 6.1a). Thus a referen- stitution guarantees free movement dum limited to ethnic Rapanui con- and choice of residence to citizens cerning the immigration issue could be throughout the national territory (El justified. Mostrador, 7 Oct 2009). The gov- In the plebiscite, which took place pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 237 on 24 October, an overwhelming the overall results in Chile. In the majority (96.3 percent of the 706 first round on 13 December, among participants) voted in favor of amend- the two leading candidates, Sebastián ing the Chilean constitution to enable Piñera of the right-wing opposition immigration controls in Rapa Nui Alianza coalition led the vote with (gip, 26 Oct, 5 Nov 2009). However, 44.05 percent in Chile and 45.25 per- many of the 1,300 eligible voters had cent on Rapa Nui; Eduardo Frei of the chosen not to participate, probably hitherto governing center-left Concer- because members of the Parliament tación, who had been president from had expressed their doubts about the 1994 to 2000, received 29.60 percent process (emol, 24 Oct 2009). on the continent and also came in Referring to the referendum second on Rapa Nui with 26.05 per- results, as well as the precedents in cent. In the runoff between the leading the Ecuadorian Galápagos Islands and contenders on 17 January, Piñera won the Colombian islands of San Andrés, a close race on the continent with Providencia, and Santa Catalina (to 51.60 percent, while on Rapa Nui he which Ecuadorian or Columbian received a much higher percentage of citizens, respectively, can migrate only the vote (60.19 percent) (Ministry of with special permissions), President Interior, Government of Chile). Bachelet introduced a bill for a con- Concurrently with the first round, stitutional amendment in Congress on national elections were also held for 28 October. According to the bill, the senators and deputies in Congress. Special Territories of Easter Island and For both purposes, Rapa Nui is part Juan Fernández, because of their spe- of a larger Valparaíso constituency cific geographic circumstances, would with hundreds of thousands of vot- be excepted from the general right of ers, so the Island’s votes are almost free movement and residence within irrelevant for these elections. Island- Chile (Government of Chile 2009; ers have often complained about the subdere, 6 Nov 2009). absence of separate representation for Unsurprisingly, the bill moved very the Island in Congress, but so far to slowly through Congress. Only on 27 no avail. Congressional elections thus July 2010 did the Senate pass it, and do not usually attract major interest now it must go through the Cham- of local politics. Notable, however, ber of Deputies. The slow legislative was the large number of Islander votes process was again creating frustration, for Senate candidate Joaqín Lavín, which would lead to more serious due to his personal popularity with unrest later in 2010. many Rapanui, including some of the Near the end of 2009, however, pro-independence leaders. Neverthe- attention turned to Chilean national less, Lavín did not win in the wider politics as President Bachelet’s term constituency. in office drew to its end (Chilean law The victory of Piñera, the first prohibits consecutive terms in office) right-wing president to be democrati- and the presidential elections became cally elected in post-Pinochet Chile, hotly contested. Overall, election marked a historic change for Chile results on the island closely matched and had important implications for 238 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) the political scene on Rapa Nui as For more than two years, the Ital- well. Ever since the Concertación ian foundation Mare Nostrum and had started ruling Chile in 1990, the the French fashion company Louis Rapanui elite closely collaborated Vuitton had planned an exhibition with it, while the local support for featuring a Rapanui mo‘ai (megalithic the Alianza has come at least partly sculpture) in the center of Paris. The from the local opposition of Rapanui project gained the support of the nationalists. This seemed at times odd, chairman of the Chamber of Tour- since one would expect the Chilean ism, Edgar Hereveri, but many people right to have less understanding for protested against it, worrying about Rapanui nationalism than the left. possible damages to the mo‘ai during However, one should avoid seeing transport. In a plebiscite organized Polynesian political affiliations from by the Chilean National Council Western ideological perspectives, since of Monuments on 1 March, a large personal relations are usually far more majority (89 percent) among the important than ideology (Pakarati- 883 participants rejected the project Novoa 2009, 200)—a situation that (cnmc, undated article; Tahitipresse, parallels attitudes toward metropoli- 9 Apr 2009; RNJ, May 2010, 78)—set- tan politics in other Pacific dependent ting a precedent on how to responsibly territories such as French Polynesia or handle similar projects in the future. Wallis and Futuna. After his inauguration on 11 In this sense, the election results on March, President Piñera appointed Rapa Nui not only reflected general new governors for all Chilean prov- trends in Chilean politics (which inces (subdere, 17 March 2009). is certainly an important aspect, While local representatives of the since about half of the local voters Alianza had presented Piñera with a are Chilean settlers), but the above list of five Rapanui right-wing politi- average vote for Piñera could also be cians to choose from, the president interpreted as a rejection of the local ignored their wishes and instead elite affiliated with the Concertación. appointed former Mayor Petero In particular, the popularity of the Edmunds to succeed Bachelet-appoin- two former mayors of Rapa Nui, tee Carolina Hotu as the Island’s Petero Edmunds and Alberto Hotus governor (RNJ, May 2010, 75). Since (who claims to be the president of the Edmunds is a member of the Concer- Rapanui Council of Elders), has been tación, his appointment caused wide- decreasing for some time. spread consternation and resentment During the transition between among both Alianza members in Chile Piñera’s election and his inaugura- and local representatives of the right- tion, the construction of the new wing coalition such as Amelia Olivares hospital, which had been planned for and Julio Araki, who felt betrayed several years, finally started (gip, 22 by Piñera’s choice (La Segunda, 17 Feb 2010). Shortly thereafter, another March 2010; ST, 19 March 2010). referendum under the parameters of Many of them had heavily criticized ILO Convention 169 solved a long- Edmunds during his fourteen years standing controversy on the Island: as mayor from 1994 to 2008, with pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 239 charges of corruption and either an appointment, again to no avail. overly anti-Chilean or overly pro- Among the charges against Edmunds Chilean attitude, depending on their (besides his being from the wrong individual perspectives (Radio Biobio, party) was alleged corruption during 16 March 2010). As an expression of his time in office as mayor from 1994 their indignation, activists resigned to 2008, including his involvement in their Alianza memberships and burned controversial investment projects and Chilean flags and posters of Piñera allegations of fraudulent use of the in front of the governor’s office (Las Island’s tax-free status to obtain free Últimas Noticias, 22 March 2010; licenses for vehicles circulating on the RNJ, May 2010, 75). continent (The Clinic, 1 April 2010; Piñera was unimpressed by the pro- trn, June 2010). tests and maintained his choice. His By mid-May, the protest had been appointment of Edmunds might have going on for two months. In an been a tactical move to tie Edmunds interview with a Chilean newspaper, to the new Chilean government and both Enzo Muñoz (a non-Rapanui thereby simultaneously split the local member of Alianza who represents elite of Concertación supporters and the Island in the Regional Council of prevent a possible radicalization of Valparaíso) and Rapanui Parliament- Edmunds. Edmunds, as both a char- affiliated codeipa member Raúl Teao ismatic and an opportunistic local once again denounced the governor politician, could easily be imagined and demanded his resignation (emol, turning into a pro-independence leader 13 May 2010). It was also alleged if no longer backed by metropolitan that Edmunds, as current governor, Chile, similar to the French-puppet- was involved in some land-dealing turned-Tahitian-nationalist Gaston schemes, and that this might have Flosse in Tahiti. In addition, Piñera been part of the deal of his appoint- probably had no real trust in the local ment (La Nación, 3 Aug 2010; trn, Alianza supporters, since many of Aug 2010). them are close to the pro-indepen- As the protest continued, the con- dence Rapanui Parliament. In the end, nections among the protest leaders, however, the move backfired, and the with their seemingly different agendas, appointment actually provoked a new must be recalled. For example, Julio surge of Rapanui nationalism, as the Araki (one of the leaders of the local next months would show. Alianza who ran against Edmunds Since Piñera would not retract for mayor in 2004 and whom some Edmunds’s appointment, the pro- have considered a candidate to replace tests against the governor went on. Edmunds as governor) is the brother The demonstrations in front of the of the president of the Rapanui Par- governor’s office turned into a perma- liament, Leviante Araki (trn, Aug nent occupation including tents and 2010). While initially ambiguous, the placards. Later, representatives of the focus of the anti-Edmunds protest protestors met with Undersecretary of gradually shifted from that of Chilean the Interior Rodrigo Ubilla in San- right-wingers objecting to the appoint- tiago to formally protest Edmunds’s ment of a governor from an opposing 240 the contemporary pacific ‡ 23:1 (2011) party to a Rapanui nationalist uprising opponents on the other. By August against the Chilean state as a whole, 2010 these tensions would lead to one as the protests would later expand to of the most serious political crises on other properties throughout Hanga Rapa Nui in the contemporary era. Roa in late July (trn, August 2010). lorenz gonschor At the same time, Parliament activists came under fire for allegedly damaging a mo‘ai while seizing the References equipment of a team of archaeologists who were conducting research on the The Clinic. Political blog. Chile. statue, apparently without community http://www.theclinic.cl approval. Parliament denied the accu- cnmc, Council of National Monuments of sations and said it was the archeolo- Chile website. http://www.monumentos.cl gists who caused the damage (emol, Congress of the Republic of Chile website. 11 May 2010; trn, June 2010). http://sil.congreso.cl/pags/index.html In June, the stalemate between di Castri, Francesco. 2003. The Dynamic Governor Edmunds and the protes- Future of Rapa Nui. Rapa Nui Journal 17 tors had still not been resolved. On (1): 44–48. the contrary, his opponents were increasingly and vociferously demand- (O0RVWUDGRU Daily, Santiago, Chile. http://www.elmostrador.cl ing not simply his resignation but also independence for the Island from emol, El Mercurio Online. Daily Internet Chile, while both Edmunds and the news. Santiago. http://www.emol.com Piñera government remained stub- Fondo Indigéna. News website on born. Meanwhile, the Riroroko family, indigenous issues in Latin America. preferring not to get involved in the http://www.fondoindigena.org controversy, canceled the annual French Embassy in Chile website. commemoration of their ancestor, the http://www.france.cl ,VODQGªVODVWNLQJ5LUR.ëLQJDZKR gip, Gobernación de la Isla de Pascua was assassinated in the 1890s for his (Governor’s office of Easter Island Prov- anti-colonial resistance and whose ince). Various monthly news items. http:// remains have rested since 2006 in a www.gobernacionisladepascua.gov.cl monument bearing his bust in the center of the park where the protests Gonschor, Lorenz. 2009. Rapa Nui. Poly- nesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July were taking place (trn, June 2010). 2007 to 30 June 2008. The Contemporary The period under review ended Pacific 21:169–175. with people both excitedly and anxiously waiting for the event of the Government of Chile. 2008. Decreto year, the first full solar eclipse on the 236. Promulga el Convenio No 169 sobre Pueblos Indígenas y Tribales en Island for more than a thousand years Países Independientes de la Organisación (and the anticipated record visitor Inter nacional del Trabajo. (Decree 236. arrivals). Meanwhile, political tensions Promulgates the Convention No. 169 con- were continuously increasing between cerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the Chilean State and Governor Independent Countries of the International Edmunds on one side and their local Labour Organisation). 15 September. pol i t ical reviews ‡ polynesia 241 http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma Pakarati-Novoa, Manahi. 2009. Rapa Nui/ =279441&idVersion=2009-09-15 Easter Island. In Pacific Ways: Govern- [accessed 15 August 2010] ment and Politics in the Pacific Islands, edited by Stephen Levine, 196–201. Wel- ———. 2009. Mensaje No. 1487-357. lington: Victoria University Press. Mensaje de S. E. La Presidenta de la República con el que se inicia un proyecto People’s Daily (Spanish version). Daily. de reforma constitucional que modifica Beijing. http://spanish.peopledaily.com.cn el artículo 126 bis de la constitución pir, Pacific Islands Report. Daily Internet politica, sobre territorios especiales de Isla News. Honolulu. (Message No. 1487-357. Message of H.E. the President of the Republic through Radio Biobio. Chilean radio station featur- which is initiated a constitutional reform ing daily news on its website. http://www that modifies article 126 of the political .radiobiobio.cl constitution, regarding special territo- RNJ, Rapa Nui Journal. Bi-annual aca- ries of Easter Island and Juan Fernández demic and news journal. Los Osos, Archipelago). Document dated 28 October California. 2009; formal entry to Congress dated 6 http://www.islandheritage.org/rnj.html November 2009. Posted on Chilean Con- gress website http://sil.congreso.cl/cgi-bin/ ST7KH6DQWLDJR7LPHV Daily. sil_abredocumentos.pl?1,7152 [accessed http://www.santiagotimes.cl 10 August 2010]. subdere, Subsecretariá de Desarrollo ilo, International Labour Organisation. Regional y Administrativo (Undersec- 1989. Convention No. 169. Convention retariat for Regional Development and concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Administration): Various online news in Independent Countries. http://www items. http://www.subdere.gov.cl/ .ilo.org/ilolex/cgi-lex/convde.pl?C169 Tahitipresse. Daily Internet news. Papeete. [accessed 15 August 2010] http://www.tahitipresse.pf /D1DFLyQ Daily. Santiago. trn, Te Rapa Nui. Sporadically updated http://www.lanacion.cl Internet news site. Hanga Roa. /D6HJXQGD Daily. Santiago. http://www.rapanui.co.cl/ http://www.lasegunda.com YouTube. 2009. Video clip showing the /DVÅOWLPDV1RWLFLDV Daily. Santiago. singing of the Rapanui national anthem http://www.lun.com before the Hanga Roa football match of 5 August 2009. http://www.youtube.com/ /D7HUFHUD Daily. Santiago. watch?v=at54JOBe7IY&feature=related http://www.latercera.com [accessed 15 April 2010] Ministry of Interior, Government of Chile. Official election results website. http://www.elecciones.gob.cl