Political Reviews

The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2017 nic maclellan

Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, 2017 volker boege, mathias chauchat, alumita durutalo, joseph daniel foukona, budi hernawan, michael leach, james stiefvater

461 political reviews • melanesia 501

Fiji Native and Tribal Congress. 2018. New Caledonia Blog, http://fijinativetribalcongress300 .bravesites.com [accessed 29 March 2018] The year 2017 was said to be the last useful year to promote a calm Fiji One News. Fiji tv, Suva. and consensual completion of the ib, Islands Business. Monthly magazine, Nouméa Agreement before the 2018 Suva. referendum on independence. It has Jowitt, Anita. 2009. The Qarase v Baini- indeed seemed to be a transitional marama Appeal Case. Journal of South year. The previous year of 2016, Pacific Law 13 (1): 24. http://www.paclii which was a preelection year in .org/journals/fJSPL/vol13no1/pdf/jowitt2 metropolitan France, revealed some .pdf [accessed 11 Jan 2018] key events related to the collapse of Lal, Padma, Hazel Lim-Applegate, and the nickel price, which put the three Mahendra Reddy. 2001. The Land Tenure nickel plants in New Caledonia—the Dilemma in Fiji: Can Fijian Landowners Le Nickel Society (sln) in Nouméa, and Indo-Fijian Tenants Have Their Cake Vale in the South, and the Northern and Eat It Too? Pacific Economic Bulletin Province plant of Glencore—and the 16 (2): 106–119. upstream mining activity at risk. The Munro Ley’s Law. 2014. Land Sales nickel industry accounts for a quarter (Amendment) Act 2014. http://www of private-sector employment in the .munroleyslaw.com/land-sales-amendment country and 90 percent of its exports -act-2014/ [accessed 11 Jan 2018] (Delamarche 2016c). The country Nair, Robyn. 2017. Permanent No More: is footing the bill for the increase in The Slippery Surface of Fiji’s Civil Service. building costs and low local competi- Islands Business Sept: 29–32. tiveness. During his trip to New Cale- donia, French Prime Minister Manuel Nasiko, Repeka. 2017. Civil Servants Threatened by omrs. Fiji Times Online, Valls announced a €200 million loan 27 Sept. http://www.fijitimes.com/story for the Société Territoriale Calédoni- .aspx?id=417852 [accessed 5 Feb 2018] enne de Participations Industrielles (stcpi, the holding company run by Prasad, Biman. 2016. Is Our Democracy Really Working? Fiji Times Online, the three provinces of New Caledo- 30 Jan. http://www.fijitimes.com/story nia, which holds a 34 percent minor- .aspx?id=339680 [accessed 26 Jan 2018] ity share of the sln) (Delamarche 2016a). (€1 million = us$1.2 million.) Radio New Zealand. . Bauxite 2015 In November, Prime Minister Valls Mining Practices in Fiji Criticised. 14 Dec. https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/ announced strong financial support pacific-news/292092/bauxite-mining for the Vale Plant, as he had done in -practices-in-fiji-criticised [accessed 1 Feb April 2016 for the sln. To prevent 2018] its possible closure, Valls pledged a €200 million loan and an additional ———. 2018. Calls for ilo to Step in after financial guarantee for 220 million Unionist Questioned by Police. 27 Jan. € https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/ (Delamarche 2016b). The situation pacific-news/349021/calls-for-ilo-to-step of the Northern plant was still to -in-after-fiji-unionist-questioned-by-police be resolved. In November 2016, the [accessed 28 Jan 2018] French government announced that 502 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018)

Glencore would not have to reimburse The Government of New Caledonia a €200 million tax exemption, the has been trying to curb health-care same amount the other two plants had costs as it has strived to balance its received. In total, €600 million was welfare budget. Health-care expen- lent to the three plants, the repayment diture, which has doubled in the last of which is assessed as unlikely. Offer- ten years, has risen at a faster rate ing job subsidies is a classic strategy in than the growth of the gross domestic French politics. The aid was most wel- product. The economic system has come because it allowed the country to exhausted all of its funds, while at the pursue its dream of wealth and avoid same time New Caledonia has built any reform of the French Overseas new health-care infrastructure and way of life. It had the huge advantage facilities—a brand-new hospital in the of enabling the French government South, a private polyclinic in Nouméa, to be the savior of New Caledonia. and a new Northern hospital—which The primary disadvantage was that are oversized for the population of this meant that important economic the island. Without any major deci- decisions could be postponed. sions being made by the government, The year 2017 was strongly influ- Valentine Eurisouké, the member of enced by 2016. The country’s financial the government in charge of health situation has remained on standby, care, has begun to push this issue waiting for the recovery in commodity with a view to achieving a success- prices and impending political dead- ful outcome by saving on costs and lines. There was also a strong mes- seeking new revenue streams. Working sage from the French government to under pressure, the government has the local one to make a “Keynesian” increased alcohol and tobacco taxes. budget deficit in order to stimulate the Finally, in December 2017, the economy. Nonetheless, 2017 has been Congress of New Caledonia accepted a year of economic slowdown and the names of the members of the new budgetary restraint, obscured by the Competition Authority, which will increasing public debt of the country. enforce antitrust law. The members of Local tax exemptions for the building the authority were mostly people from industry have fostered the illusion of overseas and France, with, as usual, economic boom, which has been paid very high salaries. Aurélie Zoude-Le for with massive budget deficits and Berre, currently director in the French increasing inequalities (Gorohouna National Assembly and appointed to 2017). The government’s economic the Legislation Committee, will be the strategy since 2008 has been a mix chairperson. The rapporteur will be of “Keynesian” voluntary public Virginie Cramesnil de Laleu, mag- spending and trickle-down econom- istrate in Paris. The other members ics (Chauchat 2017). A “wait and are Jean-Michel Stoltz, magistrate in see” attitude seems to have prevailed. Nouméa; Matthieu Buchberger, senior Nevertheless, 2017 has not been a lecturer at the University of New Cale- wasted year, as the New Caledonian donia; and Robert Philip Simpson, a government has not foregone all British citizen, who has set up similar change. authorities in Africa. political reviews • melanesia 503

Replacing customs duties with a about insecurity has quickly turned “General Consumption Tax” (tgc), into talking about Kanak delinquency based on added value like a Goods against all of the “others.” In the pre- and Services Tax (gst), has been a vailing political climate, this issue is major change. The reform started also used as a reminder of the French with a dry run beginning 1 April 2017 government’s responsibility for law (Réné 2017) and should enter into and order in this multicultural country. force in July 2018. Thus, the country The incidents were politicized to such has still been trying to remove cus- an extent that on 2 February 2017 the toms duties (which have given New Political Bureau of the flnks (Socialist Caledonian industries a competitive Kanak National Liberation Front) had advantage over imports) and to create to call for calm, restraint, and mod- a more neutral tax. Nevertheless, the eration. Huge public demonstrations transition phase might be accompa- followed the death of a young nurse nied by protection of local industry. in front of the St Louis enclave while This is why the government has pro- she was commuting home. In June, the posed a new tax, the “Cyclical Import public prosecutor made a statement Tax for the Protection of Local Manu- explaining that the death was caused facturing” (payable on taxable imports by young people frightening the nurse, competing with local producers), causing her to fall while they were and has also proposed a reduced tgc trying to steal her motorbike. On rate for local manufacturing. These 16 January 2017, French Minister of two actions would strongly limit the Justice Jean-Jacques Urvoas issued an inevitable exposure to regional trade, administrative circular outlining the a debate that is ongoing in Congress French government’s new priorities today. Maybe the system could be for law and order. This penal policy simplified by applying only one tax was strongly influenced by the strife rate instead of five. Nobody yet knows in St Louis. The minister emphasized if the tax will come into force in July tougher law enforcement for damage 2018 (Caprais 2018). to persons and property, cannabis At the end of 2016, a center of and drug dealing, the use of alcohol, unrest and insecurity—marked by domestic violence, and violence on the gunfire against police and inhabitants road, but he did not say a word about and recurrent roadblocks—emerged in fighting white-collar crime (Urvoas St Louis, a Kanak enclave located in 2017). Greater Nouméa, in the town of Mont Meanwhile, preparations are going Dore (Wéry 2017). Nicknamed the on for the referendum on indepen- “white city,” Nouméa built its history dence. The questions on which con- as a city of discrimination and exclu- sultation should be sought are already sion against the Kanak people, who written in the Nouméa Agreement: were pushed to the margins of society “Do you agree with New Caledonia (Dussy 2015, 147, 368). Ethnic and fulfilling sovereign functions (foreign spatial segregation of the population affairs, justice, defence, public order, is still the most significant feature of and currency)? Do you agree with an New Caledonia. Therefore, talking international status for the country? 504 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018)

Do you agree with a new nationality?” proposed for the people in the future These are three inseparable questions, independent state. A revolution which can only be responded to by clearly hasn’t been necessary. Some a “Yes” or “No.” However, the Yes parts of the Nouméa Agreement and No are unbalanced. If you answer have not been reconsidered by the No, things remain unchanged. If you constituent political parties of the answer Yes, you throw yourself into flnks. Indeed, the constitutional a void, which is much more problem- status of New Caledonia was crafted atic. That is why in 2017 the pro- to prevent a majority from holding independence parties had to publish political power. Its aim was to lead a “projet de société” (blueprint for to a consensus between the political a future political and socioeconomic forces, both Kanak and non-Kanak, system) to move forward. From the without going straight to a deadlock. perspective of the anti-independence Thus, political power was shared, parties, the status quo should continue and this was accepted as common indefinitely. consent. The Caledonian Union, the oldest First, the establishment of three political party in New Caledonia, provinces as regional councils has unveiled its projet de société in resulted in the sharing of power January. The Palika (Liberation Kanak on a regional basis. That might be Party) followed in March. Then, the maintained, if slightly limited by pro-independence umbrella organiza- the creation of a coordinating body tion flnks, which is responsible for between the presidents of the three claiming independence before the provinces under the supervision of United Nations General Assembly, the president of New Caledonia’s drew up a synthesis of those two plans government. Second, the power inside during its 35th congress, with their the government itself has been shared. common aim being that Kanaky– The Nouméa Agreement provided New Caledonia would become “a that the members of government may multicultural, democratic, secular be elected by the New Caledonia and united Republic.” Socialism Congress under a system of pro- “would be enshrined as one of the portional representation. So, all of most important principles,” as pro- the main political parties may join claimed in the 1986 Constitution of the government. This was called the Kanaky, which is deposited at the “Collegial Policy.” That might be United Nations. Socialism would maintained. Nevertheless, under the today identify with public policies new plan, a president of the republic such as rebalancing power between would be elected by Congress, whose Kanaks and non-Kanaks, control over new name would be “National strategic resources, fair distribution Assembly,” together with the of wealth, working with semipublic provincial assemblies, the Customary companies, and, more largely, creating Senate, and the mayors. The flnks a mixed economy with both private was silent on the subject of the right to and public enterprises. “Socialism dissolve Parliament, but the movement in action” would be what the flnks confirmed the principles of the 1986 political reviews • melanesia 505

Constitution of Kanaky, which gave be noted: The judicial system would the president of the republic that right. be a unified combination of the special Registered voters in the provincial administrative courts and the judi- elections, namely, those who have ciary, with a supreme court at the top. New Caledonian citizenship, as well as A customary court would be main- the people who can vote in the refer- tained for customary civil affairs. For endum, would acquire the nationality the flnks, having a Kanaky national of the new, independent country. A currency pegged to a basket of stable law would establish the conditions of international currencies would seem acquisition, loss, and recovery of New the most promising monetary option. Caledonian citizenship by birth or The option of the euro replacing the descent. Maintaining French national- French Pacific franc has been ruled ity, as a dual-nationality status, would out. Finally, the flnks has proposed be an open option to discuss with “Kanaky–New Caledonia” as the France (NC Presse 2017c). The land country’s name and the “Kanaky question, which would trigger con- flag” as the national flag. This flag frontations and division, would be a was raised for the very first time on main priority for the new nation, in 1 December 1984 by Jean-Marie order to foster a desire to live together. Tjibaou at La Conception. As is currently the case, the new inde- On 28 June 2017, Flavien Misoni, pendent country would maintain three head of the UN expert group, submit- types of land tenure: public property, ted the situation report regarding the private property, and customary land. revision of the special rolls for the New Caledonian citizenship would provincial elections and the referen- facilitate priority access to real estate. dum. Following a first task force in Regarding sovereign functions, the 2016, the twelve UN experts have new independent state would join been working throughout the coun- the United Nations and open dip- try, observing the working process of lomatic and consular services in the the special administrative verification Pacific region and in France. Public commissions in charge of the revision order would be maintained by only proceedings. Their aim has been to one entity of public servants, created look into the reliability and exhaustive by merging the gendarmerie with nature of the special electoral rolls, so the municipal and national police. that the result would be indisputable. Defense would involve the creation of Their main observation has been that a national army, sized according to the not all the people who could enroll needs and means of the country. The had done so, especially Kanaks. A flnks would create a military service, great demonstration in favor of auto- based on the model of France’s current matic enrollment of all Kanaks took sma (Overseas Adapted Military Ser- place in July. Once again, this was vice). New multilateral and bilateral proof that this particular issue is sensi- defense accords would be negotiated tive and mobilizing Kanak support. with France and neighboring coun- On 2 November 2017, the Signa- tries. Regarding the justice system, a tory Committee of the Nouméa Agree- break with the French tradition should ment met in Paris to find a compro- 506 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) mise regarding the exhaustive nature tional period to register just before the of the electoral roll for the referen- vote. This late enrollment will make it dum. An independence referendum very difficult for the pro-independence is typically designed for people who parties to make the people who never have been colonized—in this case, vote aware of the importance of the Kanak people. However, the first doing so. compromise of the Nouméa Agree- Finally, in October 2017, pro- ment was to give the right to vote independence and anti-independence both to Kanaks and to other people parties, as well as the president of the with twenty years’ residency before New Caledonia government, took the 31 December 2014 deadline. As part in the debate about decoloniza- a result, the Kanak people made up tion of New Caledonia before the 4th barely 50 percent of the electoral Commission of the 72nd UN General body. Because according to French Assembly. This was most likely the law being registered on the electoral last UN meeting before the 2018 vote roll is voluntary, many Kanak people (NC Presse 2017b). were not registered. Consequently, On 16 and 17 March 2017, the they would not be able to vote in the very first meeting between the French upcoming referendum. The new politi- diplomatic network for Oceania and cal compromise has been to register the New Caledonian government them automatically. Although this took place in Nouméa (NC Presse will be done by law, it does not mean 2017a). The aim of the talks was to that all of the enrolled people will go define a shared international policy to the polls and vote. As a political between the French government and counterpart, the pro-independence New Caledonia in terms of regional parties have agreed that the right to integration—in other words, this vote will be given to all people born in would show that regional integra- New Caledonia with only three years tion could take place without full of permanent residence—in other sovereignty. The discussion between words, including people traveling to France and New Caledonia also and from France without close ties focused on a concerted strategy for with the country. Theoretically, there New Caledonia to work with both should be three times more Kanaks France and the European Union in benefiting from the new situation than Oceania. On the topic of bilateral non-Kanaks. However, these disputes cooperation, the French government about the electoral roll have sent a has committed to go along with New clear message: all the political parties, Caledonia for the implementation of and the French government, expect a joint projects already signed with New vote split along ethnic lines, Kanaks Zealand, Vanuatu, and, in due course, against all the others. Could anything Australia. good emerge from such a vote? The For New Caledonia, 2017 has been new law will only come into effect a diplomatic banner year. After New after the first revision of the electoral Caledonia joined the International roll in March 2018. Consequently, the Organization of Francophonie (iof) in French government will open an addi- November 2016 (Government of New political reviews • melanesia 507

Caledonia 2016), Philippe Germain, on its privileged relations with the the president of the New Caledo- European Union. nian government, was in Vanuatu on Finally, on 30 October 2017, during 3 March 2017 to sign a joint coopera- the 39th session of unesco’s General tion framework. This framework is Conference in Paris, New Caledonia related to eleven activity segments, became a new associate member of the namely, tourism, biosecurity, cus- international organization (unesco toms, education, higher education, 2017). This was the first time for the health, water conveyance, sanitation, country to join a global international transports, digital technology, and organization and also the first time Francophonie (French language and for a French overseas territory to join culture). During this trip, the New unesco. Caledonian delegation—consisting of Despite international policy President Philippe Germain; Valentine appearances, New Caledonia is still a Eurisouké, member of government part of France, so French political life in charge of health; Gérard Poadja, has a strong influence on local events. deputy-president of the Foreign Rela- In New Caledonia, there is a dual tions Committee of Congress; Karine political calendar: the French national De Frémont, director of the French calendar, for elections in metropoli- Development Agency; Gaël Lagadec, tan France, which affects all French president of the University of New people living in the country, and the Caledonia; and Bernard Pelletier, local one, for the provincial elections, scientific director of the French which only involves New Caledonian Research Institute for Development— citizens. During the French elections, went to the iof headquarters to sign political parties speak to all French an agreement with Vanuatu and the citizens, while, during local elections, French Development Agency regarding they only address New Caledonian the founding of the Vanuatu National citizens. As a result, political life University project. can be complex and sometimes Approved in September 2016 by the contradictory. member states of the Pacific Islands On 23 April and 7 May 2017, the Forum (pif) (Moureaux 2016), the French presidential election caused first participation of New Caledonia a surprise in France with the success as a full member at a pif summit of Emmanuel Macron. In the first took place in November 2017 in Apia round, in New Caledonia, Macron (Sāmoa), along with French Polyne- (leader of a new centrist party, En sia (Government of New Caledonia Marche) came in third with only 2017). The president of the New 12.75 percent of the votes, behind Caledonian government attended with François Fillon (Les Républicains, the other leaders and also participated 31.13%) and Marine Le Pen (the in the leaders’ retreat, a confiden- far-right Front National, 29.09%). tial meeting limited to the leaders. In the second round, Macron won Philippe Germain strongly emphasized 52.57 percent of the votes in New that New Caledonia would be more Caledonia versus 47.43 percent for actively involved in the pif, drawing his challenger Marine Le Pen. Philippe 508 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018)

Gomès (Calédonie Ensemble) called four anti-independence political move- on people to vote for Macron, while ments boosted this double victory: Pierre Frogier (Les Républicains) Philippe Gomès (Calédonie Ensemble), spoke in favor of their adherents Pierre Frogier (Le Rassemblement-Les not voting for either Macron or Le Républicains), Gaël Yanno (former Pen; Sonia Backès (Les Républicains member of the French Parliament calédoniens, a rebel faction of the who leads the Mouvement Populaire party) did not give any instructions in Calédonien, a rebel faction of the the second round of the presidential party Le Rassemblement), and Pascal election. On 11 and 18 June 2017, the Vittori (Tous Calédoniens) signed “a French parliamentary elections quickly joint statement for New Caledonia followed the presidential campaign. in France and in peace,” which sent New Caledonia has two members of Sonia Backès to the opposition. This the French National Assembly and, as strife between the anti-independence a result of gerrymandering in 1986, parties paved the way for a new no pro-independence representative government crisis. could be elected. The electorates had Following the resignation of the been changed to astutely mix the political group Calédonie Ensemble votes of people living in the urban from the government, as a result of conglomeration of Nouméa with the the election of Philippe Dunoyer as Kanak votes in the Loyalty Islands or member of the National Assembly, the Northern Province. An indicator the New Caledonian collegial govern- of the inconsistencies in political life ment itself had to resign. There was was the Caledonian Union’s refusal no other member on the reserve list to take part in the French national to join the government. Thus, a new legislative elections, despite the fact election of the government by Con- that Palika (Kanak Liberation Party) gress was mandatory. On 24 August decided to participate. Therefore, only 2017, the first meeting of the New the anti-independence parties were Caledonia Congress determined the involved. In the first constituency number of members of government, (the city of Nouméa and the Loyalty keeping it at 11. Six votes out of 11 Islands), where Deputy Mayor Sonia were necessary to elect the president Lagarde did not seek reelection due to of government. On one side, there holding multiple other offices, Philippe were 5 who had signed the joint state- Dunoyer (Calédonie Ensemble) was ment, on the other side, there were 5 elected with 59.15 percent of the votes pro-independence members, and the against Sonia Backès (Les Répub- eleventh member was Sonia Backès, licains Calédoniens). In the second who did not sign the joint statement. constituency (the suburbs of Nouméa The situation remained deadlocked and the main island, Grande Terre), for three months until 1 December Philippe Gomès (Calédonie Ensemble) 2017, when the pro-independence was reelected with 54.95 percent parties finally gave their votes to the of the votes against Louis Mapou president, Philippe Germain, who was (National Union for Independence– reelected with 10 votes out of 11. This Palika). The latest agreement between happened just before the visit of the political reviews • melanesia 509

French prime minister to New Caledo- in May 2018. Édouard Philippe, nia. On 22 December 2017, the newly appointed French prime minister in elected president made his general April 2017, came to New Caledonia policy statement to Congress. from 1 to 5 December. On 5 Decem- In March 2017, the French ber 2017, Philippe gave an important National Assembly Information Com- speech before the New Caledonia mittee “on the future institutional Congress (Government of France framework for New Caledonia” made 2017). He played down the impact of its last visit to New Caledonia prior to the referendum, calling it “a sidestep the parliamentary elections. The chair- in the march toward dialogue.” He man was Dominique Bussereau (Les used the term “Caledonian people,” Républicains) and the rapporteur was going beyond the terms of the Nou- René Dosière (Parti Socialiste), two méa Agreement, which had recog- men who know the country very well. nized the “Kanak people” alongside One key event during this visit was the the “French people,” sharing for a meeting with students at the Univer- while the same nationality and joining sity of New Caledonia, which was together in “a common destiny.” He celebrating its thirtieth anniversary. seemed to have borrowed the vocabu- On 28 March 2017, the committee lary from Member of the National submitted its report (National Assem- Assembly Philippe Gomès. Philippe bly of France 2017), analyzing various confirmed that, to implement the possible futures for the country. This recommendations of the Signatory report will be very useful to the new Committee of the Nouméa Agreement elected successors, who will have to beginning in November 2017, the take charge of the next committee. On changes concerning enrollment to vote 3 October 2017, Manuel Valls, former on the Organic Institutional Law will prime minister of France, was elected be effective in 2018. as the new chairman of the committee, Philippe initiated the establishment whose rapporteurs are now Christian of a new restricted group, nicknamed Jacob (Les Républicains) and Yaël the “Group of Ten,” which will Braun-Pivet (En Marche), the newly have the responsibility of discussing elected chairman of the Legislation the future. This Group of Ten has Committee of the National Assembly. four pro-independence members: In December, Dominique Bussereau, Roch Wamytan, Daniel Goa, Paul former chairman of the committee, Néaoutyine, and Victor Tutugoro; and Jean-Jacques Urvoas, former min- and six anti-independence members: ister of justice, came for a final visit to Philippe Gomès, Philippe Michel, Gaël New Caledonia, having been invited Yanno, Sonia Backès, Thierry Santa, by the University of New Caledonia and Bernard Deladrière. Philippe also to contribute to the symposium on initiated the establishment of a second the future institutional framework for committee, named the “Group of New Caledonia (University of New the Wise,” which will “ensure [that] Caledonia 2017). the campaign rhetorics won’t hurt The visit of the new French presi- the Caledonian society in its values, dent, Emmanuel Macron, is awaited those coming from the Declaration 510 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) of the Rights of man and of Citizens, L’Usine nouvelle, 29 April. https://www those coming from the customary .usinenouvelle.com/article/a-noumea Kanak society, those coming from -manuel-valls-s-engage-aux-cotes-de-la the religious heritage and those from -sln.N389105 the preamble of the Nouméa Agree- ———. 2016b. Après la sln, l’Etat ment.” This Group of the Wise is français vole au secours de Vale Nouvelle- composed of the former mayors of Calédonie. L’Usine nouvelle, 8 Nov. Bourail, Nouméa, and Koumac, Taïeb https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/ Jean Pierre Aïfa, Jean Lèques, and apres-la-sln-l-etat-francais-vole-au-secours Robert Frouin; Father Rock Api -de-vale-nouvelle-caledonie.N461192 kaoua; a Wallisian customary chief, ———. 2016c. Crise dans le nickel Sosefo Falaeo; Deputy President of calédonien. L’Usine nouvelle, 17 March. the Economic, Social, and Environ- https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/ mental Council Jean-Pierre Flotat; the crise-dans-le-nickel-caledonien.N382901 president of the association sos sexual Dussy, Dorothée. 2015. La mémoire kanak violence, Anne-Marie Mestre; the de Nouméa. In En pays Kanak: Ethnolo- president of Human Rights League, gie, linguistique, archéologie, histoire de la Elie Poigoune; Marie-Claude Tjibaou, Nouvelle-Calédone, edited by Alban Bensa the widow of Jean-Marie Tjibaou; and Isabelle Leblic, 147–168. Open online the former director of the Agency for edition. Paris: Éditions de la Maison des sciences de l’homme. Original published the Development of Kanak Culture, in 2000. Octave Togna; the very first Kanak magistrate, Fote Trolue; and the for- Gorohouna, Samuel. 2017. Le coût des mer director of the Protestant Church dépenses fiscales. Paper given at a sympo- School, Billy Wapotro. sium titled “La Nouvelle-Calédonie face à la crise des finances publiques,” 12–13 mathias chauchat July, at the University of New Caledonia. http://larje.univ-nc.nc/index.php/les -seminaires-et-conferences/colloques-et References -journees-d-etudes/497-la-nouvelle -caledonie-face-a-la-crise-des-finances All websites accessed 20 March 2018. -publiques Caprais, Gilles. 2018. L’idée d’un report Government of France. 2017. Discours de la tgc divise syndicats et patrons. du premier ministre devant le congrès Les Nouvelles-Calédoniennes, 24 Jan. de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. http://www http://www.lnc.nc/article/pays/politique/ .gouvernement.fr/partage/9799-discours l-idee-d-un-report-de-la-tgc-divise -du-premier-ministre-devant-le-congres -syndicats-et-patrons -de-nouvelle-caledonie Chauchat, Mathias. 2017. La Calédonie et Government of New Caledonia. 2016. sa réponse à la crise. In Kanaky Nouvelle- La Calédonie membre associé de Calédonie, situations décoloniales, a l’Organisation internationale de la franco special issue of Revue Mouvements 91 phonie. 28 Nov. https://gouv.nc/actualites/ (2017/3): 46–54. https://www.cairn.info/ 28-11-2016/la-caledonie-membre-associe revue-mouvements-2017-3.htm -de-lorganisation-internationale-de-la -francophonie Delamarche, Myrtille. 2016a. A Nouméa, Manuel Valls s’engage aux côtés de la sln. ———. 2017. La Calédonie au Forum des political reviews • melanesia 511

Îles du Pacifique. 8 Sept. https://gouv.nc/ .php/15-analyses-arrets-decisions/droit actualites/08-09-2017/la-caledonie-au -de-la-nouvelle-caledonie/501-colloque -forum-des-iles-du-pacifique -sur-l-avenir-institutionnel-de-la-nouvelle -caledonie Moureaux, Caroline, with Isabelle Peltier. 2016. Intégration au Forum des Iles du Urvoas, Jean-Jacques. 2017. Nouvelle Pacifique: Satisfaction pour Philippe circulaire de politique pénale territoriale Germain. La Première, 11 Sept. https:// pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Direction la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/nouvellecaledonie/ Générale des Outre-Mer, 16 Jan. integration-au-forum-des-iles-du https://documentation.outre-mer.gouv -pacifique-satisfaction-pour-philippe .fr/i-Record.htm?idlist=1&record= -germain-396145.html 19134865124919520479 National Assembly of France. 2017. Wéry, Claudine 2017. En Nouvelle- Rapport d’information 4596 sur l’avenir Calédonie, l’escalade de violence menace institutionnel de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. la paix. Le Monde, 13 Feb. http://www 28 March. http://www.assemblee .lemonde.fr/societe/article/2017/02/13/en -nationale.fr/14/rap-info/i4596.asp -nouvelle-caledonie-l-escalade-de-violence -menace-la-paix_5078845_3224.html NC Presse. 2017a. L’État conforte la Calé- donie sur la scène régionale. 20 March. https://www.ncpresse.nc/L-Etat-conforte -la-Caledonie-sur-la-scene-regionale _a6311.html Papua ———. 2017b. La Calédonie aux Nations Toward the end of 2017, during their unies. 6 Oct. https://www.ncpresse.nc/La annual meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, -Caledonie-aux-Nations-unies_a6684.html Papuan leaders elected new leaders ———. 2017c. Le projet du flnks pour for the United Liberation Movement une Kanaky-Nouvelle-Calédonie souver- for West Papua (ulmwp), who will aine. 2 Nov. https://www.ncpresse.nc/ serve the term of 2018–2021. There Le-projet-du-FLNKS-pour-une-Kanaky was also a significant change in the -Nouvelle-Caledonie-souveraine_a6742 way they organize themselves. If the .html previous leadership was organized Réné, Charlie. 2017. Marche à blanc de la around the ulmwp secretary-general, tgc: C’est parti! Les Nouvelles Calédoni- suggesting the principle of first among ennes, 3 April. http://www.lnc.nc/article/ equals, the new structure took on pays/marche-a-blanc-de-la-tgc-c-est-parti a more hierarchical shape. Benny unesco, United Nations Educational, Wenda is at the top of the pyramid Scientific and Cultural Organization. as chair, with Octo Mote, the for- 2017. Request for the Admission of New mer secretary-general, as deputy; Caledonia as an Associate Member of the position of secretary-general is unesco. 19 Oct. http://unesdoc.unesco now held by Rex Rumakiek. Jacob .org/images/0025/002596/259629e.pdf Rumbiak is tasked with the spokes University of New Caledonia. 2017. person role. The composition of Colloque sur l’avenir institutionnel de personnel, however, remains largely la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Laboratoire de the same. New faces are Paula Recherches Juridique et Economique, Makabory as treasurer and Oridek 10 Nov. http://larje.univ-nc.nc/index Ap as an executive member; both are