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POLITICAL REVIEWS 195 began to reactivate local government to democracy are disrespectful to the improve its image and communications monarch and nobles, and threaten with village people. The police minister Tonga's heritage. The prodemocracy continued to speak against the prode­ supporters are equally convinced that mocracy supporters in his weekly col­ steps forward can be made peacefully umn in the government-run newspaper by a gradual education ofthe elector­ the Tonga Chronicle, and has even ate. The increasing number of non­ threatened them with violence. After government controlled newssheets, the election he wrote "The continual papers, and magazines launched in sly hints ofcorruption and dishonesty Tonga play an important role in in­ against His Majesty's Government creasing people's awareness of signifi­ without proofis going to rebound with cant issues. Several popular leaders multiple traumatic consequences on have emerged. But the cabinet together those concerned" (Tonga Chronicle, II with the nobles' representatives still Feb 1993, 3)· controls the majority in Parliament, In addition, not all members ofthe and the king retains the power to create churches are behind their leaders' call ministers of state who will support the for political reform. People have asked oligarchy. It is difficult, therefore, to that church newspapers omit political see how democratic change might comment and concentrate only on the occur in the foreseeable future, except teachings ofthe gospel and church by royal fiat which would imply an news. An advisor is to be appointed to emphatic change ofroyal heart. The counsel Free Wesleyan Church mem­ present situation, which is one of stale­ bers regarding the denomination's offi­ mate, shows that the prodemocracy cial stands on political and social issues movement still has a lot ofeducating (Tonga Chronicle, 20 May 1993, 5). to do. The Mormon Church has never sup­ KERRY JAMES ported the prodemocratic position. The government also points to the fact that the Tonga National Council of WALLIS AND FUTUNA Churches did not officially participate in the constitutional convention, be­ The major event of the period under cause one ofits four member churches review was the earthquake that shook (Roman Catholic, Free Wesleyan, the island of Futuna during the night of Anglican, and Free Constitutional 12 March 1993. The quake, which reg­ Church ofTonga) did not wish to do istered 6.5 on the Richter scale, caused so. Members ofall these churches the death of three people and substan­ attended as individuals, but the council tial damage to the island. Land and as an entity was not represented. Other rock slides blocked off some ofthe letters to the press indicate a country roads, complicating the task of the very much divided on whether to move relief operations launched from Wallis towards reform or to fight, literally, to and New Caledonia. Public utilities retain the present system. Many were heavily disrupted. Power and tele­ Tongans feel that moves towards phone lines were restored quickly, but A;nila; qM!ffifM4# iR14@W;W ;;, Rap;

196 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC. SPRING 1994

the water distribution network took campaigned for a yes vote, in line with much longer to repair. By the end of the policy of his political allies in met­ June, Futuna was still without running ropolitan France, Mouvement des water. Buildings were also severely Radicaux de Gauche (the MRG, which damaged. While traditionalfale-style regrouped the left under the banner of houses, which still represent a sizable President Francyois Mitterrand, and at percentage of the total, withstood the the time represented the majority in the shock rather well, western-style build­ national assembly). The yes vote was ings fared worse. Concrete structures also supported by the nonaligned presi­ fractured, and dressed stone buildings dent of the Territorial Assembly, Soane (primarily churches, chapels, and mis­ Uhila, and by the assembly's economic sion buildings dating back to the last and social advisor, Gaston Lutui. The century) collapsed partially or com­ representatives ofthe two major par­ pletely. Many contemporary dwellings ties in the then opposition in metropol­ are raised on short stilts, and some of itan France, Senator Papilio Makape these suffered a similar fate. The initial (of the Rassemblement pour la Repub­ quake was followed by a series of sec­ lique, or RPR) and Basile Tui, the local ondary tremors, registering up to 4.5 leader of the Union des Franrais (UDF), on the Richter scale, which completed campaigned in favour of the no vote, the destruction of some of the already even though on the national scene the damaged structures. The total damage UDF had endorsed the yes vote and the has been estimated at over U5$14 mil­ RPR had given out mixed signals. Basile lion. During his visit to the territory in Tui was concerned about the effect for June 1993, Minister for Overseas Terri­ the territory ofthe clause in the treaty tories Dominique Perben announced a concerning the freedom ofmovement government grant of approximately ofpeoples and goods, while Senator U5$4 million for the rebuilding of Makape was more anxious to de­ Futuna. The government had already nounce the government's actions, allocated an initial U5$40,000 for which he judged negative for Wallis . emergency measures immediately after and Futuna. The yes vote won the day, the quake. One of the consequences of with 76.54 percent of the ballots cast. the earthquake will be felt for a long Vote participation was IOW-54.4 per­ time to come: the extensive reef flats cent-yet significantly higher than that which line the south and south west for New Caledonia, and much higher coasts were raised by about half a than for French Polynesia. meter. At high tide, the sea no longer Elections for the representative to reaches what used to be the shoreline. the French National Assembly were On the political front, the period held in March 1993. There were three was marked by two national elections. candidates in the first round of voting On 20 September 1992, voters in Wallis on 21 March. Previous President of the and Futuna cast their ballots in the Territorial Assembly Clovis Logologo­ national referendum on the ratification falau had been endorsed by the Union of the Maastricht Treaty on European pour la France party, an election coali­ unity. Representative Kamilo Gata tion between RPR and UDF. Also run- POLITICAL REVIEWS 197 ning were the incumbent Kamilo Gata, but met with little support. The new MRG party, and the nonaligned Soane president will be elected during the Uhila, president of the Territorial budget session, scheduled for the Assembly. Kamilo Gata carried the fourth quarter of1993. first round with 45.64 percent ofthe The labor unrest of the previous vote. Clovis Logologofalau received year continued with a series of similar 37.8 percent, and Soane Uhila 16.54 strike actions. Most of these occurred percent. For the second round, Soane during the second halfof 1992, and Uhila withdrew and endorsed Logolo­ affected the offices of weather and civil gofalau, who also received support aviation, and departments of health from political allies in New Caledonia, and education. The main complaint and a special campaign visit by a met­ continued to concern the recognition of ropolitan RPR senator. Nevertheless, local career employees in the various Kamilo Gata was able to keep his lead departments as full-fledged members of and won the day with 52.41 percent of the national French civil service. the vote. The voters of Wallis and The Catholic mission and the tradi­ Futuna apparently broke with estab­ tional chiefly hierarchy, the twin pillars lished tradition, whereby they consist­ of Wallisian and Futunan society, came ently voted for dominant political under strong criticism from the secre­ groupings in metropolitan France, and tary-general ofthe major labor union cast their ballots-with an unusually in the territory, the local chapter of the high participation rate of 88.8 percent Force Ouvriere. At the fourth conven­ ofvoters-on the basis of purely local tion of Force Ouvriere in Noumea, he issues. blamed them for the economic stagna­ The majority coalition between MRG tion affecting the territory, and called and nonaligned members of the territo­ for the liberation of the population rial assembly, which had made possible from their authority. the 1992 election of the nonaligned The gradual increase in the number Soane Uhila as president, quickly of wage earners in the population con­ showed signs of breaking apart. In the tinued to alter the face of society. Sala­ very first extraordinary session of the ried employment grew slower overall assembly MRG representatives joined than in the two previous years, but forces with members of the RPR for the remained high (22.8 percent) in the pri­ vote on a bill concerning child welfare. vate sector. The shift from public to By the end ofJune 1993, the nine RPR private sectors continued. In 1992, the representatives had formed a coalition private sector accounted for 42 percent with Soane Uhila's five nonaligned of wage earners, compared to 17 per­ members to command a majority. Rep­ cent in 1986 and 37.7 percent in 1991. resentative Kamilo Gata, who had Ofthe 1066 public servants in the terri­ waged a serious battle against his for­ tory in 1992, 837 were locally recruited mer ally Soane Uhila during the and 229 were sent from metropolitan national legislative election campaign, France. proposed that the presidency of the FRAN~OIS SODTER assembly be given to the RPR group,