The Minister for Overseas France, Manuel Valls, has finally brought everyone to the table…
On Saturday 1 March, the Minister for Overseas France, Manuel Vals, left New Caledonia after a week-long visit. This is a rare occurrence for a minister in the national government. The main outcome of his visit was that all the political parties finally agreed to sit down together. This is the first time in three years that independentists and non-independents have discussed together with the representative of the State.
Some loyalists accept the notion of independence-association with France
The two camps seem irreconcilable. The loyalists are themselves divided in two. There are those who want the provinces to have more power. Even if they reject this term, it sounds like a partition of Caledonia. There would then be two pro-independence provinces (the North and the Islands) and one loyalist province (the South, which is also the richest province). Sonia Backès and MP Nicolas Metzdorf embody this vision.
The other loyalists prefer a kind of independence-association with France, rather like the Cook Islands with New Zealand. This vision is shared by Éveil océanien (Milakulo Tukumuli) and Calédonie ensemble (former MP Philippe Gomes).
A very complex situation for the independentists
The situation is not simple among the independentists. The Palika (Paul Néaoutyine) agrees with the notion of independence-association with France under certain conditions.The situation is much more complex in the largest and oldest pro-independence party, the Union calédonienne.Its importance is such that nothing can be done without it.The UC is very divided and internal conflicts are very strong. The CCAT, considered to be responsible for the riots last May (which ruined the country), is a UC body. There is an intense generation conflict within the party.
A document is circulating…
The UC’s new leader, Emmanuel Tjibaou, son of the charismatic former leader Jan-Marie Tjibaou, is walking on eggshells with activists who want outright independence and others who would agree to an independence-association arrangement.
A document summarising the discussions has been written.It is currently being distributed throughout New Caledonia.Minister Emmauel Valls (former Prime Minister of France) will no doubt return at the end of the month for another round of discussions.
