Page 14 - IB AUG 2018

Politics

“We are hoping for a Yes”

Kanak leader lobbies for regional support

We hope for a Yes: FLNKS delegation in Australia. Photo: Nic Maclellan

est party in the four-member FLNKS coali- powers that would make us an indepen-
tion. At the FLNKS Congress last February, dent nation. For the FLNKS, we are hoping
he was chosen as official spokesperson for for a Yes, so we can be an independent
the independence movement in the lead up state to play our role in the concert of in-
to November’s referendum. dependent nations of the Pacific, at a time
During his visit to Australia, Goa of major change in our region.”
By Nic Maclellan met with Minister for Foreign Affairs
Julie Bishop, Minister for International Mobilising support
AS New Caledonia moves closer to a Development and the Pacific Concetta Current opinion polls suggest that the
referendum on self-determination on 4 Fierravanti-Wells and DFAT officials. majority of registered voters will say No
November, Kanak leader Daniel Goa has He also met High Commissioners of the in November, despite the majority support
been touring the Pacific, seeking regional four independent Melanesian nations, to for independence amongst Kanaks. The
support to monitor the decolonisation discuss the role of the Melanesian Spear- Kanak people are a minority of the overall
process. head Group (MSG) in the lead up to the New Caledonian population after genera-
At the end of a week-long visit to Aus- referendum. tions of colonial settlement and migration.
tralia in July, Goa told Islands Business: The delegation also met a range of trade Beyond this, recent elections have seen
“We look to Australia, New Zealand, our union, university and community repre- significant levels of abstention. Without
Melanesian brothers who have always sentatives, with the FLNKS spokesperson compulsory voting, both supporters and
supported us, but also the Micronesian presenting a keynote speech at the Lowy opponents of independence must mobilise
countries and the Polynesian countries to Institute in Sydney. their base, to get them registered on the
support us at this crucial time.” “The message was the same at all of our electoral roll and get them out to vote.
The referendum on self-determination meetings,” Goa told Islands Business. Despite differences within the four
comes at the end of a twenty-year transi- “After 20 years of the Noumea Accord, we member coalition and calls for boycotts by
tion established by the Noumea Accord, have made much progress with economic parties outside the FLNKS, Goa said there
signed in May 1998 by the French State, re-balancing, the creation of new political was extensive work to mobilise the Kanak
New Caledonia’s independence movement institutions and addressing the rights of people for this decision.
Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et the Kanak people. But we are at a crucial “Since last year, we’ve had teams of
Socialiste (FLNKS) and leaders of political time, with the referendum in November. activists crossing the country,” he said.
parties opposed to independence. “We are looking to our neighbours to “We’ve been visiting all 341 Kanak tribes
Since 2012, Daniel Goa has served as support us as we take the next step, to vote and talking to people about the importance
president of Union Calédonienne, the larg- Yes or No on the transfer of the sovereign of voting Yes.”

14 Islands Business, August 2018