Posted on 10/29/2004 10:38:41 PM PDT by NZerFromHK
The positions over the situation in French Polynesia are becoming increasingly entrenched. Although a strong argument can be made that this is a political crisis rather than a constitutional or legal crisis, if two men claim to be the president of French Polynesia and if the main opposition party refuses to concede that it has lost power then a major constitutional crisis is in the making.
Oscar Temaru, the leader of the Union for Democracy (UPLD), appears to have lost most of the legal battles he has waged. He wanted new elections to be held immediately after he lost two censure votes. The Council of State has rejected his claims that the censure motions against him were invalid.
He is now mounting a major political challenge to the restoration to power of the former president, Gaston Flosse. His initial steps are a fast or a hunger strike by the members of his party (a member of his party has clarified that a fast has more of a religious significance) and appeals to the government in France, to French socialists, to the European Union and to the international community generally. In all of this, he is not claiming a return to power for himself but fresh elections.
The French government, through its minister for overseas territories, Brigitte Girardin, is rejecting Mr Temaru's claims and is maintaining that the territory's institutions are working as they should and that fresh elections are not needed.
This position is not without some legal foundation. Mr Temaru's government suffered defeats in motions of censure, effectively votes of no-confidence.
The proper constitutional process after such a loss is for a vote to be held in the Territorial Assembly within 15 days to elect a new president.
That was done last Friday, after an attempt failed earlier in the week because of the lack of a quorum. Mr Flosse was elected, though Mr Temaru's party boycotted the sitting. It also boycotted a sitting on Monday of this week which one of its own members had scheduled. Mr Flosse has now announced a new Cabinet, as he is required to do. His re-election has also been published in the official gazette.
Various judicial procedures have been followed and these have confirmed that all has been done legally.
Some of the issues involved are of long standing but the beginning of the present sequence is best marked by the autonomy statute promulgated in February of this year. Under it, French Polynesia was given further autonomy status, described as an overseas "country," of France and allowed to negotiate a number of international agreements on its own behalf.
French Polynesia, which opted a number of years ago to remain a French overseas territory, already had a degree of autonomy; the February statute broadened this.
Defence, police, foreign affairs and a number of other functions remain the responsibility of Paris.
The statute also increased the number of members of the Territorial Assembly from 49 to 57.
At the request of the then president of French Polynesia, Mr Flosse, the Territorial Assembly was dissolved and fresh elections called, which had an unanticipated outcome: Mr Flosse's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or Tahaoroa Huiraatira won 28 of the votes and the party of Mr Temaru's party won 27 but managed to attract two other members to form a coalition. Mr Temaru was elected president.
Although long a campaigner for the independence from France of French Polynesia, Mr Temaru did not consider the election win a mandate to declare independence but thought he might edge the territory toward independence over the next couple of decades.
Then, when it came to the censure vote, one of the two who had joined with Mr Temaru's party to form a coalition defected. This man had something of a reputation of switching his allegiance. Mr Temaru had been president for about four months.
When it became clear Mr Temaru had been defeated on a no-confidence vote and that Mr Flosse might resume power there was, for French Polynesia, a huge demonstration. About 25,000 people (roughly 10% of the total population) took part in a peaceful march.
The march and the moves by the Temaru party are not to be interpreted as pro-independence but as anti-Flosse.
He has been grossly extravagant in some of the projects he has undertaken and has run much of French Polynesia in a manner that suited his own purposes and those whom he favoured.
Mr Temaru has been restraining the more radical members of his party and it may be accepted that he will do everything he can to keep the various forms of protest non-violent. Nevertheless, he will be persistent in demanding fresh elections.
French Polynesia is New Zealand's second-largest Pacific export market, though New Zealand firms have not been successful in getting the bigger construction contracts within French Polynesia, largely because Mr Flosse has personally awarded them. Mr Temaru was thought to be better disposed toward New Zealand.
The economy of French Polynesia depended heavily on the expenditure by the French military when they were there for nuclear testing. France compensates the territory for the loss of the income from the military.
Its main industries are the production of black pearls, deepsea fishing and tourism.
Like the tourism industries of other countries, French Polynesia's took a severe blow after the attack on the US on September 11, 2001.
The present instability will discourage the foreign investment the country badly needs.
Mr Temaru is gaining some backing from French socialists but also other French politicians who are leaning to the view that fresh elections would be a proper republican response to the crisis. Time is not, however, on Mr Temaru's side.
Stuart McMillan is an adjunct senior fellow in the school of political science and communication at the University of Canterbury
The whole saga started like this:
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_1215491.htm
French Polynesia to consider opposition motions
The 57-member French Polynesia Assembly is preparing to consider two motions of censure filed by the opposition.
The motions, filed on Tuesday, are an attempt to topple the government of President Oscar Temaru and return power to former President Gaston Flosse.
A new law approved earlier this year by the French Parliament calls for a simple majority of the Assembly's members to act on the motions.
08/10/2004 09:16:56 | ABC Radio Australia News
I've been there twice, a nearly perfect tropical paradise. Locals hate the French, and adore Americans. Gotta love them for that at least.
Then Temaru is ousted in a vote of no confidence:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11036808%255E1702,00.html
French Polynesia leader ousted
From correspondents in Papeete
October 11, 2004
THE government of French Polynesia's first pro-independence president, Oscar Temaru, has been removed from office after just 15 weeks in power.
Mr Temaru's brief tenure ended dramatically yesterday when the territory's parliament adopted two opposition no-confidence motions by a majority of 29 votes out of 57.
Mr Temaru took power in June, ousting former leader Gaston Flosse, a close ally of French president Jacques Chirac. Temaru's Tavini Huiraatira-led coalition defeated Flosse's Tahoeraa Huiraatira party in elections by just one seat.
The no-confidence motions denounced the "incapacity of the current government to lead the country" and an "accelerated decline in economic conditions".
The two-day debate leading up to the vote was incident-packed, with a knife-wielding attacker lunging at Mr Flosse on Friday.
The attacker, a Polynesian man in his 30s identified as Patrick Mao, was set upon by security guards and arrested.
The debate was frequently interrupted and every speech ended in shouting matches between the two parties.
Before the vote, Mr Temaru demanded the dissolution of parliament and new elections. The president can ask for parliament to be dissolved but such a move must be approved by a council of ministers.
Despite increased support for independence, fueled by France's controversial nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll in the mid-1990s, Mr Flosse worked for the past 20 years to keep the territory under French control.
Mr Temaru was a leading critic of the nuclear testing which ended in 1996.
France annexed the archipelago of 263,000 people in the late 19th century.
A week later 20,000 marched on the streets of Papeete - about 10% of the local population:
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1222402.htm
Last Updated 18/10/2004, 19:28:02
More than 20,000 people have taken to the streets of French Polynesia's capital, Pape'ete, to call for the dissolution of a deadlocked parliament and fresh elections.
The march was called in support of Oscar Temaru, whose government was ousted in a motion of no confidence a week ago.
Mr Temaru says he has never seen such support before.
The French Socialist party sent a four-member delegation to support the march, including former government minister, Christian Paul.
Mr Paul has said in recent weeks that there have been acts of "methodical destabilisation" on the part of the French government.
He's calling on the French President, Jacques Chirac, to act "as a referee and not as a partisan", in order to "avoid a period of unrest and confrontation."
Mr Paul says the people of French Polynesia decided in May to trust a new government and that choice should be respected.
The former president Gaston Flosse was returned to power in a new vote in assembly:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apaa_story.asp?category=1106&slug=French%20Polynesia%20President
French Polynesia leader restored to power
By JULIEN BOUILLE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
PAPEETE, Tahiti -- French Polynesia's ousted conservative president has been returned to power in a defeat for advocates of the French territory's independence movement.
Longtime President Gaston Flosse was re-elected by the parliament with 29 out of 57 votes. Twenty-eight of the assembly's pro-independence supporters boycotted the vote.
The election was the latest twist in a tumultuous few months of political upheaval for the island group in the South Pacific.
Flosse, 73, a close ally of French President Jacques Chirac, had served as president of the territory since 1982, with a three-year break from 1988-1991.
But in May legislative elections, Flosse's conservatives suffered an unexpected defeat, and pro-independence candidate Oscar Temaru assumed the presidency.
Temaru has said he wants to move the territory - made up of 121 islands with a total population of 240,000 - to independence from France.
His presidency was cut short, however, when the parliament approved a censure vote Oct. 9 that removed him from power.
The vote paved the way for Flosse's comeback and sparked protests of unprecedented size. Some 15,000 marched in the streets on Oct. 16 in support of Temaru.
Flosse supporters, like conservative lawmaker Eric Raoult, hailed Friday's vote as a "necessary return to calm."
Temaru sought to overturn the censure motion by filing a legal appeal to the Paris-based Council of State. But the council, France's highest administrative body, rejected the bid Saturday, saying the censure vote followed proper procedure and was valid.
Temaru and his allies have accused Chirac of "maneuvers" to restore Flosse. Temaru is backed by some opposition Socialist Party lawmakers from the French mainland.
Former French Culture Minister Jack Lang, among other Socialists, has urged Chirac to dissolve the Polynesian assembly to end a "sort of coup d'etat" that was "ordered by the powers in Paris."
France's minister for overseas territories, Brigitte Giradin, has denied that Paris orchestrated Temaru's downfall and has refused on several occasions to dissolve the islands' parliament.
And Temaru responded with a hunger strike:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3604472&thesection=news&thesubsection=world
Ousted French Polynesia leader starts hunger strike
27.10.2004
8.30am
PAPEETE, Tahiti - The ousted leader of French Polynesia began a hunger strike on Tuesday to protest against his removal and try to prevent an ally of French President Jacques Chirac from taking office.
Pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru lost a censure vote in the group of 118 Central Pacific islands' parliament on October 9 and the assembly elected Gaston Flosse, a close Chirac ally, as the new head of government last Friday.
Temaru, who advocates loosening French rule after a series of moves that have already greatly increased autonomy, says he is the victim of French political manoeuvres and that he will continue the hunger protest until the people get justice.
Temaru had been in power only four months after the previous government led by Flosse lost an election. Flosse, who has held power for much of the last two decades, led the censure motion after Temaru proposed an audit of the previous government.
Temaru plans to send a delegation to Paris to ask the French government to dissolve French Polynesia's parliament and call a general election, aides said.
The French government dismissed his allegations and said it recognised Flosse's election. But the opposition Socialist Party in Paris said Chirac should bow to Temaru's request for a general election to resolve the crisis.
France retains control of law enforcement, defence and the money supply but has allowed more autonomy in French Polynesia. It is represented by a high commissioner appointed by Paris.
Flosse says he has been legally elected. "Tomorrow I am therefore going to present the ruling party's cabinet list and we are going to start work on Wednesday," Flosse said.
The latet development at French Polynesia is here:
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1230074.htm
Last Updated 29/10/2004, 02:37:17
There's still no sign of a resolution of the political standoff in French Polynesia.
Ousted pro-independence leader, Oscar Temaru, and re-elected President, Gaston Flosse, both claim to be the legitimate head of government.
Mr Temaru and his cabinet are refusing to vacate the presidential office and want the French government to dissolve the Polynesian assembly and call fresh elections.
Our correspondent, Isabel Hennequin, says Mr Temaru's minister of lands has now locked the ministry building, leaving about a hundred employees outside.
He says it will remain locked until French President, Jacques Chirac, decides to dissolve the assembly.
Meanwhile, Mr Temaru and his ministers continue a hunger strike to protest Mr Temaru's removal from power.
Mr Flosse's lawyers have gone to court in a bid to evacuate them from the presidential office.
A judgement is expected on Friday.
A delegation of Mr Temaru's coalition is to travel to Paris and Brussels to lobby the French and Belgian leadership.
They hope to meet with Jacques Chirac.
Mr Temaru was ousted in a vote of no-confidence on October 9, after some of his coalition parliamentarians switched to the opposition.
At the weekend, a sitting of the legislative assembly endorsed the return to power of the pro-French Gaston Flosse by a narrow majority.
I was there for last year and to me as an outsider, it seems the locals (even the local born French as well) like Americans than France-born French. We were there to visit a friend of my Dad (he's a Chinese living in Tahiti) and his whole extended clan when we were transfering on the way to the States. I found that even they seem to have contempts on the French police (in particular, the Gendarme, while they were less hostile to the Police Nationale). I also noticed some of the police officers (complete with kepis) also seemed to be quite snotty towards the local islanders. Interesting finding...
I pray the matter won't get bad but it seems to me (well, I have to trust the MSMs this time because this is a minor issue and neitehr Bush nor Kerry is a factor here and this makes them reliable here) if the standoff continues anything is possible.
There was a riot in Papeete in 1995 when France temporarily resumed nuclear testing at Mururoa. And the airport was directly affected. There were also lootings and mass diorder. I hope it doesn't get a repeat thi time...
Troubles in France's Pacific territory and Australia and NZ's backyard ping!
Uh-oh it looks things could take a turn for the worse:
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_world_story_skin/456002?format=html
French Polynesia brace for riots
Oct 30, 2004
The French government is trying to oust French Polynesia's first indigenous president, Oscar Temaru.
He was elected into power five months ago, but now his supporters are occupying his office building in a desperate bid to try and keep him in power.
Temaru is accusing Paris and his political foe, Gaston Flosse, of plotting to oust him following a vote of no confidence.
Now Temaru and his supporters want fresh elections and are not prepared to leave the presidential offices until that happens.
In the past political tension has lead to riots, so traditional leaders are now calling for calm.
Locals are insisting on business as usual but there is real tension as both Temaru and Flosse each claim they lead the legitimate government.
Flosse has taken legal action to get Temaru and his supporters removed from the presidential offices he considers his own.
Interesting that this Mr. Flosse organized the no confidence motion only on hearing that Mr. Temaru intended an audit of his administration. Sounds just like his patron Chiraq (who only stays out of prison himself because a sitting french prez cannot be prosecuted while still in office).
So Mr. Temaru wanted to move towards independence. I wonder what their books look like. Does French Polynesia have a viable economy or is it a welfare case? I am thinking of the example of the Comoro Islands (Indian Ocean, off East Africa, mercenary Bob Denard's old haunt). In 1975 three of the five (I think) islands decided on independence from France and promptly joined the 3rd World with all it's attendant woes and corruption. I recall a mention in the nineties' of a pitiful attempt--reminiscient of the Melanesian cargo cults--on their part to try and vote themselves back into colonial status and bring back the good old days. Needless to say, France did not want them back. So why does France want to hand on to Tahiti?
It could happen here
French Polynesia is a classic welfare basket case for France itself - at least 1/3 to half of the economy was propped up by the military (nuclear testing) from 1965 to 1997. Currently the territory only has three major sources of foreign exchange earners: tourism, black pearls, and fisheries. Unemployment runs at 20% which is tragic.
But the neighbouring micro states in the Pacific are worse - Fiji, Samoa, even our own little territory Cook Islands, let alone Tonga, Solomon Island or Vanuatu. They fit the classical definition of banana republics, although I would say those in your backyard (the Caribbean) seem to be comically worse.
I think one of the reasons France wants to hold on to Tahiti is because it is right at the region where Anglo-American influence is the strongest. It is 5 hours of flights away from Hawaii, 3 hours from Fiji, 8 hours from Australia's East Coast (Sydney) and US West Coast (Los Angeles). It is useful for them to gather what the Anglo-Saxons are doing!
Also Flosse is incredibly corrupt, or so I heard. He was dubbed "King of the South Seas" by NZ politicians not without valid reasons.
I found this account on a generally non-political Tahiti tourism forum:
http://p079.ezboard.com/fpolynesia76919frm1.showMessageRange?topicID=1081.topic&start=21&stop=34
"...My father-in-law who is watching the situation very closely says he read that paperwork is being destroyed round the clock by Flosse.
1 member of Flosse's party who did show up for the election has now resigned from Flosse's party in disgust and joined Oscar's party giving him a majority government..."
He was once put on trial in French Polynesia back in the 1980s on corruption charges. He was subsequently (of course) cleared but many doubt his innocence.
Anyplace where Gaugain hung out can't be all that bad.
If my memory is correct, it seems the whole French Polynesia has only one hospital?? I remember a son of the friend of my Dad showing us that hospital (in Papeete) at night from a distance.
It wouldn't be much hassle to put patients to NZ, Australia, or even the States for treatment. Well, even Fiji has a fully-equipped hospital and yet, France opts to fly them to Paris? Incredible.
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