2023-11-26 21:11:02
Roch Wamytan, president of the Congress of New Caledonia, and Gérald Darmanin, minister of the interior, in Nouméa, New Caledonia, December 2, 2022. NICOLAS PETIT/AFP
The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, did not hide it, he left Nouméa on Saturday November 25, “a little disappointed to see that the Caledonian Union [UC] didn’t want to get into the discussion.” on the institutional future of New Caledonia. The UC, the main component of the Kanak and Socialist Liberation Front (FLNKS) to which the president of the Congress (local parliament), Roch Wamytan, reports, certainly continues to discuss face to face with Mr. Darmanin. But after a year of relaunching political dialogue, it still refuses a real three-way negotiation, between the State, the non-independenceists and the separatists. Among the latter, two FLNKS parties united under the National Union for Independence (UNI) label are committed to it, the Palika of the president of the local government, Louis Mapou, and the Progressive Union in Melanesia led by Victor Tutugoro .
“Independenceists and non-independenceists cross paths every day, in the provinces, in the government, in the municipalities, in the street, they eat together (…) and it would only be when the Minister of the Interior comes that they would not be able to talk to each other? »launched Mr. Darmanin on Saturday on the set of the La 1ère channel. ” This is not reasonnable. » And to promise that he will return to Nouméa on December 4 if the UC changes its mind. This hardly seems likely, pending a decisive FLNKS congress in early 2024. “There is no future in French Caledonia”repeats the president of the UC, Daniel Goa.
The current discussions aim to exit the Nouméa agreement of 1998 which established broad statutory autonomy for the Caillou and sealed the recognition of the Kanak people. This involves writing a new status for New Caledonia in the French Constitution by March 2024, and holding provincial elections subsequently.
Calendar maintained
On the FLNKS side, the context is that of bitter internal struggles in view of this election, the UC wishing to wrest from Palika the northern province held by Paul Néaoutyine. The issue also explains the firm public posture of the Loyalist party around Sonia Backès, who intends to keep the presidency of the Southern province. Local elections are won by the extremes, explain those familiar with New Caledonian politics.
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“Everyone tried to push their advantage to the end”, agreed Mr. Darmanin. However, it is not certain that the minister will return empty-handed. Positions, behind the scenes, began to come together. The definition of Caledonian citizenship is moving forward. On the non-independence right, Calédonie Ensemble signed with the UNI and the small Wallisian party Eveil Océanien a document which proposes an institutional self-organization of New Caledonia, or the possibility of a self-determination referendum triggered by a majority simple of Congress.
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