NOUMEA (Oceania Flash) — Kanak, Wallisian, local government and the French representation in New Caledonia have met for the first time in order to find a way out of months of confrontation between indigenous Kanaks and dwelling Wallisian in the village of Saint Louis, near the capital Noumea, daily newspaper Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes reports.
The first meeting, which took place at the French High Commission, which is France’s official representation in New Caledonia, was seen as a first step toward negotiations and a possible solution into the current impasse.
“Neither a miracle solution, nor an irreparable deadlock, the meeting at least allowed all parties to freely express themselves, without door slamming,” Les Nouvelles comments.
Two main Kanak tribes of Saint Louis had sent representatives, so had the Wallisian community of Ave Maria, nearby town Mont-Dore mayor, New Caledonia’s President Pierre Frogier, French High Commissioner Thierry Lataste and New Caledonia’s prominent anti-independence RPCR party leader and Southern Province President Jacques Lafleur.
Speaking for the Wallisians, Catholic Father Rock Apikaoua said “diverging views and political differences were still there, but everyone taking part had shown a real will to find a way out of this situation in the long-term.”
For the past few weeks, Wamytan has been advocating for a “Pacific Way” to be applied to negotiations.
He also claimed the land of which the Wallisians—who originate from Wallis and Futuna Islands, another French Pacific territory located northeast of Fiji—live should be given back to the Kanaks, who would then decide on ways of resettling the Polynesian community.
“Yes, the Pacific Way was one of the options explored, but we have decided to meet again on this…. There are many sides to this conflict: housing, land, but also the youths and they need training and jobs,” Apikaoua said.
Saint Louis Kanak chiefs also admitted that prior to any further talks, their internal feud had to be solved.
“Whatever the solution may be, it can only be viable if the question of tribal authority ownership is clarified. Past experience has shown that the existence of two high chief systems on Saint Louis does not allow to guarantee the effects of decision-making,” Saint Louis high chiefs office said in a statement.
One of the first conditions to any further talks was also a stop to any violence in the area.
“And I think everybody got that,” Apikaoua said.
