Emmanuel Macron President of France strives to portray a new image of French politics but when he turned up in Noumea, Kanaky (New Caledonia) earlier this month nothing had changed.
Old style French colonialism holds sway as the territory is about to vote later this year on self determination and the political elite in Paris want the ‘status quo’ to prevail.
Of course Macron said he was not going to attempt to sway the vote either way but you have to ask if that was the case why go at all. In any case independence activists found that old French habits of repression die hard as demonstrators displaying signs saying ‘France pay your colonial debt’ or ‘French assassin’ were speedily arrested and locked up. This of course is the true face of French democracy.
I suppose things have improved somewhat as three decades ago indigenous separatists were killed in Ouvea the cave massacre
Citizens of Noumea the capital had the buildings, streets and roads spruced up for the Macron visit – however anything overtly political which questioned France’s ulterior motives in the Pacific region was firmly dealt with.
Macron is very much old style French colonialism with a ‘designer suit and neat shoes’.
It seems likely that the territory will vote to stay with France and the election is being rigged accordingly. France is desperate like the UK to hang on to colonial outposts around the globe and pretend that they are ‘part of France’.
When will the United Nations call time on this charade of decolonisation?
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Images (From 7seizh):
Bernard Moffatt
pp Celtic League
May 12th 2018