Political Instability in Pacific Nations PDF

Political instability A- an overview of the political situation 22 Pacific nations New Caledonia = only non-independent Melanesian country Political diversity diversity = more instability 9 fully independent countries ( tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu) 5 states in free association...

Political instability A- an overview of the political situation 22 Pacific nations New Caledonia = only non-independent Melanesian country Political diversity diversity = more instability 9 fully independent countries ( tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu) 5 states in free association (Palau, FSM, Marshall Islands > with the US / Cook Islands, Niue > NZ) 8 dependent territories : Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, > under US / french Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, > under France / Tokelau, > NZ pitcalm islands > UK Missing from list: Hawaii + Rama nui Main factors in political instability employment International immigration Housing/ land pressure from rural-urban migration  Health and health systems$ Gender issues corruption Governance : Nauru increasing authoritarianism, Fiji democracy by military permission, PNG (poverty, gender politics, lack of party discipline, strong kin obligations), New Caledonia (franch Polynesia, Hawaii + NZ) autonomy > Melanesia is today’s political hot sport New Caledonia 268 000 people = -Kanak (40%) arrived 3000 years ago -Europeans (25%) > ‘caldoches’ : descendants of colonists arrived in 19th century + ‘metros’ or ‘zoreills’ : recent french arrivals who usually live in NY temporarily -other immigrants (35%) Inequalities : Kanak youth are extremely marginalized (=mise à l’écart) + 46% of kanak people have obtained only a junior high school certificate Electoral reform : Since the 2007 constitutional reform, New Caledonia’s electoral rolls for provincial elections have been frozen at the 1998 status under the Nouméa Accord. In 2024, around 25,000 new voters will be added, increasing the total to 42,596. This includes New Caledonia-born citizens and 10-year residents. Pro-Independence View: The pro-independence movement sees the frozen electorate as a final measure and fears that unfreezing the rolls could dilute the Kanak vote. > As usual, getting reliable information about sensitive issues is difficult. 6000 (gendarmes, police and military personnel) - 1000 (police) - 2500 (gendarme police) = 2500? (military personnel) But : d’après le ministère de La Défense = 1650 militaires et civils de La Défense B- traditional politics Pre-colonial pacific politics Ancestors’s spirits > kingdoms > customary areas > tribes (chieferies) > family clans 1- Ancestors’s spirits Log-gongs, with ancestors decorations are used to call forest people to the central namal Vahiné Pomare IV : the disposed queen of Tahiti 2- kingdoms (kings and queens) in 2016, Filipo Katoa became the 38th Tu’iagaifo (king) in Futuna Queen Tenia’makui, Tabwewa village, Banaba (now part of Kiribati) King tupou VIand queen Nanasipau’u of Tonga > same royal family since 1875 3- Customary areas 4- tribes (chieferies) How does tribes choses their leaders ? hereditary Contact with spirits giving and receiving favours Livestock sacrifices (especially pigs) Some chief are real leaders, others are more symbolic 5- family clans 39 languages in New Caledonia New Caledonia is still example of traditional politics 8 customary areas 57 chefferies 341 tribes 4000-5000 clans C- colonial politics From 1790 to 1860, early settlers, sealers and whalers, helped begin pacific colonisation. Pacific colonisation, began in earnest in 1788, with the first military colonisation There was an international scramble for territory and influence by the western powers 171 islands were grouped to make the country of Tonga (only 45 are inhabited) Fijian soldiers working for private English colonisers The British kept traditional authorities as special advisors to local colonial administrations > Let local leaders help govern, keeping them as advisors. The french replaced traditional authorities by colonial policy enforces from paris > Replaced local leaders with French officials to have full control. 19th + 20th : European colonisers grouped the 25 0000 pacific islands into 22 countries A special case > Vanuatu french/english annexation = 1906 Condominium colonisation (franco-british) = 1906-1980 > Vanuatu was annexed by France and the UK in 1906, creating a condominium (co- governance) until it gained independence in 1980. Colonial politics empire building to make ‘home’ countries richer Peopling new countries (sometimes with free passage for new farmers, especially in NZ and Australia) Competition between European countries Saving savages (Christianity) Imposing home languages and cultures Exploiting natural resources (nickel, minerals, guano) Exploiting ‘slave’ labour (plantations) Building infrastructure (ring roads, wharfs) The limits of colonial politics : blackbirding in Fiji / Indians imported to Fiji / Chinese imported to Tahiti Another special case - Samoa The tripartite convention of 1899 The Tripartite Convention of 1899 divided the islands of Samoa between Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. This division influenced the political and economic development of Samoa over the next several decades. German Samoa (1899-1919) Like Australia, New Caledonia was used as a penal colony (1853-1913) English Samoa (1899-1962) The kanak majority was confined to reserves (10% of the land). They were employed as forced labour on french plantations, ranches and public works. Lefevre, Tate (2008) tourisme ans indigenous curation of culture in Lifou, New Caledonia American Samoa (1899-today) D- Instable politics Samoa (1962) 1962 = no universal suffrage. Both voters and candidates had to be Matai’i The two Fautua (highest chiefs) became joint Heads of State for life Then (in 1990 ?) universal suffrage arrived. But still only matai’I could be political candidates Today there are two political systems : ○ nationally : democratic and fa’amatai chiefly system > 47 MPs who are also matai / 2 non-Samoans MPs ○ Locally : civil and criminal matters are dealt with by 360 Fono o Matai (village chief councils), using traditional village Fono Law  30 July 1980 = Vanuatu’s Independence Day > chose a constitutional democracy with a representative parliament, alongside traditional systems of leadership and justice upheld by community chiefs 01 January 1962 = Samoan independence day All pacific countries still have chiefs and tribes Mixture of customary and democratic politics ○ national politics = +/- democratic ○ Local politics = mostly hereditary chiefs E- political legacies Other pacific island independence politics tonga (1970) : a king, a prime minister, a cabinet and tribal chiefs Kiribati (1979) : an elected president and government and tribal chiefs Marshall Islands (1986) : a president elected by parliaments (like prime minsters in the Westminster system) and tribal chiefs Palau (1995) : a president and congress (and even a miniature replica of Washington’s capitol building) and tribal chiefs Northern Marianas, Guam and American Samoa : have locally elected governors and congress and tribal chiefs This aid is often directed towards funding development projects, infrastructure, health, education, and governance in former colonies or other regions in need. Positive : Overseas Development Aid (ODA) comes mostly from former colonizers and is a financial support aimed at fostering development in countries, often in regions that were once under their colonial rule. Here’s an overview of its impact: Percentage of Gross National Income (GNI): On average, ODA represents 19% of the GNI of recipient countries. Definition of GNI: Gross National Income (GNI) includes all revenues a country generates, not only from within its borders but also from earnings made abroad (e.g., investments or remittances from expatriates). Remaining colonial infrastructure The pacific forum (founded in 1971) > New Caledonia + french Polynesia are now full members Self- determination Negative : Corruption with overseas development aid +/- democratic Indigenous languages and cultures have become endangered (ex: cool island Maori) Colonisation has taken most natural resources  Positive and Negative : Hippolyte wakewi sinewami-htamumu : un des 8 nouveaux présidents pour le sénat coutumiers de nouvelle Calédonie Continuing close ties with former colonisers Local politics = mostly hereditary chiefs > 2018 : Ratu Epeli Saukuru and Ratu Epeli Saukuru junior at Navoci village in Nadi, Fiji China is investing heavily in the pacific islands The ongoing importance of Christianity