Bet won for the Tavini. Without being euphoric either, the elected officials present at a press conference this Friday morning at the party headquarters looked more cheerful than on their return from New York, from which they returned “with frustrations”as Richard Tuheiava conceded. It must be said that things have not progressed much for the separatists since the re-inscription, in 2013, of French Polynesia on the list of non-autonomous territories to be decolonized. Direction Geneva this time, to attend the examination by this committee of the sixth periodic report concerning France. An opportunity not to be missed for Tavini who was represented by Richard Tuheiava and the elected representative of the Marquesas, Marielle Kohumoetini.
They were able “petition for the very first time” before the UN Human Rights Committee on October 21. An intervention based on the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly dated December 5, 2014 and which “specifies that the right to self-determination is a human right”.
“Ten years of hindering the decolonization process is ten years of violation of human rights”underlined Richard Tuheiava this Friday morning, surrounded by the boss of Tavini, Oscar Temaru, that of the assembly, Antony Géros, the elected representatives of Tarahoi Mitema Tapati, Ruben Termetate and Marielle Kohumoetini, but also, the former minister of Finances Tevaiti Pomare who seems to be taking up residence in the blue party since his ouster from the government.
France's response “shocked a lot of people”
The former senator and chief of staff of Antony Géros was delighted with the fact that the very first point that was retained in the decision of the Human Rights Committee concerns the “right to self-determination”. The UN experts on this committee thus “questioned France directly” on its respect for the application of human rights, by coupling, for the first time, here too, the question of the right of the peoples of French Polynesia and New Caledonia to their self-determination.
But France has still not moved one iota and is sticking to the position it held in Caracas and New York, insisting, for those who have not understood, that “French Polynesia has no place on the UN list of non-self-governing territories”. An answer “scathing” who caused “a little outcry” and even “shocked a lot of people” in the assistance in Geneva, explains Richard Tuheiava, particularly in relation to the situation in Kanaky. “It (France) remains colonial”comments for his part Antony Géros, supported by Oscar Temaru who adds that “France doesn’t like being called to order”. Remember that in its decision, the committee asks the State to “facilitate and expedite the realization of the right of peoples to self-determination”by collaborating “with the special committee on decolonization” of the UN. So failed.
Finally, it should be noted that, for her part, Marielle Kohumoetini pleaded in Geneva for “the indivisibility of our territories”arguing that the five Polynesian archipelagos are “like the five fingers of the hand”. An argument that not all the Marquesans necessarily share, some of whom would, on the contrary, wish to break away from Tahiti. But never mind, this “principle of indivisibility is important when we want to achieve independence”underlines Richard Tuheiava.
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