Milakulo Tukumuli, the president of Oceanian Awakening, was the guest of the television news on Sunday January 5. While Congress must elect an 18th government on Tuesday January 7, he returns to his party's alliance with Caledonia together. And on the fall of an independence government that he helped bring to power in 2021. Through another game of alliance.
Oceanian Awakening has chosen to form a joint list with Caledonia together for the election of the 18th Caledonian government. With three elected to Congress, Milakulo Tukumuli's party cannot present its own list. “We have already tried the vehicle of the Future with confidence, we have tried the vehicle of the Caledonian Union, with the success that we know. We could have taken the Uni vehicle or that of Caledonia together because we share more or less the same vision on the future of New Caledonia”, explains the founder of l’Éveil, guest on the television news on Sunday January 5.
“Caledonia together was very courageous to put an end to the 17e government in which we participated. (…) It was necessary to put an end to this method or rather the absence of a method”, he believes. “The fall of the government does not happen like a hair in the soup“, he emphasizes. In his eyes, it is the result of a lack of respect for the institutional functioning between the government and Congress. “The beginning of anarchy.”
Ce 17e government, with a pro-independence majority, the Oceanian Awakening helped bring it to power. “We defended it, we voted for the most difficult reforms”, souligne Milakulo Tukumuli. Pourtant,”in 2021, we got into the vehicle of the Caledonian Union because we wanted to see Samuel Hnepeune as president of the government, it was a less political, more technical profile”, he recalls. More able to respond to the challenges of inequality according to him.
“In fineit was Louis Mapou who became president of the government.” Consequence: “we are thrown out of government. It was the resignation of Samuel Hnepeune that brought us back. We could have taken it badly. We stayed”, he continues. Until the resignation of Vaimu'a Muliava, in August 2024. The Oceanian Awakening then considers itself “relegated to the opposition”.
Since 2019, the alliance with the UC-FLNKS and nationalists has been expressed several times in Congress. It will not be the same with Caledonia together, assures Milakulo Tukumuli. “We will remain independent until the end of the mandate”. However, without an agreement with the Oceanian Awakening, if Caledonia together gains the presidency of the government, the political movement could lose its group in Congress.
Way to reaffirm your position “neither independence nor non-independence” ? “We consider that this divide, if it was the beating heart of New Caledonian politics, has become a glass ceiling”, an electoral posture far from the concerns of Caledonians, replaces Milakulo Tukumuli.
The solution for New Caledonia is neither white nor black, it is gray. Between “no never” and “yes right away”, I believe that the best solution is to move towards a form of shared sovereignty between New Caledonia and France.
In discussions on the institutional future, Oceanian Awakening will continue to campaign for “No, not now”, confirms the elected official. “It's not a 3e way, it's the only way possible. What's more after May 13, when the economic fabric was shaken. Let's wait to rebuild, until the country is no longer on its knees but standing, and let's decide together on the decolonization process”, advocates the party leader. On this subject, concrete common positions are expected by the State by March 31.
