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New Caledonian FM: Mass influx of people from Metropolitan France results in oppression of the indigenous Kanak people

24 May 2024 16:43 (UTC +04:00)

On May 24, the French magazine "L'Humanite" published an interview (https://apa.az/storage/pdf/17165518356650809bbb9d4.pdf) with Forrest, Minister of International Tourism Development of New Caledonia, APA reports.

Mickael Forrest noted that Kanaky - New Caledonia has been on the list of territories to be decolonized by the United Nations since 1986.

According to him, the UN General Assembly adopts resolutions every year regarding the decolonization of New Caledonia as well as French Polynesia. He emphasized that the UN should closely monitor this process based on the Nouméa Accord, which regulates the situation in New Caledonia.

Recalling that he participated in a recent regional event in Venezuela at the invitation of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), the Foreign Minister stated that during this event, participants were informed about the conflicts occurring in New Caledonia and that he requested the New Caledonian Government to send a mission to the C-24 to assess the situation on the ground accurately. The minister highlighted that since 2015, nine such missions have been organized, and he emphasized their condemnation of the electoral fraud orchestrated by the French state.

"The mass influx of people from Metropolitan France results in the manipulation of elections, and the oppression of the indigenous Kanak people," the minister added.

He also recalled that they have made a request for international mediation in the Special Committee on Decolonization. He also added that the indifferent approach of the forces close to the French government towards the nature of the problem was badly received by the participants of the said event.

Saying that France has violated international law, Forrest noted that the Kanaky-New Caledonia issue is not an internal matter of France. He also noted that in the upcoming days, he would travel to Europe to meet with parliamentarians who support New Caledonia. He added that support is being shown by the Pacific Islands Forum, Papua New Guinea, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and other countries, as well as international non-governmental organizations and the international community regarding the ongoing processes in New Caledonia.

In response to a question about the relationship between New Caledonia and Azerbaijan, Forrest stated that the Government of New Caledonia has no problems with any country: "Azerbaijan chaired the Non-Aligned Movement. The movement has always supported us and we have observer status there."