“Time for dialogue”, “liberation movement”, road safety: what we can learn from an interview with Caledonian Union Vice-President Gilbert Tuienon

During a very political day on 29 November at UC Nouméa, which did not attend the Convention of Partners, it lent itself to a game of interviews with Gerald Darmanin and Jean-François Carenco. “The Caledonian Union was not alone. We were accompanied by the Labor Party, Oceania Democratic Rally, Unitary Dynamic South and USTKE”, Gilbert Tuienon defines. “Because we wanted to be together (…) we are always present during the dialogue. We are still committed to the Nouméa agreement, which means peace and dialogue.”

A promise made by FLNKS in 1998, we are keeping it for now. We are in an era of dialogue. We are not in a breakout period.

The Minister of Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs put himself in a listening position on behalf of the state. “We used the opportunity and said (…) that the issue of sovereignty cannot be discussed for usLiaises with UC Vice President. However, we separatists in this country welcomed it. We simply stated that we would have to restore the threads of the dialogue properly (…), he had to measure it [le référendum du 12 décembre] It was a shame for the Kanak people, a shame for the independence movement,” he said. So a “a profound loss of trust”.

The French state is acting against French interests here.

It was necessary to confirm the calendar with the ministers for the guest of the news and “to dress or not” Famous bilateral debates between the state and the separatists. But he insists on delivering a message “important” He appealed to the minister: “The French state will have to change its software (…). You don’t deal with citizens like others, with political movements like others. You are engaged in the national liberation movement.”

FLNKS did not speak with one voice during this visit. Palika and UPM were adopted separately. But for Gilbert Tuienon, differences between movements are ultimately a matter of detail. “Our interlocutors will always find us in front of them when it comes to the issue of sovereignty. We can take different paths, we can have different positions, but the goal is the same.” Regarding the issue of being the president of the independence front again: “The Caledonian Union has always felt that there is a need for someone at the head of the FLNKS, the presidency or the spokesperson.”

UC-FLNKS and the Nationalist group do not intend to participate in the working groups announced at the Partners’ Convention, including the planned working groups on nickel in Paris. But he will not hesitate to watch it from afar, the guest says, returning to the words of Gerald Darmani about the need for a real strategy for nickel. “We are still on the same fundamental principles: mastering the resource, developing the tools of the resource. We need a real industrial project for the country. But it should take into account the local interests and the local population.”

We must reconcile the Caledonians with the exploitation of their main resource, the mine.

User Gilbert Tyuienon mentions the text submitted by the group to make Kanaki’s flag the country’s flag. “This bill of the country was already discussed by the FLNKS group in the Congress on March 28, 2011. insists the guest. The Caledonian Union is in the continuity of everything because we believe that this country needs common elements (…) Maybe it’s time for others to come up with a proposal. But we have a proposal.”

Another, addressing him as a member of the government responsible for road safety, questions the increase in fatal road accidents. Failure to wear seat belt, drink driving, speeding, no license: For Gilbert Tyuienon, “It’s a matter of behavior”. Education, he says, in hopes of seeing more places dedicated to road safety in New Caledonia’s budget.