Statement to the United Nations Special Political
and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)
Hon. Richard, Ariihau TUHEIAVA
Elected Member of the House of Assembly of French Polynesia
9th October 2015
 |
| Hon. Richard, Ariihau Tuheiava addresses United Nations (U.N.) Special Political and decolonisation Committee (Fourth Committee) at U.N. Headquarters in New York. The U.N. Committee was considering the 2015 recommendations for the decolonisation of French Polynesia/Ma'ohi Nui - photo: OTR |
Mr. Chairman, distinguished delegates,
On behalf of the Group “Union Pour La Démocratie” (U.P.L.D.), I
wish to express our appreciation to the Special Committee of
Decolonization for the adoption last June of recommendations on
French Polynesia presently before this Committee.
Mr. Chairman,
We maintain our consistent commitment to the role of the
U.N. in the decolonization of our territory pursuant to
international law.
We once again urge the administering power, France, to
comply with its obligations under Article 73(e) of the U.N. Charter
to transmit information, and under Article 73 (b) to develop
genuine self-government with political equality.
In this regards, it is regrettable that the administering power -
in particular, a member of the Council of Security - continues to
ignore its U.N. Charter obligations.
We solemnly recall the provision 3 of the UN resolution 1514
(XV): « (…) Inadequacy of political, economic, social or
educational preparedness should never serve as a pretext for
delaying independence.
Mr. Chairman,
From our perspective, decolonization is fundamentally about
justice. But justice delayed, is justice denied. The existent
political status quo, which finds the administering power
exercising control of the main governance functions, denies us
the fundamental right to an equitable and genuine self-determination
process, and is reflective of a false autonomy.
Mr. Chairman,
The General Assembly has adopted a host of resolutions
confirming that the ownership, control and permanent
sovereignty of natural resources, including marine resources,
lies with the peoples of the non self-governing territories as part of
their heritage.
U.N. resolutions have also affirmed that the exploitation and
plundering of these resources by foreign economic interests is in
violation of relevant U.N. resolutions, and is a threat to the
territories' integrity and prosperity.
Mr. Chairman,
Our administering power continues to unilaterally usurp the
marine resources of the people of French Polynesia contained in
the 5 millions square kilometers of Economic Exclusive Zone of
deep ocean. These resources include the vast array of “strategic
metals” such as rare earths, manganese, cobalt, and more.
This deprives the people of French Polynesia of the means to
build a sustainable economic and social future, and to move
away from the profound economic dependency created by the
false economy based on the legacy of the French nuclear
testings.
Further economic exploitation occurs by other means.
Since 2009, revenue in the form of taxes paid by more than 10
airlines to land at our own Tahiti-Faa’a International Airport goes
to the French treasury. Even taxes from our own airline Air Tahiti
Nui are paid to France, along with fees paid to cross through our
own airspace.
For decades, the fees associated with at least 12 geostationary
satellites that cross our spatial area, the
telecommunications system - including fiber-optic cables crossing
our seabed -, and many more revenue-generating
competencies have been controlled by our administering power.
Mr. Chairman,
Natural resources and revenues from the territories
appear to be the essence of contemporary colonialism. But
the inalienable right to self-determination of the People of French
Polynesia shall not be impeded by the orchestrated colonial
pretext of “inadequacy of political, economic, social or educational
preparedness”.
We stand ready to work with the U.N. to implement the
decolonization mandate for our people, as a matter of urgency.
Justice delayed, is justice denied.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
