Maohi Nui, also known as French Polynesia, will seek to end French colonial rule and continue efforts on international platforms to secure recognition as a sovereign state, Oscar Temaru, leader of the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira party, told the Baku Initiative Group.
Temaru said Maohi Nui would work to end what he described as decades of French colonial rule and pursue international recognition of its sovereignty through relevant global institutions, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
As part of the effort, Temaru has prepared a declaration on the full sovereignty of Maohi Nui. The document is expected to be presented in New York in October during meetings of the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee on Political and Decolonization Affairs.
According to Temaru, the key to overcoming political restrictions and institutional dependence on France is for the people of Maohi Nui to freely determine their own political future and initiate the process of establishing a sovereign state.
The Tavini Huiraatira leader maintains that France’s control over the territory is historically unjustified and unlawful. He also argues that the territory’s decolonization remains an issue on the international agenda and should continue to be addressed within the UN framework.
Despite opposition from France, French Polynesia was re-inscribed on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories by a UN General Assembly decision in 2013.
Temaru also plans to launch a petition calling for independence. The initiative is intended to demonstrate internationally that the drive to end French colonial rule and achieve sovereignty originates from the people of Maohi Nui and has broad public support. Temaru considers majority backing from voters an important factor in establishing the legitimacy of the process.
The Baku Initiative Group has expressed firm support for the right of the people of Maohi Nui to self-determination and for the territory’s decolonization efforts at the international level. The partnership between the two organizations was formalized through a document signed by the Baku Initiative Group and Tavini Huiraatira at the UN Office in Vienna on April 26, 2024.
France’s decades-long nuclear testing program in French Polynesia has also been cited by independence advocates as evidence of the consequences of colonial rule. The tests have been linked to serious medical and environmental concerns among the local population, including cancer and radioactive contamination.
By Vafa Guliyeva
