W.Minh Tuan
Tan Dao country in the past
The famous British captain named James Cook first discovered New Island-New Caledonia on September 4, 1774. It was Captain Cook who named this beautiful, prosperous island New Caledonia, to commemorate his hometown in Scotland, because the name Caledonia is the old, Latin name of Scotland.
And now, for Vietnamese people, we call New Caledonia as Tan Dao-New Island.
On September 23, 1853, Emperor Napoleon III of France officially ordered the capture of the New Caledonia archipelago from the British, and established the city of Port-de-France, now Noumea – the capital of New Caledonia.
At that time, the inhabitants of New Caledonia were mainly Kanak indigenous people, and Melanesians, and a few other tribes, with a population of only a few tens of thousands of people, extremely backward, with the custom of cannibalism, and living naked. Men have ornaments tied to their genitals, carry long spears for hunting, and fight with other tribes.
The Kanak and Melanesians were so backward that they were easily ruled and colonized by the French.
A backward country, dominated by a civilized country, is completely different from a civilized country ruled by a backward country.
Thanks to the rule of the French, the primitive peoples of New Caledonia abandoned the practice of cannibalism, abandoned the way of wearing all sorts of elaborate decorations on the male genitals, and began to wear clothes and suits, wear a tie, wear a fedora, wear shoes, speak French, and learn French civilization, learn how to do business, do science, education, lifestyle,,,of France.
First, the French brought many prisoners of all kinds from France to New Caledonia, considered exiled from their homeland. These French prisoners, and the Kanak and Melanesians, make up the majority of the population of modern-day New Caledonia.
Tan Dao people do not want independence from France
Since 1953, when Vietnam was preparing to fight the battle of Dien Bien Phu, in New Caledonia, the French Government decided to issue French Passports to all New Caledonia residents.
The people of New Caledonia are happy to receive this Passport. With a French Passport, New Caledonians can travel worldwide without needing a visa.
In 1986, the United Nations Committee on the Abolition of Colonial Rule listed New Caledonia on the United Nations List of Non-Self-Governing Teriiritories.
Because of that list, in New Caledonia, people began heated discussions about independence or not independence.
The Rally-UMP party in power in New Caledonia advocates that there is no need for independence, just a prosperous and happy people, and must rely on France to develop the country and protect the homeland.
The newly established Avenir Ensemble party also does not advocate independence, but wants more self-determination.
The FLNKS movement (Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste) was newly established in 1984, consisting of a number of small political groups, mostly Kanak indigenous people, and some Europeans dissatisfied with the French Central Government in Paris, wanted to demand complete and immediate independence.
Most of the people of New Caledonia understand that if they are independent, it will actually only be to reserve leadership positions for the top indigenous leaders, for example the positions of President, Prime Minister, Minister, etc. leaders for the FLNKS Movement’s leaders.
In 1987, the first referendum in New Caledonia on independence or non-independence was held. The result of this Referendum is that the majority of New Caledonia people do not want independence, they just want to live and do business in peace.
Many New Caledonians said very simply: “We have seen many countries deceived by this “independence”. Those countries gained independence, then fell into the hands of dictators, worse than the colonialists. We don’t want to be fooled.”
The FLNKS movement was not satisfied with the results of that Referendum.
One year later, in 1988, the small armed force of the FLNKS Movement consisting of 30 fighters took hostage 27 people, including 1 police officer, and demanded that the French Government immediately return independence for New Caledonia. This hostage crisis, known as Ouvea cave hostage taking, took place from April 22, 1988, to May 5, 1988, on the island of Ouvea.
The French government refused to negotiate with the kidnappers, and sent a 60-man Task Force to the island of Ouvea to rescue the hostages.
The Task Force made a big mistake, mistakenly attacking a mountain cave about 300 meters away from the cave where the kidnappers were hiding, so the kidnappers discovered that they were being attacked and prepared to take precautions.
As a result, 3 Special Forces officers were shot dead by the FLNKS group, and 1 was injured. But fortunately, all the kidnapped people were safely rescued, and 19 kidnappers were annihilated, including the leader of the kidnapping group.
After this hostage crisis, the 1988 Noumea Agreement was signed, according to which, between 2014 and 2018, the people of New Caledonia would conduct a second Referendum, leaving it to be seen who want to be independent, who doesn’t? If the majority of people vote for independence, the French Government will grant independence for New Caledonia.
According to the 1988 Noumea Agreement, if a majority of New Caledonia’s residents agree to independence, they will be able to change the country’s name, make its own National Anthem, make its own flag, and print its own currency.
In 2011, many opinions demanded a second separate flag, representing the Kanak people.
As a result, the second flag of New Caledonia, representing the Kanak people, was approved by the New Caledonia National Assembly, with a very confusing decoration, if viewed from a distance, it looks a bit like a shrimp, or a what pattern we not sure.
Thus, since 2011, New Caledonia has had two official flags, a three-striped French flag, and a shrimp-shaped flag – perhaps – of the Kanak people. In the world, there are a few countries and some territories that have two such official flags.
On November 4, 2018, the second referendum on independence was held, resulting in 56.9% of voters choosing to remain in France.
The Kanaks demanding independence demanded another Referendum, a third, which the French Government accepted. The French government said: “If you want independence from the French, please, we have no objections. Please decide for yourself.”
The third referendum was held in October 2020. As a result, 53.26% of voters chose to stay in France.
But those demanding independence still disagree, they demand a fourth referendum.
And the fourth and final referendum authorized by the Nouméa Agreement was held on December 12, 2021, during intense pandemic COVID 19.
This time the results were similar to the previous two referendums, clearly, over 56% of New Caledonians said “no” to independence, and said “yes” to agreeing that New Caledonia is part of the Republic.
But the majority of Kanak indigenous people boycotted and did not participate in this Referendum, and they did not recognize the results of this fourth referendum.
The Kanak people spoke at the United Nations that “the French have deprived us of independence from the Kanak people, through fraudulent and unfair referendums.”
According to New Caledonia’s 2019 census, the indigenous Kanak people make up 41% of the ethnically diverse population of 271,000.
Europeans make up 24%, Wallisians and Futunans 8%, and a combination of Indonesians, ni-Vanuatu, Tahitians and Vietnamese make up the remaining 27% of the population. The area of New Caledonia is more than 18,000 km2, about 20 times the size of Singapore.
After the referendum, many New Caledonians requested that New Caledonia be removed from the list of “Colonies” countries.
A member who does not want independence, does not want to separate from France, and is the Vice Chairman of the Southern Province, Mr. Gil Brial, said he is a descendant of the French people who were brought to New Caledonia 160 years ago.
Mr. Gil Brial said his ancestors “integrated with others, including the indigenous Kanak people.”
He said the only colonization left today is “the colonization of young people’s minds by some separatist leaders who mix racism, hatred and intimidation “.
Tan Dao- New Caledonia country today
The level of civilization in New Caledonia is now no different from other EU countries. Now, coming to New Caledonia, it is impossible to imagine that just over 100 years ago this country was still a land of cannibals, stripping naked, and decorating their genitals with all kinds of things,,,.
By now, in 2022, the average income per capita of more than 270,000 New Caledonians is more than 38,000 USD/person/year, higher than the living standard of New Zealand, only slightly lower than the living standard of France. ,,,.(France is 42,000 USD/person/year – 2022).
More than 6,000 New Islanders of Vietnamese origin did not return to Vietnam, but remained in New Caledonia, and also had a high standard of living on average of 38,000 USD/year/person.
The descendants of the third, fourth, and fifth generation Vietnamese people currently living in Tan Dao are very successful. There is a person of Vietnamese origin who is currently the owner of a nickel mine and is as rich as a millionaire. There is a person of Vietnamese origin who owns an airport. There are many families of Vietnamese origin who own thousands of hectares of coconut and banana fields. There are people of Vietnamese origin who have participated in the local government, serving as local parliamentarians.
Social benefits in New Caledonia are all inclusive highest in the world. Unemployed people receive benefits and are not afraid of going hungry. Elderly people who are lonely and have no family are cared for free by the Government.
The education system in New Caledonia is completely similar and equal to that of France.
New Caledonia society is peaceful, with little crime, people are polite and kind to each other, children are joyful and happy, they do not litter, they do not curse each other, they do not scam tourists, there are no Groups of benefits, no real estate sharks getting rich on public land, no people flocking together to sue for justice,,,. ///