PACIFIC CONCERNS RESOURCE CENTRE (PCRC) Suva, Fiji Islands
MEDIA RELEASE April 2, 2001
The Pacific Concerns Resource Centre has strongly condemned Australia and New Zealand for undertaking military exercises with France in the Pacific region, saying it was hypocritical and a useless expenditure of resources.
The Australian, New Zealand and French navies conducted military exercises called ‘Tasmanex’ in Auckland, New Zealand from 5-15 March.
"Australia and New Zealand preach about democracy, good governance and human rights in Fiji and the Solomon Islands, yet they ignore France’s violation of the rights of the indigenous people of Tahiti and New Caledonia to democratically determine their own future. This is hypocritical," said PCRC spokesperson Stanley Simpson.
PCRC said France was a military occupier in the Pacific as it still colonizes Tahiti (French Polynesia), Wallis and Futuna, and the indigenous Kanak people of New Caledonia. The military...