Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Hollande’s Dakar speech fuels Tahiti hopes

Posted at 19:21 on 16 October, 2012 UTC

French Polynesia’s ruling pro-independence party has taken heart from a speech in Senegal by the French President Francois Hollande.

In a statement, the party says French Polynesia should not be the last colony of France.

Walter Zweifel reports.

“In a broadside against the pro-French opposition, the Tavini Huiraatira says French Polynesia is in survival mode because those tied to Paris have never dared to tackle the aftermath of 30 years of nuclear weapons testing. It says Mr Hollande has now announced an end to Françafrique, a term used to describe the hidden deals between elites in France and former African colonies since the 1960s. The Tavini says with the Socialist leader now seeking a true partnership in Africa, a similar relationship should be established with Tahiti. It says the French Right never accepted Oscar Temaru’s political success and turned democracy in French Polynesi into a farce.”