ULMWP on the Kanaky independence movement

ULMWP leaders—Rex Rumakiek, Octo Mote, Paula Makabory, and Markus Haluk—together with FLNKS leaders including spokesperson Victor Tutugoro (white hat), gathered in Port Moresby, PNG, in 2018, stand firm amidst the ongoing struggles in Pacific Melanesia. 

Three nations—Kanaky (New Caledonia), Bougainville, and West Papua—continue their fight for freedom and self-determination.

What is the ULMWP’s stance, especially regarding Kanaky, currently dominating international headlines?

Markus Haluk, ULMWP secretary, states unequivocally:

* The Kanak people have an undeniable right to independence and sovereignty over their ancestral lands—a right long recognized by the UN Decolonization Commission.

* Kanaky is fully capable of functioning as an independent state, with abundant human and natural resources.

* The majority of Kanak natives have voted for independence—twice. The 2018 referendum, witnessed by ULMWP as observers, proved this decisively.

* The current deadlock is no accident. It is engineered by the French government’s cynical manipulation, especially through the Southern Province where European and Asian settlers—granted equal voting rights through a dubious agreement with FLNKS—dilute the indigenous Kanak voice.

Solidarity Between West Papua and Kanaky: More Than Words

* Freedom fighters from West Papua and Kanaky have long supported each other, not just in rhetoric but through grassroots movements like Kanaky Solidarity for an Independent West Papua.

* West Papua’s debut at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) forum in 2013 was only possible thanks to FLNKS/Kanaky’s invitation—a testament to their steadfast alliance.

* Kanaky leaders have consistently demonstrated massive support for West Papua, evidenced by their large delegations at key meetings, such as the 2014 West Papua Summit in Vanuatu.

* Thanks to Kanaky’s encouragement, MSG leaders first publicly supported West Papua’s right to self-determination in 2013 and urged a diplomatic mission to West Papua in 2014—an effort brutally undermined when Indonesian police arrested West Papuan activists, including Markus Haluk.

Within MSG, FLNKS remains the most vocal and unwavering advocate for ULMWP’s full membership and West Papuan independence.

ULMWP Condemns French Colonial Manipulation

ULMWP vehemently deplores the French government’s reckless push for legislation expanding voting rights to recent settlers in Kanaky—an act that blatantly undermines decades of indigenous struggle. This is not an oversight but a calculated move to suppress Kanaky’s rightful aspirations.

ULMWP’s Demand to France:

* Withdraw the draft law fueling this crisis.

* Enter genuine negotiations toward Kanaky’s independence and sovereignty transfer.

* Recognize and trust Kanaky’s capacity for legal, economic, and political self-governance.

Message to the Kanaky People

From the hearts of West Papuans: we stand unwaveringly with you. You are not alone. Your decades-long struggle will prevail. Unity, trust, and peaceful negotiation within FLNKS are essential to forging the Kanaky society you envision.

We urge French President Emmanuel Macron, during his visit, to seize the opportunity to listen sincerely to Kanaky voices through FLNKS and act accordingly. Anything less would be another betrayal of the right to self-determination.