While the referendum is to be held on December 12, the movement pleads in favor of the refusal of independence, explaining that it does not have “the capacity to assume” the sovereignty of the territory.
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An expected statement. The Oceanian Awakening, a pivotal formation on the Caledonian political spectrum, took a position on Friday November 19 for a “no, not now”, in view of the referendum on independence of December 12 but will not campaign because of the context health and the non-participation of the separatists, announced its leaders.
“We say ‘no now’ [à l’indépendance] because we do not currently have the capacity to assume our sovereignties “, declared at a press conference Milakulo Tukumuli, president of the Oceanian Awakening (EO) and territorial elected. He cited in support the health crisis of Covid-19 which led New Caledonia to contract a first loan of 240 million euros in 2020, then to request another of 208 million, while it has benefited from 125 million euros in subsidies, 400,000 doses of vaccine and help from the mainland health reserve.
The EO, emanation of the important Wallisian and Futunian community of Caillou, judged any campaign “impossible”, because of the health context and the decision of the Kanak separatists not to participate in the vote, citing the violence of the epidemic, which has killed 272 people since the beginning of September.
“This vote will not be legally contestable but it will be political nonsense. Its result cannot be taken into account for the rest of the process”, estimated Milakulo Tukumuli whose party, with three elected out of 54 to Congress (deliberative assembly), has the capacity to shift the majorities into the loyalist or independence camp.