CoveragePost
August 1, 2025
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific presenter/bulletin editor A former New Caledonia Congress president says there are “not enough” benefits for Kanaks in a new “draft” agreement he signed alongside pro and anti-independence stakeholders in France last month. Roch Wamytan said that, after 10 days of deadlock discussions in Paris, he failed to secure the pro-independence ... <a title="Roch Wamytan: Paris political agreement for New Caledonia ‘not enough’ for Kanaks" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/01/roch-wamytan-paris-political-agreement-for-new-caledonia-not-enough-for-kanaks/" aria-label="Read more about Roch Wamytan: Paris political agreement for New Caledonia ‘not enough’ for Kanaks">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 24, 2024
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A group of pro-independence leaders charged with allegedly organising protests that turned into violent unrest in New Caledonia last month have been indicted and transferred to mainland France where they will be held in custody pending trial. Christian Téin and 10 others were arrested by French ... <a title="Kanaky New Caledonia unrest: Shock over pro-independence leader charges, transfer to France" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/06/24/kanaky-new-caledonia-unrest-shock-over-pro-independence-leader-charges-transfer-to-france/" aria-label="Read more about Kanaky New Caledonia unrest: Shock over pro-independence leader charges, transfer to France">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 6, 2023
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter New Caledonia’s pro-independence parties are prepared to negotiate changes to the provincial electoral rolls, according to French Overseas Minister Gerald Darmanin. On his second visit to Noumea in less than four months, the minister announced the apparent change in the stance of the pro-independence FLNKS movement, which until now ... <a title="French minister says FLNKS ‘willing to discuss’ election roll changes" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/06/french-minister-says-flnks-willing-to-discuss-election-roll-changes/" aria-label="Read more about French minister says FLNKS ‘willing to discuss’ election roll changes">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 30, 2023
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter New Caledonia’s pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front) says the advice of the International Court of Justice is being sought over the contested 2021 referendum on independence from France. The movement — represented by Roch Wamytan, who is President of New Caledonia’s Congress — told a UN ... <a title="Kanaky New Caledonia’s FLNKS wants ICJ advice on contested vote" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/30/kanaky-new-caledonias-flnks-wants-icj-advice-on-contested-vote/" aria-label="Read more about Kanaky New Caledonia’s FLNKS wants ICJ advice on contested vote">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 24, 2023
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter New Caledonia’s largest pro-independence party says the latest French pronouncement on self-determination is an insult to the decolonisation process. Amid a dispute over the validity of the referendum process under the Noumea Accord, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin told the United Nations last week that self-determination might take “one ... <a title="Caledonian Union dismisses ‘two generations to self-determination’ comment as an insult" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/24/caledonian-union-dismisses-two-generations-to-self-determination-comment-as-an-insult/" aria-label="Read more about Caledonian Union dismisses ‘two generations to self-determination’ comment as an insult">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 10, 2023
By Walter Zweifel, RNZ Pacific reporter France has been warned against attempts to abandon the New Caledonian decolonisation process pursued for more than two decades. A veteran independence campaigner, Victor Tutugoro, made the warning on the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Noumea Accord, which has been the roadmap guiding the gradual and irreversible ... <a title="‘Decolonisation must continue’, says Kanak independence campaigner" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/10/decolonisation-must-continue-says-kanak-independence-campaigner/" aria-label="Read more about ‘Decolonisation must continue’, says Kanak independence campaigner">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 20, 2023
Brief reports have surfaced about the separate bilateral meetings of the Kanaky New Caledonia pro- and anti- independence representatives at their meeting in Paris with French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne last week. Here the leader of the Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) delegation, Roch Wamytan, outlines their case as presented to PM ... <a title="Unfinished business over New Caledonian decolonisation – new challenges after ‘stolen’ referendum" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/04/20/unfinished-business-over-new-caledonian-decolonisation-new-challenges-after-stolen-referendum/" aria-label="Read more about Unfinished business over New Caledonian decolonisation – new challenges after ‘stolen’ referendum">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 29, 2022
RNZ Pacific The President of New Caledonia’s Congress Roch Wamytan is set to be re-elected for another one-year term after the party holding the balance of power said it would again vote for him next week. The ethnic Wallisian and Futunan party, Pacific Awakening, has confirmed its decision to vote for Wamytan of the pro-independence ... <a title="New Caledonia’s Roch Wamytan set to be re-elected Congress president" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/08/29/new-caledonias-roch-wamytan-set-to-be-re-elected-congress-president/" aria-label="Read more about New Caledonia’s Roch Wamytan set to be re-elected Congress president">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 26, 2022
RNZ Pacific New Caledonia’s pro-independence FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), which wants independence from Indonesia. The Kanak-Papuan deal was signed by Roch Wamytan, President of New Caledonia’s Congress, and the visiting ULMWP leader Benny Wenda. Wamytan told La ... <a title="Pro-independence Kanaks sign pact with West Papuan movement" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/07/26/pro-independence-kanaks-sign-pact-with-west-papuan-movement/" aria-label="Read more about Pro-independence Kanaks sign pact with West Papuan movement">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
December 9, 2021
RNZ Pacific A pro-independence delegation from New Caledonia has left for New York to raise its opposition to the independence referendum due this Sunday with the United Nations. New Caledonia has been on the UN decolonisation list since 1986. Because of the pandemic, the pro-independence parties say they will neither take part in the vote, ... <a title="Pro-independence delegation seeks UN backing over New Caledonia vote" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2021/12/09/pro-independence-delegation-seeks-un-backing-over-new-caledonia-vote/" aria-label="Read more about Pro-independence delegation seeks UN backing over New Caledonia vote">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 15, 2020
By RNZ Pacific The president of New Caledonia’s parliamentary Congress says the Pacific territory could become an independent state associated with France. The suggestion was made by Roch Wamytan in an interview with the Catholic newspaper La Croix after the October 4 independence referendum in which 53 percent voted for the status quo, a reduced ... <a title="Kanaky New Caledonia could become ‘associated’ with France, says Wamytan" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/10/15/kanaky-new-caledonia-could-become-associated-with-france-says-wamytan/" aria-label="Read more about Kanaky New Caledonia could become ‘associated’ with France, says Wamytan">Read more</a>