The States of the South Pacific at the Start of the 21st Century
Marc Van Daele
The easiest way to examine the situation of the states and territories that make up the South Pacific at the start of the 21st century is to follow the evolution of the South Pacific Commission and its members.
This Commission was set up in 1947 after the Canberra Agreement between Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the Netherlands, it was amended in 1951 in order to include Guam and the Trust Territories under American administration.
In 1962. the Netherlands left the Commission when Indonesia took control of Western New Guinea.
At the end of the sixties, several states became independent. The Commission developed its activities on the the basis of the economy and social and cultural development. The statute of the 27 member states allowed them to be on an equal footing.
Guam was an "unincorporated" part of the United States with a governor and assembly of 21 members
The Commonwealth of Northern Mariana remained part of the United States after the 1975 treaty placing it under American jurisdiction.
The Marshall Islands, in a free association agreement with the United States on October 21, 1986 were to become a member of the United Nations in September 1991.
The Federated States of Micronesia after a pact of free partnership with the United States in June 1983 would become a member of the United Nations in September 1991.
The Republic of Palau is a territory under the American mandate of the United Nations.
The Solomon Islands were to become an independent member of the Commonwealth on October 1, 1978, while remaining under the monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Kiribati Islands (formerly the Gilbert Istands) whose capital is the famous Tarawa, became an independent republic and member of the Commonwealth on July 12, 1979.
Papua New Guinea became an independent member of the Commonwealth on September 16,1976, while remaining under the monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II. The government of Port Moresby was confronted with an attempt at succession on the Island of Bougainville. Papua New Guinea is the result of the cohesion of British New Guinea, ceded to Australia in 1905 by Great Britain and Deutsch Neu Guinea administered by Australia after World War I. The administrative union dates from 1949. Deutsch Neu Guinea comprised most notably the Bismarck archipelago and the North Salomons. The North Salomons are made up of the islands of Bougainville and Buka.
In 1964, copper was discovered on Panguna on the island of Bougainville. Exploration began in April 1972. Between 1972 and 1975 59% of the currency entering Papua New Guinea (PNG) derived from the copper at Bougainville and 31% of the total budget of PNG had the same source. The Panguna copper represented 51.5% of the exports of PNG in 1982 and 57.3% in 1989.
The same year 38% of government revenue of PNG derived from this source. The independence of the islands of the former British protectorate of the Salomons considered the fate of the North Salomons, closer to them than PNG. PNG is a very diverse country in which 738 languages are spoken. The rebellion in Bougainville weighed very heavily. From 1975, the insurgents had manifested themselves into public life on the island of Bougainville. In 1989, the troubles became such that the mine on Bougainville had to be shut. In 1991, an accord was signed between the government and the separatists: to no avail. All litigation concentrated on the distribution of mining revenues. The mine stayed shut and PNG took over control of close to 90% of the island's population.
Vanuatu, formerly New Hebrides, became an independent republic and member of the Commonwealth on July 30, 1980.
From its dual dependence on France and England, Vanuatu has kept its cultural, linguistic and religious divisions which highlight the political life of the republic.
Tonga, a former British protectorate, became independent on June 4, 1970. The monarchy was to be a local dynasty and it is a member of Commonwealth.
Fiji obtained its independence on October 10, 1970. It became a member of the Commonwealth and a monarchy under the auspices of Queen Elizabeth II. The Indians there comprised a majority. Their immigration was encouraged by the exploration of cane sugar. When the elections on September 17, 1987 brought an Indian prime minister to power, a military coup threw control back into the hands of the native Fijians. On October 7, Fiji became a republic.
When a member state of the Commonwealth wishes to declare itself a republic, it must submit a request. Such a request must receive unanimous approval from fellow members. India rejected Fiji 's candidacy, and thus it was no longer a member of this group of 50 nations. In 1990, the country created a constitution guaranteeing the power of native Fijians. The resurfacing of nationalism is a political reality in the future of the South Pacific.
Western Samoa, a former German colony that was passed unto New Zealand, obtained its independence on January 1, 1962. It became a member of the United Nations in 1976, Western Samoa became a member of the Commonwealth in August 1970.
American Samoa is administered by the United States.
The Cook Islands make up 15 islands which are most notably those of Rarotonga, Aitutaki and Penrhyn. These last two islands arranged postal independence. Under its relations with New Zealand, the Cook Islands obtained a statute for autonomous government on August 3, 1965 in free partnership with New Zealand. The currency remained the New Zealand dollar. The inhabitants of the Cook Islands are Polynesian.
Nieu, former colony of New Zealand, obtained internal autonomy in 1974 in free partnership with New Zealand.
The Tokelau are comprised of three islands. Formerly a British colony, The Tokelau passed into New Zealand administration in 1925. The Tokelau are made up of close to 1,500 people, but nearly 3000 original residents were moved to New Zealand and Samoa.
The Pitcairn Islands, Wenderson, Ducie & Oeno are made up of less than 60 inhabitants concentrated on Pitcairn Island. The islands constitute a British colony, but use the New Zealand dollar.
Wallis and Futuna is an overseas French territory. The islands cover 274 square km and had 12, 408 inhabitants in 1985 dividing themselves on Futuna Island and the Wallis Archepeligo.
French Polynesia is an overseas French territory that counted 188,814 residents as of 1988. It is made up of close to 130 islands (some of which are volcanic): most notably Tahiti, The Marquis,Tuamotu, Gambier and Tubuai.
New Caledonia is also an overseas French territory. Its population was 164,173 in 1989 of which 55,085 are of European origins. The accords passed between France and local parties foresaw a relative referendum on independence in 1998.
The island of Nauru, that was part of the German Marshall Inseln, was occupied by the British on November 6, 1914. After having been under the triple mandate of the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, it became an independent republic on January 31, 1969. In fact, like Tuvalu, it was a "special member" of the Commonwealth, the only stipulation on its membership was that it could not attend summits with the heads of state and governments of the Commonwealth. The island of Nauru's only resource was that of phosphate that exhaustive exploration of which terribly damaged its land. There is no source of fresh water on the island of Nauru.
The five other members of the South Pacific Commission are Australia, New Zealand, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The last of which keeps control for strategic and economic reason of several islands out of Hawaii: Baker, Howland, Jarvis, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, as well as Wake and Midway.
British presence has become very modest. Australia is the predominant influence. The Australian dollar was used by Tuvalu, Kiribati and Nauru. France maintained its presence in the South Pacific with a distinct air of colonialism.
Nevertheless the states of the Pacific are very different geographically. Kiribati covers an immense zone since this republic comprises the former Gilbert Islands, the Phoenix Islands and the Central and Southern Line Islands.
The immigrant populations posed a political problem that was seen by the Indians in Fiji and the French in New Caledonia. There are also active pockets of Chinese minorities involved in commerce. The cultural mixture has not made matters easier (Vanuatu). The economies of these countries are fragile and precarious.
All these countries issue stamps and coins in order to arrange a means of establishing supplementary currency.
February 28, 1994
Marc Van Daele's bibliography:
Numerous sources were consulted:
- HMSO publications (Her Majesty's Stationery Office) and COI (Central Office of Information) in London
- publications printed by the South Pacific Commission
- the "Europa" Yearbooks in London
- the Statesmen's Yearbooks of London
- the Houghton Mifflin Cy yearbooks of Boston
- the World Almanac of New York
- different official documents from the countries mentioned
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