The ballot must be held on December 12th. The Independents had asked for its postponement because of the Covid-19 epidemic that rages in the archipelago.
Le Monde with AFP
The Independentists of the FLNKS called on Thursday 21 October to the “non-participation” on the referendum on the independence of 12 December, because of the epidemic of Covid-19 in the archipelago, denouncing “the decision of the state to keep it costs “.
“The government stands out to want the presidential campaign for the sole purpose of Sialing the Nouméa Agreement under its five-yearly”, “said In a communiqué The Political Office of the Independentist Coalition.
This position comes in the aftermath of the New Caledonia visit of the Minister of Overseas, Sebastien Lecornu, during which the independently Kanak leaders had asked for the postponement of this third consultation, with regard to the virulent epidemic of Covid-19, who has made 245 deaths since the beginning of September.
“Not the serenity necessary”
According to the FLNKS, “the attitude of the State will deprive the Caledonians of a consultation which should take place with beforehand a fair election campaign”, which, according to him, is not possible because of the Different containment measures in force and the epidemic.
“The Flnks is concerned about the tomorrows of a consultation that, if it is disputed, will not bring the necessary serenity for the continuation of consensual discussions on the institutional future of the country.”
At its displacement, Sébastien Lecornu felt that the health situation “is stretched but held” while the coronavirus epidemic is down and that the tension fell in hospital services.
He stated that “only an out-of-control epidemic” could lead to a postponement of the third and final referendum of the Nouméa Agreement (1998), progressive decolonization process.