Upheaval in the French Pacific
As the media focus on crises in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Nauru, a political earthquake elsewhere in the Pacific islands has passed largely unnoticed. Major changes are under way in the French dependencies in the Pacific. Key politicians aligned with French President Jacques Chirac’s Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP), have been defeated in elections over the last 18 months. In French Polynesia, Chirac’s close ally Gaston Flosse has twice been defeated in elections for Tahiti’s local assembly, losing power to a coalition led by independence leader Oscar Temaru. In New Caledonia, the anti-independence strong-arm Jacques Lafleur has resigned from Congress after his Rassemblement UMP party lost power in May 2004 elections. Lafleur and Flosse were two key pillars of French policy in the region – both had been in power for over two decades. Change is in the wind.
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Voices from the margins:
Multimedia: video, podcasts, and more.
- Poetry Slam in Zimbabwe
- The House of Hunger poetry slam held in Zimbabwe in 2006, and organised by the Pamberi Trust, showcased young artists performing inspirational work on issues from corporate power to child soldiers. The video features four of the poets.
Published by Pambazuka News.
- Iranian women speak out
- 3 March 2007, London. Women's rights activists marched through the English capital last week to celebrate International Women's Day with a protest against the misogyny of the Islamic regime in Iran and the threat of invasion by the US. Hear the voices of Iranian feminists Azar and Leila Parnian and the sounds of the demonstration as it passed through the heart of the city. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Produced by Heidi Bachram.
- Raised Voices audio:
- Benny from West Papua on Corporate Power
- Vinayan from India on agriculture
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