The following is based on a speech given at a Kanaky solidarity rally in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington on Friday 26th July 2024.
Kia ora koutou. Ko Serah tōku ingoa. Thanks to all of you for being here. There is a lot happening politically right now. Just yesterday, there was a rally led by Alternative Jewish Voices outside the Israel embassy, supported by Justice for Palestine. At Victoria University, Climate Action VUW and Student Justice for Palestine scared away the New Zealand so-called Defence Force and protested two mining companies who were trying to recruit students at a Careers Expo. There are weekly vigils led by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine. There are weekly Palestine solidarity and flag-waving events led by the Falastin Tea Collective, and tomorrow they will be leading a march along Cuba Mall. There are other upcoming rallies being organised by Justice For Palestine and others. On the Kelburn university campus, students have planted olive trees in solidarity with Palestine. This is not to mention the ongoing solidarity with the Kurd and Iran “Woman Life Freedom” struggle against a brutal and oppressive regime. And it’s an inspiration that Aotearoa continues to see massive mobilisations under the “Toitū te tiriti” banner. All of this can be a lot. It’s tiring trying to be at all of these events. It’s actually impossible – even without other life commitments, there are so many relevant struggles that they are often happening simultaneously. It’s important to recognise though that these are linked struggles – and when you turn up even just for one of these events, you are supporting the success of all of these struggles. These are shared struggles, and success will be collective success.
This is just one of eleven solidarity events which we’re aware of which have been prompted, guided, and where possible organised by Kanak, by tangata whenua Māori, and by other indigenous people from across Te Moana nui a Kiwa. On this day, 26th July 2024, there are Kanak solidarity events in Meanjin (Brisbane), Naarm (Melbourne), Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), here in Pōneke (Wellington), in Ōtautahi (Christchurch), Ōtepoti (Dunedin), the Marshall Islands, Guåhan, London, and in Dublin. These events are being shared on social media with the hashtag #FreeKanaky – and I urge you to share your experience at this rally with the same hashtag. We hear the indigenous organisers clearly say: “Nobody but Kanaks can liberate Kanaky.” The role of allies such as myself is to stand up and to assist with putting pressure on France – first to get out of the Pacific, but also to also engage with Kanaks in achieving some sort of justice.
The Kanak people have been fighting for over one and a half centuries against French imperial rule, but exploitation of Kanaky, driven by capitalist greed, preceded even French annexation. We’re here today because Kanaks have for some time now been on the verge of winning their independence, and imperial France has been desperately clinging on by hook and crook. Stacking the vote with pro-France right-wing colonists; calling a referendum during the Covid pandemic; escalating militarisation; giving white supremacist militias free reign… The indigenous Aotearoa-Kanaky solidarity organisers have said: “Liberation will only be by the hands of the Kanak people.” And the Kanak people, being denied their rights through reformist parliamentary processes, and being oppressed in their peaceful protests, have every right to the community defence they have been undertaking – community defence which is of course vilified in our pro-colonial media. But let’s be clear: road blocks that keep murderous white supremacist militias out of communities are a part of that process of liberation, and we stand in support of the Kanak people in their ongoing struggle for liberation.
The date of these solidarity rallies has been chosen because 26th July 2024 is the start of the Olympic Games in Paris. Take a moment to contrast the stated values of the Olympic Games against France’s actions as a colonial occupier. According to the International Olympic Committee: “The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.” or “The three values of Olympism are excellence, respect and friendship. They constitute the foundation on which the Olympic Movement builds its activities to promote sport, culture and education with a view to building a better world.” This provides an opportunity to highlight the hypocrisy. France may build stadiums, host events, may even attempt to sanitise the excrement from its rivers, and might win some gold medals, but the injustice of France’s continued grip on its imperial colony is in no way upholding any of those lofty so-called Olympic values. By holding these events on the same day around the world, we show France that all around the world we see through the lies and the distractions and we stand with the Kanak people and we call for justice.
What more can we do from here? We can keep turning up. Keep turning up to these rallies and solidarity events. Keep turning up especially for indigenous struggle – Palestinian, Māori, and Kanak. Keep turning up to fight the forces of capitalism which overarch and drive so many injustices big and small: from tax breaks for landlords to the privatisation of prisons and from redefining “treaty principles” to an imperial death-grip on Kanaky. Bookmark the Kanaky solidarity information pages. Join an active political organisation, such as the International Socialist Organisation and Pōneke Anti Fascist Coalition. Start somewhere. Actually, you’ve already started somewhere by being here. Now let’s go further. Keep taking those steps, keep pressuring France and keep pressuring capitalism, and together we will help build a better world!
