Riots on the tiny Pacific island of New Caledonia have produced a grandstanding visit by French president Macron intent on squashing the revolt and countering growing Chinese influence in the region.
A French journalist said ‘in the ongoing blame game, it’s hard not to point to Macron himself as the arsonist in chief. He’s the one who set in motion a parliamentary vote in Paris’ which went against previous assurances and set off the insurrection. ‘Paris’s answers have been characteristic of Macron’s top-down style. Instead of asking one of the few experienced French officials that the locals value, the 69-year-old former high commissioner Thierry Lataste, he was accompanied on his trip by a clone-like trio of 40-something technocrats guaranteed not to contradict him.’ He is now backtracking.
New Caledonia remains part of France, having voted against independence. It is the world’s third biggest nickel producer, with up to 30 per cent of global reserves, but a fifth of the residents live below the poverty threshold.
New Caledonia was annexed by France on 24 September 1853. The Libra Sun trine Saturn in Gemini is being stressed by tr Pluto trine Saturn now and by tr Neptune Saturn in Aries opposition the Sun in 2025/26. Even more heated is tr Pluto opposition the Mars in Leo, square Pluto in Taurus in 2024/25 and then square the Venus – so a long stretch ahead of challenges and aggravation.
Despite voting against independence in recent referendums the relationship with the French overlords has never been good. The relationship chart has a composite Mars Sun opposition Pluto square Uranus opposition Neptune which is implacably hostile, disruptive and unstable. The Mars Pluto is being rattled by this coming September’s Lunar Eclipse and early/ late eclipses in 2025. With the entry of tr Neptune Saturn into Aries causing more discord through 2025 to 2027. Nothing that will settle soon.
New Caledonia seems like a dot on the map where France’s priorities are concerned but the problems there may be symptomatic of larger celestial challenges. Tr Pluto is already squaring the France Saturn opposition Jupiter. Tr Uranus is still wending its explosive way round the France revolutionary, turbulent Fixed T Square of Pluto opposition Uranus square Mars with another significant jolt come this June (and on into 2025). Plus plus Solar Arc Sun square the Pluto opposition Uranus, exact in six to nine months but on the same degree within a week or so. Plus the France Sun at 29 Virgo is catching the tr Neptune opposition now till early September and again into early 2025. That is a perfect storm of considerable force.
Macron himself has a last degree Sagittarius Sun and Mercury which tr Neptune is busy undermining. His Term chart of 13 May 2022, is being rattled now by tr Uranus conjunct the Sun and then square Saturn in June, repeating across November, the New Year into April 2025. He’s not standing on solid ground.
The timing of all of this is quite interesting. I remember there was a hostage crisis and standoff between the French Military & members of a separatist group that took place in Ouvéa, New Caledonia back in April and May 1988. Now, civil unrest has erupted there again and it’s May 2024.
In 1988, I was still a child but I remember the New Caledonia hostage crisis very well. My parents and I were still living in Hawaiʻi (where I was born, actually) in 1988 and my parents exposed me to current affairs, world news, and politics at a young age. In Hawaiʻi, the newspapers and news stations often focused heavily on current event and news in Oceania.
Many of the Indigenous ethnic Kanak People in New Caledonia have desired self-determination and independence for decades. However, since they’re an ethnic minority in their own territory (I believe ethnic Kanaks make up about 41 or 42% of New Caledonia’s population), I imagine their voices often go unheard.
Anyway, I hope the current situation between France and New Caledonia will be resolved peacefully. However, I know France has a poor track record with Indigenous ethnic and linguistic minorities both in Metropolitan France and in the overseas departments and territories. For example, Indigenous ethnic minorities such as the Basques, Bretons, Alsatians, Occitans, Flemmings, Catalans, Corsicans, African Maroons and Amerindian Tribes in French Guiana, Tahitians in French Polynesia, and of course the Kanak of New Caledonia, etc. have been heavily marginalized and are struggling to preserve their native languages, cultures, and traditions….while basically being forced to assimilate and learn the French Language. Also, France doesn’t keep statistics on ethnicity and race…something many Indigenous minorities would like to see changed.