23 Mar 2006

Oscar Temaru criticised of approach akin to a scorched earth policy

8:28 pm on 23 March 2006

The opposition in French Polyensia has accused President Oscar Temaru of pursuing a pernicious policy akin to a scorched earth policy.

Jean Christophe Bouissou [boo-iss-oo] of the Rautahi Party made the comment only days after the Tahoeraa Huiraatira accused Mr Temaru of seeking violence to win independence from France.

Mr Bouissou says most politicians are for the territory's autonomy within France and should unite.

He says Mr Temaru is seeking international support to portray a sense of French Polynesia being oppressed by France.

He also says he has been told that France is to cut transfers by about 200 million dollars because of the cooling relationship.

There are no plans for an independence referendum and no government in the Pacific Islands region supports Mr Temaru's bid for French Polynesia's decolonisation.