4 Sep 2013

New Caledonia's former pro-French Kanak politician Dick Ukeiwe dies

3:09 pm on 4 September 2013

A former pro-French Kanak politician representing New Caledonia in the French Senate, Dick Ukeiwe, has died at the age of 84.

Born in Lifou, he was elected to the territorial assembly in 1957 and 20 years later he joined Jacques Lafleur to form the anti-independence RPCR Party.

He served as French senator from 1983 to 1992 when he fell out with Mr Lafleur, who no longer endorsed him to continue in the Senate.

In 1997, Dick Ukeiwe unsuccessfully stood against Mr Lafleur in the territorial election and subsequently withdrew from politics.