Charles Pidjot

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Charles 'Charly' Pidjot (17 July 1962 - 11 September 2012) was a pro-independence politician from New Caledonia who was a member of the Kanak people. [1] He was born in the community of Conceptions in Le Mont-Dore (New-Caledonia) and was the president of the Caledonian Union from 8 November 2007 to his death. [2]

New Caledonia overseas territory of France in the southwest Pacific Ocean

New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France in the southwest Pacific Ocean, located to the south of Vanuatu, about 1,210 km (750 mi) east of Australia and 20,000 km (12,000 mi) from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Chesterfield Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of Pines, and a few remote islets. The Chesterfield Islands are in the Coral Sea. Locals refer to Grande Terre as Le Caillou.

Kanak people

Kanak are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southwest Pacific. According to the 2014 census, they make up 39.1% of the total population with around 104,000 people.

Le Mont-Dore (New Caledonia) Commune in New Caledonia, France

Le Mont-Dore is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean.

Political heritage

Pidjot was born into a veritable political dynasty as a relative of Rock Pidjot, who was an early elected representative of New Caledonia from 1964 to 1986. From 1956 to 1985 he was the first president of Caledonian Union. At the beginnings he was an autonomist, but later became an independentist. His brother, Raphaël also became a militarist independentist as the president of the South Pacific Society of Miners. (This society was founded by those who wanted to assure the participation of the native Kanak people in the mining of the territory). Raphaël Pidjot and other leaders of the organization died in 2000 in a helicopter accident.

Rock Pidjot was a New Caledonian politician. He served in the National Assembly of France from 1964 until 1986; in that time he sat as a member of five parties, ending with the French Socialist Party. His nephew was Charles Pidjot, who also became a politician in New Caledonia.

The Caledonian Union is a pro-independence political party in New Caledonia. In the latest legislative elections of May 10, 2009, the party won around 11.65% of the popular vote, and 9 out of 54 seats in the Territorial Congress.

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References

  1. ↑ Banks, Arthur S.; Muller, Thomas C.; Overstreet, William (2008-04-01). Political Handbook of the World 2008. CQ Press. p. 461. ISBN   978-0-87289-528-7 . Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Nvelle-Calédonie: mort d'un leader kanak" (in French). Le Figaro. 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2012-09-11.


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