BLACKBOARD WORLD MAP

INTRODUCTION

Separatism: The belief that a group should be independent and have their own government or live apart from other people

Roots of nationalism: 1) A shared structure 2) A shared history and culture 3) A shared ideology 4) Motivational Factors

SEPERATIST MOVEMENTS

Ireland

Catalonia

New Caledonia

Ireland

London

Nationalism in Ireland:

• Gaelic revival
• Different religion from the UK
• Potato famine

=> Want for a parlement back in Dublin

Dublin

Ulster

Ireland

London

War of independance

• Easter Rising
• Aim to have an independant Ireland

Dublin

Ulster

Ireland

London

Civil war

• Catholics from the north faced discrimination
• Good friday agreement was installed

Dublin

Ulster

catalonia

Catalonia

Catalonia specificities : - Language : Catalan - Culture : gastronomy, litterature ... - One of the most prosperous regions

Catalonia

Chronology of Catalonia

1714

2006

1978

2017

1939 -1975

Catalonia officially becomes a province of Spain

Referendum on Catalonia Independence

Franco dictatorship

Catalan Referendum

New Constitution

Catalonia

Franco dictatorship

• 1939 - 1975
• Fascist dictatorship
• Crushed regional diversity -> single national identity
• In Catalonia : suppressed the Catalan language, local traditions and overall repressed Catalan culture

Catalonia

Chronology of Catalonia

1714

2006

1978

2017

1939 -1975

Catalonia officially becomes a province of Spain

Referendum on Catalonia Independence

Franco dictatorship

Catalan Referendum

New Constitution

Catalonia

The new spanish constitution

• Expended autonomy of the regions
• Catalonia self-governance and autonomy
• Catalan as an official language of Catalonia
• Cemented that Spain was indivisible

Catalonia

Chronology of Catalonia

1714

2006

1978

2017

1939 -1975

Catalonia officially becomes a province of Spain

Referendum on Catalonia Independence

Franco dictatorship

Catalan Referendum

New Constitution

Catalonia

the 2006 referendum

• Goal : expend Catalonia's autonomy
• Demands : - new economic model - defined as nation - catalan language over spanish
• Constitutional court stroke down some amendments => protests in Barcelona
• Economic motivations : one of the most prosperous region, one the region that pays most taxes

Catalonia

Chronology of Catalonia

1714

2006

1978

2017

1939 -1975

Catalonia officially becomes a province of Spain

Referendum on Catalonia Independence

Franco dictatorship

Catalan Referendum

New Constitution

Catalonia

the 2017 referendum

• Referendum on independence.
• Considered illegal by the constitutional court.
• Catalan officials arrested, polling stations closed, ballots confiscated
• Catalan government encouraged people to vote nonetheless
• Protests => many injured

Catalonia

the 2017 referendum

Results : 90% in favor of indepence ... but only 42,3% of people voted Catalan government threatened to declare independence => New elections were organised under direct rule from Spain. => Most voted party was against independence

Catalonia

after

Carles Puigdemont : leader of the independentist party Together for Catalonia, deputy in the Catalan Parliament and former president of the Government of Catalonia

Catalonia

People's opinion on independence

NEW-CALEDONIA

New-Caledonia:

• Separatist movement lead by Kanaks,

New-Caledonia's indigenous people

• They do not want to lose their culture because of Europeans

NEW-CALEDONIA

SOME IMPORTANT EXPLANATIONS ABOUT NEW-CALEDONIA

• First french colonization in 1853 in order to house prisonners (The Caldoches)
• After WWII, Kanak people are given the right to vote thanks to the "Native Code".
• Becomes a land of european immigration in the 60's with the tapping of nickel (1/4 of the global stock around the world).

Mine of Thio in New-Caledonia, biggest mine of nickel in the world in 1966

NEW-CALEDONIA

PERIOD OF TENSIONS AND CIVIL WAR UNTIL 1988

• The immigration lead Kanak people to be a minority in New-Caledonia. After May 1968, first independantists movements such as FLNKS are born.
• However, Kanaks just got more autonomy with the "Lemoine status" in 1984 and no independance.
• This caused the period of deep violence called the "Événenements" until 1988, solved by the Matignon agreements.

Jean-Marie Tjibaou, leader of the FLNKS, with PM Michel Rocard during Matignon agreements.

NEW-CALEDONIA

NOUMEA AGREEMENTS AND DECOLONIZATION PROCESS

• Completing the Matignon agreements, the Noumea agreements of 1998 give much more autonomy to New-Caledonia : 3 regions with its own governement, and plan 3 referendums for independance.
• Kanak people also obtained an "electoral freezing" : to be able to vote in provincial elections you must have been living in New-Caledonia for 10 years and before 1988. To be able to vote in referendums you must have arrived before 1994.

Peaceful march in Noumea in 2009 between Kanaks and Caldoches

NEW-CALEDONIA

RESULTS OF THE REFERENDUMS

• First referendum in 2018 gave 56% to "No independance". The Second referendum in 2020 gave it 53%.
• The third referendum was supposed to be hold in 2021. The Kanak independentists parties asked for a adjournment due to Covid-19 but French government refused. So Kanaks boycotted the referendum : 96% to "No".
• French State and no-independantists consider that Caledonians decided to remain part of France.

Flag of New-Caledonia with a painting of Ataï on it, a famous Kanak leader who called for insurection during the early XXth century.

NEW-CALEDONIA

RISE OF TENSIONS IN RECENT MONTHS

• As consequence, the French government wanted to put an end to electoral freezing. A reform in May 2024 planned to open the vote for people who have only been living in New-Caledonia for 10 years (not before 1988 anymore)
• This triggered riots and weeks of violence on the island. Several people were killed and a lot of infrastructures were destroyed.
• Kanak people and especially the youth, have the feeling to be abandonned by the government, in a context of economic crisis.

Riots and blockading because of recent decisions of the government

Debate

Is conflict an unavoidable aspect of separatist movements?

Debate

Are governments justified in using force to suppress separatist movements, or does it inevitably lead to more conflict?

Debate

In what way are these 3 separatist movements similar?

Debate

Do you think a united Ireland could resolve the polarization between unionists and nationalists?

Debate

According to you, why did Kanak people boycott the third referendum ?

Debate

Do you think the situation is easy to resolve for the French government ?

Debate

Are you optimistic concerning the possibility for Kanak people to voice themselves in the future ?