(31 Aug 1995) Eng/French/Nat
Anti nuclear demonstrators in Tahiti have stormed government buildings in protest at the French nuclear testing programme in the South Pacific.
Polynesian independence campaigners say the proposed tests - which start at the weekend - could spark a bloody confrontation.
It had been billed as a rally by women against nuclear weapons but with emotions running high it turned into a protest march which was to strike at the very heart of the French Polynesian government.
The protestors first entered the High Commission - demanding an immediate audience with the High Commissioner.
They had taken the security forces by complete surprise.
Police on the gates of the Gendarmerie headquarters could not hold back the crowd. The police chief on the steps of the H-Q - clearly angry - called in the riot squads.
But this was a peaceful protest in the main with the women condemning the testing as an act of terrorism.
SOUNDBITE:
"Here in Tahiti and around the world, women are not respected. And so now, we are standing up, marching on and telling women - wake up, stand up and go on"
SUPER CAPTION: Roti Make, Protest Leader
And on they went through the streets of the capital to the gates of the territories' parliament. But the padlocks of power held firm.
From his residence, the High Commissioner could clearly see the protests and after repeated attempts a handful of the women were eventually allowed in to the commission residence.
But to the disappointment of their supporters left outside, the women emerged an hour later empty handed.
A senior Civil Servant - not the Commissioner himself - had met with them but given them no guarantees the tests would stop.
With anti-nuclear campaigners from around the globe now gathering in Tahiti: today's actions may only be a small taste of what's to come.
This group of students arriving today - Thursday - represent Universities from across Japan.
SOUNDBITE
"China has already done a test, France said that they were going to and we can't allow that."
SUPER CAPTION: Tomomi Nakamura, Japanese Student Leader
Also marching to ban the bomb, the opposition parties in French Polynesia who are now in angry mood.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"If the bomb explodes on Friday September 1st, Papeete is going to explode also when we get there.
(Cutaway)
I think blood has to run on the streets of Papeete and the French going to stop their tests"
SUPER CAPTION: Ben Te Riitehau, Opposition Politician
The protests are being largely ignored by the President of French Polynesia Gaston Flosse.
He takes a hard-line against the protestors.
SOUNDBITE (In French)
"I assure you that if I had responsibilities in that domain, they wouldn't be able to come in here so easily to bother us, hinder us, to get involved in our local politics like they are doing now".
SUPER CAPTION: Gaston Flosse, President of French Polynesia
The protest march in the capital is gathering force by the hour and by the weekend it will be at the gates of the Presidency as will hundreds of anti nuclear politicians and campaigners who will arrive in the next few days.
But the fear is it will all be too late - France may have already started the tests.
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