Port Moresby, 17 October 1968

8416. Priority

Telegram dated 17th October from Administration broadcasting station Rabaul reads:

'At public meetings held near Rabaul last night one hundred New Guineans mainly Tolais unanimously elected Vin Tobaining as President of new political party. Party tentatively named Melanesian Independence Party.¹ Party pledged to work constitutionally towards independence for New Guinea islands. Party has adopted frangipani² as emblem to represent New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, the Admiralty group, and other islands within region.

Party aims at next elections of House of Assembly to submit candidates for all of thirteen islands' electorates. These candidates to press for referendum of people for or against independence not later than nineteen seventy five repeat 1975. Party envisages calling new country Melanesia which will be member of British Commonwealth of Nations with its own governor based in Rabaul and also will become full member United Nations Assembly. Party spokesman said party members understood widespread throughout New Guinea islands.³ This information issued in press statement from Tolai leaders also member of new party. Presently party has fifty financial membership'.

ABC midday radio report said two reasons given for formation of party–first, Moresby was too remote from the islands and the people there felt out on a limb, secondly, the islands people felt they had no real affinity with New Guinea mainland people from whom they regarded themselves as different.⁴

[NAA: A452, 1968/5430]

1 The party also became known as the Melanesian Independence Front.(MIF).

2 A native flower of the Pacific.

3 A word or phrase appears to be missing in this sentence.

4 The AEC issued a statement on the same day: 'The AEC ... called upon Papuans and New Guineans in all districts to work together for the unity of the Territory. Members of the Council feel that National Unity is essential if the Territory is to make the progress which all people everywhere want. Each district is heavily dependent on all the others for its future. Each district benefits from the national institutions built in many different districts ... Each district has much to gain from uniting in a common effort to make the Territory into a viable, self-reliant country with sufficient numbers to support a modem economy. The Council recalls the statement of the Governor General, Lord Casey, when opening the House of Assembly on 4th June, 1968, who said that Members of the House ... had an important responsibility in bringing about national unity. The Council concluded that the House of Assembly should be asked to discuss the question of national unity at its meeting in November' (telex 8427, Hay to Warwick Smith, NAA: A452, 1968/5430). Following an oral briefing, Barnes 'wondered whether, in view of some of the statements made at the Rabaul meeting, an expatriate might not be involved'. Besley told him that 'it seemed to be largely a Tolai matter', adding that Kapena (MHA, Hiri open electorate) had told Warwick Smith that the formation of the MIF was 'largely a political move on Tobaining's part possibly as a means of out–flanking Oscar Tammur with whom he was at variance over the land squatting issue' (minute, Besley to Warwick Smith, 18 October 1968, NAA: A452, 1968/5429).