Internet montage sparks racism controversy
Title -- 3681 NEW CALEDONIA: Internet montage sparks racism controversy
Date -- 13 June 2002
Byline -- None
Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
Source -- Oceania Flash/SPC, Patrick Decloitre, patrickd@spc.int 13/6/2
Copyright -- OF/SPC
Status -- Unabridged
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INTERNET MONTAGE SPARKS RACISM CONTROVERSY
NOUMEA (Oceania Flash): The discovery of a racist internet-spread picture slide show including derogatory montage pictures of "Miss Kanaky" has sparked a controversy in New Caledonia, RFO's Télé-Nouvelle-Calédonie reports.
The digital document was a montage of the body of a Kanak woman in swimsuit, whose head had been replaced by that of a monkey while the text caption read "Miss Kanaky".
Kanaky is the name favoured by pro-independence parties in the French territory of New Caledonia.
The discovery of the material's circulation within the Noumea branch of French bank Caisse d'Epargne internal computer network has caused distress and anger within the local indigenous community.Kanak and Exploited Workers Union USTKE women's affairs president Marie-Pierre Goyetche, says this is a blatant act of "anti-Kanak racism, an act against the women of this country".
"To use the image of a woman, and especially this way, is scandalous," she told the daily Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes.
Caisse d'Epargne New Caledonia director Jean-Pierre Flotat tried to play down the incident, saying this was probably from an employee who would have "introduced this montage from the internet into the bank's internal network".
"But there was no intention to harm," he claimed, adding three employees linked with the computer dissemination had already been identified.
USTKE reacted in demanding harsh sanctions against the individuals involved.
The union has also called on the public to take part in a sit-in, in front of the bank's headquarters, on Friday.
New Caledonia's Human and Citizen's Right League president, Elie Poigoune, also strongly condemned what he termed "sexist and racist" practices within this bank establishment.
He also joins in USTKE's call for Friday's protest.
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