List of active separatist movements in Oceania explained

This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Oceania. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism.

Criteria

What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:

1. They are active movements with active members.
2. They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region (as opposed to personal autonomy).
3. They are citizens/people of the conflict area and do not come from another country.

Under each region listed is one or more of the following:

• De facto state (de facto entity): for unrecognized regions with de facto autonomy.
• Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding sovereign state.
• Proposed autonomous area: for movements towards greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession.
  • De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region.
  • Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control.
  • Political party (or parties): for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession.
  • Militant organisation(s): for armed organisations.
  • Advocacy group(s): for non-belligerent, non-politically participatory entities.
  • Ethnic/ethno-religious/racial/regional/religious group(s).

Australia

See main article: Secession in Australia and Torres Strait Islands.

Aboriginal Australians

• Proposed states or autonomous areas: The Aboriginal Tent Embassy has demanded that the government give Aboriginals control of the Northern Territory as a state along with various other claimed areas by different advocacy groups.
  • Advocacy groups: Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Murrawarri Republic, Sovereign Union of First Nations and Peoples in Australia^[1] Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Aboriginal Provisional Government, Yuggera Ugarapul Tribal People's,^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} Sovereign Yidindji Government,^[6] Euahlayi People's Republic,^{[7] [8]} Torres Strait Islands, Republic of Mbarbaram,Wiradjuri Central West Republic, Mirrabooka Sovereign United Nations, Djurin Republic and various others
    • • Political parties: Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia Movements: Blak Sovereignty movement (see also: Lidia Thorpe#Resignation from the Greens)

• Proposed: Norfolk Island as an autonomous region of Australia or free association with New Zealand^[9]
  • Advocacy groups: Norfolk Island Party^[10]

See main article: Secessionism in Western Australia.

• Proposed state or autonomous area: Western Australia
  • Political party: WAxit Party,^[11] Western Australia Party

• Proposed state: Victoria
  • Advocacy group: Victorian Independence Movement^{[12] [13]}

• Proposed: Statehood for Northern Territory within Australia
  • Political party: Country Liberal Party

Chile

(Easter Island)^{[14] [15]}

• Ethnic group: Rapa Nui
• Proposed state: (Easter Island)

France

French Polynesia^[16]

• Proposed state or autonomous region: Tahiti or Kingdom of Tahiti
  • Political party (secessionist): Tavini Huiraatira
  • Political parties (autonomist): A here ia Porinetia, ʻĀmuitahiraʻa o te Nūnaʻa Māʻohi, Ia Ora te Nuna'a, Tāpura Huiraʻatira, No Oe E Te Nunaa

New Caledonia^[17]

See also: 2018 New Caledonian independence referendum, 2020 New Caledonian independence referendum and 2021 New Caledonian independence referendum.

• Ethnic groups: Kanaks, Caldoche
• Proposed state: New Caledonia or Kanaky
  • Political parties: Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, Caledonian Union, Party of Kanak Liberation, Kanak Socialist Liberation, Labour Party, Federation of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees, Renewed Caledonian Union, Oceanian Democratic Rally, Melanesian Progressive Union

Indonesia

Papua

• Ethnic group: Papuans
• Proposed state: West Papua or unification with Papua New Guinea^[18]
  • Government-in-exile: Republic of West Papua (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
  • Militant organisation: Free Papua Movement, West Papua National Liberation Army
  • Advocacy group: United Liberation Movement for West Papua

New Zealand

South Island

See main article: South Island nationalism.

• People: South Islanders
  • Proposed state or autonomous area: South Island, New Munster Province or New Munster Republic
  • Political party: South Island Independence Movement^[19]
  • Pressure group: South Island First^[20]

Papua New Guinea

Autonomous Region of Bougainville

• Proposed state: Bougainville
  • Political parties: Bougainville Independence Movement, Bougainville Labour Party, Bougainville People's Congress, New Bougainville Party, Bougainville Islands Unity Party

Micronesia

Chuuk

• Proposed state: Chuuk
  • Political party: Chuuk Independence Movement^{[21] [22]}
  • Ethnic Group: Chuukeese

Yap

• Proposed autonomy :Yap^[23]
  • Political party: Yap self determination Movement^{[24] [25] [26] [27]}
  • Ethnic Group: Yapese

Solomon Islands

• Proposed state: Malaita^[28]
  • Political party: Malaita for Democracy^[29]

United States

See main article: Secession in the United States.

^{[30] [31] [32]}

See main article: Hawaiian sovereignty movement.

• Ethnic group: Native Hawaiians, Haoles
• Proposed: Creating Native Hawaiian nations within the state of Hawaii equal to Native American nations, Independence under free association with the US, or complete independence from the US
  • Pressure groups: Nation of Hawaiʻi (organization), Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi
  • Political party: Aloha ʻĀina Party

and ^[33]

• Ethnic group: Chamorro people
  • Proposed: Statehood,^[34] Independence or Independence under free association with the USA
  • Advocacy groups: Chamorro Nation
  • Political party: Commission on Decolonization^{[35] [36] [37] [38]}

Vanuatu

Espiritu Santo

• Ethnic group: Ni-Vanuatu
• Proposed autonomous area: Vemerana
  • Political party: Nagriamel

See also

• Lists of active separatist movements
• List of historical separatist movements

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sovereign Union - First Nations Asserting Sovereignty Asserting Australia's First Nations Sovereignty into Governance . 2023-04-22 . nationalunitygovernment.org.
2. Web site: 2 April 2013 . The Murrawarri Republic declaration . 2 March 2023 . Sovereign Union - First Nations Asserting Sovereignty.
3. Web site: Geia . Jeremy . 12 May 2013 . Murrawarri people take sovereignty campaign to UN . 2 March 2023 . SBS News . SBS.
4. Web site: 10 May 2013 . Murrawarri people: The Queen Recognises Murrawarri Republic . 2 March 2023 . Sovereign Union - First Nations Asserting Sovereignty.
5. Web site: Neubauer . Ian Lloyd . 30 May 2013 . Australia's Aborigines Launch a Bold Legal Push for Independence . 2 March 2023 . world.time.com . Time.
6. Web site: Howden . Saffron . 2 November 2015 . Murrumu Walubara Yidindji renounces citizenship to reclaim Australia . 2 March 2023 . The Age.
7. Web site: 2023-01-26 . ACQUIESCENCE TO THE VOICE THREATENS FIRST NATIONS CONTINUING SOVEREIGNTY . 2023-05-29 . Tribune International (Australia) . en-US.
8. Web site: BushTelegraph . Workers . 2013-10-29 . Euahlayi Peoples Republic appoint their Provisional Executive Council of State . 2023-05-29 . Workers BushTelegraph . en-US.
9. Web site: Norfolk Island: Why residents want to ditch Australia for New Zealand . 30 October 2019 .
10. Web site: Sense of turmoil prompts birth of Norfolk Island Party. . 7 October 2021.
11. (13 March 2021). The objective of the WAxit Party is to improve the fortunes of Western Australia citizens, business and industry by achieving autonomy and independence through secession from the Federation. WAxit.org. Retrieved 25 August 2022
12. Web site: Victorian Independence Movement. 2022-12-25 . vicindependence.com . en.
13. Web site: 2022-06-30 . March of the penguin: the forces behind the secessionist Victorian Independence Movement . 2022-12-25 . The Guardian . en.
14. Web site: Native Village News . https://web.archive.org/web/20071024064926/http://www.nativevillage.org/Archives/2004/Feb%204%20News/Native%20Village%20News%20,%20Feb%204%20,%202004,I%20127%20V1.htm . usurped . October 24, 2007 . Nativevillage.org .
15. Web site: easterisland - www . Hectortobar.com . 2004-01-28 . 2010-07-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170406051611/http://www.hectortobar.com/easterisland . 2017-04-06 . dead .
16. Web site: Leyral . Mike . French Polynesia: Independentists' victory is first step toward a self-determination referendum . lemonde.fr . Le Monde . 1 May 2023 . 30 August 2023 .
17. Web site: Westnage . Justin . With independence off the table for now, what's next for New Caledonia's push for self-determination?. The Conversation . 9 May 2023 . 30 August 2023 .
18. Web site: Free Papua Movement (OPM) . 30 August 2022.
19. Web site: 'It will happen' - South Island Independence Movement vows to break away.
20. Web site: SOUTH ISLAND FIRST.
21. Web site: Cagurangan . Mar-Vic . 2018-08-02 . Breaking away from FSM? Think again, US envoy tells Chuuk . 2024-08-12 . pactimes . en.
22. Web site: 2016-03-03 . Chuuk State To Hold Secession Vote In March - February 6, 2015 . 2024-08-12 . web.archive.org.
23. Web site: IB . Reporter . 2024-06-21 . Yap to begin canvassing votes for 31 May political status referendum . 2024-08-13 . Islands Business . en-US.
24. Web site: Micronesia’s President Writes Bombshell Letter on China’s ‘Political Warfare’ . 2024-08-12 . thediplomat.com . en-US.
25. Web site: 2024-06-22 . Yap's Political Status . 2024-08-12 . Habele Institute . en.
26. Web site: Yap State Election Office . 2024-08-13 . Yap State Government . en.
27. Web site: 2024-06-24 . Yap narrowly votes for political status review; constitutional change in the offing PINA . 2024-08-13 . en-US.
28. News: 2020-09-02. Solomons province pushes for independence in 'China switch' fallout. en. Reuters. 2020-09-06.
29. Web site: Explainer: -What is behind unrest in the Solomon Islands?. Reuters.
30. Web site: While US celebrates its independence, Hawaiians still wait for theirs.
31. Web site: Why Hawaiian sovereignty has undeniable context for the Maui fires. NBC News.
32. Web site: What Is the Hawai'i Sovereignty Movement?.
33. Web site: Vision for an Independent Guåhan: We Are Stronger Than We Think.
34. Web site: Counter China by Making Guam a State.
35. Web site: Guam's Continuing Quest for Self-Governance.
36. Web site: 'Right to self-determination': Guam appeals political status case to US Supreme Court. Haidee Eugenio. Gilbert. Pacific Daily News.
37. Web site: Letter: Guam just isn't ready for self-determination. Ken. Leon-Guerrero. Pacific Daily News.
38. Web site: UNPO: Guam Prepares for Largest March for Self-Determination on September 2nd 2019. unpo.org.