Walter Hadye Lini

Walter Hadye Lini (* 1942 on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu ; † February 21, 1999 in Port Vila , Vanuatu) was a politician and Prime Minister of Vanuatu (1980 to 1991).

Political activities before independence

In June 1971 he founded the "New Hebridian Culture Association" with John Bennett Bani and Donald Kalpokas , which endeavored to combine traditional lifestyles with Western influences. This association quickly developed into the New Hebrides National Party, later known as Vanua'aku Pati.

Under his leadership, the party struggled to win the 1975 general election. The "Vanua'aku Pati" boycotted the 1977 elections in protest against the delay in independence efforts. However, the party then formed a "Provisional People's Government" that controlled large parts of the country. After a change in French foreign policy, which earlier promised independence, his party agreed to form a government of national unity with its Francophone opponents.

In the November 1979 election, the party won 62 percent of the vote and 26 of the 39 seats in the Representative Assembly. Lini himself became chief minister of the Melanesian archipelago with over 80 islands on November 29, 1979 and called for independence soon with the exclamation “Seli Ho” (let's row together).

Prime Minister of Independent Vanuatu

When the British - French condominium of the New Hebrides gained independence on July 30, 1980 , Walter Lini became the first Prime Minister. After a few weeks of independence, secessionist movements sprouted , but Lini was able to repel them successfully with the help of troops from Papua New Guinea . Lini also served as Foreign Minister in his government from 1980 to 1983.

In the late 1980s, President Ati George Sokomanu tried to dissolve parliament in order to depose Lini as prime minister. However, Lini managed to stabilize his government again. However, opposition to his policy grew over the next few years, so that he had to resign as Prime Minister on September 6, 1991.

He then founded a new party with the National United Party (NUP) and then held other government offices. Lini became Minister of Justice at the end of 1996 , succeeding his sister Hilda Lini .

After the election victory of Donald Kalpokas , who replaced him as Prime Minister in 1991, Lini was Deputy Prime Minister from March 30, 1998 in a coalition government made up of Kalpokas "Vanua'aku Pati" and Linis "NUP". In late 1998 the NUP left the government and Lini was the opposition leader until his death .

Lini was a brother-in-law of the current President Kalkot Mataskelekele .

Awards

In 2012 , the East Timorese President Xanana Gusmão Lini posthumously awarded the Ordem de Laran Luak for his commitment to the independence of East Timor . In 2015 the Colar of the Ordem de Timor-Leste followed .

Web links

• Biographical notes in rulers.org

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Pacific Woman in Politics: Vanuatu - Hon Hilda Lini
2. ↑ HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRIME MINISTER KAY RALA XANANA GUSMÃO AT THE OFFICIAL RECEPTION IN HONOR OF THE AWARDING OF THE ORDER OF VANUATU FIRST CLASS MEDAL FOR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE HIGHEST SERVICE TO VANUATU AND HUMANITY AT LARGE, March 12, 2011. , Accessed on 25 March 2011 2018.
3. ↑ Decreto do Presidente da República n ° 43/2015 de 6 de Maio, accessed on September 18, 2019.