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RIVNAC/MERIDIEN HOTEL DEVELOPMENT - TAHITI

Rivnac is located on the west coast of the island of Tahiti, 10 miles from capital Papeete. The 4-5 hectares of land includes white sandy beaches looking onto a lagoon and over 160 trees, some which are now endangered in Tahiti.

Since 1991 Tahitians have been opposing the Rivnac hotel development. This has involved thousands of people from the local community participating in protest marches and people squatting on the land itself. In late January the Tahitians trying to protect this archaeological site were evicted. Since then excavations have commenced, the land is fenced off for access by the local population, and a heavy policy presence, at times numbering 300 gendarmes are at the site itself.

The land is a valuable archaeological site, it is a pre-European burial ground. This has been confirmed by a scientific survey and a paper from the prosecutor.
There has been no independent environmental and no socio-economic survey conducted before construction. A company called "Speed" which is wholly owned by the developers conducted a survey.
The site is a residential area, and is not suitable for a 8 story hotel with 350 rooms and 12 over-water bungalows.
The indigenous owners of the land still dispute the local government claim to the land. The local government has rented the land to the "Society Hoteliere Rivnac" to develop the hotel. The company is a subsidiary of the French multi-national corporation "Lyonnaise Des Eaux" and "Dumez"

A number of legal actions are still pending against the development:

In 1993 a legal action was introduced to the Committee on Human Rights in Geneva for violations of the international pact on civil and political rights. This international agreement is signed by France.
The association of local residents "Ia Ora Nu'uroa" opposed to the development and filed a lawsuit in the "Conseil D'Etat" in Paris related to the public road, which has been changed into a private road for the developers. The action is still pending.
A criminal case is also pending in which the promoters have been accused of corruption. It is alleged that the financing of the project came from tax-exempt money from France.

The hotel is to be managed by the "Meridien" chain which was owned by the Forte hotel group. On January 24 1996 this group was taken over by Granada Group plc.
Every day the developers are excavating the land further and causing further destruction. Every day and every action counts to stop the development. We ask you to take the following action as soon as possible.
Faxes are preferable, due of lack of time, but written letters will also do.
Please do not forget to sign and put your name and address on the letters/faxes you send.

1. FAX THE GRANADA GROUP

Since they are the newly acquired owners of the "Meridien" hotel chain, who are under contract to market and manage the hotel:
To: Mr. Gerry Robinson
Chief Executive
Granada Group plc
36 Golden Square
London W1
U.K
. fax +44 171 494 62 40
tel +44 171 734 80 80

Dear Mr. Gerry Robinson,
We support the local and growing international opposition to the development of the Rivnac/Meridien hotel in Tahiti and to draw your attention to the pending court cases against this development, being:
-a legal action introduced in 1993 to the Committee on Human Rights in Geneva for violations of the international pact on civil and political rights. This international agreement is also signed by France.
-a lawsuit by the local residents association :Ia Ora Nu'uroa, filed in the "Conseil D'Etat in Paris related to the public road, which has been declared a private road by the developers.
-a criminal case in which the promoters of this development have been accused of corruption.
Since 1991 Tahitians have been opposing the development. Demon- strations are still occurring at the site and are planned to continue well into the future.This does not encourage tourism in the area, neither does the heavy police presence.
The history of this development will make marketing of the hotel very difficult, especially when it becomes known that:
-the hotel is to be sited on a valuable archaeological site, which is a pre-European burial ground.
-over 160 very old trees, some now endangered in Tahiti are on the site.
-there has been no independent environmental and/or socio-economic survey conducted.
-the site is in a residential area.
-the indigenous owners of the land still dispute the local government claim to the land.
-and the various pending legal actions and opposition.
Granada's association with the Rivnac development and its corruption scandals is damaging to your image in Europe and abroad, and therefore we urge you to withdraw your involvement via the "Meridien' hotel group with this development.
Looking forward to a reply with your position.
Yours Sincerely

2. FAX THE MERIDIEN HOTEL GROUP

To: Mr. Peter Zenneck
Director Asia/Pacific Meridien Hotels
Meridien SA
1503 Chinachem
Golden Plaza, 77 Mody Road
Kowloon
Hong Kong
fax +85 22 722 12 67
tel.+85 22 368 21 18

Dear Mr. Peter Zenneck,
We herewith urge "Meridien" to pull out of the contract with the hotel developers "La Societe Hotelier" regarding the Rivnac/ Meridien hotel in Tahiti. Your contact stipulates managing and marketing of the hotel.
It is in your interest to pull out of the contract and to stop the project proceeding, as your involvement in a project which faces corruption charges, damages your own reputation and image.
Since 1991 Tahitians have been opposing the development. Demonstrations are still occurring at the site and are planned to continue well into the future, including when you will be managing and marketing the hotel. There have already been and will be frequent marches against the development, which will also result in a police presence being necessary to manage the hotel itself. This does not sound like an attractive marketing proposition.
I would like to know whether "Meridien" frequently participates in marketing and managing hotels where planning regulations are not adhered to, as no independent environmental or socio-economic studies have been conducted prior to the development starting. The site is a valuable archaeological site as recognised in the United Nations Committee on Human Rights in Geneva and the development will also cut down more than 160 very old trees, some of which are now endangered in Tahiti. Also the area is a residential area.
I support the local and growing international opposition to the development of the Rivnac/Meridien hotel and draw your attention to the pending court cases against this development, being:
-a legal action introduced in 1993 to the Committee on Human Rights in Geneva for violations of the international pact on civil and political rights. This international agreement is also signed by France
-a lawsuit by the local residents association "Ia Ora Nu'uroa", filed in the "Conseil D'Etat in Paris related to the public road, which has been declared a private road by the developers.
-a criminal case in which the promoters of this development have been accused of corruption.
Looking forward to a reply on your position,
Yours Sincerely,

3. WRITE TO THE HOTEL DEVELOPERS - LYONNAISE DES EAUX/ DUMEZ.

To: Monsieur Jerome Monod, PDG
Monsieur Brongiart
Monsieur Prades/responsatte Lyonnaise dans le Pacific
72 Avenue de la Liberte
92723 Nanterre Cedex
France
fax +33-1-46 95 52 12
tel +33-1-46 95 50 00

Dear Messieurs,
I write to you to request that you bring an immediate halt to the development of the Rivnac/Meridien hotel in Tahiti.
Since 1991 Tahitians have been opposing the development. Demonstrations are still occurring at the site and are planned to continue well into the future.There have already been and will be frequent marches against the development.

You are developing an hotel on a site which:
-is a valuable archaeological site, which is a pre-European burial ground
. -has over 160 very old trees, some now endangered in Tahiti are on the site.
-there has been no independent environmental and/or socio-economic survey conducted.
-is located in a residential area.
-the indigenous owners of the land still dispute the local government claim to the land.
An alternative site, owned by the government, does exist, where there is no local opposition, and therefore you should examine this, whilst you stop the present excavations.
I assume you are aware of the on-going legal cases which will continue if the present site is developed:

-a legal action introduced in 1993 to the Committee on Human Rights in Geneva for violations of the international pact on c civil and political rights. This international agreement is also signed by France.
-a lawsuit by the local residents association :Ia Ora Nu'uroa, filed in the "Conseil D'Etat in Paris related to the public road, which has been declared a private road by the developers
. -a criminal case in which the promoters of this development have been accused of corruption.
The local opposition will continue which in turn will hamper the returns on your financial investments. And the public and international attention will mean that further investigations into the development and financial backing of the project will be forthcoming.
As there is an alternative site, it is not understandable why you would continue with the Rivnac hotel, and we urge you to halt the development immediately.
Awaiting your reply with your position,
Yours Sincerely,

4. FAX THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN TAHITI

Send copies of the above faxes/letters to the local government and add a cover letter to request that the development is immediately halted. Correspondence should be addressed to: Monsieur Gaston Flosse Territory Governor PO Box 2551 Tahiti Fax: +689 - 41 02 71

5. LETTERS OF SUPPORT TO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS OPPOSING THE PROJECT, "IA ORA NU'UROA"

Please send letters of support to the Tahitians who have been opposing this land development since 1991. The letters of support should be addressed to:
Association "Ia Ora Nu'uroa"
Pointe des Pecheurs - P.K. 15
Punaauia Tahiti
Polynesie Francaise
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT IN HALTING THIS HOTEL DEVELOPMENT AT A SITE OF VALUABLE ARCHAEOLOGICAL, CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE IN TAHITI.

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