Page 4-Saturday, June.14, 1980-The Michigan Daily New Hebrides' fight for freedom The man who would be king sports a long white beard, a red skirt, a black beret, and a T-shirt with an emblem that looks suspiciously like a marijuana leaf sitting on a star. He is Jimmy Stevens (known to his people as Moli or Chief Moses), descendant of a Scot- tish sea captain and a Melanesian woman, bulldozer operator turned plantatioiowner, and now the leader of one of the world's most bizarre liberation movements: Na-Griamel. Jimmy Stevens and his followers in Na-Griamel are waging a war of secession for their island, Espiritu Santo, against the rest of the New Hebrides, a chain of islands off the coast of Australia which are scheduled to gain independence from France and Britain on July 30th, 1980. THE PRIMARY PLANK in Na-Griamel's platform is the return of the land to the native Melanesians. In the 19th century, many European adventurers took advantage of the indigenous people's innocence and bought their land for a pittance. The land on which Na-Griamel's followers are now squatting was sold by one such adventurer, John Higginson, to the Societe Francaise des Nouvelles Hebrides. Stevens, who was prosecuted for squatting, is now arguing that these land deals must be reviewed in order to rectify past injustices. Despite French -and British influence, the New %0.00 By Anne Fullerton Hebrides remain essentially unspoiled tropical islan- ds. Their primary crops are coconut, cocoa, and cof- -fee, as well as taro and yams which are the local food staples. The tribespeople still wear grass loincloths, -carrybows and, arrows, and speak a sort of pidgin English in addition to their many and diverse tribal languages. In the southern island of Tanna, an active cargo cult flourishes in its different manifestations. The main theme of the cargo cult is deliverance from European domination which will be secured by a white man who will arrive loaded with goods for all. To some, this man is the son of President Roosevelt, to-others he is John Frum (an almost mythic American messiah), while others believe the saviour to be Britain's Prince Philip. Such beliefs provide a good base for the success of Jimmy Stevens. Na-Griamel's struggle against the ruling gover- nment of Father Walter Lini (Vanuaaku Party) is backed by an American right-wing libertarian group called the Phoenix Foundation. The Phoenix Foun- dation is led by a Carson City, Nevada, real-estate developer and coin dealer named Michael Oliver. It was a Carson City attorney, F. Thomas Eck III, who drafted the Na-Griamel constitution. THE PHOENIX FOUNDATION claims that its support for Na-Griamel is part of a struggle against communism. It would appear, however, that the primary motive is their need for a tax haven. The Foundation backed earlier similar secession struggles in Abaco (Bahamas) and in the Azores. In 1972, the Phoenix Foundation staked its claim to an underwater coral reef which it would call the Republic of Minerva. Minerva was to be a haven from crime, drugs, and taxes and the nation itself would rise out of the Pacific Ocean on stilts. The plan was scrapped after it received vehement opposition from the king of Tongo, a neighboring island. In the final analysis, it seems that the people of Espiritu Santo are following their white king from obvious-European domination to a much more subtle and dangerous submission to American domination. And Moli, the haughty patriarch who is fluent in both conventional and pidgin English, juggles his sophisticated and his primitive followers with ap- parent equanimity. Anne Fullerton graduated from the University this year. Sex harassment bila good step. U UNTIL RECENTLY, sexual harassment has been a problem that employees have had to face alone. An employee who went to a superior with a complaint would usually be told that an at- tractive woman just had to put up with these things. Few legal channels were open to one who was sexually harassed. The public and the law are just starting to pay at- tention to the concerns of those who have been sexually harassed. The sexual harassment bill currently under debate in the state Senate is an en- couraging sign that the public is beginning to take the issue seriously. Currently an employee who wishes to pursue legal action must press charges through the Michigan Civil Rights Commission or the circuit courts. Sometimes a lower court will find that sexual harassment is a violation of the Civil Rights Act, but often the court will exclude sexual harassment cases from other discrimination cases. The Michigan bill would outlaw sexual harassment and provide an easy legal channel for those who wish to press charges. The bill would not serve as a complete deterrent to sexual harassment. Employers, wary of prosecution, might make their harassment more subtle, but as long as existing stereotypes of male- female relationships prevail, sexual harassment of some form will continue to exist. The bill will help bring the whole issue out in the open. Coupled with an extensive public information campaign that tells employers and employees about the issue and available legal action, this legislation would be an important first step in eliminating both sexual .harassment and harmful stereotypesthat-aug eit.7p--------------- A lternatives needed for today's youth Every day, Angel Flores walks school and off the streets. down 116th Street to Benjamin By Ma L To meet the crisis, "Giving Franklin High School in East Youth a Better Chance" called Harlem. But he isn't enrolled for substantial changes in the last there anymore. He spends his per cent of black youths-from 16 two years of high school, concen- time on a nearby corner with to 21 per cent are unemployed trating into three days per week several friends. They listen to and out of school. the usual high school instruction their tape cassette players, Butevenforthosewhohavenot in basic skills and general smoke marijuana and admire dropped out, the system appears knowledge. The other two days passing cars. to be failing. Recommending would be reserved for work or Like up to half of New York's sweeping changes in U.S. high service activities designed ac- youth, they don't go to school and school curricula, Council director cording to the student's own in- they don't work. They are part of and former Universityf Califor- terests. America's army of the unem- nia president Clark Kerr called ployed young-nine million secondary schools "the most BUT PARTICIPATION would strong and growing every year. neglected segment of American be optional; no students would be BUT THE SOARING drop-out education." required to seek work or perform and unemployment rates among Ecommunity services. This troubles those hetween 16 and 21 years old THE REPORT cited a critical critics of the Carnegie report who are symptoms of a much larger lapse in programs geared to in- feel the work recommendations problem, with serious im- troduce students to the will further separate the plications for the national future. challenges of the real world college-and success-bound "They are not just out of school which they must soon enter. The youth from their disadvantaged and out of the lahor force," con- final two years of secondary peers. tdnsloigaedt cluded a recent high-level report school, according to the Council, more Students looking ahead to on the crisis. "They are out of should allow students the responsive to the Council's claim society." freedom to experiment with adult that work experience and cam- The reoort, by the influential responsibilities: to acquire both munity service are "enriching Carnegie Council on Policy legitimate work experience and opportunities for everyone." Studies in Higher Education, the beginning of some form of charged that American in- personal service commitment to The Carter Administration took stitutions, and the educational their community. Instead, the note of the Carnegie Council ayatem in particular, provide junior and senior years offer litle report in designing a $2 billion young people with virtually no more than an extension of earlier program for unemployed youths practical support during the dif- school experiences, with no which is expected to go before ficult transition from adolescen- special recognition of the Congress this year.If passed in ce to adulthood, student's impending need to its present form, the program The Carnegie Council has assume a more mature social would allow the new Department produced seveal landmark role. of Education to distribute funds -analyses of college-level The present high school for special instruction and job educational policy, but in vocational training system fails placement to junior high schools "Giving Youth a Better Chance," miserably at that task, according and high schools in 3,000 of the which was prepared by Univer- to the Carnegie Council. Classes nation's poorest districts. The sity of California labor economist are out of touch with modern White House is calling the Margaret Gordon, it confronts labor needs and almost useless at proposal "the most comprehen- the problems of a younger moving youth into the job sive youth training and em- population, as well as a broader market. A study of vocational ployment effort ever accom- social challenge. The drop-out or training issueduhy the National plihed or envisioned." as Dr. Gordon puta it, "the opt- Institute of Education suggests But it has yet to he accom- out youth," was pinpointed in the that the main effect of such in- plished. report as a special social struction may simply be to tragedy, affecting too large a preserve an alternative track in Mary Leary is a reporter for segment of the coming the high schools for students who the London-based Economist. generation to be lightly are not college-bound. The goal dismissed. Currently, Mperwent. isn't sound rep t qn for - She wrote this article for o- all white young people-and 36 livelihood; it is keeping kids ir- PacifkcNews Service.- 4 4 4 4 4 4