TheCoconut War was a brief clash betweenPapua New Guinean soldiers and rebels inEspiritu Santo shortly before and after the independence of theRepublic of Vanuatu was declared on 30 July 1980.

Coconut War
Map ofEspiritu Santo insideVanuatu
Date August 1980 Location Espiritu Santo,Vanuatu Result Vanuatuan, Papua New Guinean and Solomon Islander victory
Belligerents
Vanuatu  Papua New Guinea  Solomon Islands	Nagriamel rebels Support:  France Phoenix Foundation
Commanders and leaders
Ati George Sokomanu Walter Lini Sir Tore Lokolok Sir Julius Chan Baddeley Devesi Sir Peter Kenilorea	Jimmy Stevens (POW) Support: François Mitterrand Raymond Barre

Prior to Vanuatu's independence, the islands were known as theNew Hebrides. The New Hebrides were governed by acondominium of France and the United Kingdom. In 1980, France and the United Kingdom agreed that Vanuatu would be granted independence on 30 July 1980.

Beginning in June 1980,Jimmy Stevens, head of theNagriamel movement, led an uprising against the colonial officials and the plans for independence.^[1][2][3][4] The uprising lasted about 12 weeks. The rebels blockadedSanto-Pekoa International Airport, destroyed two bridges, and declared the independence ofEspiritu Santo island as the "State of Vemerana". Stevens was supported byFrench-speaking landowners and by thePhoenix Foundation, an American business foundation that supported the establishment of alibertariantax haven in the New Hebrides.^[5]

On 8 June 1980, the New Hebrides government asked Britain and France to send troops to put down a rebellion on the island of Espiritu Santo.^[6] France and Britain sent troops but the French refused to allow them to take any effective action against the rebels. As independence day neared, thePrime Minister-elect,Walter Lini,^[7] askedPapua New Guinea if it would send troops to intervene,^[1] which was approved by Prime MinisterJulius Chan. As Papua New Guinean soldiers began arriving in Espiritu Santo,^[8] the foreign press began referring to the ongoing events as the "Coconut War". The conflict became the first time that thePapua New Guinea Defence Force was deployed overseas.^[9]

However, the "war" was brief and unconventional. The residents of Espiritu Santo generally welcomed the Papua New Guineans as fellowMelanesians. Stevens's followers were armed with onlybows and arrows, rocks, and slings. There were few casualties, and the war came to a sudden end: when a vehicle carrying Stevens's son burst through a Papua New Guinean roadblock in late August 1980, the soldiers opened fire on the vehicle, killing Stevens's son. On 28 August Jimmy Stevens surrendered,^[10] stating that he had never intended that anyone be harmed.^[11]

At Stevens's trial, the support of thePhoenix Foundation to the Nagriamel movement was revealed. It was also revealed that the French government had secretly supported Stevens in his efforts. Stevens was sentenced^[2] to 14 years' imprisonment; he remained in prison until 1991.

• Shears, Richard (1980).The Coconut War: The Crisis on Espiritu Santo. North Ryde, N.S.W.: Cassell Australia.ISBN 978-0-7269-7866-1.
• Stuart, Andrew (2001).Of Cargoes, Colonies and Kings: Diplomatic and Administrative Service from Africa to the Pacific. London:Redcliffe Press. pp. 214–224.ISBN 978-0-85771-525-8.
• "A Memory of the Coconut War: Rebel Leader Jimmy Stevens Freed".The Economist. 31 August 1991.

• "New Hebrides Calling for Help to Put Down Rebellion",The New York Times, 31 May 1980, p. 11
• "Separatists Threaten Hebrides Unity",The New York Times, 8 June 1980, p. E2
• "New Hebrides Asks for Aid in Revolt; Plea Might Go to U.N.",The New York Times, 8 June 1980, p. 12
• "Unrest Spreads in New Hebrides",The New York Times, 11 June 1980, p. A8
• "British Answering New Hebrides Call; Company of Marines Being Sent 'to Provide Stability'",The New York Times, 12 June 1980, p. A5
• "British-French Control Ends in New Hebrides, Now Named Vanuatu",The New York Times, 30 July 1980, p. 11
• "Rebels Blow Up 2 Bridges on Island of Espiritu Santo",The New York Times, 4 August 1980, p. A5
• "40 Are Seized on Espiritu Santu in a Drive Against Secessionists",The New York Times, 4 August 1980, p. B8
• "55 French Are Evacuated From Espiritu Santo Island",The New York Times, 18 August 1980, p. A5
• "Leader of Espiritu Santo Rebels Says That He'll Surrender Today",The New York Times, 29 August 1980, p. 3
• "Troops Reportedly Crush Rebellion on Espiritu Santo",The New York Times, 1 September 1980, p. A5

• Vanuatu: History: Independence, Vanuatu Tourism Office, 2009
• Franky Stevens's interview about Vanuatu independence history