A group known as the Indigenous Customary Negotiating Body (Instance Coutumière Autochtone de Négociation), or ICAN opposed the deal to sell the mine to a foreign company, and along with independence leaders, wanted the mine sold to the domestic company Sofinor instead, backed by Korea Zinc. This has also been backed by the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front. The French government was dismissive of the proposal to sell the mine to a domestic company. The USTKE union, which backs the Labour Party, called for a general strike.
