There is serious unrest happening in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Riots have erupted across the islands. Here are the key points:
- France has declared a state of emergency in New Caledonia
- At least five people have died in the riots, including a French police officer
- Hundreds more people have been injured in the violence
- The riots are over France’s plans for new voting rules in the territory
- France has sent reinforcements and blocked some internet access to regain control
Why is this happening? Let’s take a deeper look.
A History of Tensions
New Caledonia consists of dozens of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It has been governed as a territory of France since the 1800s.
For many years, tensions have existed between the indigenous Kanak people and residents of European descent. The Kanaks want independence from France, but many others wish to remain part of France.
These tensions even led to hostilities and violence in the 1980s. It took years of negotiations to establish a peace agreement in 1998 finally.
Disagreement Over Voting Rules
Part of that 1998 peace deal involved a plan for the territory to gain complete independence from France after a series of referendum votes.
The first independence referendum was held in 2018. At that time, a majority of New Caledonia’s population voted to remain a French territory.
However, there has been major disagreement about the voting rules for future referendums, which is at the heart of the current riots and unrest.
France wants to change the rules to allow all long-term residents to vote, regardless of their heritage. However, pro-independence groups argue this unfairly gives recent immigrants of European descent more voting power.
Riots and Clashes Escalate
As the dispute over the voting rules dragged on, tensions rose rapidly in New Caledonia over the past week. Protest marches and roadblocks led to clashes with police.
The situation then spiraled into riots, arson attacks, and deadly violence across several towns and cities. Buildings and infrastructure have been extensively damaged or destroyed.
France has responded by declaring an emergency and sending around 1,000 additional police and soldiers as reinforcements. In an attempt to regain control, access to some social media platforms, like TikTok, has also been blocked.
However, according to resident David Bell in the capital, Noumea, the riots remain extremely tense and volatile close to his neighborhood. “We’ve been hearing tear gas being fired just 400 meters away,” Bell said. “We’ve barricaded ourselves in.”
Can France and New Caledonia Find a Solution?
The death toll and injuries resulting from the riots show how high the stakes are. France and the territory’s leaders must urgently de-escalate the situation and find a fair, peaceful resolution.
Can they settle the disagreement over voting rules? Or will rising anger over longstanding divisions push New Caledonia closer toward outright independence from France?
The islands remain in a precarious and concerning state of unrest. Only time will tell how this crisis ultimately unfolds.
The screenshot is taken from – voanews.com
