France to lift state of emergency in riot-hit New Caledonia
Kyiv • UNN
Seven more mobile units will soon arrive in New Caledonia as reinforcements, and the state of emergency will end as planned on Tuesday morning local time, following recent unrest that has caused seven deaths, hundreds of arrests and widespread destruction.
Seven more mobile security units will soon arrive as reinforcements in New Caledonia, the Elysee Palace said in a statement on Monday, noting that the state of emergency will end as planned on French territory in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday morning local time, UNN reports citing France 24.
Details
The state of emergency will end on Monday evening at 20:00 in Paris (Tuesday at 5:00 in Noumea).
Seven people were killed, hundreds arrested, and many buildings and cars destroyed in two weeks of unrest sparked by controversial electoral reform and sharp economic disparities between the indigenous Kanak population and people of European descent.
Police shot and killed a man on Friday evening, the day after a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was trying to ease tensions.
The arrival of an additional 480 gendarmes will bring the number of French security forces in New Caledonia to approximately 3,500.
Macron's decision not to extend the state of emergency illustrates Paris's desire to begin the process of de-escalation and restore conditions for dialogue, the statement said.
The main pro-independence political coalition, the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), issued a communiqué on Saturday saying that the priority is to ease tensions and that the only viable solution is a "political and non-repressive solution.
In a statement, France said that the lifting of the state of emergency was intended to allow the FLNKS to hold meetings.
Macron "recalls that the lifting of the checkpoints is a prerequisite for the start of concrete and serious negotiations," the statement added.
Christian Thain of the Field Action Coordination Team (CCAT), which has organized roadblocks preventing the movement and supply of food and medicine across the island, said on Friday that they are "still mobilized, we are supporting the resistance in our areas, in a structured, organized way.
No statements were made about the night curfew imposed by the local authorities of New Caledonia.
The operator of Noumea International Airport has announced that it will be closed until June 2.
