Macron calls unrest in New Caledonia unprecedented: leaves 3000 French troops there
Kyiv • UNN
Six people have been killed and hundreds injured in unprecedented riots in the French territory of New Caledonia over a controversial electoral reform that gives French residents the right to vote.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called the unrest in France's overseas territory in the Pacific region of New Caledonia an "unprecedented insurgency" that no one had foreseen coming, UNN reports citing the BBC.
Details
During a tour of police headquarters in the capital, Noumea, on Thursday, he said the coming days and weeks would be difficult, but Paris would "go all the way" to restore calm.
Six people, including two policemen, were killed and hundreds injured in riots, looting and arson caused by the controversial electoral reform.
New Caledonia, a group of islands between Australia and Fiji, has been a French territory since the 19th century. Tensions have been high for some time between the central government in Paris and the indigenous Kanaks, who make up about 40% of the population of the tiny archipelago, the newspaper said.
Kanak protesters fear that the new law, which gives the right to vote to French residents who have lived there for more than 10 years, will weaken the influence of the indigenous population.
The violence that began on May 13 is the largest unrest seen here since the 1980s.
A state of emergency was declared, and President Macron said that the 3,000 troops deployed from France would stay - even during the Summer Olympics in Paris, if necessary.
Arriving in Noumea after a 24-hour flight from Paris, President Macron said he wanted peace, tranquility and security to return "as soon as possible.
"This is an absolute priority," the French leader said.
He paid his respects to the victims of the unrest and met with local political and business leaders.
The summit was attended by, as the newspaper describes it, "separatist leaders," who said in advance that they hoped it would "breathe new life" into negotiations with France.
Macron admitted that the most delicate conversation was about politics and the future of New Caledonia, the newspaper reports, adding that he has a huge job to do.
Since the violence began on May 13, police have detained 269 people, and a state of emergency is currently in effect in New Caledonia.
But Macron hinted that the state of emergency could be lifted in the coming days, saying: "Personally, I think the state of emergency should not be extended.
Addendum
The population of New Caledonia is about 300,000 people, including 112,000 indigenous Kanaks.
Under the Nouméa Accord of 1998, France agreed to grant the territory greater political autonomy and limit voting in provincial and assembly elections to those who lived there at the time.
Since then, more than 40,000 French citizens have moved to New Caledonia.
Last week, the National Assembly in Paris proposed granting the right to vote to French people who have lived in the territory for 10 years. As this would require a constitutional amendment, the measure faces further obstacles.
The Nouméa Accord allowed for three referendums on the country's future. Independence was rejected in all cases.
