Unprecedented insurrection in New Caledonia says President Emmanuel Macron
President Emmanuel Macron has said the recent rioting in New Caledonia, a French-Pacific territory, as an “unprecedented insurrection movement” that took everyone by surprise.
During his visit to police headquarters in the capital, Nouméa, on Thursday, President Macron acknowledged the challenging days and weeks ahead but assured that Paris would “go until the end” to restore order.
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The unrest, triggered by a controversial electoral reform, has resulted in six deaths, including two police officers, and hundreds of injuries due to riots, looting, and arson.
New Caledonia, located between Australia and Fiji, has been a French territory since the 19th century. Long-standing tensions exist between the central government in Paris and the indigenous Kanak population, which constitutes about 40% of the archipelago’s 300,000 residents.
Kanak protesters are concerned that a new law, granting voting rights to French residents who have lived in the territory for over 10 years, will diminish their political influence.
The violence, which began on May 13, is the most severe since the 1980s. A state of emergency has been declared, and President Macron announced that a 3,000-strong force deployed from France will remain in New Caledonia, even during the Paris Summer Olympics if necessary.
After a 24-hour flight from Paris, President Macron expressed his desire for the swift return of peace, calm, and security in Nouméa.
Since the onset of violence, police have detained 269 individuals. The territory remains under a state of emergency.
