Escalating Tensions in New Caledonia: Two Killed, Hundreds Injured Amidst Ongoing Riots
The idyllic French Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia erupted in a second night of chaos as protests over constitutional reforms escalated into widespread violence. Authorities reported two fatalities and hundreds of injuries, alongside rampant looting and arson attacks on public buildings. The unrest, which originated from pro-independence demonstrations, has plunged the territory into its most severe turmoil since the 1980s.
Despite the deployment of heavily armed security forces across the capital, Noumea, and the imposition of a nighttime curfew, rioting persisted unabated overnight. A surge of demonstrators, including approximately 100 police officers and gendarmes, sustained injuries, according to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who addressed the situation from Paris.
Darmanin disclosed that one individual had been fatally shot during the night, with authorities still investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. He further stated that dozens of homes and businesses had been set ablaze, including the office of the High Commissioner, France's top representative in New Caledonia. Later on Wednesday, the office confirmed a second death related to the riots, without providing specific details.
Presidential Intervention and Crisis Meeting
The escalating violence prompted President Emmanuel Macron to cancel a scheduled domestic trip and convene a crisis meeting with key ministers to address the situation in New Caledonia. His office announced the postponement of the regular cabinet meeting to facilitate the emergency session.
Fierce Clashes and Infrastructure Damage
Witnesses in Noumea and the commune of Paita reported multiple exchanges of fire between civil defense groups and rioters. The capital's streets bore the scars of the unrest, strewn with charred remnants of burned-out vehicles and buildings. A prominent sports store and a large concrete climbing wall lay in ruins. The High Commission documented numerous acts of arson and looting, targeting shops, infrastructure, and public buildings, including primary and secondary schools.
Security forces managed to retake control of Noumea's prison, where approximately 50 inmates staged an uprising and attempted to escape, the statement added. Since the outbreak of the riots on Monday night, police have apprehended over 130 individuals, with dozens detained pending court appearances. Authorities have extended the nighttime curfew and imposed further restrictions, including bans on public gatherings, the carrying of weapons, and alcohol sales.
Contentious Constitutional Reform
The territory's La Tontouta International Airport remains closed to commercial flights amidst the turmoil. As protesters took to the streets, France's lower house of parliament, situated 17,000 kilometers (10,600 miles) away, voted in favor of a constitutional change fiercely opposed by indigenous Kanaks. The reform, subject to approval by a joint session of both houses, proposes extending voting rights to individuals who have resided in New Caledonia for 10 years.
Pro-independence forces argue that this amendment would diminish the voting power of Kanaks, the Indigenous group constituting approximately 41 percent of the population and comprising the driving force behind the independence movement.
Macron's Plea for Calm
In a letter to representatives of the territory, Macron appealed for calm, strongly condemning the unacceptable and disgraceful violence. He emphasized that French lawmakers would proceed with the constitutional change by the end of June unless New Caledonia's opposing sides could reach a consensus on an alternative text that accommodated the progress made and acknowledged the aspirations of all parties.
Strategic Importance Amidst Pacific Rivalry
Macron has been actively seeking to bolster France's significance in the Pacific region, where China and the United States vie for influence. Strategically positioned between Australia and Fiji, New Caledonia is among several French territories spanning the globe, from the Caribbean and Indian Ocean to the Pacific, remnants of the post-colonial era.
The Noumea Accord of 1998 marked a commitment by France to progressively transfer greater political autonomy to this Pacific island territory of nearly 300,000 inhabitants. As part of this agreement, New Caledonia has conducted three referendums on its relationship with France, each resulting in a rejection of independence.
Nonetheless, the movement for independence continues to garner support, particularly amidst the Indigenous Kanak population. The Noumea Accord has also resulted in a freeze on voter list updates since 1998, disenfranchising island residents who have arrived from mainland France or elsewhere since then in provincial elections.
Voices from the Unrest
Daniel Goa, a New Caledonia pro-independence leader, urged the public to return home, condemning the looting. He acknowledged, however, that the turmoil of the past 24 hours reflected the determination of the territory's youth to resist French control. Sonia Backes, a prominent anti-independence figure and former minister, denounced anti-white racism among demonstrators, citing the arson attack on her elderly father's house, who was rescued by security forces. She alleged that he was targeted due to his race, rather than his familial connection to her.
