Noumea: France has ordered troops to secure New Caledonia’s Pacific port and international airport following a state of emergency on Thursday after two nights of unrest left four dead and hundreds injured.
France’s National Assembly has come under fire after local Kanak leaders backed controversial changes in the debate which they say will reduce their vote.
President Emmanuel Macron offered to hold talks with members of New Caledonia’s parliament on Thursday, while also approving the use of security forces and a night curfew to prevent the worst violence in four decades.
Shops were looted and public buildings set on fire during the night riots. Officials said four people were also killed. According to them, hundreds of people were injured.
Located between Australia and Fiji, New Caledonia is one of the few regions in the world that remained part of France during the post-colonial period. Colonized by France from the second half of the 19th century, this country has a special status compared to other foreign countries.
Despite rejecting independence in three referendums, independence retains strong support among the Kanak people.
Macron called for the resumption of political talks. But the government confirmed the state of emergency on Thursday morning, according to government spokeswoman Prisca Thévenot.
Prime Minister Jibril Attal told a meeting of crisis ministers that troops had been sent to protect international ports and airports, and government representatives in New Caledonia banned TikTok.
Attal said social media platforms are being used by insurgents.
New Caledonia Airport has been closed to international traffic. Attal said the situation in New Caledonia was now “serious” but the government’s priority for negotiations was to “restore calm”.
The spokesman said Tevenot could impose travel restrictions, house arrests and searches during a state of emergency.
Five radical freedom activists accused of orchestrating the violence were immediately placed under house arrest, authorities said.
Along with the night curfew, there are restrictions on gatherings, carrying weapons and selling alcohol.
Le France said additional troops and security forces would be sent to New Caledonia, adding that 64 police and security forces had been injured in the clashes.
A government spokesman said around 1,800 law enforcement officers had been mobilized and 500 more would be added.
Macron canceled a planned visit to the French province on Thursday to hold a new emergency meeting.
There were armed clashes between civil defense groups and protesters in the communes of Noumea and Paita.
The capital’s streets are littered with the remains of burnt-out cars and buildings, including sports shops and huge concrete climbing walls.
“There was a lot of burning and looting of shops, infrastructure and public buildings, including primary and secondary schools,” the government in the region said.
Security forces have retaken Noumea prison, which holds around 50 prisoners, after the uprising and attempted escape.
The reform still needs to be approved by a joint session of both houses of the French parliament.
The pro-independence forces said it would count on the votes of the Kanaks, an indigenous group that makes up about 41 percent of the population.
But reform supporters argue that the electoral roll has not been updated since 1998 – barring islanders who arrived after that from participating in provincial elections.
Macron said French lawmakers would vote to adopt constitutional changes by the end of June unless rival New Caledonia agreed to a new text that “takes into account the development and wishes of all”.
The pro-independence and pro-independence parties issued a joint statement calling for a “peaceful and rational” return to the archipelago, saying “we aim to live together”.
