Authorities in New Caledonia have reported a “calmer” situation after Paris declared a state of emergency due to violence that erupted on Monday night over plans to amend provincial voting rules. The office of the high commissioner of New Caledonia, representing the French state, issued a statement on Friday confirming that unrest in the provincial capital, Noumea, had diminished with the arrival of hundreds of security reinforcements from Paris.
“For the first time since Monday, the situation is calmer and more peaceful in greater Noumea,” the commission stated.
Despite the relative calm, the statement noted that fires had occurred at a school and two businesses overnight. The violence was triggered by French plans to expand voting rights in New Caledonia to include outsiders who have resided on the island for 10 years or more. This proposal, adopted by the National Assembly in Paris on Wednesday, has sparked anger among the Indigenous Kanak population, who comprise about 40 percent of the territory’s population. The Kanaks fear that this change will dilute their voting power and political influence.
To address the unrest, about 1,000 additional security personnel are expected to arrive in New Caledonia, supplementing the 1,700 already present. Authorities have vowed to seek “the harshest penalties for rioters and looters.” On Thursday, five individuals suspected of organizing the unrest, which included road barricades, fires, and looting, were placed under house arrest.
The recent violence has resulted in at least five deaths since Monday, including the killing of a second police officer on Thursday. Additionally, three Kanak civilians have died, and hundreds of people have been injured. This outbreak of violence is the worst the territory has experienced in over 30 years and follows three unsuccessful referendums on independence, which were part of earlier political agreements aimed at maintaining stability. The most recent referendum in December 2021 was boycotted by Kanak independence groups due to its timing during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a turnout of only 44 percent.
Independence remains a significant issue in New Caledonia, a territory located between Australia and Fiji that was colonized by the French in the late 19th century.
The state of emergency, which includes a nighttime curfew and a ban on gatherings, will remain in effect for 12 days.
