Following violent unrest in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, authorities announced a two-day curfew and banned gatherings on Tuesday.
The archipelago, which has a history of tensions between indigenous Kanaks seeking independence and descendants of colonizers who wish to remain part of France, has been at the center of the disturbances.
The French Interior Ministry revealed that police reinforcements were dispatched to the island, which has historical significance as a former prison colony and currently houses a French military base.
According to the ministry, 82 individuals were arrested, and 54 police officers and gendarmes sustained injuries during the unrest. The airport was closed, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights.
Daniel Goa, president of the pro-independence Caledonian Union party, urged for calm amidst the protests, stating that they “reveal the determination of our young people to no longer let France rule them.”
However, he condemned the looting, emphasizing that it “dishonours us and in no way serves our cause and our fight”.
High Commissioner Louis Le Franc, the territory’s top French official, reported “high intensity” disturbances in the capital, Nouméa, overnight from Monday to Tuesday.
These disturbances resulted in damage to video surveillance equipment and numerous stores.
As a result, schools were closed on Tuesday, and most businesses remained shuttered.
Social media videos depicted hundreds of burned cars and numerous businesses and homes engulfed in flames.
The unrest coincided with French lawmakers debating voting reforms that would expand the number of people eligible to vote in New Caledonia.
Opponents of the proposed reforms argue that expanding voter lists, which have remained unchanged since 1998, would disproportionately benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia and exacerbate the marginalization of the indigenous Kanak people.
The Kanak people have a history of enduring strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination.
In New Caledonia, people of European descent differentiate between descendants of colonizers and descendants of the many prisoners who were forcibly sent to the territory.
The vast archipelago, with a population of about 270,000, lies east of Australia and is 10 time zones ahead of Paris.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal denounced the violence and urged a return to dialogue “with all stakeholders and all local actors” regarding the reform proposal, which sparked heated debates in the National Assembly, France’s most influential parliamentary chamber.
France’s Interior and Overseas Territories Minister, Gérald Darmanin, stated the violence was perpetrated by “delinquents and sometimes criminals”.
He asserted the deployment of four mobile gendarmerie squadrons, including 15 gendarmes from an elite intervention unit, as reinforcements.
Local authorities also urged for calm. Victor Gogny, president of the Customary Senate, stated that while the youth have the right “to express its legitimate demands and aspirations,” they should seek “dialogue and consensus”.
High Commissioner Le Franc informed French broadcaster BFM that clashes between police forces and both pro-independence protesters and opponents of the constitutional reform took place overnight in Mont-Dore, a town southeast of the capital.
He remarked that shots were fired at gendarmes “from high-caliber weapons and hunting rifles”, emphasizing that the situation remained “extremely tense”.
To maintain order, gatherings in public places were prohibited in the municipalities of Nouméa, Dumbéa, Mont-Dore, and Païta.
Additionally, all travel on public roads in these areas was banned from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday morning, with exceptions made for health and public emergencies.
New Caledonia was annexed by France in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III, the nephew and heir of Napoleon.
Following World War II, it became an overseas territory, and in 1957, French citizenship was extended to all Kanaks.
A peace agreement was reached between rival factions in 1988. Subsequently, France pledged to grant New Caledonia political power, broad autonomy, and conduct up to three successive referendums.
The three referendums took place between 2018 and 2021, with a majority of voters opting to maintain ties with France instead of pursuing independence.
However, the pro-independence Kanak people contested the results of the last referendum in 2021, which they boycotted due to its timing during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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