Burnt cars are lined up after unrest in Noumea, New Caledonia, on May 15.Nicolas Job/The Associated Press
The archipelago of New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, has been embroiled in violent protests and rioting in which six people have been killed since May 13.
The anti-colonial protests were sparked by anger over a constitutional reform approved in Paris that would change who is allowed to take part in elections. Local leaders fear the change will dilute the vote of the indigenous Kanak people.
French President Emmanuel Macron was slated to travel to the Pacific territory Tuesday.
Here we provide historical context and look at recent developments surrounding the issue of New Caledonia’s push for independence.
Where is New Caledonia? Who lives there?
New Caledonia is an island group in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, 10 time zones ahead of Paris, between the island country of Fiji and continental Australia. A three-hour flight typically connects the capital, Nouméa, with Auckland, New Zealand.
The territory is home to about 270,000 people and is known to tourists for its UNESCO World Heritage atolls and reefs.
The Kanak people comprise the largest ethnic group – about 41 per cent of the population. Descendants of European settlers make up about 24 per cent, while the Wallisian and Futunian communities, Tahitians, Indonesians, Ni-Vanuatu and other groups make up the rest of the population. About 11 per cent of people also identify as Métis, or mixed race.
Historical context: Why is the territory important to France?
New Caledonia is the world’s third-biggest nickel miner, but the sector is in crisis and one in five residents live below the poverty threshold.
Kanaky, as the island is called by its Kanak inhabitants, was colonized by France in the 19th century and was primarily used as a penal colony.
There are also records of thousands of indigenous people from the islands and other nearby colonies being coerced or even forcefully taken on boats to perform manual labour in Australia in slave-like conditions.
Tensions have simmered for decades between Kanaks seeking independence and colonizers’ descendants who want the territory to remain part of France.
The Nouméa Accord, signed in 1998, helped end a decade of conflict by outlining a path to gradual autonomy and restricting voting rights to the Kanak and people who arrived in New Caledonia before 1998.
The accord allowed for three referendums to determine the future of the islands. In all three, independence was rejected, but that did not end the debate over the islands’ status or France’s role.
New Zealand tourists line up as they prepare to board a RNZAF Hercules at Magenta Airport in Noumea on May 21.The Associated Press
How did the recent violence unfold?
Last week’s unrest erupted as Paris debated amending the French constitution to make changes to voter lists in New Caledonia. The National Assembly approved a bill that will, among other things, allow residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years to cast ballots in provincial elections.
Opponents say this will benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia and further marginalize the Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination. While the government says voter reform is necessary to run democratic elections, local leaders fear it will dilute the Kanak vote.
This prompted violent protests in Nouméa, with rioters setting fire to cars and businesses, clashing with police and setting up barricades.
Three of the six people killed were young Kanaks shot by armed civilians. There continue to be confrontations between Kanak protesters and civilian militias formed in self-defence.
France declares a state of emergency on the Pacific island of New Caledonia on May 15, after several young Indigenous Kanak and a police official were killed in riots over electoral reform.
Reuters
France declared a state of emergency, prompting it, Australia and New Zealand to try to evacuate their stranded nationals from the island. The country’s main airport in the capital was shuttered for commercial flights, leaving military aircraft as the only means of evacuation.
More than 1,000 gendarmes and police from France were on patrol in the region, and another 600 would be added, France’s high commission said.
How is Azerbaijan involved in the recent protests?
France has accused Azerbaijan of fanning the flames by flooding social media with what it said were misleading photos and videos targeting French police.
The French government’s watchdog for online disinformation campaigns, Viginum, a unit created in response to Russian activity in Africa, published a report Friday identifying Azerbaijani social media accounts spreading anti-French propaganda.
Viginum’s report has associated at least 86 posts on X that use the hashtags #RecognizeNewCaledonia, #FrenchColonialism and #BoycottParis2024 with users connected to Azerbaijan’s ruling presidential party, YAP.
This alleged anti-French undertaking could be in response to French military support for Armenia, which has fought two wars with Azerbaijan in the past three decades.
People sit as they regulate traffic flown at a roadblock at Magenta Tour district in Noumea on May 22.THEO ROUBY/Getty Images
What does New Caledonia’s future look like?
According to French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, Mr. Macron has yet to convene a special session of the two houses of France’s parliament to officially pass the bill into law.
On his visit to New Caledonia, Mr. Macron will meet with elected officials and local representatives – both pro- and anti-independence – to “re-establish dialogue” and reach a political agreement for the islands.
Initial reaction indicated that renewing dialogue will not be an easy task, all the more so because pro-independence leaders blame the riots on Mr. Macron pushing through the electoral reform despite local opposition.
“Here comes the fireman after he set the fire!” Jimmy Naouna, of the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste of New Caledonia, wrote on X in response to news of Mr. Macron’s visit.
With files from Associated Press and Reuters