President Emanuel Macron of France will lift the state of emergency in New Caledonia on Tuesday, French newspaper Le Monde reported. The state of emergency, declared on May 19th in response to escalating protests, will be lifted at 5 a.m. local time. However, certain curfew measures will remain in place to ensure public safety. Reinforcements, including 480 mobile gendarmes, are being deployed to maintain order.
New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific, has been under French control since the 1850s. A constitutional amendment proposed by France’s National Assembly seeks to allow French residents who have lived in New Caledonia for over 10 years to vote in local elections. The existing 1998 electoral regulations restrict voting rights to the indigenous Kanak people and others who moved to the territory before the Nouméa Accord of the same year, along with their descendants. Pro-independence supporters are contesting this proposed amendment, fearing that it may marginalize the indigenous community further.
The state of emergency was declared following violent protests, during which nearly 200 people were arrested, dozens were injured, and at least four deaths occurred over the span of a few days. Throughout the unrest, Macron has openly urged all parties to engage in constructive dialogue, reinforcing the need for open discourse for the benefit of New Caledonia’s youth.
The unrest saw protestors setting businesses and vehicles on fire, and creating panic by discharging firearms. According to Reuters, the violence resulted in the deaths of three young Kanak men and a 22-year-old police official. New Caledonia’s High Commissioner, Louis le Franc, condemned these actions as serious attacks against people and property, affirming that security forces have been mobilized to address the ongoing violence.
Amidst the disturbances, the governments of Australia and New Zealand have initiated assisted departures for their nationals residing in New Caledonia.
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