State of Emergency Declared in New Caledonia Following Deadly Riots

After two nights of deadly riots in New Caledonia, where at least four people, including a gendarme, were killed and hundreds injured, Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, declared a state of emergency in this archipelago located in the South Pacific. The cause of the recent riots is the protest of the indigenous population and independence supporters against the constitutional reforms proposed by the French government. The riots began following the approval of these reforms in the lower house of the French Parliament on Monday. Despite the extensive presence of security forces throughout the city of Nouméa, the capital, and the imposition of a nighttime curfew, the riots continued throughout the night. This unrest is the most serious instance of violent events since the late 1980s. New Caledonia, located in the southwest Pacific between Australia and Fiji, is one of France's overseas territories and one of the remaining areas from the colonial era. New Caledonia, which was seized by France in 1853, has a special political status compared to other overseas territories, which somewhat guarantees the autonomy of the region. Residents of New Caledonia voted against separating from France. Despite the fact that the request for independence has failed in three referendums, it still enjoys significant support, especially among the indigenous population. The French presidency stated that Emmanuel Macron emphasized the resumption of political dialogue to end the unrest and warned that violence would be dealt with firmly. At Macron's request, the decree regarding the declaration of a state of emergency will be discussed in the French cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening. Local officials in New Caledonia reported that during the riots over the past two nights, shops were looted and government buildings were set on fire. Gérald Darmanin, the French Minister of the Interior, stated that hundreds of people, including about 100 police and gendarmerie officers, were injured. The French presidency also reported that four people, including a gendarmerie officer, were killed in the riots over the past two nights. Macron canceled an internal trip on Wednesday and changed the timing of the cabinet meeting to assess the situation in New Caledonia. Reports from Nouméa, the capital, and Paita, one of the major islands of New Caledonia, indicate that many vehicles and buildings were set on fire, and in several instances, armed clashes occurred between the rioters and civilian defense units. The High Commissioner's office, representing the French government in this territory, also mentioned in its statement the looting of shops and the burning of administrative buildings and public infrastructure. The police announced that more than 130 people were arrested during the riots over the past two nights, and dozens are still in prison awaiting judicial proceedings. According to the police, a riot in the Nouméa prison, which houses about 50 inmates, has also been contained. The High Commissioner's office increased the nighttime curfew hours on Wednesday, banned gatherings, carrying weapons, and selling alcoholic beverages. The international airport in New Caledonia is still closed. The constitutional reform bill, which must be approved in a joint session of both houses of the French Parliament to become law, provides voting rights for individuals who have been residents of New Caledonia for at least 10 years. Independence supporters argue that this change will reduce the share of the indigenous population among voters. Indigenous people, or Kanaks, make up about 41% of the population of New Caledonia and are the main force behind the independence movement. In contrast, reform supporters argue that citizenship laws, including the right to participate in elections, have not changed since 1998, and as a result, a group of residents of New Caledonia who have migrated from France or other areas in recent decades are deprived of voting rights.