French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced on Wednesday the deployment of soldiers to “ensure the security” of New Caledonia’s ports and airport, which is facing a wave of protests, while the social media network TikTok was banned.
“Soldiers from the armed forces are being deployed to ensure the security of New Caledonia’s ports and airport,” Attal said during the opening of a joint ministerial crisis cell in the Ministry of the Interior.
Attal explained that the High Commissioner of the French Archipelago, Louis Le Franc, who requested reinforcements from the army to protect Noumea Airport, decided to impose “a curfew and…TikTok ban“.
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to impose a state of emergency in… New Caledoniathe French archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, which is witnessing violent riots that claimed the lives of 4 people, and were sparked by a draft constitutional amendment rejected by independence advocates.
Macron also stressed “the necessity of resuming political dialogue” in New Caledonia, according to the statement, which was issued at the conclusion of a crisis meeting on this region, which was colonized by France in the 19th century, and is witnessing a “rebellion,” according to the state representative in the archipelago.
Hundreds of injuries among protesters
Since the first clashes, on Monday, on the sidelines of the mobilization for independence in protest against the constitutional amendment, the archipelago has witnessed two violent nights of riots. Among the four people who died, a police officer was shot in the head.
Hundreds were injured, including about 100 police and gendarmerie officers, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The Republic’s High Commissioner, Louis Lefranc, declared, “We are in a situation that I would describe as rebellion.”
Despite the curfew imposed in Noumea, the main city in the archipelago, violence resumed on Tuesday evening, after dark, and witnessed many fires, looting and exchanges of gunfire, including at security forces.
Two people were also shot in Dokos, northwest of Noumea, “by a mechanic who was protecting his workshop,” according to a local government minister.
In light of the continuing riots, the main parties in New Caledonia, pro-independence and others, called on residents, in a joint appeal on Wednesday, to “calm and reason.”
The appeal stated: “Despite the situation we have been witnessing for 48 hours and within the framework of coexistence, we call in the loudest voice on all residents to remain calm and reason.”
Sebastian, a 42-year-old resident of Noumea, said that he guards the city “to protect the city,” explaining that “police officers cannot do everything, so we try to protect ourselves, and when things get heated we inform the police… We try to have officers in every neighborhood.” “His own weapon.”
The right to participate in elections
In Bari, the National Assembly approved, on Tuesday night, Wednesday, with the support of 351 members and 153 opposition, the text that expands the beneficiaries’ right to participate in the archipelago’s elections and arouses the anger of those calling for independence.
This amendment must still receive the support of 60% of the parliamentarians gathered in Versailles, for approval.
The draft constitutional law aims to expand who is allowed to participate in local elections, which are of great importance in the archipelago, to include all those born in Caledonia and residing there for at least 10 years. Independence advocates believe that this “will make the indigenous Kanak people even more of a minority.”
Local government head of independence, Louie Mabo, regretted, on Wednesday, “this effort, which has a very significant impact on our ability to manage the affairs of New Caledonia.” He added: “We issue a call for calm.”
The food shortage, due to the inability to supply stores with goods, led to the formation of waiting lines in front of stores.
The first confrontations between protesters and security forces began on Monday, on the sidelines of a gathering of independence advocates to protest the draft constitutional amendment.