New Caledonia: Three dead as riots and looting erupts with tourists urged to stay away from island nation

Australians traveling to New Caledonia are being warned to exercise a high degree of caution as political demonstrations and protests against constitutional reforms break out in the French territory.

Three people were killed and hundreds injured in the violent riots, a spokesman for New Caledonian President Louis Mapou said.

The protests erupted Monday evening in response to a vote in the French National Assembly to give French citizens who have lived in New Caledonia the right to vote for ten years.

The reform, which lawmakers said was democratically fair, passed by a vote of 351 to 153.

Protesters have argued that the legislation will minimize the voting rights of the indigenous Kanak people, who make up about 40 percent of the country’s 300,000 residents.

All three dead were young indigenous Kanak people. One was shot dead; local reports indicate that this was the result of an act of perceived self-defense, and not the actions of law enforcement.

The Australian government’s Smart Traveler website has raised its advisory level for the Noumea metropolitan area, advising a high level of caution due to protests and demonstrations.

The protests broke out on Monday evening in response to a vote in the French National Assembly to give French citizens who have lived in New Caledonia for ten years the right to vote.

“There are political demonstrations and protests that could become violent in the short term,” the website said.

The office of the High Commissioner, France’s top representative in New Caledonia, said one death was caused by gunshot wounds linked to the protests, but did not provide details on the second.

Cases of violence have also been reported in Paita municipality.

A curfew was imposed on the Noumea metropolitan area from 6pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday, and the Australian government warned there was potential for demonstrations in other locations.

The curfew in Noumea also came with a ban on public gatherings, but local authorities warned that protests had continued despite the crackdown, with authorities reporting an attempted escape from Noumea prison the day after.

“Essential services are affected and flights have been cancelled,” the Smart Traveler website said.

‘La Tontouta International Airport is closed.

‘Avoid demonstrations, public gatherings and roadblocks.

‘Limit movement, monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities.’

France’s interior minister has said hundreds of people and about 100 police officers have been injured.

Authorities estimate the number of arrests since Monday at 130.

French President Emmanuel Macron has convened a meeting of the defense and national security councils to discuss the riots.

He was previously scheduled to travel to Normandy.

The Australian government says essential services are affected. Photo: Theo Rouby / AFP

The French High Commissioner for the Republic in New Caledonia, Louis Le Franc, warned of further bloodshed if peace could not be maintained.

‘This has to stop now. There has already been one death, but if we don’t stop now it will be a bloodbath,” Le France said.

“I fear for New Caledonia, dark hours lie ahead.”

On Wednesday, Anthony Albanese said Australia values ​​its relationship with both New Caledonia and the French state.

“We respect and support the process and the ongoing discussions between all parties,” the prime minister said.

New Caledonia’s status as a French territory has been an ongoing source of political friction, but the ongoing protests represent the largest scale of unrest since the pro-independence rallies of the 1980s.

The territory’s 1998 Noumea Agreement was introduced to transition the country toward greater autonomy by granting voting rights only to the population of the time and limiting the political influence of new French immigrants.

This latest legislation gives French expats more voting rights.

It is estimated that around 40,000 French nationals have emigrated to New Caledonia in the 26 years since the Noumea Agreement.

A local resident clears the roads of burned trash left by rioters

As part of the agreement, New Caledonia held three referendums to determine the country’s political future.

Each of these referendums – held in 2018, 2020 and 2021 – offered voters the choice of independence.

Self-determination was voted down in all cases.

The eventual referendum was boycotted by pro-independence parties in 2021.

‘We are closely monitoring the situation in New Caledonia. Australia values ​​our relationship with both New Caledonia and the French state,” a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

‘We respect and support the referendum process under the Nouméa Agreement and the ongoing discussions.

“We encourage all parties to work constructively together to shape New Caledonia’s institutional future.”

Although New Caledonia is semi-independent, France still retains sovereign control over defense, foreign affairs, the courts and economic policy.

France has deployed four gendarmerie squadrons, a form of French paramilitary enforcer.