New Caledonia: State of emergency to be declared as riots rage in French Pacific territory
Emmanuel Macron will call for a "state of emergency" to be declared
in New Caledonia as deadly rioting rages in the French territory.
The
French president will make the request during a cabinet meeting today
following violence across the archipelago in the South Pacific, his
office said.
At least two people have been killed and more than 300 injured in the
riots, as France's National Assembly approved controversial changes to
voting rules in New Caledonia.
French authorities in the territory say more than 130 people have been arrested since Monday.
There have been decades of tensions between indigenous Kanak people
seeking independence and descendants of colonisers who want to remain
part of France.
The latest unrest started on Monday with a protest over France's efforts to expand voter lists.
The
bill, approved by France's National Assembly, would allow French
residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years to cast ballots
in provincial elections.
Critics fear it will benefit pro-France
politicians on New Caledonia and further marginalise the Kanak people,
who once suffered from strict segregation policies and widespread
discrimination.
Following the violence, Mr Macron cancelled a trip he had been planning to northwest France on Wednesday while he focused on the crisis.
On Tuesday, the French interior ministry sent police reinforcements
to New Caledonia, which long served as a prison colony and now hosts a
French military base.
The territory's top French official, High
Commissioner Louis Le Franc, said if calm is not restored, there will be
"many deaths" in the area of the capital Noumea.
