France Declares State Of Emergency, Sends Troops, To Quell Deadly Riots In Pacific Territory
French President Emmanuel Macron has declared a 12-day state of emergency starting Wednesday as a result of deadly riots which have gripped France’s Indo-Pacific territory of New Caledonia.
Four people died and many others were wounded in clashes with police Tuesday night, with reports of looting and buildings burned to the ground. The mayhem was sparked by a vote in France’s parliament, the National Assembly, which authorizes residents who’ve resided in New Caledonia for 10 years to cast ballots in provincial elections.
But the archipelago’s indigenous Kanak people have for decades chafed over what they see as a power grab favoring the descendants of colonizers who want to remain part of France. These ethnic tensions have simmered for many years, and have boiled over this week.
The French territory lies east of Australia and is ten time zones ahead of Paris, and it has about 270,000 people. The new state of emergency aims “to restore order in the shortest time possible” – according to a parliament statement.
There are widespread reports that French military troops have been deployed to put down the pro-independence riots, and a ban on TikTok has also reportedly been issued, but Paris officials have sought to downplay these draconian measures.
According to the Associated Press, “Asked if France could deploy the French military to the island, Thevenot said it’s not the army’s job to maintain order but that it is helping with the transport of police reinforcements.”
However, later the AFP news agency wrote that France has deployed army personnel at New Caledonia ports as well as the main airport.
