this post was submitted on 16 May 2024
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Hundreds arrested, roads barricaded in New Caledonia as riots continue (www.reuters.com)
submitted 5 months ago by DolphinMath@slrpnk.net to c/world@lemmy.world
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SYDNEY, May 16 (Reuters) - Armed forces were protecting New Caledonia's two airports and port after a third night of violent riots that have killed four people, the Pacific Island's top French official said on Thursday morning, adding at least four alleged instigators were under house arrest.

In three municipalities on the French-ruled island, gendarmes faced about 5,000 rioters, including between 3,000 and 4,000 in the capital Noumea, France's High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said in a televised press conference.

Two hundred people have been arrested, and 64 gendarmes and police injured, while road barricades put up by the protesters were causing a "dire situation" for medicine and food for the population, he added.

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[–] Beryl@lemmy.world 34 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Jeebus ! The number of people commenting here who don't have any knowledge of the situation is annoying.

France vowed in the Noumea Accord of 1998 to gradually give more political power to New Caledonia. Since, under the agreement, New Caledonia has held three referendums over its ties with France, ALL rejecting independence. Now, the last referendum in 2021 had something like 94% people voting to stay French BUT the independentists had called for a boycott of the referendum, and so turnout was only about 44%. In 2018, New Caledonians rejected independence at 57%. In 2020 it was 53%. In both these votes, the turnout was 80+% .

So this is not a case of France imposing control on the local population, there seems to be at least a small majority of people who wish to stay French.

New Caledonians have French nationality, they vote in all french national elections (presidential, parliament, etc. ) and could absolutely vote in local elections if they moved to say Paris or Marseille.

The thing is, the electoral lists in New Caledonia were frozen in 1998, and so anyone who came to live there legally after that still can't vote in local elections. This is now being reversed, allowing citizens who have lived there for at least 10 years to vote, and that's why the independentist party is rioting. They fear the independentist vote would be diluted by these newcomers, which presumably would vote to stay French.

Edit : To add some context on the independentists, they are mostly of the Kanak people, the aboriginal population of the islands. Today, they represent about 41% of the ~300k people living in New Caledonia.They are usually poorer and benefit from a lesser level of education than Neocaledonians of European or mixed descent.

[–] NegativeInf@lemmy.world 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

Rioting broke out over a new bill, adopted by lawmakers in Paris on Tuesday, that will let French residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years vote in provincial elections - a move some local leaders fear will dilute the indigenous Kanak vote.

So, an island 10500 miles away from France (Literally next to flipping Australia) is ruled by France. They wanna make it so french people that live there can vote in local elections. Sure sounds like a plan to move in more and more rich Europeans to slowly but surely erase its original peoples.

Do they get any say in any self determination? Any representation in the French government?

Also, while saying so many be in poor taste, these riots do seem rather... In keeping with French tradition.

[–] Ddinistrioll@lemmy.world 14 points 5 months ago

I understand why Caledonians don't like the bill, but to answer your questions: yes, they can vote for the French Government, as they are by law French Citizen (as well as Caledonian Citizen, in opposition to someone living in Marseille which only gets the French citizenship and no Provençal citizenship, for instance) They also have a higher autonomy than other French region or department (imo it's a good thing as they definitely have quite a different situation than metropolitan France regions)

I understand that this situation can look colonial-ish to outsiders, but according to the last referendum, a big majority of Caledonian people wishes to stay French. And they are full French citizens. This is a protest like those in Paris, against our (shitty?) gouvernement, not a protest for independence, afaik

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 13 points 5 months ago

I mean, it's treated like any département, no? If you move from Paris to Marseilles you get to vote in the local elections there as well.

[–] chemical_cutthroat@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Really it should operate the same way that voting in France does. If I move to France and live there for 10 years, do I get to vote in elections? Do New Caledonians? I honestly don't know 100%, but it looks like you have to live in France for 5 years and then apply for citizenship in order to vote (or be born in France, or marry someone who is a citizen, etc.) So, it seems like they should apply the same rules to New Caledonia. If New Caledonia doesn't want you as a citizen, then you don't get to vote. Living in another country for 10 years and suddenly being granted the opportunity to change national politics seems like an easy way for an Oligarchy to get started. A bunch of rich people buy apartments on the island, and boom, 10 years later they control the politics of the island. Again, I don't truly know the ins and outs of the system, and I could be completely wrong, so if there is something I'm missing, please, let me know.

Edit: or just downvote without explanation. You know, whatever works.

[–] signalsayge@lemm.ee 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

New Caledonia is part of France, it's not a different country. If you are a New Caledonian, you are a French citizen.

[–] chemical_cutthroat@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

But it doesn't operate as a part of France. If it did, this law wouldn't be necessary because a French citizen living there would already have the right to vote by virtue of being a citizen. This measure seems to remove that block and allow outside influence to control the politics of the island. Honestly, I can't think of a non-nefarious reason to do this. It reeks of a political coup.

[–] Botzo@lemmy.world 12 points 5 months ago

An article with context for anyone else who stumbled on this without it (like me): https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/14/new-caledonia-curfew-noumea-violence-protests-constitution-change

[–] DolphinMath@slrpnk.net 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

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[–] Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee -1 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This sounds very French. Try passing a law in France that says says you can't vote unless you were born there and see how long it takes before someone sets your car on fire

[–] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

France is actually in the top five for most actively colonialist nations - with America, Russia, and China... pretty depressing crowd. If you're curious I'd suggest reading up about the CFA (franc de la Communauté financière africaine)