Authorities in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia announced a two-day curfew and banned gatherings following violent unrest.
French authorities imposed a curfew in the capital, Noumea, and other areas, closed New Caledonia’s international airport and sent police reinforcements after protests by independence supporters over changes to the territory’s voting system turned into unrest.
The New Caledonian government appealed for calm, reporting that 54 members of the security forces were injured and 82 people were arrested. No serious civilian injuries were reported.
Authorities also condemned the destruction of property, saying 50 local businesses and about 200 vehicles were burned.
Violence erupted overnight on Monday as French lawmakers in Paris debated changes to electoral law that would increase the number of people who could vote in New Caledonia. The final vote was scheduled for this Tuesday.
The proposed changes would allow French residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years to vote in provincial elections – a move local leaders fear will dilute the indigenous Kanak vote.
One of five island territories spanning the Asia-Pacific controlled by France, New Caledonia is rich in natural resources and is the centerpiece of French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to increase Paris’s influence in the region.
Home Affairs Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X that the proposed new electoral rules were “a moral duty for those who believe in democracy” but should not impede attempts to reach a broader political settlement.
Darmanin, whose portfolio includes France’s overseas territories, was tasked by Macron with sealing an agreement with Kanak leaders on the future status of New Caledonia, after decades of political tension.
Macron’s office said over the weekend that the president would invite representatives of the territory’s population to Paris for talks to reach a peaceful agreement.
All gatherings were banned in the Greater Noumea area and an alcohol ban was implemented while Noumea’s international airport was closed and all commercial flights cancelled.
New Caledonia is approximately 19,300 kilometers (12,000 miles) from France, with a population of 270,000, including 41% Melanesian and 24% of European origin, mostly French.
A 1998 Noumea Agreement helped end a decade of conflict, outlining a path to gradual autonomy and restricting voting to indigenous Kanak and migrants who lived in New Caledonia before 1998.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
