(Bloomberg) — The French government is striving to regain full control of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia, High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said, as extra security forces arrive in the archipelago to end a week of violent protests by pro groups. -independence.
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Le Franc said new security deployments, after French President Emmanuel Macron’s government declared a state of emergency, would help reassert control after violence that left behind burned cars, torched shops and makeshift barricades along roads.
“Restoring order and calm in New Caledonia is our priority,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said in a statement on Friday.
The government said it would bring in an additional 1,000 security officers from France, in addition to the 1,700 already present. It is also establishing air links to send food and basic goods to the population.
The protests erupted after the National Assembly approved a bill that would allow some French residents of the islands to vote, potentially diluting the power of the indigenous electorate. New Caledonia held an independence referendum in 2021, which voted overwhelmingly to remain with France after key local groups boycotted the vote.
“Significant reinforcements will arrive,” the high commissioner told reporters on Friday. They will help restore authority in “areas that have escaped us in recent days, where control is no longer guaranteed”.
The violence disrupted nickel production, a key industry for the territory, hitting miners including French company Eramet SA. The protests were not directed against resource companies.
The territory was the world’s third-largest producer of battery metal last year, accounting for about 6% of global production, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The state of emergency imposed on Wednesday is expected to last 12 days. Government spokeswoman Prisca Thevenot told reporters the measure allows authorities to ban public protests or require people to stay in their homes, among other actions.
The French government said it also temporarily banned TikTok in New Caledonia, citing security concerns. A TikTok spokesperson could not immediately be reached by phone for comment.
Earlier this week, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Azerbaijan was encouraging the protests. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had previously criticized Macron for French support for his neighbor Armenia. Aliyev accused France of depriving the people of New Caledonia of the right to independence at a conference on “neocolonialism” in Baku in October.
Azerbaijan has rejected France’s accusation of involvement in the unrest in New Caledonia.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire will meet with insurers next week to begin work on compensating local businesses affected by the violence.
–With assistance from Paula Doenecke and Zulfugar Agayev.
(Updates with French Prime Minister’s statement in third paragraph.)
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