The rekindling of unrest in French New Caledonia

According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting “De Presse” newspaper, after the recent relative calm in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, clashes have started again between protesters and police forces.

High Commission of State Representative On Monday night, riots broke out on the main island and the smaller Pine Island near the area, the French central government said. Several security forces were mobilized and attacks on the police and fire were carried out.

According to the information of this commission, blockades were also created by the protesters. According to the High Commission, several buildings and vehicles were set on fire in Noumea, the capital of the region, including police stations and emergency vehicles. Of course, the fire was quickly controlled. The High Commission also announced that vandalism, arson and clashes between police officers and independence supporters have also occurred in other cities. Many schools remained closed on Monday morning.

Violent protests in New Caledonia began in mid-May over a planned electoral law reform by the French government, which Critics feared losses to the archipelago’s main population in the South Pacific. Nine people were killed in these riots and the material damage has been estimated at around one and a half billion euros. After new elections were held in France, these reforms were put on hold.

Things had calmed down recently. Noumea airport, which was closed due to the unrest, resumed its operations a week ago. Seven pro-independence supporters arrested were transferred to central Europe for temporary detention.

Opposition to France’s plan to implement new voting rules turned into deadly violence in the archipelago between Australia and Fiji. became. New Caledonia is one of several regions around the world that is considered a French colony.

These unrests are caused by the change of the electoral law that has been put on the agenda by the French government. started, which, according to supporters of independence in the region, would reduce the influence of the indigenous population.

New Caledonia is an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, 1500 km It is located in the east of Australia. From 1853 to 1946, New Caledonia was a French colony. The archipelago had previously achieved extensive autonomy through the Noumea Agreement in 1998. For France, this territory is important primarily geopolitically, militarily, and because of its large nickel deposits. They form the new one.

Hundreds of people have been arrested in New Caledonia since the beginning of the unrest. Unrest on this scale has been unprecedented in the region since 1988.

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