France sends extra police squadrons to quell riots in New Caledonia after an eruption of violence this week in protest against a controversial voting reform that has angered pro-independence forces.
France has sent extra police to try to quell riots in New Caledonia , after an eruption of violence this week in protest against plans to allow more people to take part in local elections.The French National Assembly adopted the constitutional reform late on Tuesday, but it would still have to pass a second round to become law.
The proposed reforms 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 vote of pro-independence Indigenous Kanaks. From late Monday night, groups of young masked or hooded demonstrators took over several roundabouts and confronted police, who responded with non-lethal rounds.
The federal government said it was monitoring the situation closely and advised Australian travellers to exercise a "high degree of caution" in Noumea and avoid demonstrations and public gatherings.In a statement, the government of New Caledonia, which is helmed by prominent pro-independence leader Louis Mapou, called for "sanity and calm".
"All we want is to find an overall political agreement, with those in favour of and against independence."Pro-independence party leader Daniel Goa asked the youths to "go home", and condemned looting and abuses. A 1998 Noumea Accord helped end the conflict by outlining a path to gradual autonomy and restricting voting to the Indigenous Kanak and migrants living in New Caledonia before 1998.
Riot Protest Kanak Vote Reform France
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