Ballots and Bullets: France’s Latest Response to New Caledonia’s Unrest

French gendarmes stand guard near independantists at the entrance of the Riviere Salee disctrict, in Noumea, France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia, on May 29, 2024. Riots sparked by a constitutional reform project broke out on May 13. France has lifted a state of emergency across the territory after two weeks of unrest in which seven people died and hundreds were injured (Photo by Theo Rouby / AFP) Photo by THEO ROUBY/AFP via Getty Images

Although the state of emergency was officially lifted on May 28, police in New Caledonia have taken delivery of a new weapon designed to quell riots—state-of-the-art armoured trucks, able to be fitted with machine guns and capable of going off-road.

Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories Gérald Darmanin said the vehicles, known as Centaur, can also fire tear gas from the turret and can carry up to ten people.

“These armoured vehicles will help the police put an end to all roadblocks and completely re-establish public order in the archipelago,” Mr. Darmanin said.

“In the event of more serious threats, such as a terrorist attack, which would involve the use of armed force, the Centaur may be equipped with a 7.62 remotely operated machine gun.”

The 3,000 military personnel sent to the territory after the unrest began will remain until further notice.

Reports from the capital Nouméa say skirmishes between socialist-led protesters—who continue to erect roadblocks and sometimes set fire to them—and security forces continue, and buildings, including homes, are still being set alight.

As soon as the roadblocks are removed, protesters restore them.

This photograph shows a slogan which reads "unarmed combat" in the Jacarandas district of Dumbea, France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia, on June 2, 2024. Delphine Mayeur/AFP via Getty Images

The situation was inflamed after a video was widely circulated showing three Nouméa municipal policemen allegedly committing acts of extreme violence on a Kanaky (local Indigenous) man they had just arrested.

They are not part of the French security forces that have been sent to restore law and order, and now face a formal criminal inquiry.

As funerals continued in Nouméa for those killed in the unrest, former footballer and 1998 World Cup champion Christian Karembeu revealed that two members of his family had been shot dead during the riots.

Retired French football player Christian Karembeu speaks in an interview about teqball during SPORTEL Monaco 2017 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Oct. 24, 2017. Olivier Anrigo/Getty Images

Speaking to French radio Europe 1 on Monday, Mr. Karembeu said: “Two members of my family have been shot with a bullet in the head. These are snipers. The word is strong but they have been assassinated and we hope investigations will be made on these murders.”

The Kanak footballer said the victims were his nephew and niece.

His career also includes 53 selections in the French national football team and playing for prestigious European clubs such as Real Madrid (where he won two Champions League titles).

Nouméa Public Prosecutor Yves Dupas said an investigation was underway and one European company manager had already been arrested and remains in custody.

“We have, among the civilian victims, four persons of the Kanak community and it is a possibility that some of those could be related to Christian Karembeu,” he said.

Asked about a possibly higher number of fatalities than currently reported, he stressed the death toll remained at seven.

Voting in EU Elections to Go Ahead

Despite ongoing tensions, France has decided to proceed with holding elections for the European Union (EU) in New Caledonia on June 2.

The territory’s High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said in a statement that voting material had arrived and preparations were underway.

The vote, to elect France’s representative to the EU, may well be perceived as a reminder to New Caledonians that Paris sees them as very much still part of the Republic.

A curfew will remain in place from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. until the day after the elections, as will a ban on the sale of guns and alcohol.

Mr. Le Franc said Nouméa’s international airport would remain closed until further notice while the situation “normalised.”

Socialist Front Defiant

The pro-independence Socialist Kanak National Liberation Front (FLNKS) on June 4 sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron saying he would not be able to persuade protesters to remove roadblocks because they were not convinced the president would drop contentious electoral reforms.

“Despite several meetings with activists mobilised at roadblocks and two statements from FLNKS calling for appeasement ... this message is still hardly heard on the ground,” the letter said.

The reforms would have expanded the electoral roll to include French citizens that have resided on New Caledonia for 10 years. Indigenous groups are fearful this could dilute the next referendum’s pro-independence vote.

Indigenous groups in the territory are largely pro-independence.

During an 18-hour visit to New Caledonia on May 23 and 24, the French president pledged he would not force through the voting reform that triggered the riots.

The FLNKS said his comments were misunderstood by locals because the president did not guarantee to abandon the proposed constitutional reform.

“This misunderstanding represents a real difficulty and prevents our activists from hearing the call for calm and appeasement,” their letter stated.

French General Election Could Impact Independence Push

Meanwhile, in France, the right-wing National Rally party leads the polls with 32 percent of voting intentions.

Its leader, Jordan Bardella, called on electors to vote against President Macron’s Renaissance party, whose candidate, Valérie Hayer, is currently struggling in the polls, 15 points behind the National Rally candidate.

Meanwhile Socialist candidate Raphael Glucksmann is polling at a similar level to Ms. Hayer.

While the elections are not for the French National Assembly, a win by the right could indicate falling support for Mr. Macron.

If that were to be replicated at the Presidential and National Assembly election in 2027, it would spell bad news for the Kanaks, as right-wing parties in France have traditionally opposed New Caledonian independence.