The French government is moving to regain control of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia, High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said, as security forces arrive in the archipelago to end a week of violent protests by pro-independence groups.
Le Franc said new security deployments, after French President Emmanuel Macron declared a state of emergency, would help reassert government control following days of riots that left behind burned cars, torched stores and improvised barricades along roads.
Protests erupted after a bill that would allow some French residents of the islands to vote, potentially diluting the power of the indigenous electorate. New Caledonia held a referendum on independence in 2021 that overwhelmingly voted to stay with France after key local groups boycotted the ballot.
“Significant reinforcements will be arriving,” 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 assured.”
The violence has disrupted nickel production, a key industry for the territory, hitting miners including French firm Eramet SA. The protests were not directed against resource companies.
The territory was the world’s third-biggest producer of the battery metal last year, accounting for around 6% of global output, according to the US Geological Survey.
The state of emergency imposed on Wednesday is scheduled to last for 12 days. Government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot told reporters the measure allows authorities to prohibit public protests or require that people to stay in their homes, among other actions.