New Caledonian Kanaks Demand Autonomy
For the last month, protests, roadblocks, and unrest have gripped the island of New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific. The demonstration sparked on May 13th when the French Parliament proposed a new voting reform, leading to fears that the indigenous Kanak people’s vote would be diluted.
The protests are led by the indigenous Kanak people, whose economic outlook is much bleaker than that of their “white” Caledonian countrymen, as around 32% of Kanaks live in poverty compared to 9% of people of European descent. The differences in education are even more stark as only 8% of Kanaks hold a university degree, and 46% hold no high school diploma. Meanwhile, 54% of people of European background are university-educated, with that proportion falling to 24% among people of mixed heritage, as shown in the 2019 census.
A prominent Kanak activist, Lélé, said, “The Kanak are not being recognised for their true worth, they want a fair redistribution of wealth. What we ask of Macron is to recognize the legitimacy of the Kanak.”
“The solution won’t come from the state, it will come from the Caledonians,” said activist Jean-Pierre Xowie, a member of pro-independence FLNK (Front de libération nationale kanak et socialiste).
“[French authorities] can’t keep sending in troops just to quell the protests because that is just going to lead to more protests,” said Joseph, an activist posted at a checkpoint in Dumbéa, north of Nouméa. “By deploying the army, what are we doing here? This is not a war-torn country. We are not terrorists, as they say.”
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, flew to the overseas territory in an attempt to negotiate with the activists and calm the situation, yet his overtures were not well received.
“Macron is welcome, but he is not our president,” says one activist.
Most protestors favor independence from France. One 51-year-old protestor said, “As long as there is no independence, there will be no security.”
For more details, visit the website of The Guardian.
