Macron to visit overseas territory New Caledonia: Violent incidents had occurred!

Government Spokesperson Prisca Thevenot announced in a statement following the Council of Ministers meeting held at the Elysee Palace that Macron will travel to New Caledonia this evening to establish a mission to lead the dialogue and negotiation process.

Stating that the government is working to bring the situation under control in New Caledonia and that "there is much work to be done for a return to normalcy," Thevenot said that Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will also visit the island in the coming weeks.

Thomas Portes, a member of parliament for the France Unbowed (LFI) party in France, described Macron's decision to go to New Caledonia as "irresponsible" in a post on his X account, stating that "this monarchical move will only further increase anger."

Meanwhile, the High Commission of New Caledonia reported in a post regarding developments over the last 24 hours that 22 more people have been detained in the ongoing violence.

The High Commission stated that approximately 100 tourists stranded in New Caledonia due to the violence have returned to their regions via chartered flights thanks to cooperation between French, New Zealander, and Australian authorities, and added that approximately 500 more people will be taken to their home countries.

Noumea Public Prosecutor Yves Dupas announced that 4 people have been charged with murder following the deaths of 3 civilians during the violence in New Caledonia, and that a total of 6 people have been killed since the violence began. Dupas noted that since the riots began on the island, approximately 400 businesses and shops in the capital Noumea and neighboring towns have been damaged, with the majority of this damage caused by fire.

According to reports in the national press, it was decided at the National Defense and Security Council meeting held on May 20 at the Elysee Palace under the chairmanship of Emmanuel Macron regarding the situation in New Caledonia to use "additional resources" to "protect public buildings and temporarily replace internal security forces with military personnel."

STATE OF EMERGENCY HAD BEEN DECLARED

In New Caledonia, pro-independence supporters oppose the French government's constitutional reform initiative, which would undermine the power of the local pro-independence population.

The Kanaks, the indigenous people of New Caledonia, make up approximately 40 percent of the island's 300,000 population.

With the constitutional amendment bill, the French government wants to pave the way for more than 25,000 French voters on the island to vote in elections.

Referendums for independence were held on the island three times, in 2018, 2020, and 2021; pro-independence supporters did not reach 50 percent but achieved rates approaching this critical threshold.

6 people lost their lives in the violent incidents. A state of emergency had been declared in New Caledonia following the rising violence.