The Facts
Six people, including three Indigenous Kanaks and two police officers, have been killed in nearly a week of mass protests and rioting in the French-ruled Pacific Island of New Caledonia.
The unrest first began on Monday, sparked by the French government's decision to give non-indigenous residents — who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years or more — voting rights in provincial elections.
The Spin
Giving voting rights to French citizens in New Caledonia dilutes a 1998 accord that limited voting rights and is akin to betraying Indigenous Kanaks, who make up over 40% of the population. Allowing all residents of the archipelago to vote in local elections will only benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia, further marginalize indigenous people's voices, and undermine efforts to gain independence from Paris.
The proposed electoral reforms are aimed at upholding democracy in New Caledonia. This violence in the archipelago has been orchestrated by Azerbaijan, which is spreading anti-French propaganda to avenge the French military's support for Armenia. Paris is determined to restore public order and calm, which the Caledonians — who have backed the island remaining part of France in three referendums — deserve.
