(Bloomberg) — The French government is on track to regain full control over the Pacific territory of New Caledonia, High Commissioner Louis Le Franc said, as additional security forces arrive in the archipelago to stem a week of violent protests by pro -end independence groups.
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Le Franc said new security deployments after French President Emmanuel Macron’s government declared a state of emergency would help restore control after the violence that saw cars torched, shops torched and makeshift barricades built along roads.
“Restoring order and peace in New Caledonia is our priority,” the prime minister said Gabriel Attal said in a statement on Friday.
The government said it would bring in another 1,000 security personnel from France, in addition to the 1,700 already there. The country is also setting up air links to send food and basic goods to the population.
Protests erupted after the National Assembly passed 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, with an overwhelming majority voting to remain part of France after key local groups boycotted the vote.
“Significant reinforcements will arrive,” the high commissioner told reporters on Friday. They will help restore authority in “areas that have eluded us in recent days, where control is no longer assured.”
The violence has disrupted nickel production, a key industry for the area, and hit miners including French firm Eramet SA. The protests were not aimed at resource companies.
The area was the world’s third-largest producer of battery metal last year, accounting for about 6% of global production, according to the US Geological Survey.
The state of emergency declared on Wednesday will last twelve days. Government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot told reporters that the measure would, among other things, allow authorities to ban public protests or require people to stay in their homes.
The French government said it had also temporarily banned TikTok in New Caledonia, citing security concerns. A TikTok spokesperson could not immediately be reached by telephone for comment.
Earlier this week, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Azerbaijan was encouraging the protests. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has previously lashed out at Macron over French support for neighboring Armenia. Aliyev accused France of depriving the people of New Caledonia of their right to independence during a conference on “neo-colonialism” in Baku in October.
Azerbaijan has rejected France’s accusation of involvement in the unrest in New Caledonia.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire will meet with insurers next week to start work on compensation for local businesses affected by the violence.
–With help from Paula Doenecke and Zulfugar Agayev.
(Updates with the French Prime Minister’s statement from the third paragraph.)
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