https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240516/france-sends-troops-to-new-caledonia-blocks-tiktok-amid-riots-prime-minister-states-1066568109.html
France Sends Troops to New Caledonia, Blocks TikTok Amid Riots, Prime Minister States
France Sends Troops to New Caledonia, Blocks TikTok Amid Riots, Prime Minister States
Sputnik Africa
PARIS (Sputnik) - France has sent troops to its overseas territory of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean and blocked TikTok amid ongoing riots on the island... 16.05.2024, Sputnik Africa
2024-05-16T09:43+0200
2024-05-16T09:43+0200
2024-05-19T09:28+0200
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On Monday, a peaceful protest demonstration against a bill on voting rights spiraled into unrest in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Protesters, including many minors, were robbing and setting fire to stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and car centers. The riots broke out ahead of the lower house's vote on the bill, and lawmakers approved the changes late on Tuesday. The legislation must still be approved by a joint sitting of both houses of the French Parliament to become law. He said it was the high commissioner for New Caledonia, Louis Le Franc, who requested the reinforcement of local police with armed forces. Le Franc also ordered that access to social media platform TikTok be blocked on the island, the prime minister said. Meanwhile, French cabinet spokesperson Prisca Thevenot said that a state of emergency had been introduced in New Caledonia from 8 pm Paris time (18:00 GMT). The relevant decree will be valid for 12 days, Thevenot was cited as saying by the broadcaster. On Thursday morning, French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to reconvene the security council to assess the situation, BMFTV reported. The controversial bill provides to lower the residency bar for voting rights for people living in New Caledonia to 10 years. Pro-independence forces say it would dilute the share of the vote held by indigenous Kanak people that make up about 40% of the population. As of today, only those who were on the electoral register during the 1998 Noumea Agreement, which gave the territory a higher degree of autonomy, along with their children, have the right to vote. In the Noumea Accord of 1998, France vowed to gradually give more political power to New Caledonia. Three independence referendums took place in New Caledonia from 2018-2021, with the overwhelming majority of the voters opting against full sovereignty.
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france, emmanuel macron, pacific ocean, paris, tiktok, new caledonia, riots, international, independence, politics
france, emmanuel macron, pacific ocean, paris, tiktok, new caledonia, riots, international, independence, politics
France Sends Troops to New Caledonia, Blocks TikTok Amid Riots, Prime Minister States
09:43 16.05.2024 (Updated: 09:28 19.05.2024) PARIS (Sputnik) - France has sent troops to its overseas territory of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean and blocked TikTok amid ongoing riots on the island, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Wednesday.
On Monday, a peaceful protest demonstration against a bill on voting rights spiraled into unrest in Noumea, the capital of
New Caledonia. Protesters, including many minors, were robbing and setting fire to stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and car centers. The riots broke out ahead of the lower house's vote on the bill, and lawmakers approved the changes late on Tuesday. The legislation must still be approved by a joint sitting of both houses of the French Parliament to become law.
"French army troops were deployed to ensure the security of New Caledonia's ports and airport," Attal said at the beginning of a ministerial crisis meeting, broadcast on French television.
He said it was the high commissioner for New Caledonia, Louis Le Franc, who requested the reinforcement of local police with armed forces. Le Franc also ordered that access to social media platform
TikTok be blocked on the island, the prime minister said.
Meanwhile, French cabinet spokesperson Prisca Thevenot said that a state of emergency had been introduced in New Caledonia from 8 pm Paris time (18:00 GMT). The relevant decree will be valid for 12 days, Thevenot was cited as saying by the broadcaster.
On Thursday morning, French President
Emmanuel Macron is expected to reconvene the security council to assess the situation, BMFTV reported.
The controversial bill provides to lower the residency bar for voting rights for people living in New Caledonia to 10 years. Pro-independence forces say it would dilute the share of the vote held by indigenous Kanak people that make up about 40% of the population. As of today, only those who were on the electoral register during the 1998 Noumea Agreement, which gave the territory a higher degree of autonomy, along with their children, have the right to vote.
In the Noumea Accord of 1998, France vowed to gradually give more political power to New Caledonia. Three independence referendums took place in New Caledonia from 2018-2021, with the overwhelming majority of the voters opting against full sovereignty.
