'Massive' French police deployment: How the unrest in North Caledonia unfolded

NEW DELHI: There have been days of unrest in the French-administered Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia. This has resulted in five deaths and hundreds of injuries. As a result, French authorities have declared a state
Here is what you need to know about the crisis.
What's going on?
Thousands of people have participated in street protests for three consecutive nights.The protests have involved rioting and looting.
Five people have lost their lives, which includes two police officers.
A state of emergency has been declared. The French military is being deployed to restore order and secure critical infrastructure such as ports and airports.
All commercial flights have been cancelled. This has left tourists stranded and desperately seeking ways to get home.
Armoured vehicles are currently moving around the streets of the capital. Protestors and frightened residents have set up opposing checkpoints and roadblocks.
Police have been unsuccessful in reducing the violence despite their attempts to enforce a nighttime curfew and prohibit alcohol sales.
Why did this happen?
France took control of New Caledonia in the mid-1800s. Since then, there has been a tense relationship between the indigenous Kanaks and the white settlers.
This is the most severe violence that the islands have experienced since the 1980s.
The apparent trigger for the events was the French government's attempt to alter the eligibility criteria for voting in New Caledonia elections.
Paris lawmakers support a constitutional amendment that would allow residents who have lived in the area for over 10 years to participate in provincial elections. This change is expected to increase the voter lists by 25,000 people.
The voter roll of the islands has been frozen since 1998. Supporters of the change argue that this practice is undemocratic and results in the disenfranchisement of some citizens.
"People who come from what is called the first nation feel they have more legitimacy than others, but those who have arrived because of life events feel it's their land too, and that they should be treated equally," Nicolas Metzdorf, a lawmaker from Macron's party who backs the change, told broadcaster France Inter Wednesday.
The Kanak people are concerned that the expansion of voter lists may favor politicians supporting France and diminish their influence.
"For separatists, the electoral roll has been the mother of all battles from the start," said Philippe Gomes, a former head of the territory's government who opposes independence.
"They can't help but think that in the end, the French republic wants to dilute them yet again in their own country'.
Kanaks constitute approximately 40 percent of the population of New Caledonia, which totals 270,000.
Politics in the islands are intertwined with a continuous discussion regarding the independence of New Caledonia. This topic has been the focus of three referendums.
The last referendum took place in 2021. It was highly controversial.
Many Kanaks chose not to participate in the vote. The vote occurred even though New Caledonia and the rest of the world were facing the Covid pandemic.
The Kanak people are seeking a new vote regarding the matter.
Denise Fisher, who previously served as the Australian consul general in New Caledonia, informed AFP that the long-standing tensions had escalated.
"There has been serious violence over the last three days," she said.
"To expect all the parties to sit around a table -- after what has gone on -- is a big ask," she said.
What happens now?
France has called in the military because armed police are unable to restore order.
Paris has said it will establish an "air bridge' from France, to rapidly move in military and police reinforcements but also to bring in essential supplies for the population.
The islands rely heavily on imported goods, and certain supplies are beginning to deplete.
Nicole George, who is a visiting Australian academic, mentioned that the shop shelves are empty. Some bakeries have advised locals to reserve bread a day in advance.
French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed discussions with New Caledonian lawmakers and has urged for a restart of political dialogue.
Macron offered to hold meetings with both pro-independence and anti-independence parties before the voting reform was officially implemented. This offer was accepted by FLNKS, which is a major pro-independence party.
Pro- and anti-independence parties issued a joint statement calling for "calm and reason', adding that "we are destined to keep living together'.
But Fisher warned, "there is a lot more to overcome to get around the table."
Fisher is optimistic about finding a solution. However, she cautioned that the process will not be easy.
"It will take time, it's not going to be soon, because... the wounds of the last three days are very deep," she said.
What's the international response?
Leaders from nearby Pacific countries have expressed their support for the Kanak people.
The secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum -- a regional bloc -- Henry Puna said while the violence was "unfortunate', it was expected.
"That's something that we really need to talk about openly and honestly. What the causes of the problem are, and what the solutions be," he said.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown stated that the Kanak people require more independence.
"It is cause to recognise greater autonomy and greater independence from the people on those islands." he said.
New Zealand's foreign minister Winston Peters has called for a "peaceful resolution'.
"The immediate priority must be for all sides to take steps to de-escalate the situation, so that there can be dialogue and calm."
(With inputs from agencies)