This photograph shows a Kanak flag waving next to a burning vehicle at an independantist roadblock at La Tamoa, in the commune of Paita, France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia on 19 May, 2024. Photo: DELPHINE MAYEUR / AFP
A Kanak political commentator in New Zealand says calls to separate New Caledonia into pro- and anti-independence provinces would worsen racial inequality in the territory.
Unrest continues in the capital Nouméa, with the nephew of New Caledonia Congress pro-independence president shot and killed at St Louis, and more armoured vehicles arriving from France.
The official death toll as a result of the unrest stands at ten, but there are reports more people have died because emergency services could not reach them in time due to roadblocks.
Calls to divide the territory's provinces are being pushed by loyalist and the French territory's southern province president, Sonia Backes.
Speaking at the weekend, Backes said the project of a New Caledonia institutionally united and based on living together with each other is over.
The AFP reported that Backes said when two opposing forces are convinced they are legitimately defending their values, they are faced with a choice of fighting each other to the death or separating so they can live.
Political uncertainty in Paris is delaying the possibility of any kind of resolution in the troubled territory, which is also fraught with internal divisions among both the pro- and anti-independence camps.
Auckland lawyer Joseph Xulue told RNZ Pacific "separatist ideology" would create pockets of inequality.
"The support in the region, particularly, support in respect of economic resources, administrative resources would almost certainly be pumped into the Southern Province if this were to eventuate because France would understand that those are the people who are loyal to them," he said.
Xulue said Backes' ideas go against the spirit of the Nouméa Accord.
Joseph Xulue is the first person of Kanak heritage to graduate from Harvard Law School Photo: Joseph Xulue
"It was agreed to and formed on the basis that we would not have this kind of separatist ideology. It helps to assent the actual Accord's document... [there's a] stipulation that this would not happen.
"If Kanaky/New Caledonia is going to advance beyond the actual Accord's process."
He added Backes' ideas would only worsen racial inequality in the archipelago.
'Political reverberations'
Islands Business correspondent Nic Maclellan, who has been covering the French territory for decades, told RNZ Pacific the area where the latest death has been recorded had a long colonial history.
Maclellan said in 1878 there was a revolt in the north and centre of the country, then in the 19th century, as the French military moved in, attacking villages, many people fled to the outskirts of the capital.
He said now days St Louis is one of the areas where survivors from past conflicts had fled too.
"It has always been a hotspot, there has always been a level of criminal activity around people of St Louis. It is a strong community, largely Kakak," he said.
"Police reports which is still under investigations suggest that a group of Kanak were firing at a police drone, there was a exchange of gunfire between the Kanak activist and the members of the GIGN paramilitary unit and in that case a GIGN police officer shot and killed Roch Wamytan."
Maclellan said the name of the dead man is symbolic in New Caledonia.
"[He] is nephew of Rock Wamytan, the current president of the Congress of New Caledonia who is a high chief of St Louis. So, beyond the allegations of criminal activity by this, this group of activists, it has also got political reverberations."
French snap elections unhelpful
He said the French snap elections results both in mainland France and New Caledonia will continue to reverberate in months to come.
"New Caledonia's economy has been very badly damaged by weeks of rioting and clashes." - Islands Business correspondent Nic Maclellan
While the polls were predicting the polls were the extreme right led by Marine Le Pen would win the largest bloc, and possibly a majority in the government, those polls turned out to be wrong.
Instead, a left alliance, known as the New Popular Front - an alliance of parties including the Greens, the Socialists, the Communist Party, and a large group led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, France Unbowed, (LFI), have got the largest bloc.
However, Maclellen said no one had the absolute majority required to have the numbers in the 577-seat French legislature in Paris.
"All in all, it is very complex, a fast-moving situation in Paris. We will see what happens.
Nic Maclellan Photo: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
"But the real problem for the Pacific is this level of uncertainty creates ongoing political, cultural, economic chaos that cannot be helpful at a time when New Caledonia's economy has been very badly damaged by weeks of rioting and clashes between police and protesters," he added.
New Zealands Deputy Prime Minister has said the Pacific as a whole should be concerned about ongoing unrest in New Caledonia.
The Pacific Islands Forum has been in direct contact with New Caledonia to discuss how to address this issue.
Peters said he hoped a plan is in place ahead of the Forum Leaders' Meeting in Nuku'alofa next month.
"The long term Pacific future is all of our business. We have to hope that before we get to Tonga that there has been some sort of guideline of how we might go forward.
"Our view is that we have to ensure that there is a solution where we can help, help to rebuild if we can."