The Pacific Regional Non-Governmental Organisations (PRNGOs) Alliance is standing in solidarity with the indigenous Kanak community of New Caledonia.
The alliance made up of 14 NGOs from across the Pacific including Fiji also called on the French Government to not go ahead with its decision to make constitutional changes that could affect New Caledonia’s electoral process.
“For the last several months, Kanak leaders had called repeatedly for the withdrawal of the proposed constitutional changes to local electoral rolls that would endanger the indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination and threaten ongoing peaceful dialogue about future arrangements for the territory,” the alliance said in a statement.
“The changes, proposed unilaterally by the Macron Government, would remove voting eligibility provisions that have been preserved and protected under the 1998 Noumea Accords as a safeguard for indigenous peoples against demographic changes that could make them a minority in their own land and block the path to freedom.
“Despite repeated protests and warnings that Macron’s constitutional modification initiative could end a 30-year period of relative peace under the accords, the proposals, already passed by the French Senate, were again pushed through its National Assembly early last week.”
The alliance said the violence has resulted in a few fatalities.
“Sadly, there have been four confirmed fatalities – three Kanaky youths and a French policeman.
“Our partners in Noumea confirm that pro-French militias were also involved in the armed clashes.
“We are also informed that the deteriorated security situation is likely to be made worse by humanitarian challenges due to the damage to shops and other outlets for daily necessities and medicines.”
The group of NGO’s has called on the United Nations to step in and restore peace. Non-profit organisations part of the alliance include the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre , Pacific Disability Forum,
Foundations of the People of the South Pacific Greenpeace, Pacific Foundation for the Advancement of Women, WWF Pacific, Pacific Network globalisation and the Pacific Youth Council.
Attempts to seek a response from the French Embassy in Suva was unsuccessful.
