New Caledonia voters choose to stay part of France

October 05, 2020

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — A majority of voters in New Caledonia chose to remain part of France instead of backing independence in a referendum Sunday that led the French president to call for dialogue after a three-decade decolonization effort in the South Pacific archipelago.

In a televised address from Paris, President Emmanuel Macron welcomed “an expression of confidence in the Republic with a deep feeling of gratitude... and modesty.” Macron promised pro-independence supporters “this is with you, all together, that we will build New Caledonia tomorrow" and called on New Caledonians to look to the future.

“We are facing our history in New Caledonia, an colonial history,” Macron said. “And we are trying to overcome it so that we are not trapped in it. We know that today we are at a crossroads." The overseas ministry said 53.3% of voters chose to maintain ties with France while 46.7% supported independence. Turnout was high, with more than 85% of voters casting ballots one hour before poll stations closed, and some stations in Noumea, the capital, closed an hour late to ensure people waiting in long lines at the planned closing time could still vote.

Sunday’s independence referendum was among the final steps of longstanding plans to settle tensions on the archipelago between native Kanaks seeking independence and residents willing to remain in France.

A peace deal between rival factions was achieved in 1988. A decade later, the Noumea Agreement granted New Caledonia political power and broad autonomy and planned the organization of up to three successive referendums.

Two years ago, 56.4% of people in a similar referendum voted against independence. A third referendum may be organized by 2022. New Caledonian politicians acknowledged Sunday the need for dialogue between pro- and anti-independence sides.

The president of the archipelago's government, Thierry Santa, is among those who want New Caledonia to remain a French territory. He stressed the “deep division” in the population. “That’s up to us political leaders to have the intelligence to sit around a table and discuss what we want for the future," Santa said.

Sonia Backes, president of the South province, also in favor of keeping ties with France, said “the ‘no’ won one more time, but we need to take into account all voters, including independence supporters.”

The president of the Congress and a leading figure in the pro-independence movement, Roch Wamytan, vowed to “continue to fight for the independence of our country.” The president of the pro-independence Caledonian Union party, Daniel Goa, called all on residents to “not let themselves be overwhelmed by emotions and welcome the result in a pacifist atmosphere.”

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said her government looked forward to “continuing to build a deeper and stronger partnership” with its near-neighbor following the ballot. “Australia values its close relationship with France as a like-minded partner in the Indo-Pacific region,” Payne said in a statement.

“We welcome France’s ongoing commitment to the Pacific and its significant contribution to regional security and prosperity,” she added. The archipelago has a population of 270,000, including both native Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination, and descendants of European colonizers.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III — Napoleon’s nephew and heir — and was used for decades as a prison colony. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

New Caledonia votes on becoming independent from France

October 04, 2020

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — Voters in New Caledonia turned out in large numbers Sunday to decide whether the archipelago in the South Pacific should get independence from France and break ties that were first established in the mid-19th century.

Sunday's independence referendum is part of a three-decade decolonization effort aimed at settling tensions on the archipelago between native Kanaks seeking independence and residents willing to remain in France.

More than 180,000 voters were invited to answer the question: “Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?” “Today is not a day like any other. Everyone woke up with the will to express oneself (through the vote). This is a historic day,” Robert Wayaridri, 60, told The Associated Press.

In Noumea, the capital, large lines of people waited to vote under the hot sun, sometimes for hours. Almost 80% of voters had already casted their ballots one hour before poll stations closed, according to the French ministry of the Overseas.

Across the archipelago, horns and cheers could be heard all day in the streets, and some people waved pro-independence flags in a relaxed atmosphere. The FLNKS movement leading the independence campaign called on its supporters to stay “calm and respectful.”

Polling stations closed at 6 p.m. (9 a.m. in mainland France). Results are expected later Sunday. If voters choose independence, a transition period will immediately begin so that the archipelago can get ready for its future status. Otherwise, New Caledonia will remain a French territory.

Corine Florentin, who was born in Noumea 52 years ago, said she voted against independence because she wants to “remain French.” "We can live together, all races together, and design our common future,” she said.

A student at the University of New Caledonia, Guillaume Paul, 18, also voted “no” because he wants the archipelago to keep its ties with France. “What would the country become if it was independent? There is a real danger that without the financing brought by France, the university would disappear, ” he said.

But Joachim Neimbo, 22, was in favor of independence. “I voted yes, because that’s my people’s combat. We want the recognition of our identity, our culture. I think we are able to manage ourselves,” he said.

Taguy Wayenece, 25, also voted “yes” to independence. “We need to return to tradition, to working in the fields, to stay with the tribe. Modern life is too complicated for us," he said. Two years ago, 56.4% of voters who participated in a similar referendum chose to keep the region's ties with Paris.

Both referendums are the final steps of a process that started 30 years ago after years of violence that pitched pro-independence Kanak activists against those willing to remain in France. The archipelago now counts 270,000 inhabitants, including both native Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination, and descendants of European colonizers.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III — Napoleon’s nephew and heir — and was used for decades as a prison colony. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

New Caledonia archipelago votes on independence from France

October 04, 2020

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — Voters in New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the South Pacific, were deciding Sunday whether they want independence from France in a referendum that marks a milestone in a three-decade decolonization effort.

More than 180,000 voters were invited to answer the question: “Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?” Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (11 p.m. Saturday in mainland France; 2100 GMT) and will close 10 hours later. Results were expected later Sunday.

If voters choose independence, a transition period will immediately open so that the archipelago can get ready for its future status. Otherwise, New Caledonia will remain a French territory. Two years ago, 56.4% of voters who participated in a similar referendum chose to keep ties with Paris instead of backing independence.

Both referendums are the final steps of a process that started 30 years ago after years of violence that pitched pro-independence Kanak activists against those willing to remain in France. The archipelago now counts 270,000 inhabitants, including both native Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies, and descendants of European colonizers.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III — Napoleon’s nephew and heir — and was used for decades as a prison colony. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957. Under French colonial rule, the Kanaks faced strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination.

Voters in Pacific territory choose to keep ties with France

November 04, 2018

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — A majority of voters in the South Pacific territory of New Caledonia chose to remain part of France instead of backing independence Sunday, a watershed moment that led French President Emmanuel Macron to promise a full dialogue on the archipelago's future.

Final results had 56.4 percent of the voters who participated in the referendum deciding to maintain ties with the country that has ruled New Caledonia since the mid-19th century and 43.6 percent supporting independence, the high commissioner's office said.

"I'm asking everyone to turn toward the future to build tomorrow's New Caledonia," Macron said, speaking from the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris. "The spirit of dialogue is the sole winner." More than 174,000 registered voters were invited to answer the question: "Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?"

The referendum attracted record-high turnout of 80.6 percent — so many voters that some polling stations in the capital, Noumea, had to stay open about an hour longer than planned to handle the crush.

The vote itself was a milestone in New Caledonia's three decades of decolonization, a process prompted by the ill treatment Europeans inflicted on the region's indigenous Kanak people. New Caledonia, an archipelago east of Australia, has a nickel mining industry as well as sun-kissed lagoons.

The high commissioner's office reported limited outbreaks of unrest in Noumea as votes were counted, with seven cars set ablaze, some roads closed and two instances of stone-throwing. But otherwise the vote was overwhelmingly peaceful.

Praising both sides for their "responsible" campaigns, Macron said "contempt and violence" were the only losers in the historic poll. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is set to meet with New Caledonian officials Monday to discuss the political future of the territory of 270,000 people.

New Caledonia receives about 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in French state subsidies every year, and many had feared the economy would suffer if ties were severed. Residents of the region include the native Kanaks, who represent about 40 percent of the population, people of European descent, which make up about 27 percent and others from Asian countries and Pacific islands.

Voter Monette Saihulinwa said she opposed independence. "I don't necessarily want our lives to change," the 50-year-old said. Others hailed the ballot as historic. "We've been waiting for 30 years for this vote," said Mariola Bouyer, 34. "This vote must demonstrate that we want to live in peace, no matter our race, our roots. It's building a country together."

The referendum was the result of a process that started 30 years ago to end years of violence between independence supporters and opponents that had overall claimed more than 70 lives. The two sides agreed upon a 1988 deal and another agreement a decade later included plans for an independence referendum.

The New Caledonia archipelago became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III — Napoleon's nephew and heir — and was used for decades as a prison colony. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957. Under French colonial rule, the Kanaks faced strict segregation policies and suffered discrimination.

AP writers Thomas Adamson and John Leicester contributed from Paris.

High turnout as Pacific archipelago votes on independence

November 04, 2018

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — Voters turned out in exceptional numbers Sunday to decide whether the French South Pacific territory of New Caledonia should break free from the European country that claimed it in the mid-19th century.

The territory's High Commissioner estimated that close to three-quarters of the territory's registered voters had cast ballots an hour before polls closed Sunday evening, a far more robust turnout than in New Caledonia's provincial election in 2014.

Results were expected later Sunday. From Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron was to speak about the territory's future and its choice in a televised address. The independence vote marked a milestone for the archipelago that lies east of Australia and has sun-kissed lagoons as well as a mining industry for nickel, a metal used in electronics manufacturing.

More than 174,000 registered voters were invited to answer the question: "Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?" At the 284 polling stations, they were given two slips of paper to choose from, one marked "OUI" ("Yes") and the other "NON."

Voter Monette Saihulinwa said she opposed independence. "I don't necessarily want our lives to change," the 50-year-old said. Others hailed the ballot as a landmark. "We've been waiting for 30 years for this vote," said Mariola Bouyer, 34. "This vote must demonstrate that we want to live in peace, no matter our race, our roots. It's building a country together."

New Caledonia relies on France for its defense, law enforcement, foreign affairs, justice and education, yet has a large degree of autonomy. New Caledonia receives about 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in French state subsidies every year, and many fear its economy would suffer if ties are severed.

The cluster of islands is home to about 270,000 people. They include the native Kanaks, about 40 percent of the population; people of European descent, about 27 percent; and others from Asian countries and Pacific islands.

The archipelago became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III — Napoleon's nephew and heir — and was used for decades as a prison colony. It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

Most Kanaks have tended to back independence, while most descendants of European settlers have favored keeping the French connection. Under French colonial rule, the Kanaks suffered under strict segregation policies and faced discrimination.

The referendum is the result of a process that started 30 years ago to end years of violence between supporters and opponents of separating from France. The violence, which overall claimed more than 70 lives, prompted a 1988 deal between rival loyalist and pro-independence factions. Another agreement a decade later included plans for an independence referendum.

If voters say no to independence on Sunday, the 1998 agreement allows two more self-determination referendums to be held by 2022.

Pacific archipelago votes on independence from France

November 04, 2018

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — Voters in New Caledonia are deciding whether the French territory in the South Pacific should break free from the European country that claimed it in the mid-19th century.

The polls opened Sunday morning in a referendum that's a milestone in the process of the archipelago's three-decade-long decolonization — one that will help define New Caledonia's future as an independent country or as a continuing part of France.

More than 174,000 registered voters are invited to answer the question: "Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?" Observers expect a majority to favor remaining a part of France, based on opinion polls and previous election results.

Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (10 p.m. Saturday in mainland France; 9 p.m. GMT) and close 10 hours later. Results are expected later Sunday. New Caledonia, a cluster of islands, is home to about 270,000 people. They include the native Kanaks, who represent about 40 percent of the population, people of European descent (about 27 percent) and others from Asian countries and Pacific islands.

It relies on France for defense, law enforcement, foreign affairs, justice and education, yet has a large degree of autonomy. New Caledonia receives about 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in French state subsidies every year, and many fear the economy would suffer if ties are severed.

The referendum is the result of a process that started 30 years ago to end years of violence between supporters and opponents of separating from France. The violence, which overall claimed more than 70 lives, prompted a 1988 deal between rival loyalist and pro-independence factions. Another agreement a decade later included plans for an independence referendum.

Most Kanaks have tended to back independence, while most descendants of European settlers have favored keeping the French connection. To ensure security during the vote, additional police were sent to New Caledonia. Authorities also banned the carrying of firearms and alcohol sales immediately before and during the vote.

If voters say no to independence Sunday, the 1998 agreement allows two more self-determination referendums to be held by 2022.

Pacific archipelago to vote on independence from France

November 03, 2018

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — Voters in New Caledonia are deciding whether the French territory in the South Pacific should break free from the European country that claimed it in the mid-19th century.

A referendum being held on Sunday marks a milestone in the process of the archipelago's decolonization and will help define New Caledonia's future as an independent country or as a continuing extension of France.

More than 174,000 registered voters are invited to answer the question: "Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?" Observers expect a majority to favor remaining a part of France, based on opinion polls and previous election results.

Polling stations open at 8 a.m. (10 p.m. Saturday in mainland France; 9 p.m. GMT) and close 10 hours later. Results are expected later Sunday. New Caledonia, a cluster of islands, is home to about 270,000 people. They include the native Kanaks, who represent about 40 percent of the population, people of European descent (about 27 percent) and others from Asian countries and Pacific islands.

It relies on France for defense, law enforcement, foreign affairs, justice and education, yet has a large degree of autonomy. New Caledonia receives about 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in French state subsidies every year, and many fear the economy would suffer if ties are severed.

The referendum is the result of a process that started 30 years ago to end years of violence between supporters and opponents of separating from France. The violence, which overall claimed more than 70 lives, prompted a 1988 deal between rival loyalist and pro-independence factions. Another agreement a decade later included plans for an independence referendum.

Most Kanaks have tended to back independence, while most descendants of European settlers have favored keeping the French connection. To ensure security during the vote, additional police were sent to New Caledonia. Authorities also banned the carrying of firearms and alcohol sales immediately before and during the vote.

If voters say no to independence Sunday, the 1998 agreement allows two more self-determination referendums to be held by 2022.