French security forces will remain in New Caledonia as long as necessary, Emmanuel Macron has said, after France’s president arrived in the Pacific territory in an urgent attempt to calm tensions after more than a week of riots that have left six dead.
Macron was due on Thursday to hold a day of talks aiming to turn the page on deadly riots, sparked by anger among Indigenous Kanak people over constitutional changes backed by Paris that would give voting rights to tens of thousands of non-Indigenous residents. Local leaders fear the change will dilute the Kanak vote and undermine longstanding efforts to secure independence.
“In the coming hours and days, massive new operations will be scheduled where necessary, and republican order in its entirety will be re-established because there is no other choice,” Macron said during a meeting with local leaders, adding that the state of emergency should not be prolonged.
The president briefly spoke to reporters after his arrival at La Tontouta international airport, about 50km (31 miles) from the New Caledonian capital, Noumea, saying: “My wish, along with that of my ministers and the government, is to be alongside the people and see a return to peace, calm and security as soon as possible.”
Later, Macron flew by helicopter over areas devastated by arson, with bulldozers working to clear away rubble. Mayors from the worst-hit suburbs joined Macron’s meeting at France’s High Commission, along with pro-French and pro-independence leaders.
Macron said the aim of the meeting was to get all parties back around the table, however his visit has provoked mixed reactions among local politicians.
“It’s a staging. The format is not right,” said Roch Wamytan, an independence leader of the Caledonian Union and president of the Congress of New Caledonia, its legislature.
“The question we are asking is, will the constitutional revision text be withdrawn to clear the way for in-depth discussions?”
“Here comes the fireman after he set the fire!” Jimmy Naouna, from the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste of New Caledonia, wrote on X in response to news of Macron’s visit.
Mike, an activist stationed at a roadblock, said: “He [Macron] has to come. Because parliament is starting to turn against him. That’s why he’s coming. This reform needs to be removed. That law needs to go. If we want peace here in Kanaky, it has to be removed.”
Aides say Macron has no pre-conceived plan and will talk with all parties about reconstruction in the wake of the riots, as well as about politics, but is unlikely to rush into any major decision.
When asked by a reporter whether he thought a 12-hour visit was enough, Macron responded by saying, “We will see. I don’t have a limit.”
Sonia Backès, a prominent pro-France figure and president of New Caledonia’s South Province, said Macron’s visit was “a strong sign of his willingness to find solutions, first on public order and justice, then politically”.
Virginie Ruffenach, a local politician and anti-independence leader, said the state “has an important role to play and has a lot of help to offer in this catastrophic situation”.
The Pacific territory of 270,000 people has been in turmoil since 13 May, experiencing its worst violence in 40 years.
Nearly 400 public buildings, businesses, shops and homes have been destroyed by fires set by rioters in just over a week, according to public prosecutor Yves Dupas.
There has been significant damage to roads, making access and travel in parts of New Caledonia difficult.
Residents were having to wait several hours to purchase essential goods, and items were being rationed. The closure of banks and the destruction of many ATMs made it difficult to obtain cash, which is widely used.
The residents who spoke to the Guardian did not want to be named, for fear they may be targeted. “There are young people causing trouble all night, gunshots all night. It doesn’t stop. We have been cloistered at home since Tuesday. It’s a lawless area,” said a resident of Logicoop, a particularly hard-hit neighbourhood in Nouméa.
Another resident from Logicoop felt safer but feared a police presence could stir unrest in the neighbourhood. “We were a little scared the first two days when they started burning everything around. Today, we feel relatively safe in the neighbourhood. Things are going well between the different communities, and there is a lot of mutual aid. We haven’t seen a single police officer since the beginning, and we’re afraid things will heat up when they arrive.”
Reuters contributed to this report