New Caledonia marks anniversary of French colonization with tight security and simmering tensions

Associated Press

NOUMEA, New Caledonia (AP) — New Caledonia has marked the anniversary of its French colonization with tight security and simmering tensions between the pro-independence Indigenous Kanak people and the white settler communities loyal to Paris. The 171st anniversary of the French takeover comes four months after protests by Kanaks against French voting reforms in New Caledonia turned violent, leaving 13 people dead and widespread destruction. The violence widened the gap between communities that have long faced an existential dilemma over the Pacific archipelago’s status as a French colony. Loyalists marked the holiday known as Citizenship Day by waving French flags and singing patriotic songs in the capital, Noumea. For Kanaks, Sept. 24 is a reminder of the continued struggle for their sovereignty.