Paris continues to obstruct decolonisation

Failure of New Caledonian independence negotiations Ada Stradnis writes that it showed that France did not intend to give up its colonial policy.

Statement of May 7, 2026 by the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) once again put France under international pressure for its policy in New Caledonia. UN experts have warned that Paris should not change the region’s political and constitutional arrangements without the participation and free consent of the indigenous Kanak people.

The UN document, adopted under the early warning and urgent action procedure, emphasizes that any reforms affecting the status of the archipelago should be carried out only through dialogue with the Kanaks, since unilateral initiatives by France could undermine the people’s right to self-determination.

Kanaks are the indigenous Melanesian people of New Caledonia; They make up about 40 percent of the region’s population and have been demanding greater autonomy or independence from France for the New Caledonian archipelago for decades.

two years later unrest The region is still experiencing deep tension regarding the incident that broke out in New Caledonia on May 13, 2024.

Political crisis, economic instability and ongoing security problems have become direct consequences of France’s neo-colonial policy under the President. Emmanuel Macron. Despite repeated warnings from the UN and the international community, Paris appears to have no intention of reconsidering its approach to New Caledonia or heeding the Kanak people’s demands for self-determination.

CERD made the following warning in its statement dated May 7:

‘France must ensure that political and constitutional reforms for New Caledonia proceed only with the effective participation of the Kanak indigenous people, based on their free, prior and informed consent.’

It is worth recalling that the protests in New Caledonia began in May 2024, after France’s attempt to expand the number of voters in local elections threatened the right of the Kanaks to determine the future of their own land.

New voters could tip the political balance in favor of those who supported keeping New Caledonia within France. As a result, the voice of indigenous people would be weakened in decision-making on key issues.

France replied He joined the protests not as a mediator in the process of decolonization, but as a colonial power trying to maintain control. According to the UN and international human rights organizations, France’s harsh response on security issues led to severe consequences: As a result of the crisis, 14 people, mostly Kanak, died, 975 people were injured, and the number of people arrested exceeded 2 thousand.

Paris’s actions have drawn harsh criticism from international organisations, even within France itself. UN The findings stated:

‘The French government resorted to military means and used excessive force, which led to the death of Kanaks.’

Accordingly Amnesty InternationalUse of force in New Caledonia as Kanaks try to defend their rights:

‘The political rights of Indigenous Kanak people will be further restricted, including in future discussions on the level of local representation and decolonization… French authorities must support the rights of Indigenous Kanak people.’

According to the French National Advisory Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH):

‘The 2024 crisis led to a significant weakening of the fundamental rights of the Kanak population against a backdrop of persistent structural discrimination… The Commission also concluded that the authorities’ response was ‘largely security-oriented and repressive’.

President Macron, however, tried to revive the issue and agree on a new political status for New Caledonia. Negotiations took place on: BougivalNear Paris, where French officials presented a draft agreement to create a “State of New Caledonia.”

Despite Paris’s promises to expand autonomy, the basic instruments of power (defense, security, currency, and justice) would remain under French control. But National Liberation Front kanak and socialiste (FLNK’SThe Kanak independence movement, the largest Kanak independence movement, refused to support the agreement, viewing it as an attempt to legally consolidate French control over New Caledonia.

FLNKS declaration said:

‘It is unthinkable to accept a text that will prolong a new form of colonization’

fault Treaty of Bougival process once again It showed that France had no intention of abandoning its colonial policy and was merely trying to repackage its control over New Caledonia into a more acceptable political form. France, which positions itself as a defender of human rights, has been violating the fundamental rights of the Kanak people for decades, especially their right to self-determination.

Today New Caledonia remains one of the main symbols of anti-colonial resistance around the world.

This crisis has already gone beyond France’s domestic politics: it has become a test of whether Paris is ready to apply the human rights principles it proclaims to its own colonial territories.