In the absence of events dedicated to September 24, cancelled after the death of two young men on Thursday September 19 in Saint-Louis, the Customary Senate issued a press release on Monday to denounce the actions of the French State in New Caledonia since the outbreak of violence on May 13. The tragic events of last week “raise once again the negative approach and the deleterious and unsuitable methods used by the French State to deal with the crisis caused by the youth insurrection“, denounces the institution based in Nouville.
“A disproportionate military artillery”
The customary Senate thus demands “a political response“from the French government, reminding the latter that it is one of the three partners of the Noumea Accord and that its role in New Caledonia is not limited to maintaining public order.”The only response provided by President Macron, the day after May 13, was confined to the realm of total repression on the police and judicial level.“.
A method which results in the presence of 6,000 law enforcement officers currently on the territory and “an excessive military artillery“. “Everything happened as if the French state had never been confronted with the force of the ‘Kanak roots’ in the past, particularly between 1984 and 1988.“, regrets the customary Senate.
“Set a framework for discussion”
Based on this observation, and while it judges this insurrection as being a consequence of the “unequal development over 30 years on the economic, identity and societal levels“, the institution now chaired by Eloi Gowe asks the President of the Republic”to open dialogue with the Kanak people to find a political solution to end the crisis and clearly establish a framework for discussion on the future of Kanaky-NC“.
Furthermore, on the eve of September 24 marking the 171e anniversary of the taking possession of New Caledonia by France, the Customary Senate draws up a list of messages addressed to the Caledonian population, in which it congratulates in particular the citizens “as a whole” For “their resilience and the solidarity they demonstrate“. He also calls on the Kanak population to “to raise one’s head and look to the future with confidence and serenity“, while paying tribute to the two young men killed on September 19 by the gendarmes in Saint-Louis.