UN watchdog says France must include Kanak people in New Caledonia reforms

A United Nations anti-racism watchdog on Thursday said France must ensure that any political reforms in New Caledonia move forward only with the full and effective participation of the Pacific territory’s indigenous Kanak people.

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) urged Paris to carry out any changes related to New Caledonia’s self-determination process through transparent, good-faith consultations with Kanak representatives.

New Caledonia, a French Pacific archipelago located between Australia and Fiji, is home to around 270,000 people and enjoys limited autonomy as one of France’s overseas territories.

Indigenous Melanesians, known as Kanaks, make up about 40 percent of the population, according to the 2019 census. The rest includes descendants of European settlers, known as Caldoches, along with other communities.

In July last year, French officials and New Caledonian representatives from both pro- and anti-independence camps reached an agreement to establish a “State of New Caledonia” within the French Republic, aimed at easing longstanding political tensions.

However, the deal — which still requires approval from both the French parliament and New Caledonia’s residents — rules out any further referendums on independence.

CERD expressed concern that reforms affecting Kanak rights and interests were reportedly launched without prior consultation or meaningful participation, specifically citing the exclusion of New Caledonia’s Customary Senate and customary councils.

The committee also voiced alarm over allegations of excessive and disproportionate force, including lethal force, used by law enforcement during protests in May 2024 linked to the reforms.

It further raised concerns over reports that several Kanak human rights defenders connected to the independence movement were transferred to prisons in mainland France without consent.

CERD called on France to promptly and independently investigate all allegations of excessive force since May 2024, prosecute those responsible where appropriate, and ensure full reparations for victims.

The 18-member CERD monitors compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which requires its 182 member states to eliminate racial discrimination and guarantee equality before the law regardless of race, ethnicity, descent, or national origin.