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Image posted, AFP
Participation in the referendum was high
The inhabitants of the French archipelago of New Caledonia rejected, in a general referendum, independence from France.
And 53.26 percent of those participating in the referendum voted in favor of the survival of the remote Pacific islands belonging to France, according to the final results reported by the Agence France-Presse news agency. The participation rate was substantial, 85.6 percent.
And in a similar vote two years ago, the margin was slightly wider, with 56.7 percent voting in favor of remaining French.
The islands of New Caledonia became French territory about 170 years ago.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the result as a “sign of confidence in the republic” and added that he was “grateful” in light of the results.
The referendum was part of a series of votes agreed to two decades ago, following episodes of violence in the 1980s on the issue of independence between the indigenous people of the islands and the descendants of European settlers.
Kanaks make up about 40 percent of the population, while Europeans, most of whom were born in that region, make up about a third. Others come from other Pacific islands or from mixed backgrounds.
Image posted, AFP
Canaco independence supporters wave flags after referendum in Noumea, capital of New Caledonia
Several agreements were signed, including the Noumea Accord in 1998, which established a roadmap for greater autonomy for the region.
Under this agreement, New Caledonia can hold up to three independence referenda. A third referendum could be held in 2022, if requested by a third of the members of the local parliament.
New Caledonia contains large amounts of nickel deposits, a vital component in the manufacture of electronic products, and France considers it a strategic political and economic asset in the region.
The region enjoys a high degree of autonomy, but relies heavily on France for matters such as defense and education. And it continues to receive heavy subsidies from Paris.
According to the United Nations, the New Caledonia archipelago is one of 17 “non-self-governing territories” where the decolonization process has not been completed.
France first claimed the islands in 1853. The islands were then home to about 270,000 people.
