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Death Toll in France's New Caledonia Climbs to 6 Amid Public Unrest - Reports

© AFP 2023 / DELPHINE MAYEURAftermath of the unrest in of New Caledonia
Aftermath of the unrest in of New Caledonia - Sputnik International, 1920, 18.05.2024
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A man died and two people were wounded in a shootout in France's New Caledonia, bringing the total death toll to six amid public unrest organized by the supporters of the island's independence, French media reported on Saturday.
Gendarmes responded to reports of gunfire and three people were taken to hospital, two of them with serious injuries, the BFMTV broadcaster said.
On Monday, a peaceful demonstration against a bill on voting rights spiraled into unrest in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Protesters, including many minors, were robbing and setting fire to stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and car centers. On Thursday, French lawmakers voted in favor of the bill 351 to 153 as unrest continued.
French gendarmes patrol the streets in Noumea, New Caledonia, Thursday May, 16, 2024. France has imposed a state of emergency in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia.  - Sputnik International, 1920, 16.05.2024
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The controversial bill provides for lowering the residency bar for voting rights for people living in New Caledonia to 10 years. Pro-independence forces say it would dilute the share of the vote held by indigenous Kanak people that make up about 40% of the population. As of today, only those who were on the electoral register during the 1998 Noumea Agreement, which gave the territory a higher degree of autonomy, along with their children, have the right to vote.
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