New Caledonians vote on independence from France

Polls opened in New Caledonia early on Sunday as a referendum to choose whether the French archipelago in the South Pacific will become independent from France got underway.

The vote is key to determining the future of the archipelago and its 270,000 inhabitants including both native Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies, and descendants of European colonisers.

In Sunday's referendum more than 180,000 registered voters will be asked to answer the question “Do you want New Caledonia to gain full sovereignty and become independent?”

No opinion polls have been released, but two years ago, 56.4% of voters who participated in a similar referendum chose to keep ties with Paris - 16,000 kilometres (10,000 miles) and nine times zones away - instead of backing independence.

Both referendums are the final steps of a long process that started 30 years ago after years of violence that pitched pro-independence Kanak activists against those willing to remain in France.

A peace deal between rival factions was achieved in 1988.

If voters choose independence on Sunday, an unspecified transition period will open so that the archipelago can get ready for its future status.

Otherwise, New Caledonia will remain a French territory - and therefore part of the European Union - with its residents keeping French citizenship.

The vote was long-planned and is focused on local issues, but comes at a time when the legacy of colonialism is under new scrutiny globally after protests in recent months against racial injustice inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement in the US.

Independence activists campaigning for the “yes” vote want all sovereign powers, including justice, police, the military, currency and foreign relations, to be transferred from France to New Caledonia.

For “no” supporters, breaking ties with the French state isn't an option.

The coronavirus pandemic has added an extra wrinkle to the vote.

New Caledonia has kept its borders almost completely closed, suspending nearly all flights, with only few exceptions and a mandatory 14-day quarantine and testing on travellers.

While France is one of Europe’s hardest-hit countries, with around 32,000 confirmed deaths, New Caledonia has reported no virus-related deaths.

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