Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
New Caledonia hold a poll (referendum) last on Sunday (12/12). The fate-defining referendum comes amid growing fears of violence on the small Pacific island.
The referendum is expected to be tight, after the two previous polls, in 2018 and 2020, narrowed the “No” vote from 57% to 53%.
This is the third and final referendum to be agreed after talks on the island’s future have been called since 1988.
However, citizen participation has decreased. As of 5 p.m. local time, only 41 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballots. This figure is lower than the 2020 referendum at the same time, when nearly 80 percent of the vote had been cast.
“Early signs in New Caledonia that the independence movement is calling for ‘non-participation’ are being heeded,” Pacific journalist Nic Maclellan was quoted as saying. Reuters.
The indigenous Kanaks, who mostly support independence, have called for not participating in the referendum as they are in mourning 12 months after a spike in COVID-19 cases last September.
“Although there is a queue of voters at Noumea town hall in the capital, so far very few voters have voted in the Kanak-majority areas of the Loyalty Islands and Northern Province,” said Nic Maclellan.
Seeing this, analysts fear a “no” vote will spark anger among those who support independence.
For information, New Caledonia is one of five island regions that span the Indo-Pacific held by France. The island is said to be at the heart of President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to increase his influence in the Pacific.
New Caledonia is a nickel-rich region. The island is located 1,200 km east of Australia and 20,000 km from France. Fighting is frequent on the island between supporters of independence and those who want to remain part of France.
(fby / sfr)
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