UN official slams France for incomplete report on New Caledonia situation video

José Manuel Santos Pais, the vice-chairman of the UN Human Rights Committee, has expressed strong criticism regarding the report submitted by France concerning New Caledonia.

During the 142nd session of the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva, Pais highlighted that France's current report lacks the depth and detail found in its previous submission, Caliber.Az reports referring to local media sources.

He remarked, “Your fifth report on overseas territories was more comprehensive than the sixth. In the earlier report, you referenced the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and affirmed France’s commitment to uphold these provisions across all territories, including overseas regions.”

Pais reminded attendees that the prior report emphasized France's obligation to consider the desires expressed by indigenous communities. He noted that, concerning New Caledonia, the previous submission indicated that the Nouméa Agreement aligned more closely with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and this agreement continues to govern relations between the state and Indigenous political representatives.

He pointed out that, despite the Nouméa Agreement's provisions for transferring power to New Caledonia, the French National Assembly chose to expand the electoral body in May 2024, igniting protests among the Kanak population and leading to violent confrontations with authorities.

According to Pais, the French government deployed significant forces to suppress these protests, which raised allegations of excessive force, resulting in deaths and numerous injuries. He reported that TikTok was blocked during this unrest, with over 11 fatalities, 169 injuries, and approximately 1,700 demonstrators arrested, some of whom were transferred to France.

Pais expressed particular concern over the arrests of human rights defenders from Kanak organizations, suggesting that the government's repressive response to the protests is tied to changes in the Nouméa Accord and a lack of progress in the decolonization process.

Furthermore, he noted that France has failed to implement the Committee's decisions in several cases, including Hebbadj v. France and Yaker v. France, questioning the significance of ratifying protocols if the obligations are not fulfilled.

By Tamilla Hasanova