France extends New Caledonia curfew amid riots

French authorities in New Caledonia extended a curfew until Aug. 26 as the death toll from recent riots rose to 11.

The High Commissioner of New Caledonia said in a statement that it has eased restrictions on the sale of alcohol, allowing take-away purchases under strict limits from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8.

However, the delivery of alcohol remains banned and a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. is in place until Aug. 26.

Restrictions on firearms and the transportation of fuel in portable containers have also been extended until Aug. 26, with exemptions for municipal services and certain professionals.

The statement also said there have been a total of 2,459 arrests across the territory to date, with 1,331 occurring in police jurisdictions and 1,128 in gendarmerie zones.

The High Commissioner condemned an arson attempt at a church in Poindimie and attacks on motorists in Poya.

The Pacific archipelago has been engulfed in unrest since mid-May, triggered by a proposed bill to review electoral rules.

The changes would have allowed French nationals who have lived on the island for at least 10 years to vote in local elections.

But local residents, particularly the indigenous Kanak population, feared that the changes would dilute their voting power.

In response to the escalating violence, France declared a state of emergency and deployed additional forces to assist local authorities in restoring order.

On June 12, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the controversial electoral reform plan.