Paris: The New Caledonia Pro-Independence Movement on Monday rejected the referendum results on Sunday in French foreign regions which showed the majority selection to remain part of France but more than half of the registered voters who were abstained.
Announcement shows that Paris is still struggling to resolve old conflicts for decades regarding the de-colonization of the Pacific Islands despite the three consecutive referendums since 2018 have rejected independence.
The results showed that 96% of those who chose on Sunday against independence, while Abstain reached 56% as a genuine population, which mostly supported independence, boycotting sound.
“Pro-independence supporters do not recognize the legitimacy and validity of this voice confiscated from them,” said several separatist groups in a joint statement.
The groups previously called for a sound boycott.
President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday expressed the “pride” of France that the area was “free” decided to stay.
Paris will renew its promise to protect this area about 1,400 km from Australia’s coast, he said.
The tension around the Rose referendum after France rejected the request to postpone the vote to allow the period of mourning after a surge in September Coronavirus infection.
“The dialogue route is thus broken by the strong head of the French government that cannot reconcile its geostric interests in the Pacific with its obligations to deconize our country,” said pro-independence forces in their statement.
Pandemic Covid-19 has a tense relationship between Paris and foreign regions over the past few months, especially in Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean., New Caledonia is the world’s fourth largest nickel ore producer and mining resource control is sensitive to sensitive problems.
The sale of nickel mining operations by Vale Sa caused last year’s riots.