Today, Jamil, Jess, Les, and Morgan discuss this week's deadly riots in the French South Pacific territory of New Caledonia where there is upheaval over a constitutional amendment passed by lawmakers in Paris expanding suffrage in the territory and diluting indigenous voting power.  French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the territory today and has deployed an additional 1,500 troops to quell the violence in the strategically important territory which is the 3rd largest nickel producer in the world. 

Is France’s constitutional amendment a genuine democratic push or an attempt to wield control of resources? Is France’s strong-arm approach to the protests a good strategy? How are China, Russia, and Azerbaijan impacting the unrest in New Caledonia?

Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.

Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-new-zealand-send-evacuation-flights-new-caledonia-2024-05-21/ 

https://www.wsj.com/world/behind-new-caledonias-riots-a-fight-over-vast-reserves-of-nickel-a73f6301 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/17/world/asia/new-caledonia-france-protest.html 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/15/why-riots-new-caledonia-france-voting 

https://www.politico.eu/article/new-caledonia-france-brink-civil-war-nickel-gun-macron/ 

https://www.france24.com/en/france/20240517-why-did-france-block-tiktok-to-quell-unrest-in-new-caledonia 

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@lestermunson

@NotTVJessJones

@jamil_n_jaffer

@morganlroach

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