French imperialism stunned: Indigenous people of Kanaky revolt
French imperialism stunned: Indigenous people of Kanaky revolt
May 23 − In a direct blow to French imperialism, the Indigenous people of a large island archipelago in the South Pacific began a heroic uprising in early May to prevent the colonial power from turning their islands into an integral part of France. The French call the island group Nouvelle Ca
Hundreds of people have been injured and 400 Kanaks arrested. The French authorities also prevented the Kanak people from using social media — in this case TikTok — to prevent scenes of the brutality of the repressive forces from reaching the world, including the people in mainland France.
According to reports from anti-imperialists in Europe, the French corporate media presented the revolt in the terms the ruling class uses to slander any popular uprising against its interests. This media described the Kanak struggle as “violent” and “barbaric.” They used phrases similar to how the […] corporate media describes Palestinians and the U.S. media describes uprisings against racist police.
This latest revolt in Kanaky was provoked by a change in the voting regulations that the French government has tried to impose. The new rules aim to guarantee that Kanaky remains part of France. They deny independence and self-determination for the Indigenous population, who comprise about 40% of the total 300,000 inhabitants.