Yahoo News France's Macron flies to riot-struck territory of New Caledonia
President Emmanuel Macron flew to France's Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Wednesday, where nine days of riots have killed six, injured hundreds and incinerated cars, shops and public buildings.
Macron's plane was en route from France to the troubled islands, a holiday destination now strewn with hundreds of charred vehicles and scarred by burned-out stores, businesses and schools.
The deadliest unrest in four decades has been blamed on French plans to give voting rights to thousands of non-indigenous residents, which Indigenous Kanaks say will dilute their votes.
French authorities said the violence, which erupted May 13, had eased since 1,050 troops, tactical police and national security reinforcements from Paris were deployed, including to "highly sensitive" areas.
Nevertheless, two primary schools and 300 cars in a dealership were torched in the territory's capital Noumea during the night, the mayor's office told AFP.
Police have arrested more than 280 "rioters" in the unrest gripping the French territory of 270,000, authorities said.
Local prosecutors say around 400 shops and businesses have been damaged.
Trapped tourists have begun to flee.
