Australia and New Zealand evacuate scores of their citizens from New Caledonia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian military has flown 115 passengers on two flights from the restive French Pacific territory of New Caledonia and a French government flight was expected to evacuate another 100 stranded passengers on Wednesday, an Australian government minister said.

Six people have been killed, including two police officers, and hundreds have been injured during recent armed clashes, looting and arson in New Caledonia.

The unrest erupted May 13 as the French legislature in Paris debated amending the French Constitution to make changes to New Caledonia voter lists. Opponents fear the measure will benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia and further marginalize Kanaks, who once suffered from strict segregation policies and widespread discrimination.

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to land Thursday in New Caledonia, where Indigenous people have long sought independence. The unrest has raised new questions about Macron’s handling of France’s colonial legacy.

Australian citizens accounted for 84 of the passengers who were flown on two Royal Australian Airforce C-130 Hercules from the capital Noumea to the Australian east coast city of Brisbane late Tuesday, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said.

Conroy did not say what nationalities were among the remaining 31 passengers. But he said Australia had reciprocal arrangements with Canada and Japan to help their citizens in crises.

More than 200 other Australians were registered with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to leave the South Pacific territory, where a 12-day state of emergency has been declared.

“We’ve prioritized the elderly, the pregnant and the most vulnerable,” Conroy told Nine Network television.

“We’ll continue