Rioting Reported on French Pacific Islands

NOUMEA, New Caledonia —  Riots broke out on the tiny French islands of Wallis and Futuna as supporters of the king sought to block an attempt to coronate a replacement in a ceremony set for today.

Tensions have been mounting for days in the South Pacific territory between supporters of Lavelua Tomasi Kulimoetoke -- who has reigned on Wallis for 46 years -- and opponents seeking to install a new king.

Wallis and Futuna lie between Hawaii and New Zealand, about 2,800 miles southwest of Honolulu. The islands, which have three kings, or laveluas, encompass an area about 1 1/2 times the size of Washington, D.C., and a population of about 16,000.

In May, foes of Tomasi, 87, set up a new government in Wallis and said they wanted High Chief Sosefo Mautamakia as lavelua.

France sent additional police to bolster security on the island, prompting pro-Tomasi forces to drag tree trunks and concrete blocks across the airport’s main runway Friday to prevent the arrival of further reinforcements.

Gaston Lutui Faipule, a spokesman for the king, said Tomasi’s loyalists had rioted across the island in recent days to stop a coronation ceremony for Sosefo planned for today. He said some houses owned by Sosefo supporters had been damaged.

Lt. Col. Jean-Michel Civardi, a spokesman for the French police force in New Caledonia, 1,200 miles away, said Saturday that the situation on Wallis had been contained but police were working to clear the roads near the airport. He said talks between the factions were underway and the planned coronation ceremony was unlikely to proceed.