Two people were killed during a police operation in Saint-Louis, New Caledonia, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, bringing the number of deaths since the start of the unrest in the archipelago to thirteen. These deaths were confirmed to AFP by the authorities, who have not provided further details on the circumstances at this stage.
For several weeks, law enforcement has been conducting operations inside the Saint-Louis tribe, a pro-independence stronghold south of Noumea, in an attempt to arrest 11 wanted persons. These persons are suspected of being the perpetrators of shootings at law enforcement, notably under the authority of Rock Victorin Wamytan, nicknamed “Banane”, killed on July 10 during an exchange of fire with the gendarmes. They are also suspected of around sixty armed carjackings on the road passing in front of the tribe.
On Thursday morning, several dozen people gathered after learning of at least one death during the operation carried out overnight by the police, leading to a tense face-off, before the tension eased, an AFP correspondent noted.
The police fired tear gas. “We are not terrorists, we are not in a state of war,” shouted a mother during the operation. “Why are you killing our children? We have no weapons,” shouted Brigitte, a young resident of Saint-Louis.
Road Closed
Since the start of the violence linked to the pro-independence mobilization against the reform of the electoral body on May 13, thirteen people have been killed, including two gendarmes. Hundreds of people have also been injured and material damage has been estimated at at least 2.2 billion euros, during this violence of an unprecedented scale since the quasi-civil war of the 1980s. Although tensions have significantly eased since mid-July, the south of Grande Terre (the main island of the archipelago) is still inaccessible by road.
The police have completely closed six kilometres of road due to the insecurity in the Saint-Louis tribe, a pro-independence stronghold and a necessary passage about ten kilometres from Noumea. In four months, the gendarmerie estimates that it has received more than 300 gunshots.
Due to the road closure, the 1,200 people living in the tribe can only access it on foot and after presenting an identity document to the police to be able to pass the “locks” to the north and south. Only emergency services and ambulances can cross Saint-Louis. Elsewhere in New Caledonia, almost all of the roadblocks set up since May 13 have been lifted and traffic has been restored everywhere.
The curfew that was put in place since the riots remains in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and will even be adjusted and strengthened from September 21 to September 24, a symbolic and sensitive date in this Pacific territory. It will then be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. A public holiday on the “Caillou”, September 24, which marks the taking of possession of the archipelago by France in 1853, remains a sensitive date in New Caledonia, even if it has been renamed “Citizenship Day” since 2004.
Restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol, the carrying of firearms and the sale of gasoline have been extended across the country until September 24 as well.