The Australian and New Zealand governments announced Tuesday they were sending planes to evacuate their nationals from violence-scorched New Caledonia.
A burnt vehicle is seen on a road leading to the capital in Noumea, France’s Pacific territory of New Caledonia, on May 20, 2024. © Théo Rouby, AFPAustralian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed Australia had received clearance from French authorities for two flights to evacuate citizens and other tourists from New Caledonia amid violent unrest that has beset the French Pacific archipelago where indigenous people have long sought independence from France.
“We continue to work on further flights,” Wong wrote on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said 300 Australians were in New Caledonia.
New Zealand also announced it was sending a plane Tuesday to evacuate 50 of its nationals from Noumea, the Pacific island’s capital, in the first in a series of proposed flights to bring its citizens home.
“New Zealanders in New Caledonia have faced a challenging few days — and bringing them home has been an urgent priority for the Government,” Peters said.
“In co-operation with France and Australia, we are working on subsequent flights in coming days.”
At least six people have died and hundreds more have been injured in New Caledonia after violence erupted last week following controversial electoral reforms passed in Paris.
Some 270 rioters had been arrested as of Tuesday, and a 6 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew was in effect.
France has sent in over a thousand security personnel, with hundreds more due to arrive Tuesday, as it tries to quell the unrest and restore control.
There have been decades of tensions between indigenous Kanaks seeking independence and descendants of colonizers who want to remain part of France.
The unrest erupted May 13 as the French legislature in Paris debated amending the French constitution to make changes to New Caledonia voter lists. The National Assembly in Paris approved a bill that would, among other changes, allow residents who have lived in New Caledonia for 10 years to cast ballots in provincial elections.
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.
(AP)
Issued on:
Sources from: FRANCE24.COM
SVE NEWS is the leader in world news liberal sharing.
(Comments on this news are welcome)
2024 CWMALLS: Standard, Sharing,Ecology, Value;
2024 CWMALLS COMMODITY: Patent, Technology, Art, Intelligence;
2024 CWMALLS NEW SPECIES: Keen, Aggressive, Personality, Value;
2024 MWE FUND: Charity, Public Welfare, Responsibility
2024 CWS is with the world and Mars!
Tips: In order to explore more planet species diversity and ecosystem of Mars and earth’s biosphere of cohesion, from now on in the chosen experts and scholars of Mars and planets, especially the astrophysicist, astrobiologists, astrochemists, and so on all over the world’s elite, contribute to the existence and development of simulation of Mars landing. Thank you very much! CWS (Mars) Asia-Pacific Preparatory Committee 0086-57189877088/89877099, E-mail: mars@cws-mars.com, Twitter: CWS, October 3, 2021