A man was killed during a police operation in the Saint-Louis tribe in Mont Dore, New Caledonia, on the night of Wednesday 18 to Thursday 19 September, Agence France-Presse has learned from the authorities. This new death brings to twelve the number of people killed since the start of the unrest in the archipelago.
In this pro-independence stronghold south of Noumea, there were clashes between the population and the gendarmes, who used tear gas, an Agence France-Presse correspondent noted.
“We are not terrorists, we are not in a state of war”a mother launched during the operation still ongoing on Thursday.
The operation was apparently aimed at finding a dozen people from the Saint-Louis tribe wanted by the gendarmerie. These people are suspected of having fired on the police several months ago, when they were under the authority of Rock Victorin Wamytan, nicknamed “Banana”. Wamytan was killed in July during an exchange of fire with the gendarmes.
The south of Grande Terre remains inaccessible by road
Two gendarmes are among the twelve people killed since the start of violence linked to the pro-independence mobilisation against the reform of the electoral body on 13 May. Although tension has significantly eased since mid-July, the south of Grande Terre, the main island of the archipelago, remains inaccessible by road. The reason is the insecurity that reigns among the Saint-Louis tribe, a pro-independence stronghold and an obligatory crossing point about ten kilometres from Noumea.
