A Royal New Zealand Air Power Hercules C-130 takes off from Whenuapai air base close to Auckland, New Zealand, certain for Noumea, New Caledonia, on a mercy mission to rescue stranded New Zealand vacationers on Tuesday, Might 21, 2024.
Michael Craig/NZ Herald by way of AP
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Michael Craig/NZ Herald by way of AP
A Royal New Zealand Air Power Hercules C-130 takes off from Whenuapai air base close to Auckland, New Zealand, certain for Noumea, New Caledonia, on a mercy mission to rescue stranded New Zealand vacationers on Tuesday, Might 21, 2024.
Michael Craig/NZ Herald by way of AP
NEWCASTLE, Australia — Australia and New Zealand despatched airplanes to New Caledonia on Tuesday to start bringing residence stranded residents from the violence-wracked French South Pacific territory.
Australian Overseas Minister Penny Wong stated Australia had obtained clearance from French authorities for 2 flights to evacuate residents from the archipelago, the place indigenous folks have lengthy sought independence from France.
Hours later, a Royal Australian Air Power C-130 Hercules touched down in Noumea, the capital. The aircraft can carry 124 passengers, in response to the Protection Division.
“We proceed to work on additional flights,” Wong wrote on the social media platform X on Tuesday.
The Division of Overseas Affairs stated 300 Australians had been in New Caledonia. It didn’t instantly verify whether or not the Australian-organized flights would additionally evacuate different stranded international nationals, believed to quantity within the 1000’s.
New Zealand’s authorities additionally introduced that it had despatched a aircraft to New Caledonia to start evacuating about 50 of its residents.
“New Zealanders in New Caledonia have confronted a difficult few days — and bringing them residence has been an pressing precedence for the federal government,” Overseas Affairs Minister Winston Peters stated. “In cooperation with France and Australia, we’re engaged on subsequent flights in coming days.”
Noumea’s worldwide airport stays closed to industrial flights. Its reopening will likely be reassessed on Thursday.
Violence has turned components of capital into no-go zones
Not less than six folks have died and a whole lot extra have been injured since violence erupted final week in New Caledonia following controversial electoral reforms handed in Paris.
About 270 suspected rioters have been arrested as of Tuesday, and a 6 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew is in impact for the archipelago of about 270,000 folks, which is a well-liked vacationer vacation spot with its idyllic seashores and local weather.
France has despatched in over a thousand safety personnel, with a whole lot extra resulting from arrive Tuesday, to attempt to quell the unrest and restore management.
Armed clashes, looting, arson and different violence turned components of Noumea into no-go zones. Columns of smoke billowed into the sky, hulks of burned vehicles littered roads, companies and outlets had been ransacked and buildings turned smoking ruins.
There have been a long time of tensions between indigenous Kanaks who’re in search of independence and descendants of colonizers who wish to stay a part of France.
The unrest erupted Might 13 because the French legislature in Paris debated amending the French Structure to make adjustments to New Caledonia voter lists. The Nationwide Meeting in Paris accepted a invoice that may, amongst different adjustments, permit residents who’ve lived in New Caledonia for 10 years to solid ballots in provincial elections.
Opponents worry the measure will profit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia and additional marginalize Kanaks who as soon as suffered from strict segregation insurance policies and widespread discrimination.
