A man was shot dead during a police operation, the twelfth death since the start of the crisis

A man was killed during a police operation in Saint-Louis (New Caledonia), on the night of Wednesday 18 to Thursday 19 September, bringing to twelve the number of deaths since the start of the unrest in the archipelago, the authorities announced. Confrontations were underway between the population and the gendarmes, who were using tear gas, in this independence stronghold south of Noumea.

About ten people are being sought within the Saint-Louis tribe by the gendarmerie. They are suspected of being the perpetrators of shootings at the police, notably under the authority of Rock Victorin Wamytan, nicknamed “Banane”, killed in July during an exchange of fire with the gendarmes.

Although tensions have clearly eased since mid-July, the south of Grande Terre — the main island of the archipelago — is still inaccessible by road. The cause is the insecurity that reigns among the tribe of Saint-Louis, a pro-independence stronghold and a necessary passage about ten kilometers from Noumea. The violence has been erupting since May 13 and is linked to the pro-independence mobilization against the reform of the electoral body.