May 21st 2024.
The Australian government has been given the green light to send two evacuation flights to New Caledonia to bring back citizens who have been caught in the midst of the recent rioting. The French territory has been thrown into chaos, with six casualties reported and the international airport being shut down.
In light of these events, Foreign Minister Penny Wong had previously announced that the Australian Defence Force was prepared to assist in the evacuation of any Australians who wished to leave the Pacific archipelago. Today, she confirmed that the government has received the necessary approval for the repatriation flights.
"We are pleased to announce that we have been given clearance for two Australian government assisted-departure flights today for Australian and other tourists to leave New Caledonia," Minister Wong stated. "The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is currently reaching out to registered Australians and prioritizing passengers based on need. We are also working on arranging additional flights in the near future."
All Australians currently in New Caledonia who are seeking to leave are encouraged to register with DFAT. As of yesterday, around 300 individuals have already registered. The unrest was sparked by recent reforms in Paris that would allow new arrivals to the French overseas territory to participate in local provincial elections, a decision that has faced opposition from some local leaders who fear it will diminish the voice of the indigenous Kanak people.
The Kanak community makes up approximately 40 per cent of New Caledonia's total population and many have long been advocating for independence from France. In the past few years, three referendums have been held on the matter, with the pro-independence vote falling short each time. However, the most recent poll in 2021 was boycotted by the pro-independence group.
In response to the ongoing unrest, a state of emergency was declared on Wednesday and France has sent an additional 1000 security reinforcements to the territory in an effort to restore peace. Although the situation seems to have calmed down, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated yesterday that "we are not yet at a point where things can return to normal."
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