The whole of Caledonia held its breath over the long weekend of September 24. September 24 is the anniversary of the taking of possession of New Caledonia by France in 1853. For the independentists, it’s a sombre day. For loyalists, who want New Caledonia to remain part of France, it’s a happy day.
Fire breaks out at the university
After the riots in May that plunged Caledonia into chaos, there were many rumors that rioters would carry out violent actions over the long weekend. September 24 is a public holiday.
Apart from a few fires that were quickly brought under control, nothing happened. The only notable incident was a fire at the university on the night of September 25-26. The investigation is ongoing.
The situation has largely improved, with almost no roadblocks on Caledonian roads. Since the riots began on May 13, there have been 13 deaths.
The Saint-Louis tribe still blocked
The only major problem is the road blockage at the Saint-Louis tribe, near Nouméa. The police blocked the road because young people from the tribe were shooting at cars. There have also been around sixty car jackings on this road since May.
The 11,000 inhabitants of Mont-Dore who live beyond the tribe travel to Nouméa by boat.
Photo: Roch Wamytan, former president of the pro-independence congress. He is also Grand Chief of the Saint-Louis tribe.
