On Sunday, Martin Juillard, Consul General of France in Sydney, requested Melbourne’s French community accommodate or donate to families caught in the crisis engulfing the Pacific island territory.“Due to the temporary closure of Nouméa airport, several hundred of our compatriots residing in New Caledonia are currently stranded in Melbourne,” Juillard wrote.
The plea comes as French security forces worked on Sunday to retake control of the highway to the international airport in violence-scorched New Caledonia. The airport, with routes to Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and other destinations, closed on Tuesday as protests against voting reforms opposed by pro-independence supporters degenerated into widespread violence, leaving a vast trail of destruction.
The French High Commission, in a statement, described the night of Saturday to Sunday as “calmer” but still spoke of two blazes and the looting of a gas station, without giving details. “French authorities advise the situation on the ground is preventing flights. We continue to pursue approvals,” the Australian minister, Penny Wong, posted on X.
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