French security forces armoured vehicles posted in the outskirts of Nouméa Photo: RRB
New Caledonia's curfew, which was imposed days after violent unrest broke out on 13 May, has been extended until 19 August, the French High commission said on Friday.
Although the hours have recently relaxed to 10pm to 5am, the dusk-to-dawn curfew remains in place.
The measures also include a ban on sale, possession and transportation of firearms, ammunition and alcohol.
In its weekly brief, the French High commission said to date, some 2343 persons have been arrested.
Clean up operations to remove remaining roadblocks, mostly in the capital Nouméa and its outskirts, were still ongoing.
However, the same sources said the main territorial road linking Nouméa to its international airport was, for the first time since the unrest began, now "practicable on its whole length".
Another strategic road, linking Nouméa to its outskirts, however, is still unusable, because of persisting roadblocks in the village of Saint Louis (city of Mont-Dore), where several individuals have been taking refuge for weeks.
Because of the roadblocks, a ferry service is currently the preferred way to transport passengers from those suburban areas to the capital.
Passengers waiting for the ferry to reach Nouméa by sea Photo: RRB
On Friday, the French High Commission said the costs associated with the deployment of this maritime service would be "fully reimbursed" and that the French aid would also be deployed to assist New Caledonia' s Southern province to further develop this sea transportation service, including for passengers, vehicles and freight.
The deployment of this maritime service was to allow persons to travel to Nouméa through an alternative route, while the road option is currently regarded as dangerous and unreliable.
Focus on Saint-Louis
Nouméa Public Prosecutor Yves Dupas 7 August 2024 Photo: NC la 1ère
On Wednesday, Nouméa Public Prosecutor Yves Dupas told public broadcaster NC la 1ère that while the insurrectional situation in New Caledonia was coming closer to normal, security forces were now focused on the remaining pockets of unlawfulness, especially the village of Saint-Louis.
"The laws of the Republic apply everywhere on the territory. We are currently aiming for quite a number of arrests in Saint-Louis. Some of these have already taken place over the past few days", he confirmed.
Looking for more suspects
"We're committed to the arrest of a number of suspects who are currently taking refuge at the Saint-Louis tribe. Our strategy is that each and every individual who broke the law be held accountable before the justice system," Dupas said.
He also referred to ongoing investigations regarding individuals who are suspected of being "order-givers" since the deadly unrest began almost three months ago.
Thirteen of those have been arrested and seven of them flown to French prison as part of the preliminary detention, pending their trial.
Dupas said his services were still investigating as part of the same case and that they were seeking "other order-givers" for the same charges, widely associated with "criminal conspiracy".
"Just like in any criminal organisation, there are supervisors, who are often in the shadows, to dissimulate their criminal activities".
"So the whole purpose of this judicial investigation is to identify all of the order-givers of this criminal organisation".
No political prisoners
Referring to the persons charged and currently held in [ mainland France prisons (including Christian Téin, leader of a self-styled 'CCAT' - Field Action Coordination Committee set up by Union Calédonienne, one of the radical components of New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS platform - that organised protests which later degenerated into riots), Dupas denied they are "political prisoners".
"I reject the term of political prisoners. Those suspected order-givers are not political prisoners simply because they are not being held for political motives or their political ideas.
"The (French) justice does not target the pro-independence cause. Not at all. What we are targeting is the organisation of this plan of ction, which has been carried out, prepared, planned and deployed by a group within CCAT.
"So it is their actions, and eventually their criminal organisation which has ended up in the commission of a certain number of crimes. And this is what explains why they have been placed in provisional detention", the French magistrate said.