Deaths at Saint Louis overshadow anniversary of French colonisation

Tuesday 24 September marks the 171st anniversary of the French annexation of New Caledonia. By order of Napoleon III, Rear-Admiral Février-Despointes officially took possession of the main island Grande Terre in 1853,

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National emergency declared Porgera-Paiela, Kompiam-Ambum and Wapenamanda in Enga 

The Papua New Guinea Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, acting on the advice of the National Executive Council, has declared a National Emergency in the electorates of Porgera-Paiela, Kompiam-Ambum and Wapenamanda in Enga

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Two Kanaks shot dead by French police in New Caledonia decried as ‘assassinations’

French police shot and killed two men in New Caledonia on Thursday, stoking tensions with pro-independence groups days ahead of a public holiday marking France’s annexation of the Pacific archipelago.  The

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PNG authorises lethal force to quell deadly violence near Porgera mine

Papua New Guinea security personnel have been authorised to use “lethal force” to quell violence between illegal miners and traditional landowners near the economically important Porgera gold mine. Fighting in the

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New Caledonia requests Australian aid for riot rebuild

New Caledonia is looking to Australia for aid to help rebuild its capital city after deadly riots.  The French territory was marred by civil unrest and riots that left 10 dead in May after controversial voting reforms

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Papua independence protestors seek papal intervention after clashes with Indonesian forces

Indonesian security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets in clashes with protestors marking the 62nd anniversary of a UN agreement that paved the way for Jakarta’s annexation of the Papua region.   At least one

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Maprik town burns

Maprik town in East Sepik was set ablaze over two days, beginning Monday between 3pm and 4pm and spilling into early Tuesday morning. Police have confirmed the arrest of at least 189 suspects. A special court hearing

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ULMWP condemns killing of NZ pilot, blames Indonesia for danger

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) has condemned the reported killing of New Zealand helicopter pilot Glen Malcolm Conning in Alama, Mimika Regency  “If true, I condemn this killing in the

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Pacific Women Leaders call for action to end ‘epidemic’ of gender-based violence

Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive and devastating crisis for women and girls in the region with Pacific women ministers urging governments and communities to urgently address the issue through prevention

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UN Rights chief ‘horrified’ at deadly PNG violence

Recent attacks on three villages in East Sepik province, Papua New Guinea, resulted in at least 26 deaths – including 16 children – an event that has left UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk

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UN shocked over Sepik atrocities

The United Nations Papua New Guinea office has strongly condemned the recent brutal rapes and killings of women and children in East Sepik’s Angoram. The UN, in a statement called on the local authorities to, without

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Opinion: Mixing oil and water

As protests erupt across New Caledonia, a leading Loyalist politician claims indigenous Kanak and the West are like ‘oil and water’  Sonia Backès, the leading conservative anti-independence politician of her

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