The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia is shortening its overnight curfew and reopening its international airport that was closed to commercial flights for more than a month because of deadly violence
PARIS (AP) — The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia is shortening its overnight curfew and reopening its international airport that was closed to commercial flights for more than a month because of deadly violence that wracked the archipelago where pro-independence Indigenous Kanaks want to break from France.
La Tontouta airport that links New Caledonia's capital, Nouméa, to Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore and other Pacific hubs will reopen Monday, the territory's high commissioner announced in a statement Sunday.
The overnight curfew is also being shortened by two hours, its start pushed back from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., because of “the improvement in the situation and in order to facilitate the gradual return to normal life,” the high commissioner said.
Violence that flared on May 13 over controversial voting reforms led to nine deaths, including two gendarmes, and widespread destruction of shops, businesses and homes. Tourists trapped by the airport's closure were evacuated on military flights.