Auckland businesses plead for greater police presence, more Kiwis rescued from New Caledonia and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls a general election.
A Rotorua teacher stuck with her baby in riot-torn New Caledonia is pleading with authorities to get them home as soon as possible.
Sany-Joy Mareroa and her 13-month-old son, Maxime, have been trying for nine days to fly home to New Zealand after the main airport in the capital, Nouméa, was closed amid violent protests and civil unrest that has left six dead and hundreds injured.
The Government has said the safety of New Zealanders in New Caledonia is an “urgent priority”.
The St Mary’s Catholic Primary School teacher flew to New Caledonia on May 10 with her son, sister Danielle Maguire and mother Kim Maguire to surprise her nanna at her 80th birthday.
Waiting to get a mercy flight home from New Caledonia are (from left) Danielle Maguire, Kim Maguire, 13-month-old Maxime Mareroa and Sany-Joy Mareroa.
Mareroa and Maxime were supposed to stay four nights and fly home on May 14, with the other two leaving a week later. But their plans were disrupted when rioting erupted just before their departure day, closing the French overseas territory’s airport.
The unrest is over plans for new voting rules and has resulted in dozens of shops and businesses being looted and burned, with cars torched and roads barricaded. A state of emergency and curfew remain in place, with army reinforcements.
Mareroa said the road to the main La Tontouta airport had been blocked by protestors.
“They were threatening if you drive along the road you will get shot. They’ve blocked the roads with burnt-out cars and put them in the middle of the road. [Authorities] got tanks in to remove them but they blocked them again.”
Burnt cars are lined up after unrest in Noumea, New Caledonia. Photo / AP Photo, Nicolas Job
Mareroa said a smaller airport, Magenta Airport, had been used to fly people into the international airport, La Tontouta, where flights out had been arranged.
Mareroa questioned why she had not been on one of those flights, especially knowing others – including a male friend – had been contacted to get flights ahead of her.
“What’s made me really angry is there’s been no communication and others have got on flights ahead of me. If there are only so many passengers, why isn’t a baby a priority? These are our precious New Zealand citizens.”
Rotorua teacher Sany-Joy Mareroa and her 13-month-old son, Maxime, are waiting to leave riot-torn New Caledonia.
Mareroa said her sister and mother were due to fly home to New Zealand on Tuesday and were now also trying to get a mercy flight out.
Her sister had a broken leg and required assistance on a plane.
“Surely a baby and someone with a broken leg are a priority?
“We just want to come home.”
Mareroa had taken two days leave without pay from her job for her initial four-night stay but had now been gone nearly two weeks.
Although they felt reasonably safe staying in a good neighbourhood with family, it was unsettling being there.
She said only one or two supermarkets opened at a time and shoppers had to queue for hours; pharmacies only opened at the weekend for a short period and petrol stations were only open for police and military.
The main airport was closed again today as French President Emmanuel Macron was in New Calendonia but Mareroa said she had received an email from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade saying there could be another evacuation flight tomorrow.
The ministry had confirmed there were still more than 270 New Zealanders wanting to leave Nouméa.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson told NZME on Wednesday the first flight of 48 passengers had the most pressing needs and New Zealand consular staff in Nouméa would continue to prioritise passengers on a needs basis.
A spokesperson from Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said they were working hard with France and Australia to ensure that further assisted departure flights could operate in the coming days and aim to get anyone who wants to return back to New Zealand in the near future.
“The configuration and routes of flights may change – it’s a day-by-day logistics exercise with the French and Australians.”
In response to questions about Mareroa’s situation, a ministry spokesperson said the ability for passengers to safely travel to central pick-up points in Nouméa were considered when giving priority for those travelling on the first two government flights.
A NZDF C-130 Hercules waits on the tarmac in Noumea to evacuate Kiwis trapped in New Caledonia. Photo / NZDF
The spokesperson would not comment on individual cases but said the ministry continued to get information from New Zealanders about their situation on the ground.
”Not all New Zealanders are in a position to safely make their way to pick-up points in the timeframes required. In particular, we were given limited notice of the French-operated flight on Wednesday, which impacted our ability to prioritise all passengers.”
It was hoped New Zealanders needing to return could get on the next flight.
”The safety of New Zealanders in New Caledonia is an urgent priority for us. We are in touch with these individuals and continue to provide them with consular support as needed.”
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
