Burnt vehicles on a road leading to the capital in Nouméa in the aftermath of the unrest. May 2024 Photo: AFP / Theo Rouby
Removal companies in New Caledonia are reporting more and more people are leaving the French Pacific territory for good following the ongoing violent unrest that started mid-May.
French security forces are still working on removing road blocks, mainly in the capital Nouméa and its outskirts.
The riots have so far caused the death of ten persons (eight civilians and two gendarmes) as well as a currently estimated over eight hundred buildings and businesses looted and burnt down by rioters.
The total financial damage currently stands at some €2.2 billion.
Industry professionals told local media in the face of insecurity or due to job losses - over 2400 employees and business leaders have so far lost their jobs - the demand for permanent departures has increased dramatically.
"In June, export requests for permanent departures have tripled. And in July, the trend persisted," AGS International local manager Noël Jourdan said.
"In the beginning, most of them were just scared. But then there were those who lost their jobs, and had no other option but to leave," he said.
Even though the trend first mainly concerned people from mainland France, "Now we have this new category of requests from New Caledonians. And this, we did not have before."
Official statistics on migration are expected to be published in a few months. Photo: Supplied
Departure requests increase three-fold
"On the export (removal) category, it's sixty percent more than usual," local removal company manager Arielle Dujardin told public broadcaster NC la 1ère.
She said some only requested to move to another, safer part of Nouméa, without leaving New Caledonia.
Others are filling containers, ready to be shipped.
Incoming flow: +10 percent
In the other direction, removal industry players said plans to move and live into New Caledonia (mostly for professional reasons) have taken a heavy setback, with ten percent of cancellations.
Official statistics on migration are expected to be published in a few months.
"Day after day, we see life getting more difficult. And we cannot see short or middle-term prospects," departing Jean-Marc Arricaü, who has lived in New Caledonia with his wife Monique for the past twenty years, said.
"So we told ourselves that in those circumstances, our place is just no longer here."
