The Vale nickel plant in New Caledonia, the sale of which arouses the anger of separatists and Kanak chiefdoms, was placed under the protection of the gendarmerie and its employees evacuated Thursday, December 10 due to violent intrusion attempts, a indicated the High Commission of the Republic.
“
Several intrusion attempts took place on the industrial site, classified Seveso.
(...) The police had to use weapons to push back two pick-ups which were rushing at the gendarmes.
Degradation was once again committed and an administrative building set on fire,
”said the high commission in the Republic.
Read also: New Caledonia: Vale provokes the ire of the separatists
No injuries are to be deplored and the site of this metallurgical plant of cobalt and nickel, which uses a sulfuric acid treatment process, "
has been held by the police
" since the middle of the post-war period. midday.
According to
New Caledonia the 1st
, about 300 factory workers were evacuated "
as a precaution
".
Laurent Prévost, High Commissioner in New Caledonia, "
strongly condemned these irresponsible acts
".
Violence will crescendo in New Caledonia after the announcement Wednesday by the Brazilian group Vale of the sale of its nickel factory to a Caledonian and international consortium which arouses strong hostility from the independence activists and the Kanak authorities.
Blockades manned by opponents and counter-blockades were erected by loyalists in Païta, north of Nouméa.
All gas stations were to be closed on Thursday after a gas station fire in Mont-Dore.
