by Tusi Tala, Staff Writer
Business owners in New Caledonia’s capital, Nouméa, are noticing a concerning trend where individuals or newly established entities are increasingly providing “protection” services, as per a report by local public broadcaster NC la Première.
These “protection fees” are being imposed on businesses that have not yet been destroyed by fire or looted by rioters. Some company owners, who preferred to stay anonymous, have acknowledged accepting these offers and have, in certain instances, paid as much as 25,000 Euros in the last three months.
Approximately 800 businesses have reportedly been targeted, burned, and looted since violent unrest erupted in New Caledonia on May 13. Some business leaders, particularly in Nouméa’s Ducos industrial zone, view these “offers” as blatant extortion and intimidation, but feel compelled to comply.
In a separate incident, last weekend in the village of Saint Louis near Nouméa, a vehicle owned by a funeral company was halted at a roadblock. The rioters insisted on searching the vehicle and inspecting the transported body. Subsequently, they seized money from the employees before allowing the funeral truck to proceed.