Mare violence spills to New Caledonian capital On August 10, 2011

Another person has been hospitalised after protests over airline
ticket prices on the New Caledonian island of Mare spilled over into the
capital, Noumea.

Demonstrators on Mare have been blockading the
airport for a fortnight and calling for domestic carrier Air Caledonie
to cut air fares.

Different groups on the island are also
involved in a long-running dispute over land ownership, which means many
roads have been blockaded as well.

Last Saturday night, an
attempt to break through one of those blockades led to a riot and an
exchange of gunfire, which killed four people.

Despite mediation efforts and the weekend's violent clashes, protesters are vowing to stay at the airport.

Youths from rival groups in Mare have also clashed in Noumea, leading to the hospitalisation of one person.

But reporter Anne Pitosiet has told Pacific Beat some parts of the Mare airport are now running again.

"You can go to the airport at Mare, but what they are blockading is the Air Caledonie planes," she said.

"So
the military planes can go to Mare, and Lifou, and private planes can
go to Mare and Lifou. but Air Caledonie planes cannot enter or go out
from Lifou or Mare."