Three police killings in Saint-Louis, Kanaky-New Caledonia

Rock Victorin Wamytan, known as “Banane,” Samuel Moekia, and Johan Kaidine—three insurgents from the Kanak tribe of Saint-Louis—were killed by the GIGN, the special forces of the French Gendarmerie, between July and September 2024. Index, in partnership with Le Monde, investigated the circumstances surrounding their deaths. This three-part series uncovers the unprecedented measures deployed by the French authorities to restore order at the epicenter of the independence uprising.

In November 2024, the Index team traveled to Kanaky–New Caledonia, in the aftermath of an uprising that set the Pacific island ablaze, leaving fourteen people dead. Three of them were killed by security forces in the tribe of Saint-Louis, a stronghold of the independence movement located east of Nouméa and the epicenter of the revolt.

Between July 10 and September 19, 2024, Rock Victorin Wamytan, Samuel Moekia, and Johan Kaidine were shot dead by the GIGN, the special forces of the gendarmerie (police force under military command) during a large-scale operation against a group of young insurgents.

In Saint-Louis, we collected dozens of testimonies, along with previously unseen documents and images, to piece together how French authorities reclaimed control—by any means necessary—of a key road cutting through the heart of the tribe.

Over several months, in collaboration with Le Monde, we expanded and deepened our investigation. The result is a three-part series, published by Le Monde, presented in an immersive format featuring maps, photographs, videos, and interactive 3D animations.

Part 1: At the Heart of the New Caledonia Riots — How the Death of “Banane,” Killed by the GIGN, Sparked the Siege of Saint-Louis

On July 10, 2024, after weeks of escalating riots in an atmosphere of near insurrection, Rock Victorin Wamytan—known as “Banane,” aged 38—was fatally shot by a GIGN sniper, the elite unit of the French gendarmerie. His death marked a decisive turning point in the government’s efforts to regain control over the Provincial Road No. 1 (RP1), which cuts through the Saint-Louis tribe—a bastion of the independence movement—and links the island’s south to the rest of Grande Terre.

Part 2: At the Heart of the New Caledonia Riots — Days of stifling negotiations over the blockade of Saint-Louis

Following the death of “Banane”, the noose is tightening around the Saint-Louis tribe. The only truly sensitive point in the Caledonian archipelago, the tribe will be subject to increasingly restrictive security measures.

Part 3: At the Heart of the New Caledonia Riots — with the end of the siege of Saint-Louis, the price of peace by force

A year ago, the blockade of the Saint-Louis tribe for control of 6 kilometers of road ended with the death of two lieutenants of the “Banane” gang leader, who had already been shot dead by the GIGN.