(PINA/IFEX) – On 13 February 2002, Etienne Dutailly, publisher of a satirical newspaper in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, was assaulted in his office by two men, the daily “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported. Dutailly publishes “Le Chien Bleu”, which features satire about the sometimes turbulent New Caledonian political scene. He has been assaulted […]
(PINA/IFEX) – On 13 February 2002, Etienne Dutailly, publisher of a satirical newspaper in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, was assaulted in his office by two men, the daily “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported.
Dutailly publishes “Le Chien Bleu”, which features satire about the sometimes turbulent New Caledonian political scene. He has been assaulted before, “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported.
Dutailly told the newspaper he was visited at his office in the capital, Nouméa, by two men, one European and one Wallisian. They told him they wanted to provide him with information on an outbreak of ethnic violence in a Nouméa suburb.
Wallisians from another French Pacific territory, Wallis and Futuna, have clashed in the Nouméa suburb with local indigenous Kanaks over land.
Dutailly was quoted by “Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” as saying: “They first hit me with their knees. Then I fell to the ground. I tried to protect my face, but they went on with their feet.”
The men fled as Dutailly began yelling for help, the newspaper reported. It also reported that he suffered a bleeding nose, a broken tooth and a black eye.
“Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes” reported that in July 2001, Dutailly was assaulted by a man wearing a balaclava, who beat him with a pipe. “I think some people are disturbed by what I’m writing,” he said.
Police are investigating the incident.