"Two relatives were killed": The dramatic situation of Christian Karembeu in New Caledonia

Christian Karembeu, remembered by many as a talented midfielder, is currently experiencing a complicated situation after losing two family members. Following the incident in New Caledonia, the French footballer who won the World Cup with France (1998) and the Champions League with Real Madrid (2000) seeks justice for his loved ones.

The French footballer gave an interview to 'Europe 1' in which he addressed the incidents that are occurring in New Caledonia, where he was born. The French island located 900 miles (1,500km) east of Australia, is on the verge of a civil war.

"Two people in my family have been shot in the head. They were snipers. We hope these murders are investigated," he commented to everyone's surprise.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

The reason for this dramatic incident is that the archipelago is going through an intense political crisis that has escalated on all fronts.

The reason has been the electoral reform, promoted from Paris, which seeks to expand the local electorate to those who have lived in New Caledonia for more than 10 years, which would add about 25,000 people with the right to vote, of the 270,000 who live in the archipelago.

The problem is that the local indigenous population, representing more than 40% of the population, opposes this measure and wants to maintain the vote for those born in New Caledonia and their descendants. What no one expected was the level of violence and organization that they have shown, as confirmed by the BBC.

Among the deceased residents are the relatives of Christian Karembeu. "I have lost members of my family, so I kept silent because I am grieving."

The former footballer has asked the politicians of New Caledonia to solve the situation as soon as possible, to avoid more deaths, but also to investigate what happened to his two relatives.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has lifted the state of emergency decreed during the month of May in New Caledonia, after a rise in murders and violence. At the start of the month, seven people were brutally killed. In addition, the measure has been postponed and will be reevaluated in several weeks.

However, the High Commissioner of the Republic of New Caledonia, Louis Le Franc, has reported that they will maintain the restrictive measures, among others "prohibition of all circulation on roads and public areas throughout the territory from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. hours". A 12-hour daily curfew gives a measure of how bad the situation is.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!