Baku conference screens documentary exposing France’s colonial crimes in Reunion

A short documentary film shedding light on France's colonial crimes in Reunion Island was screened during the international conference "Independence of Reunion: A Look at France's Colonial Heritage and Path to Sovereignty" in Baku.

The film, which included witness testimonies and documented historical facts, focused on the brutal actions committed by the French colonial regime, particularly under former president Michel Debré, who was referred to as the "local Hitler," News.Az reports, citing local media.

The documentary revealed disturbing events, including the forced abortions of African-descent women on the island after 1960. Doctors, under the French colonial authority, deceived these women into believing they were undergoing other medical procedures while, in reality, their pregnancies were terminated.

Additionally, the film highlighted the tragic fate of children separated from their families by the French government. These children were taken from their homes, forced into labor on farms and other fields, and were never returned to their families. Witnesses in the film emphasized how these children were completely severed from their roots and had no chance to reconnect with their loved ones.

The documentary played a crucial role in raising awareness of Reunion’s dark colonial past, aiming to fuel ongoing efforts for recognition of the island's right to sovereignty.

News.Az