Independence movements against French colonialism convene for inaugural congress in Baku - UPDATED
The first Congress of Independence Movements from French-colonized territories has today kicked off in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku.
Organized by the People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe with support from the Baku Initiative Group, the Congress has brought together leaders from more than 15 political parties and independence movements from Corsica, Melanesia, Polynesia, the Caribbean, and the Antilles islands, all of which are experiencing French colonialism, News.Az reports.The idea of holding the Congress originated from the political parties and movements fighting for the independence of the French overseas territories.
Three organizations from the Dutch colonies of Bonaire and Sint Maarten attended the opening ceremony of the Congress as guests of honor.
Speaking at the event, Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, noted that members of the independence movement were illegally arrested by the French police during the recent riots in New Caledonia. “They were treated like terrorists and secretly taken to Paris and subjected to various tortures, among whom were also women with young children,” he said.
He emphasized that the Baku Initiative Group would provide assistance to the families of political prisoners and lawyers defending them.
Abbasov underlined that the family members of some of these political prisoners participate in today's event.
"The Baku Initiative Group announced a scholarship that enables the young people living in French colonies to study in Azerbaijan’s higher educational institutions. Beginning this year, the young people from these areas can benefit from this scholarship," the executive director added.
In her speech, Isabelle Kaloi, a member of the Congress of New Caledonia, said that France’s suppression of New Caledonian people is inadmissible and unacceptable.
“Everyone knows what has happened in New Caledonia since May 13. By visiting Azerbaijan and attending this congress, we firmly declare that the actions of the French state against us are unacceptable and we strongly condemn it. We mean racist policemen. The written reports and what people say about it are still far from becoming realities. Consequently, our people are not properly treated, and the region is currently gripped by conflicts and fires. The problems that have arisen over the years are becoming more widespread by the day,” Kaloi said.
Kaloi said that the measures taken in this regard, of course, do not solve the problem completely. "I would like to say that we were subjected to repression. The reason for all this is, unfortunately, the abolition of our electoral rights. This was done by the French state, suppression of our rights is inadmissible and unacceptable. We have prepared proposals, and the majority welcomed this proposal. But the French government did not want to listen to us. In general, the decision to impose restriction on the right to vote means going against voters, our culture and self-determination," she added.
New Caledonia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Mickael Forrest, in turn, expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani government.
“We express our gratitude to the Government of Azerbaijan and all the people who made it possible for us to be present here. We must find solution to steer away from this difficult path at this Congress concerning the French colonies,” she said.
“We must strengthen our platforms, engage in discussions. We need to structure our political activities in a way that allows us to respond to challenges. The Baku Initiative Group has given us a valuable opportunity, and we should make the most of it. We also need to think about different future platforms by coming together. We should secure our place in the new world order,” Forrest added.
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10:32
The first Congress of Independence Movements from French-colonized territories has today kicked off in the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku.
Organized by the People's Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe with support from the Baku Initiative Group, the Congress has brought together leaders from more than 15 political parties and independence movements from Corsica, Melanesia, Polynesia, the Caribbean, and the Antilles islands, all of which are experiencing French colonialism.
The idea of holding the Congress originated from the political parties and movements fighting for the independence of the French overseas territories.
Three organizations from the Dutch colonies of Bonaire and Sint Maarten are participating in the Congress as guests of honor.
The two-day Congress will provide participating parties with an opportunity to explore ways to coordinate efforts in overcoming French colonialism by creating a unified platform for closer association in the struggle for independence. Representatives from the colonies will discuss the most effective experiences and strategies in the fight for self-determination.
The Congress aims to increase international awareness about the numerous crimes and illegal actions committed by the French government against the indigenous peoples of these territories and draw attention to colonialism, one of the major challenges of the 21st century.
Ulviyya Salmanli
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