(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 21. A panel session
titled "History and Current State of French Colonialism in
Réunion," dedicated to the island of Réunion, remaining under
French colonial rule, has taken place within the international
conference "Independence of Réunion: A Look at the Colonial Legacy
of France and the Path to Sovereignty," organized by the Baku
Initiative Group (BIG), Trend reports.
The session featured representatives of the people of Réunion,
who are fighting for independence, as well as leaders of
organizations engaged in anti-colonial activities, experts, and
researchers on decolonization.
Romain Katambara, the head of the Ka Ubuntu independence
organization, said that his organization is fighting for the
independence of colonies in Africa.
"The most important issue for us is liberation from formal
'independence' and achieving real independence, as well as an
effective fight against imperialism. Our presence here is important
in the fight against France. France creates tensions in the
countries it keeps under colonial control.
The Pan-African movement is a movement that enabled African
peoples to achieve independence. Réunion seeks to free itself from
the dominance of Western imperialism and join the ranks of
independent world states. Our country is now a state that serves to
maintain France's influence and power," he mentioned.
Fatima Mze Said, a member of the "CSUM Kollektiv Stop Uwambushu"
movement from Mayotte, pointed out that the people of Réunion are
neither considered Réunionese nor French.
"We must fight against the neocolonial system. We must unite and
fight to restore our dignity," she added.
Benjamin Klemen, a member of the Ka Ubuntu organization,
emphasized that France shows inhumane treatment towards the people
of Réunion.
"Women were subjected to surgeries, falsely claiming they were
necessary for their health. However, their children were taken from
their wombs and sent to different places. Their names, surnames,
and places of birth were also changed. In this way, these children
completely lost contact with their families. Thousands of children
were forcibly separated from their families," he added.
Notably, the island of Réunion was discovered by Portuguese
explorers in the early 1500s. It was captured by the French during
the reign of Louis XIV in 1642 and was initially named Bourbon
Island. Three years later, the first permanent colony was
established.
On Réunion Island, the legacy of colonialism continues to impact
the economic, political, and social spheres. France's dominant
position on the island and its powerful mechanisms of influence
create significant obstacles for the local population's efforts to
achieve political and economic independence.
Economically, this is reflected in the island's high dependence
on France in terms of foreign trade and investment, the weakening
of local production, and a high unemployment rate. Politically,
France's models of governance and institutional mechanisms limit
the right of the people of Réunion to self-determination and
minimize their participation in the decision-making process.
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