FOCUS – Several left, far left, libertarian and anti-fascist organizations organized, this Friday, December 10, 2021, Place Victor-Hugo, in Grenoble, a rally in support of the struggles in the West Indies. In Guadeloupe and Martinique, the mobilization against the vaccine obligation and the health pass has indeed led, since mid-November, to a vast movement of general strike integrating social demands.
Despite the cold and the rain, several dozen people gathered this Friday, December 10, 2021, in the early evening, on Place Victor-Hugo, in Grenoble, to express their support for the struggles in the West Indies. A gathering called by a large coordination of collectives, associations, parties and unions, from the NPA to Solidaires, via the FSU, Attac, the CNT, the Unef, the Dal, the Grenoble anti-fascist action or the slave trade committee / slavery (CTNE) and the United Front for Immigrations and Popular Neighborhoods (FUIQP).
Several left, far left and anti-fascist organizations organized a rally in support of the struggles in the West Indies, Friday December 10, 2021, Place Victor-Hugo, while the movement against the vaccine obligation, extended to social demands, affects Guadeloupe and Martinique for several weeks. © Manuel Pavard – Place Gre’net
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For several weeks, Guadeloupe and Martinique have been affected by a large social movement. The general strike, launched in mid-November in Guadeloupe, then shortly after in Martinique against the vaccination obligation of caregivers and the health pass, served as a spark, awakening tensions buried for many years.
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Many Antilleans feel “considered second-class citizens”
The dispute was thus extended to broad social demands, relating to the shortage of public services, the cost of living, access to healthcare and drinking water, soil decontamination, the unemployment rate and the end of repression. A mobilization that took different forms: massive demonstrations, barrages routiers, blocking of ports …
Protesters listened to the speeches in the continued rain and cold. © Manuel Pavard – Place Gre’net
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If the urban violence, widely publicized, angered part of the population, the anger is widely shared by the inhabitants of the two islands. With the feeling, for many Guadeloupeans and Martinique, of being ” despised and considered second-class citizens “, As several speakers recalled during the Grenoble gathering.
“It’s as if, from Grenoble, you had to go to Lyon for treatment”
Two activists – one from Guadeloupe, the other from Martinique – spoke in turn to denounce the evils, very often similar, of their respective islands. The first first mentioned the catastrophic situation of Guadeloupe hospitals, between the Pointe-à-Pitre University Hospital, partially destroyed by fire in 2017, and the Basse-Terre hospital, located at the other end of the island. Two establishments totally saturated today.
Some organizations denounced French imperialism and colonialism in the West Indies. © Manuel Pavard – Place Gre’net
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Race result: ” many patients have to travel an hour’s drive to be treated, including for urgent care », Denounces the activist. And this one to attempt a comparison: ” It is as if, while living in Grenoble, you had to go to Lyon for treatment. »
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Another recurring problem in Guadeloupe, incessant water cuts affecting a large part of the communes of the department. A plague due to the dilapidated nature of the network. ” You start to do your dishes and suddenly there is no more water at all and you cannot finish it », Illustrates the Guadeloupe. ” It bothers you at the time but the worst part is that, often, this cut will last ten days, sometimes more! »
“Because of chlordecone, these two islands have the highest incidence rates of prostate cancer in the world”
His Martinican colleague then continued on the ” chlordecone scandal “. This pesticide, banned in France in 1990, continued to be authorized in the banana fields of the Antilles by ministerial exemption until 1993, causing soil pollution which could persist for several centuries. With dramatic consequences for the health of the inhabitants.
As a consequence of chlordecone, the soils of Guadeloupe (here) and Martinique will remain polluted for several generations. © Manuel Pavard – Place Gre’net
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« These two islands of less than 400,000 inhabitants today have the highest incidence rates of prostate cancer in the world because of chlordecone. », Accuses the activist. Which underlines that ” more than 90% of the population in Guadeloupe and Martinique is contaminated by chlordecone ».
“The bekes, descendants of the former owners, control a large part of the economy”
The two women continued by explaining the other subjects of contestation: unemployment concerning 60% of those under 25, the glaring lack of public transport or even the high cost of living, with ” food often costing 40 to 50% more in the West Indies than in mainland France ».
Guadeloupe and Martinique suffer from all these problems all the more badly because they arise in a heavy historical context, marked by colonialism and slavery. A period of which we still find the stigmata today.
As here in Pointe-à-Pitre, the bekés now control a large part of the economy. They own most of the shops, banks or supermarkets. © Manuel Pavard – Place Gre’net
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One of the two speakers thus pointed out “ the enormous compensation paid to slavers during the abolition of slavery in 1848″. These allowed the békés, descendants of the former owners, to ” s’enrichir ». Or, « les peaceful now control a large part of the economy on the two islands: import-export, supermarkets … », She clarified. What to feed the resentment and the frustrations of the rest of the population.
Demonstrators denounce the repression of the French state in the West Indies
Finally, the demonstrators denounced ” police, judicial and employer repression »Used since the beginning of the social movement. And reminded that if the curfew in force for several weeks has just been surveyed in Guadeloupe, he was prolongé and Martinique. The French state indeed sent the Raid and the GIGN on the spot, while a hundred people were imprisoned following the demonstrations. Certain inhabitants undoubtedly guilty of looting but others ” simply present by chance “Or having had, in their eyes,” the wrong of expressing their dissatisfaction ».
Recalling ” the immense debt that France has against these two overseas departments », The organizations present therefore ask the government to release the means to remedy these multiple evils. And they call on the metropolitan population to mobilize to support Guadeloupe and Martinique residents.
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