Baku Initiative Group’s latest music video sparks renewed calls for decolonization

The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has once again brought global attention to the decolonization movement with the release of its latest music video, Liberté ou mort (“Liberty or Death”). 

Launched on March 13, the rap-style track highlights the struggle against colonial oppression and has sparked discussions across French political and media circles, Caliber.Az reports via domestic media.

Various French outlets have begun covering the music video, which criticizes France’s colonial policies, particularly in its overseas territories and reflects the events of 2024. While French authorities have framed the song’s powerful message as “incitement to violence and hatred,” the video itself is a direct call for justice and freedom. Despite these accusations, BIG remains steadfast in its advocacy for the rights of colonized nations.

New Caledonia’s Prosecutor Yves Dupa has referred the case to the Paris court, but legal action against the video is widely seen as an attempt to suppress anti-colonial voices rather than a justified response.

As an independent non-governmental organization, BIG has been at the forefront of the global decolonization struggle since its founding in 2023. The organization actively supports independence movements and human rights advocacy in territories still under colonial rule, including New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, and Corsica.

On March 29, Baku hosted the international conference "Colonialism: Erasure of Religious and National Identity," organized by BIG. The event gathered leaders of independence movements, political activists, and families of political prisoners from territories under French and Dutch rule.

BIG Executive Director Abbas Abbasov emphasized the organization’s rapid expansion, noting that it now works with 15 colonized regions and has hosted 25 international conferences. The group also serves as a research hub, publishing reports and books on the impact of colonialism while actively engaging with international institutions.

Speakers at the conference, including Jean Jacob Bicep from Guadeloupe, denounced forced assimilation policies, the suppression of indigenous languages, and the systematic rewriting of history under colonial rule. Calls for global solidarity in the struggle for self-determination echoed throughout the event.

During the conference, BIG and the People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe signed a strategic cooperation memorandum, further strengthening ties between independence movements. A photo exhibition depicted the realities of colonial oppression, including caricatures of French President Emmanuel Macron. A flash mob was also organized to honor Kanaky’s political prisoners.

The conference concluded with a symbolic gesture of solidarity — attendees signed a shirt featuring the image of imprisoned Kanaky activist Christian Tein, underscoring the need for justice, decolonization, and historical restoration.

BIG’s initiatives continue to challenge colonial-era narratives and advocate for the rights of oppressed nations, reinforcing the growing momentum of the decolonization movement worldwide.

By Tamilla Hasanova