BIG: Comoros group urges France to acknowledge colonial past

A group identifying itself as the Maori Committee of the Comoros Islands has sent a letter to French lawmakers, accusing them of ignoring France’s colonial history and the rights of indigenous peoples in its overseas territories, according to the Baku Initiative Group.

The letter, cited by the group in comments to Report news agency, criticises what it describes as anti-Azerbaijani positions taken by the lawmakers and accuses them of failing to acknowledge the historical realities of French colonial rule.

“These peoples have fought for many years for freedom and self-determination, suffering enormous losses and sacrifices. Despite this, you continue to present these territories as the inalienable property of France. In this regard, in attempting to reinterpret history, have you forgotten about slavery, mass deportations, the appropriation of indigenous lands, killings and other grave consequences of colonial rule carried out under the guise of ‘French sovereignty’?” the letter said.

The authors argue that such positions amount to a denial of colonisation, the occupation of overseas territories and the suppression of indigenous populations.

The letter further alleges that France fails to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Comoros, maintaining control over the island of Mayotte despite the outcome of a referendum and what it describes as international legal obligations.

It calls on French lawmakers to refrain from “rewriting history” through what it terms “absurd claims and false narratives,” and instead to acknowledge France’s colonial past and present policies and accept historical facts.

By Tamilla Hasanova