BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 5. The Baku Initiative Group is gearing up to host an international conference on December 6, focusing on the state of affairs on the island of Saint-Martin, which finds itself under the thumb of colonial rule by France and the Netherlands, Trend reports.
Representatives of the populace of Saint-Martin, engaged in the fight against colonialism and advocating for independence, alongside leaders of anti-colonial organizations, parliamentarians, human rights advocates, heads of non-governmental organizations, decolonization specialists, and researchers, will participate in the conference titled “Colonial Rule of France and the Netherlands in Saint-Martin: One Island, One People, One Destiny.”
The conference will address the plight of the inhabitants of Saint-Martin, a bicolonial island subjected to French and Dutch domination, in their quest for liberation from colonization, with efforts to elevate the topic within pertinent international institutions and legal frameworks.
St. Maarten was distinguished from other colonies by its unique characteristics during and after colonization. The island was colonized by both France and the Netherlands and has been divided between the two states since 1648. The French part of the island is called St. Maarten, and the Dutch part is called Sint Maarten. These two empires made the island's governance, cultural, and legal systems dependent on themselves.
The history of colonialism on the island continually impacts the economic and political domains. The significant influence of France and the Netherlands hinders the self-determination ambitions of the St. Maarten populace.
The upcoming event will serve as a platform to discuss the importance of international support for the people of St. Maarten to determine their future.
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