BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 21. France used veterinary drugs on the people of Reunion, member of the Ka Ubuntu Independence Movement Benjamin Clemen said, Trend reports.
Clemen made the remark at an international conference titled "Independence of Réunion: A Look at France's Colonial Legacy and the Path to Sovereignty" today, with the organizational support of the Baku Initiative Group.
He emphasized that France treated the people of Reunion like animals.
"Women were subjected to operations, falsely claiming that it was necessary for their health. However, their children were taken from the womb and sent to different places. Their names, surnames, and places of birth were also changed. Thus, they 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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