This is a petition launched in response to a hastily uttered remark by Minister Lecornu, as if to remind the Antilles of their «realities.» ” It worked like a charm! The residents, frightened by this announcement, took matters into their own hands to put a stop to the chaos that was spreading— Well done, Minister! Gdc
Mr. President,
We, the citizens of France—both in the overseas territories and in metropolitan France—call on you to take decisive action to regain control of the situation that is undermining the Antilles and to restore hope to their people!
For the past fifteen days—in fact, since last July—against the backdrop of a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic, violence has been rising inexorably in Guadeloupe and Martinique: we have reached a breaking point. Residents feel unsafe and are living in a climate that is virtually one of civil war.
Weapons have been stolen, and customs warehouses have been looted. The uprising appears to be organized. Rioters are blocking roads, extorting money from citizens, looting businesses, burning down stores, shooting at police officers, and attacking doctors and preventing them from treating their patients. Illegal disruptions to normal life, disguised as a general strike (no private-sector employees are currently on strike), began last week.
The pandemic situation remains extremely tense on the ground, and healthcare workers—particularly those in hospitals—are exhausted. Admittedly, yesterday’s announcement that the vaccine mandate for healthcare workers in Guadeloupe has been postponed until December 31 is understandable. But the low vaccination rate raises fears of the day when a new wave of COVID-19 will sweep through the Caribbean. Need we remind you that COVID-19 does not respect borders? The virus recognizes neither borders nor exceptions to any public health policy worthy of the name. All over the world, people are getting vaccinated or would very much like to have access to the vaccine. Moreover, the vaccine does not preclude the use of plants and natural medicines, which complement remedies derived from scientific research.
Mr. President, the deployment of law enforcement officers two weeks ago, as well as your informal remarks on Monday, November 22, on the sidelines of a visit to Amiens, calling for calm, and the Prime Minister’s meeting with elected officials from overseas territories on the same day have, unfortunately, failed to calm the situation.
And now, taking everyone by surprise, the government says it is «ready» to open the debate on Guadeloupe’s autonomy. This was one of the announcements made by Sébastien Lecornu, Minister for Overseas Territories, in an address to the people of Guadeloupe (isn’t Martinique also in an uproar?) delivered on the Guadeloupe 1ère newscast and posted onlineFriday evening, November 26.
Mr. President, this mention of autonomy is seen as an unacceptable concession to the rebels! It can be interpreted as a willingness on the part of the State to back down or even withdraw.
According to the Minister for Overseas Territories, this idea of Guadeloupe’s autonomy was apparently «implied by certain local elected officials.» Why give any credence to remarks that in no way reflect the majority opinion of the French populations in the Antilles?
Because—and this is the most infuriating part—this chaos that is paralyzing the French West Indies is being caused by a handful of extremists, radicals, and members of an ultra-minority group who in no way represent the views of the overwhelming majority of people in Martinique and Guadeloupe. The people of the Antilles don’t want more autonomy; they want order, jobs, and solutions to their everyday problems.
What now?
Mr. President, autonomy is certainly not the issue or the solution to the problems facing the Antilles! Martinique and Guadeloupe already enjoy a high degree of autonomy. The local governments that exercise local authority have responsibilities that they already struggle to fully fulfill. That is the truth!
The priority is to restore order, remove the roadblocks, and arrest and bring to justice the thugs who are spreading terror and paralyzing the Caribbean.
The priority is for the national government and local authorities to enable the vast majority of doctors and healthcare workers in the overseas territories—who are urging their peers to get vaccinated—to continue their efforts to provide information, education, and prevention.
Finally, once security has been restored, the priority is to open a dialogue with the leading figures of the Antilles based on a clear, ambitious, and reassuring announcement that the national government and local authorities could issue jointly.
Announcing the creation of 1,000 subsidized jobs in the nonprofit sector, as the Minister for Overseas Territories has done, will not be enough to quell the anger sweeping the Antilles.
Better yet, we propose that the government convene a “Grenelle” summit for the French Antilles that would bring together, in Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre at the same time, all stakeholders to allocate exceptional resources (not all funds from the post-COVID recovery plan have been used yet) to the most critical needs of the Antilles: healthcare, water, youth employment, and tourism.
Just as the 87% of healthcare workers who were vaccinated in the French West Indies should carry more weight in your decisions than the 13% who refused to get vaccinated, let’s also stop listening to those who, through violence or behind the scenes, would have us believe that people in the French West Indies no longer want to be part of France. That’s not true!
What is happening in the West Indies concerns all French people, and particularly those in the overseas territories: French Guiana, Réunion, and New Caledonia, which is set to vote one last time on its national future on December 12.
When General de Gaulle visited Fort-de-France in 1962, he uttered these moving words, which remain true to this day: «My God, how French you are!»
Mr. President, it's your turn!
