This important account of the history of «Assimilation» was written by Georges Aliker, whose father tried to avenge his brother André, who was found dead one day on a beach in northern Martinique, and whose uncle, «Dr. Aliker,» remained, throughout his life, the most loyal companion of Mr. Aimé Césaire, Member of Parliament and Mayor of Fort-de-France…
But Georges Aliker is (and remains), in his own right, more than that: a prominent figure in this country’s political life since his student years, as a member of the OJAM and president of the AGEM in the 1960s, THAT SAME AGEM WHOSE NEWSPAPER «MATOUBA» was banned by the central government. He is also a meticulous observer of the unfolding events in our country’s history…
In the following article, he recounts the key milestones in our country’s integration into the most positive aspects of France…
And here we can see how the fierce struggles of today—sometimes waged in the name of the «Red-Green-Black» banner—align, almost perfectly, with this «assimilationist» drive that he so skillfully describes here…
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1795 : During the debate on the Constitution of Year III, Boissy d’Anglas, the rapporteur on colonial affairs, proposed «that the colonies remain French, rather than merely American; that they be free without being independent.».
- November 24, 1874 : Resolution of the General Council of Martinique: Political assimilation of the colonies into the Motherland.
September 3, 1878: Request from the General Council: Application of the Law of July 27, 1872, on Army Recruitment to the colony.
December 7, 1882 : The General Council reiterates and reinforces the request it made in 1874 and calls for Martinique to be established as a French department as soon as possible. In 1881, the General Council of Guadeloupe expressed the same wish. (continued on p. 32)
July 15, 1890 : Report submitted on behalf of the commission appointed on April 4, 1888, and tasked with drafting a bill regarding changes to be made to the colonial administration, by Senator Isaac. (Official Journal, pages 218–244). This commission was composed, among others, of Messrs. Albert Grévy (Chair), Isaac (Secretary), Allègre, and Baron de Lareinty.
July 15, 1890 : A bill aimed at regulating the organization of the Colonies of Guadeloupe and Martinique, introduced by Senators Isaac and Allègre.
April 30, 1891 : Summary report prepared on behalf of the 6th Parliamentary Initiative Committee tasked with examining the bill introduced by Senators Isaac and Allègre, aimed at regulating the organization of the colonies of Guadeloupe and Martinique, by Senator Isaac.
– June 23, 1891 : Bill concerning the political and administrative organization of the colonies of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion, presented on behalf of Mr. Carnot, President of the French Republic, by Mr. Jules Roche, Minister of Commerce, Industry, and the Colonies.
- March 11, 1915 : Bill to reform the constitutions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Réunion, introduced by Representatives René Boisneuf and Lagrosillière.
August 7, 1919 : Bill to transform the colonies of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion into French departments, introduced by Mr. Henry Lémery, Member of Parliament. (emphasis added by me, HENRI PIED)
In the legislative elections of December 1919, Lémery was defeated. In January 1920, he set sail for France. Upon arriving in Le Havre, he learned that he had been elected to the Senate. It doesn’t get any better than that!
- January 25, 1923 : A bill to transform the colonies of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Réunion into French departments, introduced by Senator Henry Lémery.
November 24, 1925 : Letter from Governor R. de Guise to the President of the General Council of Martinique.
In the program entrusted to Inspector General Le Conte, the minister tasked this senior official with studying, in consultation with the governors of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana, and their general councils, an important issue concerning the organization of these colonies.
There are two possible scenarios to consider:
a) Creation of a general government that would bring together the three colonies
(b) Treating these colonies as equivalent to our departments in metropolitan France
– December 17, 1925: Governor’s decision appointing the members of a commission tasked with studying the issue of organizing the West Indian colonies, either as a general government or through their full integration into French departments.
- 1938 : Article by our Jules Monnerot in issue No. 27 of his *Revue de la Martinique*«
November 1965 : The General Council of Martinique, chaired by Georges Gratiant, issued the following resolution at its first meeting: (…) It hopes that the new French Constitution will address the unanimous and consistent demands of the former colonies regarding their assimilation into the French departments
January 12, 1946 : Bill proposing that French Guiana be classified as a French department, introduced by Mr. Gaston Monnerville, Member of Parliament.
January 17, 1946 : A bill proposing that Guadeloupe and Martinique be classified as French departments, introduced notably by Mr. Léopold Bissol.
Aimé Césaire, Marcel Cachin, Roger Garaudy, Henri Wallon, and Ms. Jeannette Vermeersch, members of the National Assembly.
The Socialist members of the National Assembly from Guadeloupe, Paul Valentino and Mrs. Eboué, the widow of Félix Eboué, as well as the Guadeloupe General Council, which has a Socialist majority were not in favor of full assimilation. (Translator's note: underlined by me, HENRI PIED). They were advocating for the expansion of the powers of the General Councils.
- March 2016 : Bill to designate March 19 as a public holiday and non-working day, introduced by Senator Paul Vergès.
Assimilation: Boissy d’Anglas, Isaac, Allègre, Lagrosillière, Boisneur, Lémery, and Monnerot dreamed of it. Bissol and Césaire made it a reality.
The voice of the people: "We used to ride horses; now we ride motorcycles.".
G. ALIKER
