UN Headquarters in New York, powerful voices from France’s overseas territories accused Paris of sustaining colonial control under new names, demanding sovereignty, reparations, and justice for people of African descent.
A forum for long-denied voices
The Fourth Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent opened with a clear mission: to dismantle the legacies of colonialism and advance the rights of Afro-descendant communities still subject to foreign power.
This year’s gathering also marked the start of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent — a turning point, many said, to move beyond symbolic recognition toward legal and political accountability.
Among the most striking interventions were those from Guadeloupe, Réunion, French Guiana, and St. Martin, where activists described what they called France and the Netherlands' continued colonial domination.
“Without us” – A voice from Guadeloupe
José Martin Jean-Pierre, Secretary of the International Decolonization Front, delivered a searing address. He condemned France’s 1946 law converting its Caribbean and Indian Ocean colonies into overseas departments — passed, he argued, “without consulting the peoples concerned.”
José Martin Jean-Pierre – Secretary, International Decolonization Front (Guadeloupe):
“We must not accept the empty-chair policy of colonial powers—particularly that of France... It is intolerable for anyone to shape their domestic laws without the consultation of the peoples concerned — while claiming they know what is best for us, while planning to act for us, but without us.”
Heritage, pain, and the fight for independence
Florent Ali Méril of Guadeloupe’s People’s Union for Liberation placed the island’s independence struggle within the broader historical arc of African enslavement and identity.
Florent Ali Méril – Deputy Secretary-General, People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe:
“Guadeloupe is an archipelago rich in heritage… But behind its beauty lies suffering… The struggle for Guadeloupe’s national liberation cannot be separated from the recognition of the injustices suffered by people of African descent.”
Azerbaijan’s role: Linking struggles, demanding justice
Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group, delivered a global perspective. Founded in Azerbaijan, the NGO now plays a leading role in supporting decolonisation movements and presented a petition calling for:
The petition draws on UN resolutions, African Union positions, and European legal precedents.
Abbas Abbasov – Executive Director of Baku Initiative Group:
“The damage caused by colonialism and slavery lives on… These are not privileges. They are universal human rights, enshrined in international law.”
“Injustice without end”
Groups like Ka-Ubuntu from Réunion and One St. Martin Association described their situations as “injustice without end.” They argued that modern legal and economic structures continue to suppress Afro-descendant populations.
Public education in Guadeloupe was criticised as a “colonial instrument,” accused of erasing the historical memory of Black youth and shaping them to serve external interests.
A global call for real sovereignty
As the Second International Decade for People of African Descent begins, the demand has shifted.
From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, the call is no longer for recognition alone. It is for reparations, return, and real sovereignty.
The forum's message was simple, but thunderous: the past cannot be undone, but the present must be confronted.
Canada is facing its second-worst wildfire season on record, with 7.8 million hectares already burned, and the fires could persist for weeks, accordin...
A research team led by Tsinghua University has unveiled a groundbreaking method for making organs transparent, offering the most detailed view yet of ...
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi today for a closely watched round of bilateral discussions with senior Indian leaders, including...
In Bolivia's first-round presidential election, voters decisively rejected the leftist party that has ruled the country for most of the past two decad...
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar began discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New Delhi on Monday, emphasizing that positi...
France, Germany and Britain have warned they are prepared to reinstate United Nations sanctions on Iran if it does not return to negotiations over its nuclear programme, according to a letter sent to the U.N. on Tuesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron has formally acknowledged that France waged a war in Cameroon during the country’s struggle for independence - marking the first time Paris has used the term “war” for its actions in that period.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) welcomed the Joint Declaration signed on 8 August in Washington. It's after U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who signed an historic declaration for peace.
France's most devastating wildfire in nearly 80 years has been contained after burning through 16,000 hectares of land in the south. Authorities warn the risk of reignition remains.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 56 kilometres east of Gorgan in northern Iran early Sunday morning, according to preliminary seismic data.
'Superman' continued to dominate the summer box office, pulling in another $57.25 million in its second weekend, as theatres welcome a wave of blockbuster competition following a challenging few years for the film industry.
Honduras has brought back mask mandates as COVID-19 cases and a new variant surge nationwide.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he expected Russian President Vladimir Putin to release more than 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners soon, after a trilateral meeting was set up with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Canada is facing its second-worst wildfire season on record, with 7.8 million hectares already burned, and the fires could persist for weeks, according to federal officials.
A research team led by Tsinghua University has unveiled a groundbreaking method for making organs transparent, offering the most detailed view yet of the brain’s inner workings.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in New Delhi today for a closely watched round of bilateral discussions with senior Indian leaders, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
In Bolivia's first-round presidential election, voters decisively rejected the leftist party that has ruled the country for most of the past two decades, signaling a shift toward more market-friendly policies to address the nation's economic struggles.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment