Comoros' Maore Committee sends letter to French lawmakers

The Maore Committee of the Comoros has sent a letter to French lawmakers whom it accuses of conducting activities against Azerbaijan, Report informs, citing the Baku Initiative Group.

The committee said in the letter that the French lawmakers demonstrate a lack of awareness of France's colonial history and disregard for the indigenous peoples of its overseas territories.

"These peoples fought for many years for freedom and self-determination, making great sacrifices and suffering heavy losses. Despite this, you continue to portray these territories as France's inviolable property. In attempting to reinterpret history, have you forgotten slavery, mass deportations, the seizure of indigenous lands, killings, and the other grave consequences of colonial rule carried out under the guise of 'French sovereignty'?" the letter reads.

The committee said the lawmakers' position amounts to a complete denial of the reality of colonialism, the occupation of these territories, and the violent suppression of the will of their indigenous peoples.

"Undoubtedly, all of these crimes are deeply embedded in the history and collective memory of these peoples. Therefore, these facts must be firmly condemned by all states and peoples that respect freedom, justice, and the rights of nations, while consistent efforts should be made to eliminate their consequences," the letter states.

It also says that each of the territories referred to as France's overseas territories has its own historical and political context of occupation as a result of colonial policy. At the same time, the committee noted that they share common features, including the disregard for the political will of indigenous peoples, the appropriation of their land and resources, deepening social and economic inequality, and the violent suppression of independence movements.

According to the letter, France is pursuing an aggressive policy aimed at restoring full control over its traditional sphere of influence in Africa and the territories it calls its overseas possessions. The committee said this policy runs counter to the free will and the right to self-determination of the peoples living in those territories.

The committee recalled that the long struggle for national liberation in the Comoros led to a self-determination referendum on December 22, 1974, in which the people clearly expressed their will to achieve independence and restore national sovereignty.

The letter also states that France does not respect the borders and territorial integrity of the Comoros and continues to retain illegal control over the island of Mayotte, despite the outcome of the referendum and the requirements of international law. It notes that Mayotte was later designated as France's 101st department and subsequently became one of the European Union's outermost regions.

According to the committee, however, Mayotte has never been a full participant in France's general and equal development programs. Instead, the island continues to face the application of exceptional laws, inadequate healthcare, housing, education, and security, deepening social inequality, and high levels of youth violence, which it described as continuing consequences of French colonial policy.

The committee called on the French lawmakers to confront France's colonial past and current policies instead of attempting to rewrite history through what it described as unfounded claims and false narratives, urging them to accept historical facts as they are.

The letter concludes that the struggle of peoples for freedom, dignity, and self-determination cannot be stopped and that this principle fully applies to the peoples of overseas territories who continue to face the consequences of colonial rule.