Polynesian and Corsican officials condemned France’s ongoing colonialism during a news conference.
The press conference was organized by the Baku Initiative Group, a nonprofit organization that aims to fight colonialism, ahead of the “Decolonization: Awakening of the Resistance” conference to be held in Istanbul this weekend.
European and Foreign Affairs Commission Chairwoman of the French Polynesian Assembly, Maurea Maamaatuaiahutapu, said most lawmakers in the overseas collective are pro-independence but “unfortunately, we also have pro-France people.”
“A total of 37 lawmakers in the 52-seat assembly are currently pro-independence,” she said.
“Like our Corsican brothers and sisters, we have learned in our education system that our ancestors were Frenchmen,” she said, criticizing French schooling.
“Some of our Polynesian fellows become more French than your ordinary French people,” she said. “Education is the most dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.”
Maamaatuaiahutapu underlined the importance of colonialism awareness. “We have to teach our youth on what colonialism is,” she said.
Adding that the pro-independence movement is growing in the country, the official also said that her country was used as France’s training ground for nuclear tests.
“Our country was the hotspot for French nuclear experiments,” she said, adding that she is a teacher by profession and telling children about the country’s nuclear past was a challenging task.
“I had to tell my students that we were basically guinea pigs,” she said, further stating that through the exploitation of Polynesia, France has become one of the strongest countries in nuclear prowess.
“Nowadays, France is trying to hide the evidence about its nuclear tests in Polynesia and trying to rewrite history,” she added.
Former President of the Corsican Assembly, Jean-Guy Talamoni, said France first wanted to use Corsica as a base for experiments but switched to Polynesia when confronted with backlash.
“When Algeria was out of their hands, the French wanted to use Corsica for their nuclear experiments,” he said.
“When it backfired and people protested, they resorted to use Polynesia for it.”
When asked by Anadolu about the differences between the practices of French colonialists and other colonizing powers like the British, they pointed to a differing factor.
“What the French do is, they try to convert the people they are colonizing into French people,” said Maamaatuaiahutapu. “The British were smart enough to withdraw when they needed, like they did in Malta. But the French only withdraw when they absolutely have to, like in Algeria.”
“And they left the people as they were. But the French tried to convert everyone into French people,” she added.
Talamoni said colonialist powers shared the riches and continued their exploitative practices alongside one another.
“The British and the French basically shared the Pacific amongst them,” he said.