Baku, October 20, AZERTAC

An international conference entitled "Neocolonialism: Violation of Human Rights and Injustice" has been held in Baku.

Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev read out President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s address to the event participants.

The conference, moderated by Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group Abbas Abbasov, also featured the presentation of a video highlighting the activity of the organization and the fight against colonialism.

Addressing the conference, Azerbaijan’s Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) Sabina Aliyeva, said that currently, a number of states around the world are facing the challenge of colonialism and are still fighting for their freedom and restoration of justice.

“What is most regrettable is that the international organizations and the world community as a whole remain indifferent to this unjust behavior and cases of massive violations of human rights. Azerbaijan is one of the countries suffering from such double standards,” Sabina Aliyeva added.

“The groups supporting independence in Guadeloupe are being murdered by France, with the number of casualties not being disclosed to the public”, said General Secretary of the People’s Union for the Liberation of Guadeloupe Jean-Jacob Bicep.

“90 percent of our products were taken to France and other countries. There, the agricultural policy is created in such a way that we cannot move freely. Colonialism also affects the cultural field. We want our language to be an official language on the same level as French, but they refuse it. At the same time, we want France to face justice," said Luc Francis Carole, representative of the Party for the Liberation of Martinique, PALIMA.

“We want to gain independence. The liberation of Africa should be the focus of the whole world. The African diaspora should work actively,” Luc Francis Carole mentioned.

“We remain financially and economically dependent on France. The gold is extracted in our country and exported to France. When gold is mined, our rivers are polluted and our nature is damaged,” said member of the Decolonization and Social Emancipation Movement of French Guiana Maurice Pindard.

"French companies use our forests and natural resources. We have no income in our country. There is also dominance in the field of culture. Here, lessons are taught from French textbooks. They do not accept us as a people, our human rights are violated. That's why we go to the streets and protest," Maurice Pindard emphasized.

In his remarks, member of the Polynesian parliament Heinui Robert le Calil highlighted the situation in his country, which had been under the French colonial rule for a long time.

“Resistance is the most evident expression that describes the Corsican people. France has colonized Corsica for years and committed international crimes here,” said representative of Corsica Jean-Marc Rodriguez.

He noted that those who seeks independence in Corsica are either being arrested or killed.

"My country has heroes who fought bravely for the freedom. However, the names of those persons have not been inscribed into our history books. France wants to eliminate the language and culture of the peoples in its colonies, and destroy our sense of nationalism. Repression has become commonplace for the Corsican people. Although France has been giving us false promises for years, only the people appointed by France take power in Corsica. France is far from the concepts of voting and democracy. We ask for help from all international organizations to ensure the sovereignty of Corsica," he added.

Speaking at the event, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev noted that the policy of colonialism is being continued by some European countries, who also use military force.

"Today, we have heard a lot of ideas to fight against colonialism. As Azerbaijan, we will continue our efforts, struggle and political freedom ambitions. We will raise the views expressed here to the level of the UN and other international organizations. My country has been deprived of its independence for many years. As a state, we know what the occupation is," Hikmat Hajiyev underscored.

Touching upon the genocides committed by France against Algerians, Advisor to the Minister of the Higher Education and Research of Algeria Youcef Houri said: The French murdered 45 thousands Algerians in March of 1945, 230 Algerians in the city of Constantine in 1952, and 300 Algerians in Paris in 1961. They have committed genocide against everyone, including children, women and elderly. France has been murdering the Algerian people by using the prohibited weapons.”

“France wants to give everyone lessons in human rights and international law. However, France is the last country on Earth to give lessons in these fields. It has no right to give a lesson in legal sphere,” Youcef Houri added.

Following the conference, the participants of the international conference themed “Neocolonialism: Violation of Human Rights and Injustice” made an appeal to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

“We, the participants of the conference appreciate the address of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and are thankful to His Excellency for his consistent support of our rightful struggle for justice and freedom.

Additionally, we highly appreciate the adherence of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the fundamental principles of the Non-Aligned Movement, the norms and principles of international law, as well as the goals and principles enshrined in the UN Charter,” the appeal said.

“We applaud the work Azerbaijan has been doing during its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement, the initiatives it has put forward and the steps it has taken in the direction of expanding the organization's activities and enhancing its international authority, especially its resolute position on the fight against colonialism.

We are confident that our collective and righteous struggle, as well as the growing demand of the world community in this regard, will result in the adoption of necessary steps related to decolonization and secure our natural rights and freedoms.

We reaffirm the accuracy and relevance of our principled position reflected in the final documents of the events organized by the Baku Initiative Group in Baku in July this year and in New York in September,” the document emphasized.