French military forces have occupied our territories, and they have military-industrial bases all over the country, Brice Noel Epailly, a member of the Movement for Decolonization and Social Liberation of French Guiana, told an international conference on “Decolonization Dialogues: Legacy, Challenges, and Progress,” Report informs.
According to him, today there are all the manifestations of colonialism in Guiana: "We live today as a French colony. French military forces have occupied our territories, and they have military-industrial bases throughout the country. France is dominant in politics, economy, military, and many other fields in our country. Our underground resources, like gold deposits, are being looted. Also, we cannot use our own oil and coal deposits. At the same time, our agricultural wealth is being transferred to other countries. Even our carbon deposits have been exploited by France."
The representative of Guiana added that France applies its system in the country's educational and cultural fields as well: "Teachers, even rectors, come from France. In general, France ignores us as a nation. Our people cannot use the opportunities of their country at all. Most people live at the level of poverty. We are still suffering from colonial injustice. One day is not enough to talk about these realities. We must work so that the peoples are free, the people of Guiana can manage their own territories, and our people can use their rights."