The demonstrators wanted to carry the voice of “a people who are standing strong”. Several thousand people, according to AFP, marched in Paris on Sunday during a new mobilization against the high cost of living overseas.
Forming a long procession marked with the color red, symbol of mobilization, the mobilized people responded to the call of West Indian and Kanak associations and many from the overseas diaspora. The parade left from Place Denfert-Rochereau to reach the Ministry of Overseas Territories.
The procession set off to the tunes of West Indian music after being encouraged by the screaming engines of around fifty motorcycles, stationed near the head of the demonstration.
At the head of the parade walked Rodrigue Petitot, figure of the movement against the high cost of living in Martinique, and at the head of the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (Rpprac), already present during last Sunday's demonstration.
“This time they have demonstrated that the people are up in arms and that things are not going to calm down unless we get real solutions,” said Rodrigue Petitot.
“We are forced to return to the streets once again”
André Bazin, president of the Ultramarin Doubout association, regretted “never being heard”: “Unfortunately we are forced to return to the streets once again.”
The negotiations resulting from the mobilization which led to an agreement to lower the prices of around 6,000 food products changed nothing.
Since September, Martinique has been affected by a movement against the high cost of living which has degenerated with urban riots and violence, mainly at night.
The negotiations resulting from the mobilization, bringing together local elected officials, French state services, economic players and activists, led to an agreement to lower the prices of around 6,000 food products by “20% on average” but the movement the originator of the mobilization refused to sign it, considering the number of products concerned insufficient.
