The State announced Wednesday evening that it had signed an agreement with distributors to reduce food prices by “20% on average” on the island, the scene since September of a mobilization punctuated by violence.
“Things are just getting started.” Several thousand demonstrators gathered on Saturday in Fort-de-France, determined to continue the movement against the high cost of living in Martinique despite the agreement signed on a reduction in food prices. The State announced Wednesday evening that it had signed an agreement in particular with distributors to reduce food prices by “20% on average” on the island, the scene since September of a mobilization punctuated by violence.
However, this agreement was not signed by the Rally for the Protection of Afro-Caribbean Peoples and Resources (RPPRAC), the collective at the origin of the movement, which had called for a rally on Saturday in the parking lot of a stadium .
The agreement signed by the authorities only concerns “6000 articles, can we accept that?”launched the leader of the movement Rodrigue Petitot – nicknamed the «R» -, greeted like a rock star with applause. «Non»the crowd responded in unison, fists raised and dressed in red – the emblematic color of the movement.
The movement “will expand”
“Until then, we accepted in silence. Shall we continue the fight?”then asks Rodrigue Petitot, to which his supporters respond «Oui»still with his fist raised. “This fight is our fight (…), if we say that no one can move, no one will be able to move. We are at home here”then hammers the «R»describing the agreement as“failure”.
“Things are only just beginning, the movement is there, has taken root and it will expand”told AFP on condition of anonymity a resident wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of Martinican anti-colonialist activist Frantz Fanon.
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Same story for Supa Maya, artist name of a local singer who “want that our people, that today’s children can experience a better future in Martinique”. Reason why “we have to do something, if we capitulate, everything will get worse”she continues.
After a first partial curfew put in place from September 18 to 26 to contain the riots, the prefect decreed new bans on night travel throughout the territory from October 10. These measures are in effect until Monday.
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