2024-03-05 20:15:20
In his inaugural speech, President Ilham Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan will stand alongside countries fighting neo-colonialism. These words of his caused a stormy reaction in the French media. The general meaning boiled down to the following: who is this ant, Azerbaijan, that is running into the giant France. Baku was accused of organizing anti-French actions in former French colonies and other sins.
Day.Az’s interlocutor is Doctor of Political Sciences, First Class State Advisor of the Russian Federation, Director of the Eastern Vector consulting center Tatyana Poloskova.
Let me note right away, before moving on to answering the main questions, that France in this case is very reminiscent of the small, old and lame Panikovsky from “The Golden Calf,” who at every opportunity shouted: “Who are you?!!!!!!” Seriously, I have been to France many times since 2004. Once, even famously, as the head of the official delegation, during traffic jams, she rode around Paris on a motorcycle in the company of the famous French journalist of Russian origin (descendant of white emigrants) Dmitry Koshko. To the horror of the security guards from our embassy: “What if you get into an accident?”
I have always appreciated Parisians for their good manners, relaxedness, and sense of humor. My colleagues, who worked at our embassy in Paris for years, criticized the French for their “redneckism” and great conceit. And suddenly, in the case of Azerbaijan, all this came out of the hidden corners of consciousness into big politics. France, a country that at one time proclaimed the slogans of freedom, equality and fraternity, suddenly begins to divide countries and peoples into “giants and ants”? Or maybe not suddenly? And when you remember history, you begin to understand that 90 percent of the greatness and power of this country was created through the robbery of colonies, the misfortunes and suffering of millions of people. And this process is not completed.
The French have done so much on the territory of the former colonies that there are no special influences from outside, to intensify protest sentiments against official Paris, and it is not necessary. Let us at least remember how, under the pressure of anti-colonial processes, the French left the territories, taking or dismantling into pieces everything that they had created and built. As it was in Guinea. Very similar to the exodus of the Armenian population from the liberated areas after the Second Karabakh War, when everything that could be loaded was taken away, including toilets.
The French often compare themselves with the British, and some Russian experts, who worked for French grants before the sanctions, echo them: “Well, they weren’t as cruel as the British! They didn’t tie the Indians to the muzzles of guns!” Nobody says that the British did not commit terrible crimes in the territories of the colonies. But at least they built excellent tracks that are still quite suitable, as, for example, in Zambia – I drove along them myself. And railways. It was the British who returned the achievements of ancient India to the world when they discovered great ruined temples in the jungle.
If the countries affected by the French unite, disaster awaits France – Tatyana Poloskova for Day.Az
But! The most thankless task is to measure the severity of evil – not a single good contribution to the economy and culture will bring back the millions of people killed, tortured, and driven into slavery. And France was one of the top three countries guilty of the slave trade.
During the heyday of colonialism, France owned subject territories on almost all continents of the world. Africa occupied a special place in France’s predatory colonial policy.
France played a major role in organizing the slave trade, including to the countries of North, South and Central America. Through the sale of people who, in inhumane conditions, were transported across the ocean and worked for free (often for food) on the same plantations under the hot sun, the wealth of France was formed during the years of colonialism.
As Russian and foreign researchers of colonialism write, the same data is indicated in reference publications, “after Portugal and Great Britain, France ranked third among the countries participating in the transatlantic slave trade. Between 1551 and 1875, more than 1,300,000 Africans were forcibly transported to the New World on ships flying the French flag. These 4,118 passages accounted for 11% of the transatlantic slave trade, which affected more than 12.5 million men, women and children from the early 16th century to the end of the 19th century. Two-thirds of those enslaved were men, and about 27% – children. Approximately 13% died during the Middle Passage, their bodies thrown overboard.”
“My ancestors were transported across the ocean in holds. Men, women (even pregnant women), children – all together in stuffy rooms, with virtually no water or food. Many died. Mine were not transported by the French – the Spaniards. But Spain, like France, is still They have not yet answered for these crimes. The Spaniards also made a mockery in response to our official demands, saying: “Guys, what are you doing? You are our grandchildren! – a young Cuban told me several years ago in Havana. But, in fairness, we note that in most cases the African tribes themselves were involved in the capture of future slaves, including for alcohol and beads. But then professionals – slave traders – entered into the matter.
Already from the middle of the 17th century, according to the laws of France, a slave was not considered a person and was the complete property of the owner. In 1658, France became the first European kingdom to pass laws regarding the status of slaves, creating the Code Noir, or Black Code. The slave’s status as personal property was legalized. Such a beautiful phenomenon as mulattoes was also not always the fruit of love. Slaves were often raped. Including very young ones.
French fashion is leaving Africa. Forever – ANALYTICS from Leila Tariverdieva
France filled Africa with weapons, which were used by local states and tribes in war with each other. The young, able-bodied population of Africa destroyed each other. And this hampered the development of the resource-rich continent. In Africa, more than two million people died in the struggle for independence from France.
What now? After the Colonial Liberation Parade, French capitalism retains influence and control, not only on the so-called. overseas territories, but also in a significant part of the former colonies. Thus, there is still an agreement in force, according to which 14 countries of the African continent must store 85% of their financial reserves in the National Bank of France. France regularly conducts military operations in Africa, primarily to protect the interests of monopolies. Humanitarian aid is also a very profitable business.
So, before blaming other countries, including Azerbaijan, for something, France needs to look at itself. It’s not for nothing that former French President Jacques Chirac once said: “Without Africa, France would have sunk to the level of third world countries!”
Isn’t Armenia in danger of becoming one of the victims of the neocolonial policies of Paris? And this is how official Paris views Armenia. Aspen trees will not produce oranges. Surely, during the meeting between Macron and Pashinyan, the so-called closed topics. Capitalism is capitalism because it does nothing without profit. “Africa is leaving? So, let’s settle in Armenia. And there it’s just a stone’s throw from the former Mediterranean colony of France – Syrian Latakia. The situation in Syria now is not easy either,” French politicians are now thinking something like this.
France now looks more like an old and, excuse me, half-dead predator. But, nevertheless, this does not stop her from looking for new victims.
It is also important that without corrupt politicians, territories do not turn into colonies. And Pashinyan has already become a symbol of betrayal. And this is how it will go down in history.
Leila Tariverdieva