Guadeloupe:
The Tables Are Turned

Mar 23, 2009

Elie Domota, the spokesman of the struggle in Guadeloupe, made a comment toward the end of the general strike in Guadeloupe with respect to the békés, the very rich descendants of the former slaveowners who dominate the island’s economy: "Either they"ll apply the agreement or they"ll leave Guadeloupe ... We are very firm on that question. We won’t let a group of békés reestablish slavery." All the reactionary circles, colonialists, bosses and békés and the rightwing press in the French West Indies and in France raised a hue and cry. The prosecutor in Point-B-Pitre, the biggest city in Guadeloupe, began to threaten a legal attack on Domota.

The LKP and the population reacted to support the spokesman of the LKP (the Collective Against Profiteering which led the long general strike.) First of all, at a press conference the 48 representatives of the LKP member organizations repeated word for word Domota’s statement. A petition circulated in the West Indies with Domota’s statement, and it’s already been signed by thousands of people. Workers are circulating it on the job and getting signatures.

Further, hundreds of lawyers in the West Indies, in France and in other countries let the LKP know that they were ready to come to defend Domota and all those who might be threatened.

After a few days, hundreds of graffiti supporting Domota appeared on the walls of Guadeloupe.

The embarrassed prosecutor of Pointe-à-Pitre responded with some barely understandable comments that he wasn’t aiming at the words themselves, but was inquiring into the true intentions hidden behind Elie Domota’s words!!!???

In brief, the legal system and all those who intervened, believing they could stir up public opinion over the supposed racism of Domota and the LKP, have had to pay for it. All their efforts wound up increasing the popularity of Domota and the LKP. Just walk in the streets, you see it. Everywhere, popular support is more obvious.