UPLG supports student protests in Guadeloupe

The Union Popular for the Liberation of Guadeloupe (UPLG) has publicly backed high school students in Guadeloupe who have been protesting for several days. The group has criticized what it calls state and local government repression against the youth and urged national forces to support the students' cause.

Students demand better conditions

The UPLG describes the students' actions as a "legitimate struggle" for the right to study with dignity. Their grievances include outdated classrooms, lack of resources, rodent infestations, toxic emissions from sargasses, and widespread air conditioning failures. The group also argues that school programs do not match the region's unique historical and geographical context.

UPLG accuses French authorities of repression

The UPLG refers to the French government as a "colonial power" and claims it has responded to the protests with indifference and repression. It criticizes the use of military-style tactics around schools, including the deployment of sniffing dogs, and says some students have been harmed or injured during the protests.

Regional leaders blamed for inaction

The UPLG also criticizes Guadeloupe's elected officials for their silence and what it calls cowardice. It accuses them of failing to represent the people and of being complicit in what it describes as the dismantling of the region’s education system, citing budget cuts and demographic decline as excuses.

Four demands and a call for solidarity

The UPLG has issued four main demands, including an end to police violence, improved school infrastructure, and full support for students and their families. It also warns the French government that it will be held responsible for any harm to students. The organization urges workers and political groups to join the movement, saying the future of Guadeloupe is being decided in the streets.

Protest ends with a Creole message

The statement, signed by UPLG Secretary General Jean-Jacob Bicep, concludes with a Creole phrase: "Nou ka di fwansé: pa jwé é difé!" which translates to "We tell the French: don't play and don't deceive!"