Fifteen members of GI
peacefully occupied the lobby of the sub-prefecture building in Corte on Thursday
morning to demand that the French government follow through with promises to co-officialise the
Corsican language in Corsica, along with other promises regarding tax. The island's native language is spoken by about 50% of the
people who live there. Current French president Francois
Hollande promised to ratify the European Charter for Regional and
Minority Languages if he won the Presidential election, however, more
than a year on and he has still not fulfilled his promise.
GI activists occupy the sub-prefecture building in Corte |
Four GI activists were
arrested and detained at Borgu French military camp where they went
on hunger and thirst strike before being released the next day. They are now facing a number of charges
SFRY Dublin
spokesperson, Mark Moloney, who represented SFRY at GI's annual
Scontri Internaziunali youth conference in Corte in 2009 and 2012
said the arrests were “disgraceful”.
“We've heard from
those present at the protest that the French police used excessive
force in the arrests. Upwards of a dozen officers dragged the activists from the building. During the incident police
punched and kicked the activists. Two were injured, one sustained
injuries to his jaw and another was wounded in the face, shoulder and
hip.
“These activists were
making a peaceful protest for the right to speak their own language
in official business in their own country. Their peaceful protest was
met with completely disproportionate force by the French authorities.
It is absolutely unacceptable that student activists who are simply
standing up for their cultural rights should be treated in this
fashion
“Here in Ireland we face a similar battle. In the Six Counties, Irish language speakers have faced opposition and resistance to their demands for an Irish Language Act which would give them the same basic rights and entitlements as others.
“Whether in Corsica or Ireland, the people of the country who speak their native language should have the same linguistic rights and entitlements as everybody else.”
“Here in Ireland we face a similar battle. In the Six Counties, Irish language speakers have faced opposition and resistance to their demands for an Irish Language Act which would give them the same basic rights and entitlements as others.
“Whether in Corsica or Ireland, the people of the country who speak their native language should have the same linguistic rights and entitlements as everybody else.”
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