Aytan Gahramanova: Children of Creuse tragedy committed by France yet to receive legal assessment

The children of Creuse tragedy (affaire des Enfants de la Creuse) committed by France 60 years ago still hasn't received a legal assessment, Aytan Gahramanova, advisor to the executive director of the Baku International Multiculturalism Center, said at an international conference in Baku on "Reunion's independence: A look at France's colonial heritage and path to sovereignty," Report informs.

According to Gahramanova, at that time 2,150 children forcibly moved from Reunion to rural metropolitan France:

"The French government wanted to create demographic balance at that time. Therefore, children were taken from their families in densely populated parts of France. They promised families struggling with poverty that their children would receive a better education in France and would have a chance to visit their families once a year. However, in reality, most of these children lost all family ties and never set foot on their native islands again."

Gahramanova stated that the children taken from their families were used as workers in farms and villages under the guise of adoption by French families:

"There are reports of numerous cases of violence against these children. When discussing violations of human rights, especially children's rights, we must consider the role and place of international organizations in solving this problem."