by r------
Wed Feb 18th, 2009 at 12:28:48 PM EST
Jérôme has already blogged the unrest in France spreading out from Guadelope on the front page. And indeed, the unrest is spreading to other DOM/TOM, to neighbouring Martinique,with a general strike called not just for Guadeloupe, but for the rest of the DOM/TOM and, hopefully, to the Metropole as well:
After nearly a month of general strikes in Guadeloupe and the beginning of social unrest in Martinique, a 4,000-strong protest for better purchasing power in the islands.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon's Parti de Gauche, Lutte Ouvrière, Olivier Besancenot's NPA and other anti-capitalist movements on the left protested against the effects of the crisis alongside Antillais living in Paris. (n.b. if you watch the video, you'll see Pierre Laurent representing the PCF as well, right next to Mélenchon, Besancenot, Laguiller for LO...is there unity on the left again?)
Cost of living increases, declining living standards, insecurity: activists in Paris think metropolitan France is effected by "Pwofitasyon," (exploitation in Créole) and hope the general strike will spread to other DOM-TOM and to the metropole as well.
This has everything to do with the unwinding of the financial crisis, as it takes out the weakest among us while our respective governments protect their patrons, the wealthy, the bankers, the industrialists, the contributors.
Surprise, surprise....as usual, the PS is nowhere to be seen. Now why could that be?
