Water crisis in Guadeloupe: judicial investigation opened in Paris with over 250 claimants
A judicial investigation has been opened at the public health division of Paris tribunal in the case of the drinking water crisis in Guadeloupe, with several investigating judges designated.
Drinking water crisis in Guadeloupe: case transferred to public health division of Paris tribunal
A judicial investigation has been opened at the public health division of Paris judicial tribunal in the case of the drinking water crisis in Guadeloupe, announces franceinfo.fr. The association Notre Affaire à Tous made this judicial development public on Thursday in a press release, following the citizen action known as "La Goutte d'eau" (The Drop of Water). Several investigating judges have already been designated, and notices have been sent to victims so they can constitute themselves as civil parties.
Over 250 claimants mobilised for three years
The collective La Goutte d'eau brings together over 250 claimants, alongside several associations: Kimbé Rèd FWI (French West Indies), the Human Rights League (LDH) and Notre Affaire à Tous (NAAT). This collective has been mobilising for more than three years to, according to the press release, "shed light on both water cuts and persistent pollution, particularly from chlordecone, which affects the entire territory".
The association Notre Affaire à Tous had published a report last June denouncing discrimination in access to water in the Overseas territories. It now indicates its intention to constitute itself as a civil party in the framework of the judicial investigation. "Notre Affaire à Tous intends to constitute itself as a civil party in the framework of the judicial investigation," specified Me Claire Deniau, one of the association's lawyers, to Radio France Agency.
"A major breakthrough" according to claimants
Me Emmanuel Daoud, lawyer for the collective, stressed in the press release that "the transfer of the case to the public health division at Paris judicial tribunal will make it possible to mobilise the investigative resources necessary and proportionate to the stakes of this criminal case".
Notre Affaire à Tous qualifies this decision as "a major breakthrough for the residents of Guadeloupe who have been mobilising for more than three years to obtain the truth about access to drinking water and its quality". The press release specifies that any person affected by the water crisis in Guadeloupe can now constitute themselves as a civil party, "to have their status as victim recognised, seek reparation and compensation for their losses and participate in the search for truth and accountability".
Repeated alerts from the United Nations ignored
Since 2021, "more than 70 United Nations experts have alerted France ten times about serious violations of the right to drinking water in Guadeloupe, calling for emergency measures, justice and reparations for victims," indicates the association's press release.
Source: Google News GP — Crime