Summary
On Dec. 9, the Corsican parliament approved a bill to give the Mediterranean island semi-autonomy from France. Backed by French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, the bill still must receive approval from the French National Assembly. The prime minister hopes to end more than two decades of separatist violence - and boost his chances for the 2002 presidential elections - by offering Corsica limited self-rule.
Analysis
The effort by lawmakers on Corsica to win greater autonomy from France attempts to stem one of France's most violent and long-standing domestic problems. But the bill, overwhelmingly approved by island's parliament, may only make matters worse.
If the measure fails, it probably will strengthen the resolve of Corsican separatists to increase their violent activities on the mainland. If it succeeds, it could encourage other French separatist movements to resort to violence.
Corsica is a tiny island in the Mediterranean, 105 miles south of France and 56 miles from northwestern Italy. Governed by France since 1768, the island has played an important role in regional conflicts because of its strategic location.
Most recently, the French air force flew sorties from its Corsica air force base during the NATO bombing campaign in Kosovo. Despite the French military presence, the island suffered more than 200 bombings related to the separatist movement last year.
In December 1999, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin opened negotiations with Corsican lawmakers and nationalist-separatist leaders. In July 2000, they reached an accord granting the island's legislature semi-autonomy in exchange for ending more than two decades of separatist violence.
The plan, which Corsica's parliament approved Nov. 9 by a vote of 42-5, will grant the island limited legislative powers. Most importantly, the bill will give Corsican lawmakers the right to change French laws. It also will provide aid for infrastructure development and allow the teaching of the Corsican language in primary schools.
Initially, the French parliament would have to approve any changes the Corsican parliament made to French laws. If the violence ends, the Corsican parliament would be granted full rights to make new laws by 2004. This final measure would require amending the French constitution.
But the bill must receive approval from the French government. Going before both the French Cabinet in January and the French National Assembly in April 2001, it is likely to face stiff opposition in both arenas. French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement resigned in opposition to the bill, claiming it will lead to the fracture of France and encourage other separatist movements to blackmail Paris with violence, The Associated Press reported Aug. 1.
French President Jacques Chirac also opposes the measure because of its implications for the rest of France. As well, the competition between the French president and the prime minister makes granting autonomy a major issue. And with Jospin likely to challenge Chirac in the 2002 presidential elections, this antagonism will only worsen.
Reports indicate Jospin's peace plan for Corsica will be a major campaign issue. By undermining the success of the bill, Chirac rallies French nationalists around him and undercuts Jospin's electoral chances as well.
Another detriment to the bill's success will come from within Corsica. Jospin has opened negotiations with Corsican political leaders in hopes of ending the country's decades long campaign of low-intensity separatist violence. But the Corsican leadership may be unable to end the fighting.
Several nationalist groups exist on the island, all with individual - and often competing - agendas. For example, the four main militant groups - the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC), the FLNC-Canal historique, the Clandestinu and the Fronte Ribellu - all signed a cease-fire agreement following Jospin's proposed peace initiative in December 1999.
But the self-imposed cease-fire did not hold and bombings once again targeted police stations, French military installations and homes of pro-French authorities living on the island. The violence continues despite leaders of some movements, particularly the FLNC, condemning the cease-fire violations. In June, a bomb found near the historic Arc de Triomphe in Paris was linked to a Corsican nationalist.
Following the approval last Saturday of the new bill, a bomb was discovered near the construction site of a home being built for a French family. A bomb exploded at another construction site the same day, AP reported.
The Corsican leadership has been tied to criminal activity, which may fuel the violence. In August, renowned Corsican nationalist leader Jean-Michel Rossi and his bodyguard were assassinated. Rossi recently had written a book linking the nationalist movements in Corsica with organized crime and drug trafficking.
Facing both stiff opposition in Paris and factionalization on Corsica, the plan for peace may achieve little, if anything at all.
One thing it will do, though, is stoke the flames of dissent among other French-governed separatist movements. Pro-independence groups from several French possessions already are pointing to Jospin's peace initiative with Corsica as a model.
During a three-day conference held in Paris in October, members of 18 groups - including Basques, Bretons and separatist leaders from French Guiana - called on Paris to grant them greater autonomy. The leader of a French Guiana independence movement reportedly has threatened violence should Paris refuse to negotiate.
Increased violence also may be a consequence of the initiative if it fails to win approval from the French parliament. While none of the Corsican nationalist movements have made such threats, the possibility remains. Offering the island more independence and then being unable to make good on that offer can only strengthen the resolve of those opposed to the status quo.
And since assassinations and bombings have been the chosen methods of resistance in the past, they probably will be the chosen weapons of resistance in the future.
Jospin has opened a can of worms. Several French governments have tried and failed before to solve the Corsica problem. Tackling the demand for independence is no doubt the most promising way to end the violence. But if Jospin's offer of independence is rejected by the French government, then it may only make matters worse on both Corsica and the rest of France.
On Dec. 9, the Corsican parliament approved a bill to give the Mediterranean island semi-autonomy from France. Backed by French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, the bill still must receive approval from the French National Assembly. The prime minister hopes to end more than two decades of separatist violence - and boost his chances for the 2002 presidential elections - by offering Corsica limited self-rule.
Analysis
The effort by lawmakers on Corsica to win greater autonomy from France attempts to stem one of France's most violent and long-standing domestic problems. But the bill, overwhelmingly approved by island's parliament, may only make matters worse.
If the measure fails, it probably will strengthen the resolve of Corsican separatists to increase their violent activities on the mainland. If it succeeds, it could encourage other French separatist movements to resort to violence.
Corsica is a tiny island in the Mediterranean, 105 miles south of France and 56 miles from northwestern Italy. Governed by France since 1768, the island has played an important role in regional conflicts because of its strategic location.
Most recently, the French air force flew sorties from its Corsica air force base during the NATO bombing campaign in Kosovo. Despite the French military presence, the island suffered more than 200 bombings related to the separatist movement last year.
In December 1999, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin opened negotiations with Corsican lawmakers and nationalist-separatist leaders. In July 2000, they reached an accord granting the island's legislature semi-autonomy in exchange for ending more than two decades of separatist violence.
The plan, which Corsica's parliament approved Nov. 9 by a vote of 42-5, will grant the island limited legislative powers. Most importantly, the bill will give Corsican lawmakers the right to change French laws. It also will provide aid for infrastructure development and allow the teaching of the Corsican language in primary schools.
Initially, the French parliament would have to approve any changes the Corsican parliament made to French laws. If the violence ends, the Corsican parliament would be granted full rights to make new laws by 2004. This final measure would require amending the French constitution.
But the bill must receive approval from the French government. Going before both the French Cabinet in January and the French National Assembly in April 2001, it is likely to face stiff opposition in both arenas. French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevenement resigned in opposition to the bill, claiming it will lead to the fracture of France and encourage other separatist movements to blackmail Paris with violence, The Associated Press reported Aug. 1.
French President Jacques Chirac also opposes the measure because of its implications for the rest of France. As well, the competition between the French president and the prime minister makes granting autonomy a major issue. And with Jospin likely to challenge Chirac in the 2002 presidential elections, this antagonism will only worsen.
Reports indicate Jospin's peace plan for Corsica will be a major campaign issue. By undermining the success of the bill, Chirac rallies French nationalists around him and undercuts Jospin's electoral chances as well.
Another detriment to the bill's success will come from within Corsica. Jospin has opened negotiations with Corsican political leaders in hopes of ending the country's decades long campaign of low-intensity separatist violence. But the Corsican leadership may be unable to end the fighting.
Several nationalist groups exist on the island, all with individual - and often competing - agendas. For example, the four main militant groups - the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC), the FLNC-Canal historique, the Clandestinu and the Fronte Ribellu - all signed a cease-fire agreement following Jospin's proposed peace initiative in December 1999.
But the self-imposed cease-fire did not hold and bombings once again targeted police stations, French military installations and homes of pro-French authorities living on the island. The violence continues despite leaders of some movements, particularly the FLNC, condemning the cease-fire violations. In June, a bomb found near the historic Arc de Triomphe in Paris was linked to a Corsican nationalist.
Following the approval last Saturday of the new bill, a bomb was discovered near the construction site of a home being built for a French family. A bomb exploded at another construction site the same day, AP reported.
The Corsican leadership has been tied to criminal activity, which may fuel the violence. In August, renowned Corsican nationalist leader Jean-Michel Rossi and his bodyguard were assassinated. Rossi recently had written a book linking the nationalist movements in Corsica with organized crime and drug trafficking.
Facing both stiff opposition in Paris and factionalization on Corsica, the plan for peace may achieve little, if anything at all.
One thing it will do, though, is stoke the flames of dissent among other French-governed separatist movements. Pro-independence groups from several French possessions already are pointing to Jospin's peace initiative with Corsica as a model.
During a three-day conference held in Paris in October, members of 18 groups - including Basques, Bretons and separatist leaders from French Guiana - called on Paris to grant them greater autonomy. The leader of a French Guiana independence movement reportedly has threatened violence should Paris refuse to negotiate.
Increased violence also may be a consequence of the initiative if it fails to win approval from the French parliament. While none of the Corsican nationalist movements have made such threats, the possibility remains. Offering the island more independence and then being unable to make good on that offer can only strengthen the resolve of those opposed to the status quo.
And since assassinations and bombings have been the chosen methods of resistance in the past, they probably will be the chosen weapons of resistance in the future.
Jospin has opened a can of worms. Several French governments have tried and failed before to solve the Corsica problem. Tackling the demand for independence is no doubt the most promising way to end the violence. But if Jospin's offer of independence is rejected by the French government, then it may only make matters worse on both Corsica and the rest of France.
