Corsican separatists to end 40-year 'military operations'

Corsica's main separatist group will officially end its armed struggle for independence in October when it vows to end "military operations" that began back in 1976.

The main militant group fighting for Corsica's separation from France said Tuesday it would end "military operations" in October, after staging attacks since the 1970s in its quest for independence.

The National Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC) had announced in June 2014 that it planned to end its armed struggle in a unilateral decision reached without any preconditions.

In a statement on Tuesday, it said its decision to cease operations on October 22 was to allow the island's new assembly, led by nationalists, "to fulfil its mandate calmly".

"The end of military operations does not mean a laying down of weapons," it added.

The FLNC, which was set up in 1976, and various other factions intent on self-rule have staged hundreds of attacks in Corsica.

It has long demanded the recognition of the "national rights of the Corsican people", including citizenship, language and culture.

There have been thousands of attacks in the 40-year struggle during which nine police officers have been killed.

The FNLC has also been blamed for armed robberies and extortion through so-called revolutionary taxes.

But the group suffered from internal feuds in the 1990s -- in that decade it also staged the assassination of Claude Erignac, the prefect of Corsica and the island's top official.

Lying in the Mediterranean, Corsica was conquered by the French in the 18th century and was the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Nowadays, the island of around 300,000 people is a popular tourist destination, famed for its spectacular beauty and climate.

It is known in France as the "Island of Beauty" but the ongoing violence and score-settling means the island has found it hard to shed its ugly side too.

http://www.thelocal.fr/20160503/corsican-separatists-to-end-military-operations

it belongs to italy. Just look on the map and you realize this. We own two of the largest mediterranea islands. Its just normal that we add nr. 3.

xenon54 said:

Click to expand...

What?

Look for yourself:

@MarkusS : When will Italy launch a military operation to take Corsica then?

UKBengali said:

@MarkusS : When will Italy launch a military operation to take Corsica then?

Click to expand...

Thats a silly question ^^

MarkusS said:

it belongs to italy. Just look on the map and you realize this. We own two of the largest mediterranea islands. Its just normal that we add nr. 3.

Click to expand...

It's now part of the french territory for centuries and nothing will change. Sorry.

Vauban said:

It's now part of the french territory for centuries and nothing will change. Sorry.

Click to expand...

Nothing is forever. We are not at the end of times.

Looking at the map, it does seem odd that it's not part of Italy. Given it's geographical proximity to the Italian peninsula, I'd guess the people of this island must be very culturally, linguistically and genetically close to Italians.

Ha! I remember these chaps from the 80's, I forgot all about them, or maybe the world just moved on.
Good to see them leave arms.

MarkusS said:

it belongs to italy. Just look on the map and you realize this. We own two of the largest mediterranea islands. Its just normal that we add nr. 3.

Click to expand...

What say you Marcus? I'm down.





France they're coming.

MarkusS said:

Nothing is forever. We are not at the end of times.

Click to expand...

It's not as if there was a franco-italian dispute over Corsica ?

waz said:

Ha! I remember these chaps from the 80's, I forgot all about them, or maybe the world just moved on.
Good to see them leave arms..

Click to expand...

Just a gang committing criminal activities and stealing corsica's people money !
Thanks to the great work of the security services and the lack of support from the locals,they couldn't achieve anything.

waz said:

France they're coming.

Click to expand...

Why having swords when you can have guns ? HAHAHA.



Languedoc soldier

Vauban said:

It's not as if there was a franco-italian dispute over Corsica ?



Just a gang committing criminal activities and stealing corsica's people money !
Thanks to the great work of the security services and the lack of support from the locals,they couldn't achieve anything.



Why having swords when you can have guns ? HAHAHA.

Languedoc soldier

Click to expand...

Corsica forms one unit with our other large islands culturally. For most italians its pretty close to us. So who knows what future brings.

PHOTO: Corsica by Piri Reis

MarkusS said:

So who knows what future brings.

Click to expand...

I like it

bsruzm said:

PHOTO: Corsica by Piri Reis

I like it

Click to expand...

Why?

MarkusS said:

Why?

Click to expand...

Wouldn't you like to know what future brings?