The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has initiated a procedure to withdraw the medal of honor granted to a gendarme who had compared the Guyanese to " howling monkeys ", announced on Monday a deputy spokesman, confirming information from the Mediapart site.
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" We confirm that the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has launched a procedure to withdraw the Foreign Affairs medal of honor awarded to this person, " he said. " This decision reflects the will of the ministry to fight against racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination, " he added.
The gendarmerie squadron chief delivered himself on April 21, 2018, in a speech closing a mission on the spot, to what he then called an " allegory " on the local population. " What an exceptional fauna that all these howler monkeys launching as many swear words as breeze blocks to mark their territory, these little caimans soaking day and night in alcohol ", he launched, according to his speech revealed by Le Monde and LCI.
The Minister of the Interior Gérard Collomb had denounced in May 2018 " inadmissible and shocking remarks " and the gendarmerie initiated disciplinary proceedings against the squadron chief. The Foreign Affairs medal, which rewards "exceptional services performed on national territory or outside France, was awarded to him on February 27, 2018 for training actions in Iraq, the ministry said.
Le Quai explained that it had initiated the withdrawal procedure as soon as it became aware of "these facts, as well as the administrative sanction of the recipient, elements which had not been reported to him previously ". The nature of the sanction has not been communicated. On May 18, 2018, a few days after the opening of the disciplinary procedure, a decree signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian, had confirmed its decoration, recalled Mediapart.
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