Republic independent of Guyana

The République independent of Guyana was founded in 1886 by the inhabitants of Counani under the direction of the senior official Jules Gros with some French adventurers and of the fugitive slaves on immense a disputed zone of 350.000 km ² between the France and the Brésil. This republic was recognized neither by France, nor by Brazil. It disappeared at the end of one year.

France required the arbitration of the Russia to fix the border between the French Guiana and Dutch Guyana (today Surinam) which agreed to recognize the layout of the border fixed by the treaty of Paris in 1814. The course of the Awa river became the line border between the two countries.

February 1st 1900, the Swiss commission decides to delimit the zone disputed by the Fleuve Oyapock which emerges with the course Orange and will separate the French and Brazilian zones. Brazil annexes the territory of Counani which takes the name of Aricari.

The first republic (1886 -1887)

Large Jules (1809-1891), Journalist little known and member of the Société of Geography are named in 1883 Secretary of State for the development of the economy in French Guiana. This nomination will change its life. Indeed, quickly it becomes acquainted with Jean Ferréol Guignes, Burgundian explorer originating in Mâcon, which explored Guyana towards the beginning of the Années 1880, which says to him to have found gold mines in Guyana. With a Swiss friend, Paul District, Guignes form a company, whose Jules Gros is the secretary. The business is profitable and brings back much money. Guigues and Quartier are established in Counani, small village on the coast between the estuaries of Oyapock and the Araguari. The chief of Counani at the time is the captain Trajano Benitez. Although on the Brazilian territory, the village, like those of Calçoene and Amapá, inter alia, has a strong black population which wished to be managed by France - where slavery had been abolished - rather than by Brazil. Actually, the territorial problem enters France and Brazil dates from the Traité of Utrecht of 1713. Several times, the desired Brazilian neighbor to affirm his sovereignty on Counani by supporting several rebellions against Trajano Benitez. This last required of France to protect Counani, but without success. Trajano Benitez started to have problems with the inhabitants of Counani.

Its lieutenant was Nunato de Marced, whose girl had married Paul Quartier. This one suggested with his/her father-in-law creating a new independent state under French protection. District and Guigues had in the idea by this skew to sell actions in the gold mines - non-existent - of Counani in France and to make fortune. The republic is proclaimed July 23rd 1886. Guigues is named president of the Council and Quartier public Minister for Labor.

The Republic adopts a currency (" Freedom and justice") and a flag. Large Jules, secretary of the company based in France is named president-with-life of the Republic of Counani, under the title the Large one Ist.

Guignes returned to France, but its lack of discretion concerning this phantom state raised the attention of the French government, which arose the problem of border between France and Brazil and affirmed that nobody could proclaim a Republic. Guignes affirmed that Counani was only one colony " libre" asking the protection of France. Following the protests Brazilian which disputed the intrusion of France in a neutral territory, the French authorities reflect fine at the end of the first Republic of Counani.

The second Republic (1887 - 1891)

Large Jules, revolted by these remarks, decided to make live the Republic of Counani. Thus Gros adopted a new flag. But in same time, Quartier was banished of Counani and Trajano Benitez, which was against independence, regained a certain influence near the inhabitants.

The end of the republic of Counani approached. However, in January 1888, Large and Guignes were again whole with Counani, to accommodate some English business men good naive. Large Jules and Alexander McDonald founded a trade union which envisaged the exploitation of the territory of Counani during 99 years for the extraction of the main resources.

Thanks to the money of the trade union, Large Jules and his family left Paris for Counani the July 8th 1888. But quickly, Large déchanta, not finding in Counani the El Dorado hoped. MacDonald realized quickly that France had never recognized the Republic of Counani. Large turned over to France, where he died in 1891, thinking that he was always the president of a Republic of Counani…

The discovery of the Or in 1895 in the area of Calçoene relit the free-Brazilian conflict. Francisco Xavier da Veiga Cabral, known as Cabralzinho, Brazilian gang leader, seized the disputed territory of Counani. France and Brazil resorted to the arbitration of Switzerland by the convention of the April 10th 1895. Brazil annexes the territory then.

Free state of Counani (1904 - 1912)

A few years later, another French, Adolphe Brezet proclaimed president of the free State of Counani (famous thus following the Guerre of Boers and the creation of the free State of Orange). The State published stamps, a constitution and created a new flag. But its " mandat" was marked by many fraudulent activities.

Free state of Counani (Years 1990)

Today, certain people proclaim themselves exiled free State of Counani and still assert this territory.

Complement

A note of the Official journal of the precise September 11th 1887 relating to the Territory of Counani:

“ Of the attempts is currently made by some people in order to create an independent republic with Counani, locality located in the vast territory whose France and Brazil also assert the possession since the treaty of Utrecht.

“ a similar company is in obvious contradiction with the claims of the two States and the working arrangement established between them, in 1862, to regulate the exercise of the police force in a territory with the sovereignty of which thirds could not claim without usurpation.

“ Under these conditions, neither the government of the French Republic, nor that of S. Mr. Emperor of Brazil could authorize the establishment of supposedly the " Counanienne" republic;. ”

See too

Disputed free-Brazilian

External bonds & references

the free State of Counani or the expression of independent Guyana.
Currency struck for the Republic Independent of Guyana
Yearly of hygiene and colonial medicine, Divides into volumes fourth (1901), on the sanitary situation of Counani, pp. 121 to 128: p. 121, p. 122, p. 123, p. 124 (with a chart of overall picture of the territorial claim), p. 125, p. 126, p. 127, humorous p. 128.
Poem in homage to Jules Large
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/br_cunan.html

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