RELEGATION CAMP

Between 1887 and 1938, more than 17,000 inmates landed in the relégation camp at Saint-Jean, 17 km from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. On May 27, 1885, the vote on the law on the relegation of repeat offenders led to the internment of repeat offenders in the colonies for life. A distinction was then made between two types of regime: individual relegation, applicable to convicts with the financial means to support themselves and who had demonstrated exemplary conduct during their imprisonment, which authorized the relegated to work and benefit from a concession while assigning them to the colony; and collective relegation, which forced the relegated to forced labor supervised by members of the prison administration, while eventually allowing them to benefit from individual relegation.

The distinction between relegated and transported prisoners meant that they could not be interned in the same camp, which is why it was decided to create specific camps for relegated prisoners. In 1885, on the site of a former transport camp, abandoned due to insalubrity, the then Ministry built a settlers' village. Settled in four camps, the "relégués" were granted agricultural concessions and could sell their produce on the market. However, the first wooden huts built on the camp by the relegués quickly deteriorated under the Guyanese climate. The camp's insalubrious conditions led to the flight of many relégués. The authorities decided to reinforce control and sanitation by building 20 permanent huts, giving the camp the appearance of a penitentiary. The great need for manpower to rebuild the camp put an end to the system of individual relegation. The vast majority of those relegated were then assigned to forced labor in conditions akin to transport camps. The relegation camp was abandoned in 1943, and the French army moved in in 1961.

The volunteer association Meki Wi Libi Na Wan offers guided tours of this exceptional site, located 17 km from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, as well as of the surrounding village. Passionate, responsive guides will explain how the village of Saint-Jean was created and became the capital of the Relégation. The organization of the camp, the regime of relegation and the daily life of these "undesirables" will no longer hold any secrets for you. To organize your visit with the association, visit the Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni Tourist Office.