The 60th anniversary of the truce was marked at a ceremony in the Elysée Palace, which was presided over by the chief of state. Speech that concludes a series of measures aimed at “building a shared and peaceful memory”. It was only a matter of days before the United States would elect a new president.
[Protests holding Algerian flag, Photo:Daud Abismail/Usplash]
The Algerian civil war continues, but it is not over yet. For the 60th anniversary of the Evian truce, Emmanuel Macron presided over a special ceremony at the Elysée Palace on Saturday. Witnesses, known as “harkis,” spoke in the village hall of the presidential palace on this day, expressing their intense emotions in a sombre tone.
“I am well aware that the bloodshed will continue long after this day has passed. For some, it’s the beginning of the end…] There were no signs of peace or conflict at this time, hence it was not a turning point. Emmanuel Macron called it a “milestone.”
Elysee Palace speech by Emmanuel Macron on Saturday brought to an end a series of initiatives to “build a common and peaceful memory” in Algeria since the beginning of his five-year term, with an audience of around 200 people representing all kinds of Algerians, from conscripts to independence fighters to those who had been returned home. A path of acknowledgment that culminated in an end to denials and silences is what we’ve accomplished as a team, according to Emmanuel Macron.
Several efforts have been proposed after France and its army were held accountable for the killings of mathematician Maurice Audin and lawyer Ali Boumendjel in January 2021, according to a study written by Benjamin Stora. Forgiveness for the Harkis and acknowledgement of the pied-noirs’ destiny have been expressed through symbolic gestures that have been opened up in the French police and military archives. Montpellier will soon be home to a museum dedicated to the history of France and Algeria. “He will embody this crucial mission of history and memory,” said Emmanuel Macron.
But on the opposite side of the Mediterranean, same endeavours are met with scepticism. Mohamed-Antar Daoud, the Algerian ambassador to France, was invited to the Elysée Palace on Saturday, but he did not go. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria said the memorial case should be treated in a “fair” manner and said that the “crimes” of French colonialism could not be prescribed. According to a statement made public on Friday, “the memorial file must unavoidably be dealt in a way responsible and fair, in an atmosphere of frankness and trust.”
There have been many ups and downs in France’s relationship with Algeria since the conclusion of the war. There had been increasing tension between France and Algeria last autumn when Emmanuel Macron accused the Algerian leadership of preserving “memory rent,” which had led to Algeria’s ambassador to France being summoned back to France for many weeks. Algerian officials in Algiers continue to press France for a formal apology for colonialism. Even if France does not snatch the Elysée’s hand, the country’s hand is still outstretched. “The conversation goes on,” he says. Algeria is on its path to become a major player in the global economy. I’m going to presume that this hand-holding will be followed by further gestures and actions.
With just three weeks before the first round of voting begins, the presidential campaign was already asked to attend before Emmanuel Macron became involved. The legislation passed in 2012 designates March 19 as the “national day of remembering and meditation in memory of the civilian and military casualties of the Algerian war and fighting in Tunisia and Morocco” in order to mark the conclusion of the Algerian conflict.
This year’s commemoration of March 19 was slammed by Marine Le Pen (RN) and Valérie Pécresse (LR). A presidential candidate for the National Rally (RN) says he has “long contested this chosen date” because “this date, which has been imposed as the end of the Algerian war, was not the end of the Algerian war, because there were dozens of thousands of harkis who were savagely murdered,” according to France Inter. The far-right candidate said, “Unless Algeria itself requests forgiveness from the harkis for the way they acted towards them, it will be no” if it comes to reconciling memories by flagellating oneself in front of Algeria, which continues to demand acts of penance. Valérie Pécresse, on the other hand, said that she would like to choose a new date.
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| [Protests holding Algerian flag, Photo:Daud Abismail/Usplash] |
The Algerian civil war continues, but it is not over yet. For the 60th anniversary of the Evian truce, Emmanuel Macron presided over a special ceremony at the Elysée Palace on Saturday. Witnesses, known as “harkis,” spoke in the village hall of the presidential palace on this day, expressing their intense emotions in a sombre tone.
“I am well aware that the bloodshed will continue long after this day has passed. For some, it’s the beginning of the end…] There were no signs of peace or conflict at this time, hence it was not a turning point. Emmanuel Macron called it a “milestone.”
Elysee Palace speech by Emmanuel Macron on Saturday brought to an end a series of initiatives to “build a common and peaceful memory” in Algeria since the beginning of his five-year term, with an audience of around 200 people representing all kinds of Algerians, from conscripts to independence fighters to those who had been returned home. A path of acknowledgment that culminated in an end to denials and silences is what we’ve accomplished as a team, according to Emmanuel Macron.
But on the opposite side of the Mediterranean, same endeavours are met with scepticism. Mohamed-Antar Daoud, the Algerian ambassador to France, was invited to the Elysée Palace on Saturday, but he did not go. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria said the memorial case should be treated in a “fair” manner and said that the “crimes” of French colonialism could not be prescribed. According to a statement made public on Friday, “the memorial file must unavoidably be dealt in a way responsible and fair, in an atmosphere of frankness and trust.”
There have been many ups and downs in France’s relationship with Algeria since the conclusion of the war. There had been increasing tension between France and Algeria last autumn when Emmanuel Macron accused the Algerian leadership of preserving “memory rent,” which had led to Algeria’s ambassador to France being summoned back to France for many weeks. Algerian officials in Algiers continue to press France for a formal apology for colonialism. Even if France does not snatch the Elysée’s hand, the country’s hand is still outstretched. “The conversation goes on,” he says. Algeria is on its path to become a major player in the global economy. I’m going to presume that this hand-holding will be followed by further gestures and actions.
With just three weeks before the first round of voting begins, the presidential campaign was already asked to attend before Emmanuel Macron became involved. The legislation passed in 2012 designates March 19 as the “national day of remembering and meditation in memory of the civilian and military casualties of the Algerian war and fighting in Tunisia and Morocco” in order to mark the conclusion of the Algerian conflict.
This year’s commemoration of March 19 was slammed by Marine Le Pen (RN) and Valérie Pécresse (LR). A presidential candidate for the National Rally (RN) says he has “long contested this chosen date” because “this date, which has been imposed as the end of the Algerian war, was not the end of the Algerian war, because there were dozens of thousands of harkis who were savagely murdered,” according to France Inter. The far-right candidate said, “Unless Algeria itself requests forgiveness from the harkis for the way they acted towards them, it will be no” if it comes to reconciling memories by flagellating oneself in front of Algeria, which continues to demand acts of penance. Valérie Pécresse, on the other hand, said that she would like to choose a new date.