Because the publication, almost six weeks in the past, of the report commissioned by Emmanuel Macron from French historian Benjamin Stora on the reconciliation of reminiscences between France and Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s speeches on the topic are eagerly awaited.
“We’ll by no means surrender our reminiscence however we should not make it a goodwill”, thus declared the Algerian president, Monday 1is March, in a televised interview with nationwide media.
“Highly effective lobbies which disrupt” relations
“We at present haven’t any downside with France”, assured Mr. Tebboune who described bilateral relations as “Good”. Nonetheless, “We is not going to privilege good relations to the detriment of historical past and reminiscence, however the issues are solved with intelligence and calm, and never with slogans”, continued the Algerian head of state.
Benjamin Stora, a acknowledged specialist within the modern historical past of Algeria, was tasked in July 2020 by President Emmanuel Macron with “Draw up a good and exact stock of the progress completed in France on the reminiscence of colonization and the Algerian warfare”.
Variously welcomed, his report, delivered to Mr. Macron on January 20, raised strong criticism, each in Algeria and in France, particularly for not having advocated « excuses » of Paris for the crimes of the colonial interval (1830-1962).
Mr. Tebboune once more blasted “Highly effective lobbies in France (…) that disrupt these relationships ”, alluding to former supporters of French Algeria. For his half, French President Emmanuel Macron is decided to take “Symbolic acts” to appease reminiscences on the Algerian warfare (1954-1962) and attempt to reconcile the 2 international locations, however he excluded any « repentance » and « excuses ».
Symbolic gestures
Mr. Tebboune has already taken notice of the “Gesture” of Paris who handed over in July 2020 to Algiers the stays of twenty-four Algerian nationalist fighters who fell initially of French colonization within the XIXe century.
Among the many different potential symbolic gestures, Benjamin Stora recommends particularly to deliver into the Pantheon the lawyer Gisèle Halimi, determine of opposition to the Algerian warfare, to grant a higher place to the historical past of France in Algeria at school applications or to return to Algiers the sword of Abdelkader, hero of the resistance to French colonization.
Approaching 60e anniversary of the top of the warfare and the independence of Algeria in 2022, the “Reconciliation of reminiscences” is a precedence concern between Algiers and Paris. MM. Macron and Tebboune are committed to working together on this memorial file.
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