{"id":11961,"date":"2021-03-17T06:18:31","date_gmt":"2021-03-17T11:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/?p=11961"},"modified":"2021-03-17T06:18:31","modified_gmt":"2021-03-17T11:18:31","slug":"viewpoint-frances-president-macron-doesnt-get-the-impact-of-colonialism-on-algeria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/en\/viewpoint-frances-president-macron-doesnt-get-the-impact-of-colonialism-on-algeria\/","title":{"rendered":"Viewpoint: France’s President Macron doesn’t get the impact of colonialism on Algeria"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source: bbc.com<\/p>\n

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In our series of letters from African journalists, Algerian-Canadian journalist Maher Mezahi reflects on the recent moves by France to repair relations with its former colony Algeria, especially concerning the bitter war of independence.<\/b><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Does French President Emmanuel Macron, really understand the legacy of colonialism?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I ask this in the wake of his recent admission – after 60 years of official denial – that the French army tortured and murdered the Algerian nationalist hero Ali Boumendjel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This recognition came as part of a series of measures aimed at reconciling France and Algeria after more than a century of colonisation that ended in 1962, following an eight-year war.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The reaction to Mr Macron’s statement here in Algeria was tepid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That may be because of the mixed messages he’s sent about the impact of the past.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"An<\/span>IMAGE COPYRIGHT<\/span>AFP<\/span><\/div>
image caption<\/span>Ali Boumendjel (R), seen here with his wife, was tortured and killed by French soldiers in 1957<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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The first time most Algerians had heard of Mr Macron was when he visited the country in February 2017 when he was running for president.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In an interview he went further than any French president ever had and described colonisation as a “crime against humanity”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The courage of his remarks took most Algerians by surprise. And they had ramifications for the political fight with the right-wing candidate, Marine Le Pen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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For the first time in my life, I felt there was the possibility of a French president sincerely examining French-Algerian history, thus setting a new stage for relations between the two countries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Yet since becoming president, Mr Macron has blown hot and cold on the Algeria issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The French in Algeria – key dates<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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1830:<\/b>\u00a0France occupies Algiers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1848:\u00a0<\/b>After an uprising led by rebel leader Abd-el-Kader, Paris declares Algeria to be an integral part of France<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1940:\u00a0<\/b>France falls to Germany in World War Two<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1942:<\/b>\u00a0Allied landings in Algeria<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1945:\u00a0<\/b>Allied forces defeat Germany. Thousands are killed in pro-independence demonstrations in S\u00e9tif<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1954-62:\u00a0<\/b>Algerian War<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1962:<\/b>\u00a0Algeria becomes an independent state<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The admission over the death of Boumendjel elicited little reaction here because, as historians and intellectuals wrote, it seemed futile to mention certain victims and leave out countless others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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One went as far as to say that this was a “Franco-French” issue, indicating that Mr Macron’s statement was not a revelation for Algerians.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Furthermore, his office has said an official apology is not in the works.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Less than a year after visiting Algeria as a candidate, Mr Macron returned as president.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Buttressed by a delegation of politicians, historians and a heavy security detail, the charismatic leader strolled through downtown Algiers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Maher<\/p>\n

Maher Mezahi<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Despite his apparent progressive policies towards Algeria, Mr Macron had not entirely understood the issue he was trying to tackle”<\/div>\n