4 days ago
Debate on Colonial Crimes and Their Impact on the Algerian-French Crisis
In line with the French historian of Algerian origin, Benjamin Stora, who argues that the memory file can help ease tensions between Algeria and Paris, two countries experiencing an unprecedented political and diplomatic crisis, the French capital is hosting a debate on the French colonization of Algeria and its impact on the current disputes between the two capitals.
The roundtable discussion will take place on June 14 in Paris, under the title 'The French Colonisation's Past in Algeria and the Current Diplomatic Dispute Between the Two Countries.' It will feature well-known historians, academics, and journalists in France, including Alain Riscio (historian), Jean-Pierre Sereni (journalist at Orient XXI), a French historian of Algerian origin, Nedjib Sidi Moussa, sociologist Aïssa Kadri, jurist Mouloud Boumgar, and moderated by the Egyptian journalist (PhD in French Literature) and editor in chief of the leading newspaper of the Arab and Muslim community.
The round table discussion is prepared and organised by the Association for Colonial and Postcolonial History, in collaboration with Orient XXI magazine and
, to 'decode the current crisis between France and Algeria.'
The Association for Colonial and Postcolonial History is known for its tireless efforts to combat colonialist ideology and call for rectifying the disasters of colonialism by offering an apology to the peoples affected by it. Organisers
open the debate for the public with free admission at the International Centre for Popular Culture in Paris, on Saturday, June 14, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The title of this debate highlights the extent of the impact that France's colonial past has had on Algeria, which has been escalating since last summer. The work of the mixed committee on memory was halted, coinciding with Algeria's recall of its ambassador, Mohamed-Antar Daoud, from Paris, following French President Emmanuel Macron's shift in position on the Western Sahara issue.
A few days ago, historian Benjamin Stora, who chairs the French Memory Commission, said that the memory issue 'represents a possible way out of the crisis, and is indispensable in any case, and necessary in any case, because we cannot consider the Algerian history to be like all others.'
On this occasion, he called for working towards a quick settlement: 'We need strong initiatives, especially regarding the issue of the French colonisation of Algeria in the nineteenth century. But today, in my opinion, considering the possibility of launching initiatives on memory could serve as an alternative to resuming political relations, which is necessary to resolve immigration or visa issues.'
Benjamin Stora is presented as an advisor to the French president on memory matters. He has previously blamed the French side for the ongoing tensions, accusing Macron personally of causing the crisis in a previous interview with France 24, where he stated: 'First, it is important to note that French President Emmanuel Macron's statement regarding the Moroccan regime's (alleged) sovereignty over the Sahrawi territories has added fuel to the fire.'
Since the outbreak of the crisis, French officials have not stopped demanding the resumption of work on the memory file. However, the Algerian side has shown no response. Rather, it has raised its demands for the return of all the looted Algerian archives in French vaults, as stated by the head of the Algerian memory commission, Mohamed Zeghidi.
The possibility of resuming work on this file appeared on the horizon after the visit that led the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, to Algeria on April 6th. However, the recklessness of Bruno Retailleau, the Interior Minister in the government of François Bayrou, by kidnapping an Algerian consular employee in a Parisian street outside diplomatic norms, brought the crisis back to square one. This incident also revealed the existence of a real crisis in the decision-making circles in Paris, and that the French President had lost control of things, even if some tried to talk about a well-crafted scenario for exchanging political roles in relations with the former colony.
