France Speeds up Access to Algeria War Secret Archives

On March 17, 2021March 16, 2021 By Dr. Y.In Great MomentsLeave a comment

Well now France is speeding up the access to secret Algeria war archives… but there is a caveat… a lot will depend on whether the French government wants it or not. … I wonder if these declassified documents will encompass all Algerians killed during that time and not just high profile figures like independence fighter Ali Boumendjel; hopefully, by opening these, more light will be shed on the countless Algerians who perished at the hand of the French… I also wonder if France will do it for other African countries, because we would all like to know about the genocide in Cameroon [French President Acknowledges French Genocide in Cameroon], in Madagascar, the Napalm bombing in Cameroon, the death of Sylvanus Olympio in Togo, the assassination of Thomas Sankara in Burkina Faso (his widow is still asking for those), the death of Mehdi Ben Barka, Barthelemy Boganda, and countless others. Well, while we wait, please read excerpts below from an article on RFI‘s website. Lastly, is this a ploy to distract Algerians from protesting against their government and leftover croonies from the previous government which have been backed up by France for years?

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France is to make it easier for researchers to access classified government files that date back more than 50 years, especially those relating to the Algerian War – still a highly controversial chapter in French history which authorities have struggled to face.

A statement from the Elysée Palace said, as from Wednesday, a new procedure would “significantly reduce the delay” [I thought it was plain OPEN… why reduce the delay?] for declassifying documents in order to “encourage respect for historical truth”. It specifically mentioned documents relating to the Algerian War of independence (1954-62) [what about prior events? We all know that some periods before then were just as gruesome].

The measure comes after a series of steps taken by Macron to reconcile France with its colonial past and address its history with Algeria, which was under French rule for 132 years until its independence in 1962.

Under French heritage laws, official documents, including on defence and security issues, should be made available to researchers and the public after 50 years.

But historians and archivists have complained about difficulties in getting access to files because the process is not automatic. Every single document must be formally declassified and stamped before it becomes accessible, a slow process that has effectively kept much information under wraps.

Under the changes, archivists will be able to declassify archive boxes all at once rather than document by document, which will, in theory, [there it is: it a theory… knowing the French government, this is just nice words] speed up the process.

… Even once the files are technically declassified, they can still be meticulously checked page by page for sensitive military secrets before being handed over … Despite the latest announcement, “if the authorities don’t want to declassify, they won’t”. …

France Admits Murder of Algerians … A Step Forward?

On March 10, 2021 By Dr. Y.In Great Moments7 Comments

Last week, France admitted the abduction and murder of Algerians during the war of independence. The events that happened during those times have been described as a genocide committed by France in Algeria. Is Macron’s admission enough to patch the Franco-Algerian relationship? I don’t know why, but it sounds more like France wants to keep Algerian natural gas (largest natural gas producer in the world), and oil flowing while they have closed their economy due to pandemic, to keep getting those free billions from Africa. I know, I am a skeptic, but would you blame me when France conveniently waits for all survivors to die to admit the abduction and murder of Algerians? I acknowledge that it is a step, but does Macron expects us to clap? to hug him for it? I don’t know why these European presidents and kings think that admission of murder means apology [French President Acknowledges French Genocide in Cameroon, Belgian King Expresses ‘Deepest Regrets’ for Colonial Past in Congo, Namibia Rightfully Rejects 10 million Euros Compensation for Genocide]. Like I have said before, it’s like France just woke up and said, “Yes… I killed your fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children… I tortured them… I murdered your freedom fighters… Idisplaced your families… it is all true… so what? what would you do about it?” The arrogance! Where is the apology? Where is the compensation for years of trauma? Where is the reparation? Until there is a clear “I am sorry”, until there is a clear “here is what we will do to right the wrongs,” until there is a clear “correction and inclusion in the history textbooks, opening of all classified documents”…. until there is a clear “respect for those killed, and for those living today” until then, there will be no respect for arrogant presidents! Excerpts below are from the BBC. Please also check what was written about the event on RFI.

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France’s admission about the abduction and murder of Algerians during the war of independence is a big step but it is not enough, according to French historian Fabrice Riceputi.

It is a huge moment for the grandchildren of lawyer Ali Boumendjel, who were received by French President Emmanuel Macron to hear the truth about the assassination of their grandfather.

His widow Malika Boumendjel, who fought for decades for the truth about her husband’s disappearance rejecting the French official account of suicide, passed away last year aged 101 without hearing the acknowledgement she waited for all her life [isn’t it so convenient that France waits for survivors to die to “admit”?].

For Riceputi a rexamination of the French colonial rule in Algeria should not be restricted to “emblematic figures” such as Maurice Audin and Ali Boumendjel.

The French army in Algeria adopted since 1957 the technique of “forced disappearance” as a systematic method to crush the nationalists, according to Mr Riceputi.

It consisted of abducting, murdering and disposing of the body of any Algerian they suspect of having links with the FLN which led the war for independence.

There were tens of thousands in the capital city, Algiers and many more throughout the country, he says.

It was a “system designed to terrify the population” and silence dissidents and supporters of independence, the historian says.

It has also left dozens of thousands of families and generations of their descendants suffering decades of emotional and psychological trauma.

Mr Riceputi believes that the French authorities are avoiding the essence of the truth through these “selected” and “high-profile” admissions. …

The routine torture and murder of Algerian civilians by the French army during the seven-year war that some say claimed 1.5 million Algerian lives has been hushed up for decades.

Indeed, France has never even recognized the existence of a “war” in Algeria. Until 1999 they have always called it the “events” or “troubles” of Algiers. The atrocities committed by their army were described as “operations to maintain order”.

Who/What did we Celebrate in Africa in 2020 ?

On December 31, 2020January 1, 2021 By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great People2 Comments

Even though 2020 was quite a “different” year for a lot of people, there were still a lot of things to celebrate in Africa. Let’s do a review of some of the things we celebrated this year in 2020! There are many more, of course, but I selected 10. Enjoy!

As you remember, Germany committed the First Genocide of the 20th Century in Namibia. It took them over a century to even acknowledge it. Over the past few years, they have been returning skulls of the Herero they killed, and memorabilia from Herero freedom fighters [Germany Returns Skulls of Namibians Genocide Victims, Germany Returns Artifacts Stolen From a Namibian Freedom Fighter, Have Germans finally acknowledged the Namibian Genocide?]. This year, Namibia rejected a German offer of compensation of 10 million Euros for the genocide. I applaud the strength of the Namibian government for refusing this offer which is a spat from the German: Such an insult! Germany have almost eradicated an entire race, and to this day, Namibia is struggling because of this. And they give 10 million Euros? 10 millions Euros for torturing, killing, raping, destroying, displacing for years? [Namibia Rightfully Rejects 10 million Euros Compensation for Genocide]
King Leopold II
At the end of June, the King of Belgium “expressed his deepest regrets;” it took over 100 years for a Belgian King to finally “express his deepest regrets” for Belgium’s colonial past in Congo. As we recall, King Leopold II of Belgium perpetrated a genocide in Congo. Leopold II took Congo, a country at least 10 times the size of Belgium, as his private property and killed millions of Congolese. It is said that he must have executed and maimed over 15 million people! Not sure what this king wants… deepest regrets is not equal to apology or recognition… so although this is a first in over 100 years, it will not cut it! [Belgian King Expresses ‘Deepest Regrets’ for Colonial Past in Congo, Lumumba’s Children Ask Belgian King for their Father’s Remains]
Metche Waterfalls in Cameroon was the site of French genocide there
France returned skulls of Algerian fighters in August, as a first step towards recognition of their wrongdoings (genocide) in Algeria. What is it with these people and skulls is beyond me! As a flashback, Algeria obtained its independence from France after 7 years of a bloody war with France. During that time, France perpetrated a genocide in Algeria… For the first time, a French president, Emmanuel Macron, acknowledged that the colonization of Algeria was a “crime against humanity.” We are now awaiting for recognition of France’s crimes against humanity in Cameroon, and Madagascar, and countless others [French President Acknowledges French Genocide in Cameroon, Fossi Jacob: A Cameroonian Hero and France’s Genocide in Cameroon].
In Tanzania, Saniniu Laizer, a small-scale miner, became an overnight millionaire in June when he found and sold two rough Tanzanite stones valued at $3.4 millions, and then sold another gem in August for $2 millions. This was the biggest ever found in Tanzania, not sure for the world. These are major records!
Flag of South Africa
Black South Africans who fought in World War II were finally recognized! This is great… but at the same time sad… why did it take 80 years for their recognition? We all know that African soldiers were key to the liberation of France during World War II, and yet when it came time for the parade on the Bastille, their uniforms were given to their white counterparts for the parade… after all, it should not be read in the annals of history that Africans liberated France! [Thiaroye: A French Massacre in Senegal, ‘Thiaroye Massacre’ by Ousmane Sembene]
There is strong excitement to the countdown to the African trade. The trading phase under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by 54 of the 55 countries in Africa, and initially set to begin in July 2020, but now will start on January 1, 2021 [Nigeria signs African Free Trade Area Agreement]. This is a big news for the African continent as it will now allow for free trade across the continent, increasing trade among countries which should have always traded between themselves. This is what was envisioned by Kwame Nkrumah, all the independence fathers, and more recently by Muammar Kadhafi (Africans and the Trap of Democracy) at the AU.
Angelique Kidjo (Source: World Music Central)
The world-renowned singer singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo from Benin kicked off the year 2020 with a monumental performance at the 62nd Grammy Awards in January. She snatched her 4th Grammy award for Best World Album, and rocked the Los Angeles Staples Center. As always (I have had the honor of attending one of her concerts), she brought the true spirit of Africa to the stage as she told all that African music is the bedrock of all music.
Amid the strong racial justice movements that rocked the world this year, the country of Benin has decided to renovate the fort of Ouidah, in Ouidah which was a key city in the slave trade for many centuries; this is a bid to promote tourism in the country, and to honour the suffering and celebrate the overcoming Africans who were captured and inhumanely shipped abroad from the main port of this coastal town [Benin restores the Fort of Ouidah]. Similarly, Somalia has also made a move to culturally reinforce its lands as it signed in February an education and heritage support deal with UNESCO aimed at strengthening efforts to preserve the country’s culture, education, and history.
Djaili Amadou Amal (Source: Wikipedia)
This year, there was a good news for African writers. Cameroon’s Djaïli Amadou Amal won this year’s prestigious French Literary Award Goncourt des Lycéens for her novel ‘Les Impatientes‘ — inspired by her personal experiences in a South Sahel patriarchal society; later that week in December she won the Choix Goncourt de l’Orient. Two African authors were shortlisted for the Booker Prize of fiction: Ethiopian Maaza Mengiste, and Zimbabwean Tsitsi Dangarembga. Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie whose novel ‘Half of a Yellow Sun‘ — set during her the Biafra civil war, was voted the best book to have won the Women’s Prize for Fiction in its 25-year history.
Master KG and Nomcebo Kizode in Jerusalema (Africanews.com)
“Jerusalema”, the South African song by DJ Master KG featuring Nomcebo Kizode has taken over the world and has gone viral on social media… Jerusalema has become a global phenomenon, even inspiring its own dance challenge. What is even more amazing, is the hit took over the world, and is a Gospel song which talks about God always being close, saving us, and never letting go of us.. The Gospel hit has undoubtedly marked Africa as the soundtrack of the year [South Africa National Heritage Day, The story behind Master KG’s ‘Jerusalema,’ one of the most …].