France marks WWII end, keeps silent on Setif massacre
As France celebrated 70 years since World War II came to a close, it continued to remain silent about the parallel 70th anniversary of one of its horrific colonial crimes, namely the Setif massacres, Press TV reports.
Algerians and their supporters waged a protest rally on Friday in the French capital of Paris to demand that France come clean about embarking on a state-sponsored massacre many refer to as “the other May 8th.”
Algerians remember May 8, 1945 as a day France initiated an appalling state-ordered campaign of carnage aimed at making a clear statement on who was in charge.
The Setif massacres began when French police fired on a parade celebrating the end of the war. Ensuing riots left 140 French colonists killed, provoking a hugely disproportionate response. A two-week spree of murder, rape and mutilation and the bombing of Algerian towns, according to some accounts, led to the deaths of tens of thousands people.
“Forty-five thousand Algerians were killed simply for demonstrating in favor of liberty, democracy and the end of war… They learned very quickly that France had no intention of keeping the promises it made during World War II,” said a participant (pictured above) in the protest rally.
This is while French President François Hollande formally apologized last year for a similar massacre in Senegal, but Paris always seems to have more trouble owning up to the facts about its Algerian occupation.
“Despite all the well-known facts about these crimes, France has refused to open up its archives on the subject. However, it is only very recently that groups have begun to lobby for this right to honesty and will eventually succeed,” said another demonstrator (pictured above).
“France must officially recognize these massacres and crimes. This will permit the two countries to finally rebuild relations and a firm base of cooperation and respect,” another participant (pictured below) said.
The massacre marked a major turning point in Franco-Algerian relations. Returning war veterans saw that France had no intention of granting human rights to Algeria and the tragedy was an indication of the bloodletting to come during Algeria’s war of independence.
Observers believe while World War II marked a difficult period for France, it certainly does not grant it the right to amnesia 70 years later as failing to acknowledge such crimes only boosts the chances of repeating them.
MFB/NN/HMV
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