12.000 Euros Fine For Insulting Harkis!

French Armed Forces Ministry proposed the punishment of those who insult Harkis with paying financial fines of 12.000 euros (170 million centimes), in addition to granting financial and moral compensation for them, and giving them and their children civil medals for the honorary trophy and the National Medal of Merit, the preparation of films and references that highlight the “military commitment of Harkis” in defending France, and making the Algerian war and Harkis in mandatory subjects in the French middle and secondary education schools.

The 56 proposals were made in a report that was prepared by the French Armed Forces Ministry through the country’s state secretary, Geneviéve Darrieussecq, which was completed last July and will be presented to the French presidency before the end of the year, as the report carried the title “France is embracing and acknowledging the Harkis” (a copy is available to Echorouk).

Among the 56 proposals that are contained in this report, the activation of full recognition of the fate of the Harkis and their families in Algeria, and upon their arrival in French territory, the use of Parliament to gain recognition by the French nation towards this category, and making September, 25, as a national day to commemorate the Harkis.

Authors of the report proposed to Paris to honor Harkis, especially the women who participated in the war of Algeria (the war of liberation), and give tribute to the children of Harkis in the framework of the civil promotions of the honorary choir and the National Merit, and increase communication about the courses of excellence that were offered by ” Chorus of Honor” for the granddaughters of the grandchildren.

The report called on the French government to organize a large exhibition at the Musée of War Veterans in Paris “Les Invalides” in 2019 and 2020, to highlight the military commitment of Harkis, and to ensure that their memory is valued in the defense of France.

It also urged the completion of documentary films through the audiovisual department of the Defense Ministry that highlights the military commitment of the Harkis, and ensure its wide publications, in order to promote the role of the Harkis and promote the image of the “Harki soldier”, and to encourage cinematic, play, literary and artistic initiatives that aimed at improving the image of Harkis in public opinion.

In the Proposition 12 of the same report we read an addition to article 5 of the Act of February,23, 2005 on the glorification of colonialism, to the effect that the penalty in case of insulting Harkis reaches a fine of 12.000 euros, which is more than 170 million centimes in the national currency at the official exchange rate , and 250 million centimes at the parallel market exchange rate.

The proposals also included expanding the scope of intervention of the Inter ministerial Committee to Combat Discrimination and Anti-Semitism to include insult and discrimination against the Harkis.

The report called for the continuation of the diplomatic work that was initiated by the French government and its Algerian counterpart in order to allow and facilitate the Harkis return to Algeria.

On this point, a French diplomat who was interviewed by Echorouk in Paris last October explained that a working group on this file will soon present its proposals to Algeria to enable Harakis to return to the land where they were born.

He added that during the meeting between President Macron and Bouteflika last December, this topic was addressed, and the president was open.

One of the most striking proposals in the 138-page is making the teaching of the Algerian war (the liberation revolution) compulsory in the middle schools of the French education in history, and in secondary education through history and memory, and provide teachers with the necessary documents to facilitate the teaching of history that is associated with the Algerian war and Harkis, especially on the website of the national education and defense education.

Among the proposals, there were the inclusion of training courses for history professors on the Algerian war and Harkis, in the training plan of General Directorate of School Education “DGESCO”.