1,345 written questions at the French parliament about Algeria

The number of written questions submitted to the French Parliament in its two chambers on issues related to Algeria has reached 1,345 since the beginning of the current legislature on 20 June 2012, in addition to more than 5 bills introduced in 2016 only with on focus the burning issue of the brutal French colonial rule in Algeria, and this was offset by the rigid and listless attitude adopted so far by the Algerian Parliament with respect to French-Algerian relations.

The draft laws submitted to the French Parliament, both in the National Assembly (Parliament) or in the Senate highlight five bills put forth by French parliamentarians during the year 2016 alone, with the common denominator being directly related to France’s somber colonial past, which “Echorouk” referred to in its earlier editions, after having skimmed through the copies of the relevant documents.

The French parliament introduced in this connection a bill to glorify the “Harkis” who had betrayed the Algerian revolution and vowed to compensate them for what they had lost in the wake of the revolution, whether on the physical or mental plans, in April 2016.

A host of French MPs later introduced a bill blaming Algeria for massacres against the “Harkis” right after the enforcement of the cease-fire and after the country wrenched independence in July 1962, to be followed by another bill accusing Algeria of allegedly committing massacres against the so-called “Pieds Noirs” or “Black Feet” and the deportees and also of having  confiscated their property in Algeria.

Perhaps the only submitted law that was deemed positive for Algeria was that which officially recognized France’s full responsibility in the horrendous massacres and bloody events of October 17, 1961 in Paris, which saw French police forces deal brutally and mercilessly with peaceful Algerian demonstrators who were solely demanding the legitimate right of Algeria to freedom and independence.