Algerian President Bouteflika: France’s colonial history ignorance does not help Franco Algerian relations

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika confirmed that some French public opinions which are drifting to ignore and counterfeit history do not help establishing good relations with France. “This forgery doesn’t allow us to build a better future starting form a real and honest colonial history which has left deep scars on Algerians,” said the president.  

“We give a big importance to all voices in France that demand to put an end to history ignorance especially events related to 08th May 1945. These voices open doors for real and continuous reconciliation between Algerian and French people,” said President Boutaflika in a letter read by Algerian War Veterans Minister Mohamed Cherif Abbas in the Youth house of Kharrata in Bejaia province (east of Algeria) on the commemoration  of the May 8th’s massacres.

“Algeria has been working for more than nearly 50 years since independence on establishing partnership and cooperation with neighbours especially France. Realtions based on geographical neighbourhood, mutual interests and respect of national sovereignty. However, history ignorance as a strange tendency; a tendency of using and counterfeit history to which some French public opinions have drifted doesn’t help deepening relations with France,” he mentioned.

On that occasion, the President called for immortalizing the May 8th 1945’s martyrs and asking for mercy on their souls.  “I call on you to ask for mercy on martyrs’ thousands martyrs souls from our nation who were killed, jailed and tortured by the French colonialism and militia during the ugly and bloody events of May 8th 1945 ugly and bloody events in Setif, Guelma, and Kherrata (East of Algeria) …”.

President Bouteflika added “While all world nations were celebrating victory over the Nazism, Algerians were going on peaceful strikes to do so in many Algeria’ regions. They were involved in that war against Nazi movement like French soldiers and many of them died. At the same time they insisted on their right to get freedom by hoisting the Algerian flag but the French colonizers intensely and cruelly responded by a genocide committed by the air forces and the marine navy.

President Bouteflika said that freedom fighters and martyrs were Algerian resistant pioneers against colonialism. A resistance which brought outbreak of the national revolution for independence in the beginning of November 1954, then the crashing political and military victories on the 5th of July 1962.

 The Algerian President’s statements come at the same time in a time with the address French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivered about French victory over Nazi and Germanic peace treaty. Whereas Celebrations are taking place in Paris on the same day, Sarkozy ignores totally that Algerians were a part of that victory and they paid the price twice. Once when France promised freedom if they fight on her side against Germany, then when they went out on May 8th 1945 to celebrate the French victory over Germany. Instead of getting their freedom, there was genocide.