France realized Algerians' suffering from terrorism after “Charlie Hebdo” incident, French Ambassador says
الشروق أونلاين
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Bernard Emié, France's Ambassador to Algiers. Photo: archive
France was not aware of terrorism danger which was suffered by Algerians during the nineties and journalists in particular, and discovered lately the meaning of terrorist violence after “Charlie Hebdo” incident, French Ambassador to Algeria , Bernard Emié said.
Bernard Emié, added in a speech during a ceremony that was organized in honor of Algerian journalists, who received a training under “Taher Djaout” program of 2014: “Now I understand Algerians who spoke to me many times and blame France and the rest of the world from neglecting Algerians and journalists who dies due to terrorism in the nineties, and wondered why millions did not stand on the situation of Algeria in the past, as they did after Charlie Hebdo attacks on January,11.
“They are right now, and without a doubt we have become aware of the seriousness of the terrorist violence. France with the passage of time realized that it was a common battle without borders against terrorist barbarism and for freedom. Time has come to fight terrorism and defend freedom of expression, whatever the religion or country.”
“Algerian journalists who have been the victim of Djihadist barbaric ideology struggled in the nineties, as 120 journalists paid the price of freedom of expression and facing terrorism, in circumstances when Algeria was alone in defending and struggling against terrorism. After the attacks of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, we all said we are Charlie, but now we can also say we remember Algerian journalists who were murdered treacherously. We are Tahar Djaout.
“We also remember the two Algerians who died in Charlie Hebdo attack, the language debugger in the magazine, Moustafa Wared and the cop, Ahmed Merabet. Islam and Muslims have nothing to do with the barbaric savagery of extremists, and this was confirmed by President Francois Hollande, who said that the war is against terrorism and not against religion.”
“Freedom of expression is guaranteed by everyone”, Emié tried to implicitly respond the accusations against France about the growing racism against Muslims and freedom of expression, especially those related to Charlie Hebdo incident, saying; “There are somepeople who said we’re not Charlie, as there are those who say we’re not, Taher Djaout. This is their right and this is freedom of expression. Freedom of expression does not allow paying tribute to terrorist acts and the glorification of terrorism and the killing of journalists.We can not justify the burning of the French flag in Algiers streets. January, 11 rally was the message of the whole world against terrorism. It is the message of condemning violence against journalists, and it could also be an uprising for the journalist, Taher Djaout, which coincided on this day, because he died like the 17 French journalists who have been the victim of barbaric terrorism.”
