Hollande: colonization is brutal and unfair
الشروق أونلاين
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French President Francois Hollande Thursday mentioned several negative points about the French colonization in Algeria but he avoided to pronounce the word « apologize » on behalf the French republic.
In his speech to Algerian Parliament on the second and final day of his visit, French President used words such as “brutal” and “unfair” to describe the colonization system.
“”For 132 years, Algeria was subjected to a brutal and unfair system: colonization. I acknowledge the suffering it caused,” he said.
He added that nothing could justify massacres of Algerian people. Yet, he said the past must not prevent Algeria and France from working together for the future.
He admitted that his country did not keep its promises to Algerians. “ I acknowledge here the suffering that colonization has inflicted on the people of Algeria. Among these sufferings, there are massacres of Setif, Guelma and Kherrata, which remain deeply rooted in Algerians’ memory and conscience,” he said.
Hollandee called for shedding light on what happened during the liberation revolution to reveal the truth and recognize the injustices. But he said his visit opened a new era of a partnership between equals.
He announced a decision to give archives about the colonization period to Algerian authorities.
He talked about the strong ties between Algeria and France, saying that a strengthening of economic ties would be beneficial to both nations.
Hollandee also said his visit to the province of Tlemcen (west of Algiers) came to show respect to the Algerian fight to gain freedom as Tlemcen is the native town of nationalism leader in Algeria Messali Hadj.
He promised to facilitate visa procedures for Algerians.
Although the French president devoted a large part of his speech to talk about sufferance among Algerians because of colonization, he did not give what was expected from him.
Earlier in 2007, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy talked in his visit to Algeria about his country’s oppression during colonization and described it as “unfair system.”
According to observers, Hollandee managed to make a “semi apology” in return for deals of billion Euros to save the French economy from recession and unemployment.
