I have been meaning to write this post for the past several months and save it for the occasion, yet here I’m, mid-day, trying to collect all the facts and write them down.
I have to admit that the war on Gaza was big motivation for me to write this piece. Watching genocide live streamed without being able to do anything about it while people debate what is and isn’t happening even though it’s on video.
Remember, Palestinians, like Ukrainians, or any other nation, have the right to resist their oppressor.
Long Live Palestine. Long Live Gaza.
This year, Algerians are set to celebrate 62 years since gaining independence from France, which colonized the country between 1830 and 1962. The French colonialism of the country was mired with the most heinous crimes against humanity, including genocide, torture, murder, nuclear tests, and looting that extended to archives.
Until now, France has neither admitted to these atrocities nor apologized to Algerians.
Genocide
Today marks the 79th anniversary of the largest and ugliest carnage committed by France in a single day. On May 8, 1945, hundreds of thousands of Algerians celebrated the end of World War II (1939–1945) and pressed demands that France fulfill its promise to grant them independence. The colonial forces, however, were quick to open fire against unarmed demonstrators, brutally killing up to 45,000 Algerians in the process.
According to historians, entire villages were wiped out by French authorities, while different forms of torture were practiced against the Algerian population.
Torture
In terms of torture, hundreds of thousands of Algerians were tortured throughout the war. Henri Alleg's memoir detailed experiences of waterboarding, electrocution, beatings, burnings, starvation, and water deprivation while under arrest in 1954, as well as throwing detainees from helicopters.
Sexual violence as a weapon
Rape crimes are believed to have taken place on a large scale over the course of eight years (1945-1962). These crimes were extremely common. There is abundant photographed evidence of French soldiers molesting and g*ng raping Algerian women and girls. It was a form of systemic violence and punishment.
My grandmother told me they used dirt and face tattoos as some of the many desperate methods to make themselves look the least 'attractive' possible.
Skulls of resistance fighters
Algerian combatants were subject to brutal mutilations and deaths at the hands of french soldiers. Evidence of noses, ears, genitals, and heads being cut off algerian corpses have been documented.
The French reportedly have a collection of over 18,000 preserved skulls in the Homme Museum in Paris.
In July 2020, Algeria recovered 24 skulls belonging to leaders of the Algerian resistance who were killed and then beheaded by the French colonial forces in the mid-19th century.
Nuclear tests
From 1960–1966 (meaning even after independence), France carried out around 17 nuclear experiments in the Algerian desert. However, Algerian historians put the number at 57. The first nuclear test was conducted on February 13, 1960, code-named “Gerboise Bleue” (Blue Desert Rat) in the Adrar region.
The French nuclear experiments have caused the deaths of around 42,000 Algerians and injured thousands due to nuclear radioactivity, in addition to decades of fallout and environmental destruction. The effects of these bombs are still felt today.
France has rejected Algerian authorities demands to reveal the location of the nuclear waste, as well as compensating the victims and those suffering from permanent disabilities due to the harmful effects of nuclear radioactivity.
Looted archives
The Algerian authorities accuse the French of smuggling hundreds of thousands of maps and historical documents during the colonial period (1830-1962), including those dating back to the Ottoman era (1518-1830).
France has also rejected Algeria’s requests, saying the archived documents remain classified as they are subject to national defense secrets.
Quote of the day:
“This is how colonialism works. it convinces us that the fallout from resistance is entirely our fault, that the immoral choice is resistance itself rather than the circumstances that demanded it.”
– babel by rf kuang.
Here are some resources for doing some good:
I am French and this is SICK. The French state goes above and beyond to ignore racism and colonialism. They are some of the most oblivious racist “color blind” people I know. It’s structural: the French government refuses to acknowledge different races. They actually removed the word “RACE” from the French constitution in 2018. Therefore, making sure we couldn’t talk about racism anymore. France is rated last country in Europe when it comes to inclusive public education. Our French educational public system is set up in a way that perpetuates socioeconomic and racial inequalities. France is moving towards extreme right and fascism more and more. It is very alarming and scary.