Algeria’s parliament has established a commission to draft a law criminalising French colonial rule (1830-1962), a move deemed “historical” amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
During a meeting held last week when the decision to advance the legislation was made, Speaker of People’s National Assembly Brahim Boughali said that “the issue of memory,” which refers to Algeria’s historical remembrance, is not, as some portray it, a tool for pressure or bargaining, but rather a commitment to honouring the immense sacrifices endured by the Algerian people and a moral and historical duty to reveal the truth and secure recognition of crimes against the people.
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Once finalised, the draft law will be submitted to the government for approval.
The move has garnered support from lawmakers, historians, and legal experts, who insisted that France must formally apologize for its colonial crimes in Algeria. They listed French colonial violence, such as the 1845 Dahra Massacre, in which French troops killed hundreds of Algerians by smoking them out from cave refuges, and nuclear tests in the Sahara, which exposed local populations and the environment to severe radiation, with many Algerians still suffering from negative health consequences.
Calls for such legislation date back to 1984 but have faced repeated delays. A similar law was vainly proposed in 2001.
The issue resurfaced in 2005 following a controversial French law that mandated the teaching of the “positive role” of French colonialism, Xinhua news agency reported. In 2021, over a hundred Algerian lawmakers supported a draft bill barring agreements with France until it acknowledges colonial crimes.
The diplomatic rift between Algiers and Paris has deepened in recent months due to disagreements over immigration issues and policies, historical grievances, and France’s backing of Morocco in disputes over Western Sahara, among others.
Addressing the simmering diplomatic tensions during a televised interview on Saturday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune emphasized that French President Emmanuel Macron remains the “only point of reference” for resolving bilateral issues, underscoring Algeria’s commitment to direct dialogue with Macron or his designated representatives.
Algeria has continued to urge the French government to recognise colonial crimes and offer an official apology, a step seen by Algiers as essential for both nations to move beyond past grievances and establish stable and constructive ties.
