As Algeria Marks the 63rd Anniversary of the 17 October 1961 Massacre:  French Presidents Continue to Evade Responsibility in Addressing Historical Atrocities

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | October 17th, 2024 — As Algeria commemorates the National Day of Immigration, marking the 63rd anniversary of the 17 October 1961 massacre in Paris, the dark chapter of colonial violence remains a raw wound that Algeria refuses to let fade into obscurity. Recognized by historians as one of the most violent state-sponsored massacres in modern Western European history, the atrocities committed against Algerians in the heart of France remain a source of unresolved tension between the two nations.

Despite overwhelming evidence of this crime against humanity, which implicates the French state in the massacre of peaceful Algerian demonstrators, successive French governments have largely avoided assuming full legal and moral responsibility. This “organized silence,” as described by French historian Gilles Manceron in his book The Triple Silence about the Massacre, continues to obscure the truth of the events surrounding the Seine River massacres.

French political leadership has repeatedly sidestepped the issue of historical reckoning. Instead of engaging in responsible and candid dialogue about their colonial past, as Algeria demands, these leaders have opted for provocative statements and evasive tactics. This is in stark contrast to the commitments outlined in the “Algiers Declaration,” signed in 2022 by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron, which promised to pave the way for an honest approach to shared memory.

In a recent public address, President Tebboune underscored Algeria’s unwavering stance, insisting on historical truth and recognition of France’s colonial massacres. He emphasized that Algeria would not accept historical distortions, recalling the words of former President Houari Boumédiène: “We turn the page, but we do not tear it.”

Efforts to confront this dark past have been minimal and often undermined. A case in point was the March 2023 French parliamentary resolution condemning the bloody repression under the authority of Maurice Papon, the police chief responsible for the 1961 massacre. Although the resolution proposed a commemorative day for the massacre’s victims, it was ultimately diluted, failing to assign legal responsibility to the French state. Shortly after, the French Senate pushed through a right-wing proposal that shifted focus to so-called “massacres” against French and European civilians in Algiers and Oran in 1962, further distorting the historical narrative.

As Algerians remember the horrific events of 17 October 1961, where thousands of peaceful demonstrators were subjected to state violence, with many murdered and thrown into the Seine, the French state remains evasive. According to official reports, around 30,000 demonstrators took to the streets that day, leading to the arrest of 14,000 and the deaths of dozens. French historians like Jean-Luc Einaudi have documented that over 200 protesters were shot and thrown into the river by security forces, their fates still unknown to this day. British historians Jim House and Neil MacMaster described the event as “the most violent repression of a street demonstration in modern Western European history.”

Yet, despite this damning evidence, France has neither established an investigative commission nor responded to any of the formal complaints regarding the violent repression, murder, and systematic torture of Algerians during this period.

President Tebboune has reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to ensuring that the memory of these victims is preserved. He referred to 17 October 1961 as “a testament to colonial shame and a chapter of great sacrifice by the Algerian people in their struggle for freedom.” The president also highlighted the significance of the National Day of Immigration, calling it a time to honor the nation’s history and renew its covenant with the martyrs who paid the ultimate price for Algeria’s independence.

However, the French political class, particularly certain factions still entrenched in a colonial mindset, continues to exploit issues of immigration for political gain, scapegoating Algerian immigrants while dismissing their vital contributions to France’s liberation from Nazism and its post-war reconstruction. Instead of celebrating their role in France’s recovery, these elements push for revisions or even the annulment of the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement on the mobility of Algerians, a move that only serves French interests.

As long as these denials and evasions persist, the 17 October massacre remains an unresolved historical crime that casts a long shadow over Franco-Algerian relations. It serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for truth and justice in the face of colonial amnesia.

Translated with adaptation from:

https://www.echoroukonline.com/%d8%b1%d8%a4%d8%b3%d8%a7%d8%a1-%d9%81%d8%b1%d9%86%d8%b3%d8%a7-%d9%8a%d9%8f%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%88%d8%ba%d9%88%d9%86-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%b2%d8%a7%d8%a6%d8%b1-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%85%d9%84%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84

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