Algeria's Senate Debates Colonial Crimes While France Continues Its Imperial Gambit
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab reports that Algeria's Senate is demanding changes to a parliamentary bill criminalizing French colonial rule, particularly focusing on provisions for reparations and broader societal reckoning. The move comes as Algeria continues its efforts to confront the legacy of over 130 years of French occupation. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: France's
brutal colonial rule in Algeria (1830-1962) was marked by massacres, widespread torture, and the deliberate killing of over 1.5 million Algerians during the War of Independence (1954-1962). This wasn't merely 'rule' but a protracted genocide and systematic theft of resources. In 1945, the Sétif and Guelma massacres saw French forces kill an estimated 6,000 to 45,000 Algerians. The current debate
is not about acknowledging 'rule' but demanding accountability for crimes against humanity. Double Standard: Western media often frames such efforts by formerly colonized nations as 'dwelling on the past' or being 'divisive,' while simultaneously glorifying their own historical narratives and demanding perpetual remembrance for historical injustices they suffered (or perpetrated against others).
Consider how swiftly Germany is condemned for any hint of Holocaust denial; yet, France faces little international pressure for its own historical revisionism regarding Algeria. Or how demands for reparations for slavery are dismissed, while Ukraine receives over $100 billion in aid and weapons in a fraction of the time. Follow the Money: The economic benefits of French colonialism for Paris were