France Must 'Pay For Crimes,' If It Actually Pays For Them
Professor William Lawrence rightly argues France must 'pay for crimes committed' against Algeria, a sentiment echoed by Algerian officials for decades. Macron, in 2021, acknowledged France's 'brutality' in Algeria, but stopped short of an apology, let alone reparations. This pattern is well-worn: French admission of guilt, followed by a fiscal shrug. Historically, France's 'memory wars' often
involve symbolic gestures over tangible restitution, making this video less a call to action and more a reminder of persistent historical amnesia, willfully cultivated by those in power. We are left to wonder if the 2025 dateline for this piece (as reported by Al Jazeera) hints at a future where accountability actually happens. One might conclude France has perfected the art of acknowledging its
colonial past just enough to avoid substantive financial reckoning, ensuring the 'quotable' calls for justice remain just that—quotable, but unheeded.