The tribute paid by Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, October 18 to veterans of the Algerian war aims to recall that “the vast majority” of them “refused to violate the principles of the French Republic“, unlike a “minority” who has “spread terror“said the Elysee.
“We recognize with lucidity that in this war there are those who, mandated by the government to win it at all costs, have placed themselves outside the Republic. This minority of fighters spread terror, perpetrated torture, against and against all the values of a Republic based on the declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen“, writes the presidency in a press release.
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“Criminal excesses”
“A handful of them even engaged in clandestine terrorism.“, she adds just before taking up arms in the courtyard of the Invalides in Paris, the last stage of the commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the end of this conflict.
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According to the Élysée,recognizing this truth should never make us forget that the vast majority of our officers and soldiers refused to violate the principles of the French Republic“. “These criminal excesses, they did not subscribe to them, did not submit to them, and even withdrew from them“, insists the presidency.
The Head of State will decorate 15 veterans, including eleven conscripts, of what was the “very last” conflict “to appeal to the conscription of French citizens“, on the occasion of the anniversary of the law of 1999 officially recognizing the war in Algeria.
“Deep gratitude”
In total, some 1.42 million French people took part in this war, from 1954 to 1962, including one million conscripts and 300,000 auxiliaries, according to figures given by the Élysée. 23,196 soldiers were killed there, including more than 15,000 in the fighting and attacks, while some 60,000 were injured.
“To all those who were engaged in this war and did not free themselves, in the performance of their duty, of their republican conscience, France expresses its deep gratitude“, According to the press release. “Through decades of embarrassment and silence», «these men and women alone carried the weight of our bad conscience in the face of this war“.
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This ceremony is part of the series of events organized since the arrival of Emmanuel Macron in 2017 to try to “build a peaceful and common memoryon the colonization of Algeria and the war that led to its independence in 1962.
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