Stora report on Algeria: “recognition” of history rather than “repentance”

Will we one day be able to heal the wounds of colonization and the Algerian war? This is the subject of a mission entrusted last July by Emmanuel Macron to the historian Benjamin Stora, specialist in the subject, who submits his report this Wednesday at the Elysee. A work that was part, according to the mission letter of the Head of State, “in a new desire for reconciliation of the French and Algerian peoples” and which should allow to open a “work of memory, truth and reconciliation”, almost 60 years after the fact. It is neither more nor less than “finish the historical work on the Algerian war”, also explained Emmanuel Macron last December.

A job that does not consist in making “repentance”, underlines the Élysée, while Algeria asked for an apology from France, but “reconnaissance”, in order to “look history in the face” and of “get out of the unsaid and the denial”.

In his mission, Benjamin Stora worked with the Algerian director of the national archives, Abdelmadjid Chikhi, appointed by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune as part of a common approach between the two countries. Among their main recommendations, the authors suggest the constitution of a “Memories and Truth” commission which would be responsible for launching initiatives common to the two countries, led by French and Algerian personalities.

Almost a year after the opening by France of archives relating to the “disappeared” of the Algerian war, the Stora report proposes to continue the work in a logic of mutualisation with Algeria. In particular, he suggests transmitting all the funds already digitized to the Algerian national archives, and promoting access to researchers from both countries, but also accelerating the declassification of secret documents, even if the report recalls that a large part of the archives have already been made public.

The report also advocates addressing the issue of “missing”, through the publication of a “guide to the missing” Algerians and Europeans. Work already underway, but which will require new investigations, with in particular the need to identify the locations where those condemned to death were buried during the war. He also wishes to suggest the creation of a mixed commission of French and Algerian historians charged with shedding light on the kidnappings and assassinations of Europeans in Oran in July 1962.

In addition, the historian proposes that work be carried out, with the same objective, on the nuclear tests carried out by France in the Sahara in the 1960s, as well as on the anti-personnel mines laid during the war.

The report also lists recommendations relating to commemorations that would give a symbolic dimension to this work. It would thus be a question of continuing the commemorations of March 19, 1962, corresponding to the Evian agreements which marked a stage in the end of the conflict, or of celebrating September 25 the day of homage to the harkis, just like October 17. 1961, date of the repression of Algerian workers in France.

Another proposal: to make the four French internment camps (Larzac, Saint-Maurice l’Ardoise, Thol and Vadenay), where thousands of Algerians had been sent, places of memories. The report also encourages the preservation of European cemeteries and Jewish cemeteries in Algeria, as well as the graves of Algerian soldiers who died for France between 1954 and 1962 and were buried in Algeria.

The report also encourages changes in school curricula aimed at giving more space to the history of France in Algeria.

Another recommendation, and not the least: the report suggests the possible entry into the Pantheon of lawyer Gisèle Halimi, a great pro-independence figure, who died in July 2020. A request that echoes the calls made since her disappearance, aimed at honoring that who was also a great defender of women’s rights. Last September, Emmanuel Macron announced a tribute to the Invalides for the lawyer.