Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s remarks came in an address to the nation on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the May 8, 1945 massacres committed by the French colonial authorities in which 45,000 peaceful demonstrators were killed while demanding that France fulfill its independence promise after Algerians had supported it during World War II.
“The May 8 demonstrations truly expressed the Algerian people’s attachment to freedom, dignity and pride as they faced one of the most horrific genocides and crimes against humanity in modern history, sacrificing more than 45,000 martyrs for freedom and liberation,” Tebboune said.
On the occasion, Tebboune renewed Algeria’s firm position on addressing the archives, a longstanding source of tension with Paris, stating: “The memory file will not be subject to forgetfulness or denial.”
He affirmed that “not relinquishing this file stems from loyalty to the sacrifices of the martyrs of the massacres committed by French colonialism in Algeria,” particularly in the provinces of Setif, Kherrata and Guelma in the east, Ain Temouchent in the west and other areas, where tens of thousands of civilians were killed in one of the most violent colonial crimes.
He linked his people’s sacrifices during colonialism to the country's current ambition to build a sustainable development model that preserves national sovereignty and independent decision-making.
Tebboune also reiterated his intent to implement a strategy to place Algeria’s economy on a new path, capitalizing on the country’s “immense potential” and improving the well-being of its people.
Historical sources indicate that the May 8, 1945 massacres lasted more than 40 days, during which colonial forces employed brutal suppression methods, including mass executions and the burning of civilians alive in “lime kilns.”
This year’s commemoration comes amid escalating tensions in Algerian-French relations, which have reached the level of reciprocal ambassador withdrawals and diplomat expulsions, amid ongoing disputes over memory and colonial history.
AzVision.az
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