Latest from El Chorouk
El Chorouk
19 hours ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
How Did Paris Transform a Dead Draft Resolution Into a Message of Appeasement?
Less than a week before the Algiers Judicial Council issued its final decision in the case of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, the French side sent flirtatious messages to the Algerian authorities, in line with the appeasement language adopted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who avoided provocative positions. In a surprising move, the French National Assembly withdrew a draft resolution to abolish the 1968 immigration agreement between Algeria and France. The resolution was proposed by the parliamentary group of a small right-wing party led by Eric Ciotti, leader of Les Républicains (The Republicans), who was expelled from the party following his surprise alliance with the far-right, led by Marine Le Pen, in the recent legislative elections. The draft resolution was scheduled to be discussed last Thursday, but it was suddenly announced that it had been withdrawn under mysterious circumstances. This appeared to be a token of appeasement to the Algerian side, as the French feared an escalation that would not serve their interests in Algeria. Does this parliamentary action amount to a valid initiative to de-escalate tensions between the two countries? The parliamentary group that submitted the draft resolution has only 16 members and belongs to a fledgling party, the Union of the Right for the Republic (UDR), which is less than a year old, and was founded by Eric Ciotti after he was ousted last summer from the leadership of the right-wing Republicans party. The current Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, became its leader in May. This party is considered very close to the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and her assistant Jordan Bardella. It ranked third in the recent legislative elections, behind the left-wing movement, or the New National Front, which won a parliamentary majority, and Macron's Renaissance, which ranked second. This means that the gamble of Eric Ciotti's group, which pushed for this project, remains a losing one from the start, even if the far right supports it, given the level of representation in the lower house of parliament. The draft resolution claims that the 1968 agreement grants Algerians exceptional privileges, unlike other members of the Maghreb and African communities, in the areas of housing, residence, education, and the practice of liberal professions. The draft resolution states that 'it is time to adapt our legal arsenal regarding immigration to the development of our relationship with Algeria,' and calls for 'the restoration of the state's legal means to limit the granting of visas to Algerians, and to suspend them when necessary.' This draft was preceded by similar initiatives targeting the 1968 migration agreement between Algeria and France, but they failed due to a lack of the required votes. This indicates that the Eric Ciotti Group's draft resolution was not intended to overturn this long-standing agreement, but rather to pursue political and diplomatic objectives through its introduction and subsequent withdrawal. French President Emmanuel Macron has previously intervened on more than one occasion to confirm that he does not intend to unilaterally abrogate the 1968 agreement. He has clashed repeatedly with his Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, regarding the latter's continued interference in Algerian relations, asserting that this remains the exclusive prerogative of the Élysée Palace and the Quai d'Orsay (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). All this data indicates that the French lower house's continued progress on the draft resolution would have led nowhere, given the lack of chances of its passage. However, its withdrawal at the last minute transformed the initiative into a courtship of the Algerian side, adding to the recent rapprochement efforts between the two capitals following months of unprecedented escalation. The Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Living Abroad, Laurent Saint-Martin, took advantage of this situation to praise the MPs, considering the decision to send a calming message that would help reduce the tensions that characterise Algerian-French relations.
El Chorouk
3 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Lawsuit to Remove Statue of Criminal Marcel Bigeard in France
The case of the statue of the French war criminal, General Marcel Bigeard, has reached the courts after local authorities in northeastern France insisted on rejecting popular demands to remove the bronze statue erected in his memory. The statue symbolises the systematic torture of Bigeard during his time as an officer in the French army in colonised Algeria. On Tuesday, June 24, local associations and anti-torture activists in the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, the birthplace of the notorious general, filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court, accompanied by a petition signed by residents of the area. They demanded that local authorities remove the protested memorial, which was considered a 'spit in the face' of torture victims in Algeria, according to the newspaper Mediapart. This controversial memorial was erected in October 2024, sparking a social and historical debate in the city of Toul, dividing local elected officials between supporters and opponents of the statue. Since then, protests and pressure to remove the statue have continued. However, efforts have reached a dead end, and it was finally decided to resort to the administrative judiciary to decide the case. The lawsuit was filed before the Nancy Administrative Court, demanding the removal of the controversial monument. The lawsuit asserted that its continued presence would 'disturb public order' and 'disrupt the neutrality of the public service.' Defenders of General Marcel Bigeard's crimes argue that he was a French resistance fighter who confronted Nazi Germany's occupation in World War II. Opponents, however, argue that he was involved in torture in Algeria during the Algerian Revolution (1954-1962) and even defended those involved in torturing them. General Bigeard appears in this statue wearing the uniform of a paratrooper, a group that Algerians hold infamous. They waged an unprecedented campaign of repression in Algeria and were implicated in extrajudicial killings and liquidations during the 'Battle of Algiers' at the end of 1956 and 1957. They are responsible for the kidnapping and assassination of the Algerian Revolutionary activist Maurice Audin, the heroic martyr Larbi Ben Mhidi, and the activist Ali Boumendjel. They also tortured the three beautiful women: Djamila Bouhired, Djamila Bouazza, Djamila Boupacha, Zohra Drif, and the freedom fighter Louisa Ighilahriz. Testimonies from historians and surviving victims revealed that General Bigeard, who died in 2010, participated in field executions on behalf of the French army. He would plunge his victims' feet into concrete before throwing them into the sea from helicopters. Algerians dubbed this dirty technique 'Bigeard's shrimp.' This practice prompted anti-torture activists to create the 'Toul Group,' whose slogan is 'History and Memory with Respect for Human Rights,' in protest against the erection of the statue. This issue has taken on a dimension beyond France's borders, with a Belgian activist denouncing torture, writing: 'I am extremely angry. How can a general known to historians for his teaching and practice of torture be honoured by France, the nation of human rights? Isn't your nation's motto merely a decoration on the facades of municipal buildings? Aren't 'liberty, equality, fraternity' supposed to represent the fundamental values of your republic? Is this last word also devoid of any moral meaning? No.' In a contribution to the aforementioned newspaper, he explained: 'Statues of former colonialists can remain in public places, as long as a critical apparatus informs passersby of historical facts and glorifies these figures, which is, at the very least, disputed. But the fact that such a monument—which represents an apology for torture—was erected in 2024 astonishes me! I sincerely hope this mistake is attributed to ignorance; otherwise, I would consider it reprehensible negligence, or even complicity with hateful far-right racists.' 'Let us remember the fate of those poor Algerians who also yearned for freedom, whose feet sank in a concrete pool before being thrown from a helicopter into the Mediterranean, and whose bloated bodies were sometimes found washed up on beaches. These young men, whose lives were so brutally snatched away in this way, were dubbed, with all the inhuman contempt inherent in the colonial spirit, 'Bigeard shrimp,' in honour of the general who instigated these crimes and whom you are honouring today,' he added.
El Chorouk
3 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Middle East Nuclear and WMD-Free Zone
Algeria, on Tuesday in New York, through its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr. Ammar Bendjama, affirmed the necessity of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone and a zone free of all forms of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, expressing its readiness to work with all partners to implement international law and enhance the integrity of the global non-proliferation system. Mr. Bendjama, in his speech during a UN Security Council session on 'Non-Proliferation,' which was dedicated to discussing the implementation of Resolution 2231 of 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program, stressed the 'necessity of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone and a zone free of all other forms of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East,' explaining that 'this zone will represent a fundamental step forward for regional and international peace and security.' After noting that this Security Council briefing is the last on the implementation of this resolution, which expires on October 18 of this year, the Algerian delegate explained that 'this session is being held during a critical phase,' adding: 'We are holding this meeting with cautious optimism, a real sense of relief after the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and the Zionist entity mediated by the United States and Qatar.' Mr. Bendjama expressed Algeria's welcome of this 'important diplomatic achievement that put an end to twelve days of dangerous escalation, and it also provides the necessary space for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy.' The Algerian diplomat then warned that 'recent developments have demonstrated the fragility of our collective security and the serious risks associated with targeting nuclear facilities, especially those subject to IAEA safeguards,' explaining that the events of the past few days 'have shown the urgent need to apply the principles of the nuclear non-proliferation system and refrain from any action that could undermine its integrity,' Benjama added. In this context, Mr. Bendjama recalled Security Council Resolution 487, which called on the Zionist entity to place its nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, more than four decades ago, but to this day, it has ignored this call and has not responded to or implemented it. Speaking about the announced ceasefire, Mr. Bendjama pointed out that it 'represents a golden opportunity to strengthen the rules related to the global non-proliferation system without any selectivity and away from double standards,' stressing that 'Algeria stands ready to work with all partners to implement international law and enhance the integrity of the global non-proliferation system, which is a cornerstone of our common security.' He highlighted in this context that the ceasefire also 'represents a positive development and reminds us of the importance of respecting international legal rules, including those contained in the IAEA safeguards system,' explaining that 'these safeguards are essential in ensuring that nuclear energy is used purely for peaceful purposes.' In this regard, he reiterated 'the importance of the full and balanced implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action by all parties, including the provisions related to the lifting of sanctions,' noting that this 'remains a key component and provides a practical framework for addressing concerns related to Iran's nuclear program through dialogue, transparency, and verifiability.' He cited in this regard what UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his report, that 'diplomacy remains the best and only way to address concerns related to Iran's nuclear program and issues related to regional security.'
El Chorouk
4 days ago
- Business
- El Chorouk
These Are President Tebboune's Messages To Productive Economic Institutions.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, affirmed on Monday in Algiers the importance of continuing to enhance the competitiveness of national products and working to ensure self-sufficiency and promote exports, especially in the industrial sector, which has witnessed remarkable development in recent years. During his inauguration of the 56th edition of the Algiers International Fair, where he visited the pavilions of many national, public, and private institutions, the President of the Republic urged economic operators to 'raise the bar of ambition' in investment and continue working to increase competitiveness and improve the quality of national products. The President of the Republic praised the progress made by many sectors, especially mechanical industries, military industries, and textiles, emphasizing the need to work on strengthening export capabilities in parallel with contributing to reducing imports. The President of the Republic stopped over for a long time at the military industries pavilion, where he listened to detailed explanations about the activities of a number of institutions operating in the field of communications, military installations, and weapons manufacturing, especially the Directorate of Military Industries, the Mechanical Construction Company in Khenchela, and the Central Company for the Renewal of Signal Equipment. The President of the Republic also expressed his admiration for the level of achievements made by these institutions, especially in the field of optical fibers, the manufacturing and maintenance of signal equipment, and the manufacturing of explosives, and at the National Institute for Cartography and Remote Sensing affiliated with the Ministry of National Defense. Also at the Ministry of National Defense pavilion, the President of the Republic ordered the Minister of National Education to involve national institutions, including those affiliated with the National People's Army, in implementing the project of supplying educational institutions with electronic tablets. He also stressed the need for the contribution of both the institutions affiliated with the National People's Army and the National Electronic Industries Company 'ENIE', as well as private institutions, to the project supervised by the Ministry of Education, which is concerned with providing students with electronic tablets, calling for 'covering at least 50 to 60 percent' of the needs of educational institutions for computer equipment with local products. On this occasion, the President of the Republic highlighted the contribution of the military establishment to supporting the national economy with various products, which would reduce the import bill, especially for optical fibers. The President of the Republic affirmed in this regard that the import of optical fibers will be prohibited unless approved by the Ministry of National Defense, with the imminent launch of a special optical fiber unit affiliated with the same ministry. Upon stopping at the pavilion of two emerging companies, the President of the Republic praised the significant progress made by the country in this field, reiterating that efforts are continuing to 'reach the first or second rank in Africa for the national economy.' The President of the Republic also visited the pavilion of the 'GETEX' Textile and Leather Industry Group, where he listened to a presentation on the group's performance, which has witnessed a qualitative leap in recent years in terms of diversifying production, improving quality, and developing and modernizing distribution methods in partnership with emerging companies active in e-commerce. Still in the industrial field, and during his visit to the VMS company pavilion, which specializes in motorcycles and light vehicles, the President of the Republic urged economic operators to raise their ambition to invest more and contribute to creating added value and job opportunities. Here, he saluted the company's officials for the successes they have achieved by diversifying their products, such as motorcycles and light transport vehicles aimed at young investors, and used in trade, services, and by artisans. In the same pavilion, the President of the Republic ordered the Director General of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency to facilitate the implementation of an investment project for the institution 'before the end of this month.' The project involves the construction of an industrial complex for various types of bicycles in the wilaya of Bouira. As for the 'Hassnaoui Group' pavilion, the President of the Republic emphasized the importance of the projects undertaken by this private group, especially in the agricultural sector, through seed production, which, according to the explanations provided, will allow for a reduction in the cost of these inputs for farmers, contributing to reducing imports and enhancing the country's self-sufficiency. After that, the President of the Republic stopped for a long time at the pavilion of the Algerian General Mechanical Company (AGM) – Sidi Bel Abbes unit, where he received a detailed explanation about the activities carried out by this institution specializing in the production of public works and construction equipment, as well as agriculture, in addition to its production capacities. In this pavilion, the President of the Republic stressed the need to 'meet national needs and then move towards export.'To achieve this goal, the President of the Republic called on officials of this institution to approve the implementation of a full-time work system (24 hours/24). This year's exhibition, held under the slogan 'For Joint and Sustainable Cooperation,' features 684 exhibitors, including 145 foreign institutions representing 31 countries from the five continents.
El Chorouk
5 days ago
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Hearings, Field Visits to Draft a Proposal to Criminalise Colonialism
The parliamentary commission at the National People's Assembly, tasked with preparing a draft criminalising French colonialism, continues its series of hearings with historians and researchers. This is part of its work on the national memory issue and the completion of the legislative process aimed at holding France accountable for colonial crimes, based on a comprehensive legal and political approach, as the commission seeks to achieve. According to what Echorouk learned, the commission's work includes scheduling field visits to several wilayas and regions that witnessed serious violations during the French occupation. This will be done to collect field testimonies and official data documenting these crimes. The goal is to develop a legal framework that reflects a renewed societal and political demand to uncover the truth and reject the whitewashing of the colonial past, according to statements made by commission members. On Monday, the commission discussed with history expert Mohamed Doumir in a session devoted to monitoring legal and political interpretations that support the legislative endeavours of this proposal. Meetings will continue in the coming days with specialists and academics from various relevant disciplines, as well as scheduling field visits to several wilayas and organising an official meeting with the Algerian Commission for History and Memory. Over the past weeks, the commission intensified listening sessions that targeted previous initiatives in the field of memory documentation and anti -colonialism, and also looked at the experiences of many countries that have fought similar colonial stages, to benefit from their legal approaches and symbolic steps in imposing recognition, and extracting historical and material compensation. The commission was based, in preparing the law proposal, on archival documents, scientific research, video testimonies and official data that document the various forms of crimes committed by French colonialism in Algeria, including mass massacres, impoverishment, displacement and cultural eradication that targeted the Algerian people for decades. The file also includes, according to parliamentary sources, the crimes related to the nuclear bombings in the Algerian sahara and other issues whose repercussions still exist to this day, in light of an international legal consensus that gives colonial peoples the right to demand recognition and historical responsibility, especially when the effects of aggression are extended throughout time and place. Through these steps, the Parliamentary Commission seeks to overcome the symbolic nature of the file by building a clear legal path that holds France directly a historical responsibility for its severe violations against the Algerian people, whether through genocide or systematic colonial policies that targeted national identity and economic capabilities. Previously, the commission had supervised the organisation of listening sessions for specialists and owners of previous initiatives in the field, and examples of countries that have had similar colonial experiences were found to benefit from their legal mechanisms and symbolic steps in achieving recognition and compensation. This was not yet clear whether the draft would be completed and officially deposited with the Office of the National People's Assembly before the conclusion of the fourth parliamentary session, or if the commission would be postponed until the opening of the next session, after completing the programmed listening sessions and field visits.
