Algerian President Applauds French Acknowledgment of 1961 Algerians’ Massacre

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria has lauded French lawmakers for their recent approval of a resolution condemning the deadly 1961 police crackdown on peaceful Algerian protesters. Describing it as a “positive gesture,” Tebboune expressed appreciation for France’s National Assembly for acknowledging the crime committed over six decades ago.

In a televised address, Tebboune emphasized the significance of France’s recognition, stating that It is a positive move particularly in light of the often tense relations between the two nations.

The resolution, passed by the French Parliament’s lower house on Thursday, denounces the killing of dozens of Algerian demonstrators peacefully advocating for Algerian independence in Paris in 1961 as “bloody and murderous repression.

The text of the resolution reminded of the magnitude of the massacre, which remained hidden by French authorities for decades until in 2021, when President Emmanuel Macron publicly condemned the atrocity as “inexcusable.”

The resolution also calls for the official commemoration of the massacre stating that Maurice Papon, the then head of police and a collaborator with Nazi occupiers during World War II was specifically responsible for the crackdown, adding that his involvement in crimes against humanity, added gravity to the events of 1961.

While the resolution received widespread approval, with 67 lawmakers voting in favor, mainly from the left and Macron’s party, 11 lawmakers of the far-right National Rally party disapproved it.