Massacres of Sétif and Guelma

The massacres of Sétif and Guelma are bloody repressions of popular riots which proceeded in 1945 in the Département of Constantine in Algérie during the French colonial period.

They begin the May 8th 1945: to celebrate the end of the hostilities and the victory of Combined over the forces of the Axis, a procession is organized. The Algerian nationalist parties, benefitting from the particular audience given to this day, decide by peaceful demonstrations to point out their nationalist claims. After clashes between police officers and nationalists, the demonstrations degenerate into riot and cause spontaneous Jacqueries in the areas of Sétif and Guelma. The French Army then exerts a repression which will take considerable proportions and will last several weeks.

Be a prelude to

Context: end of the Second world war

The national revolution petainist had reinforced in Algeria between October 1940 and November 1941 the partisans of a brutal colonial order, under the orders of the general Weygand. But, with the American unloading in November 1942, the political conditions change. The entry in war of North Africa at the sides of the Allied ones which prepares translates by an important mobilization: 168.000 French of North Africa are mobilized, that is to say 20 classes. Population of Europeans of North Africa being at that time of 1.076.000 people.

For the first time the conscription is applied to the Moslems who hitherto were exempted by it, which leads approximately 150.000 pennies of them the flags. This requires regards with respect to the indigenous populations. Messali Hadj, chief of the nationalist main movement Algerian, the Left the Algerian people (PPP, clandestine), remains however imprisoned. Ferhat Abbas, directing Friends of Proclamation and Freedom, requires that the Moslems who are on the point of entering in war be ensured not to remain “ private rights and essential freedoms whose the other inhabitants enjoy this country. ”.

The March 7th 1944, the French Comité of the national Release adopts a Ordonnance allotting office French nationality, without modification of their religious statute civil to all the Natives having certain diplomas such as the certificate of studies, military decorations, etc In 1945, approximately 62.000 combatants profit from it, which causes various oppositions in certain European mediums in Algérie. The Algerian nationalist leaders then hope for much the first meeting of the United Nations to San Francisco the April 29th 1945.

Nationalist demonstrations

To spring 1945, environment is tended among the European population where circulate of the alarmist noises predicting a Moslem rising. The more so as Algeria has known for a few months a catastrophic food situation, result of the absence of almost all the valid men. Messali Hadj is off-set with Brazzaville on April 23rd, 1945. The PPP organizes demonstrations in all the country on May 1st which want to be peaceful and without weapons, and for the first time is held up a “Algerian flag”. The demonstrations occur in the calm one except to Algiers and Oran where take place of the confrontations with the police force; repression is brutal and makes some deaths. A few days later, it is the advertisement of German rendering and the end of the war: demonstrations are planned a little everywhere for the May 8th.

According to Benjamin Stora, one already thought since 1939 that the nationalists of North Africa were controlled by the Italian fascists or the German Nazis, that the Party of the Algerian people was close to the French Popular party, whereas Messali had supported the Popular front and the Spanish République. This feeling was reinforced by the fact that rising takes place the day of the victory.

May 8th

With Sétif, the authorized demonstration starts to invade the streets as of 8:00, estimated at more than 10.000 people, singing the nationalist anthem Min Djibalina (Of our mountains), ravel with flags of the victorious allied countries and signs “Libérez Messali”, “We want to be your equal” or “To bottom colonialism”. Towards 8:45 emerge from the signs “Lives Algeria free and independent” and at the head of the demonstration Aïssa Cheraga, chief of a Moslem patrol of scouts, raises the “Algerian flag”. All skids then: in front of the coffee of France, the Olivieri police chief tries to seize the flag, but is thrown to ground. Europeans in margin of the demonstration attending the scene precipitate on crowd. An young man, Bouzid Saâl, seize the “Algerian flag” but are cut down by a police officer.

Violences against Europeans in Constantinois will occur, especially in the isolated farms. Women are violated, of the barbarous acts are made. The full number of killed Europeans will be of 102. Among the victims, one finds moderate “third camp”, the such mayor of Sétif, or Albert Denier, the secretary of the Communist party, which will have the two distinct hands.

The massacre

The chief of the provisional French government, the general de Gaulle lance and coordinate the army under the command of the general Duval in a violent repression against the indigenous population. The navy takes part thanks to its artillery, as well as the Aviation. The Duval general gathers all the troops available, that is to say two thousand men. Saci Benhamla, which lived to a few hundred meters of the lime kiln of Héliopolis, described the unbearable odor of burned flesh and the ceaseless to and from of the trucks coming to discharge the corpses, which burned then by releasing a bluish smoke.

Many Moslems, political directors and militants, Left the Algerian people (PPP), Friends of proclamation of freedom (AML) (of which the founder Ferhat Abbas) and association of the oulémas were stopped. When a faction or a douar asked for the mercy (“forgiveness”) the army claimed the culprits. February 28th, 1946, the rapporteur of the law of amnesty (which was voted) declared during the meeting: Four thousand five hundred arrests were thus carried out, four twenty ten nine death sentences of which twenty two were carried out, sixty four judgments with the forced labors in time and there would be two more thousand five hundred natives to judge .

Repression ends officially the May 22nd. The army organizes ceremonies of tender where all the men owe prosterner in front of the French Drapeau and to repeat in chorus: “We are dogs and Ferhat Abbas is a dog”. Officers require the public tender of the last insurrectionists on the beach of Cliffs, not far from Kherrata. Some, after these ceremonies, are embarked and assassinated request which one applies to the Algerians (it says: “ Arab people ”) the “ democratic principles which we claim for ourselves ”. He affirms that there is crisis - and not simple incidents - which “ the Arab people exists ”, which it “ is not lower if not by the conditions where he is ”. More still, he proclaims that “ Algeria is to be conquered one second time ”.

The number of the victims

The number of “European” victims is about allowed. The general governor of Algeria fixed thereafter the number of the Moslems killed at 1165 and 14 soldiers.

Consequences

The Duval general, in load of the re-establishment of the order, known as on this occasion with the colonial government: I give you peace for ten years, with you of you to be used for about it to reconcile the two communities. A constructive policy is necessary to restore peace and confidence. . These remarks will be checked since, 9 years later, the insurrection of the All Saints' day 1954 will mark the beginning of the Guerre of Algeria.

Many historians think that these events mark the true beginning of the war of Algeria. For many nationalist militants like Lakhdar Bentobbal, future tallies of FLN, the massacre symbolizes the awakening that the armed struggle remains the only solution. It is following the events of May 8th that Krim Belkacem, one of the six “historical” founders of the FLN, decides to leave to the maquis. In 1947, the PPP creates the special Organization (OS), an armed wing, directed by Have-Ahmed then by Ben Bella.

Recognition of the French responsibility

It is necessary to await February 27th 2005 so that, at the time of a visit with Sétif, Hubert Colin of Verdière, ambassador from France to Algiers, qualifies the “massacres of May 8th, 1945” of “inexcusable tragedy”. This event constitutes the first official recognition of its responsibility by the French Republic.

Appendices

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