Since 2003, September 25 has been a day of tribute for these victims. On the occasion of the national day of tribute to the harkis, François Hollande “acknowledged the responsibilities of the French governments in abandoning the harkis” during a speech at the Invalides courtyard, applauded by the harki representatives present in the audience.
In Nice, a ceremony was held in the afternoon at the Monument du Cinquantenaire, attended by civil and military authorities and veterans’ associations.
This national day falls right in the middle of the election campaign for the right-wing primary, and Christian Estrosi, fully committed to Nicolas Sarkozy, did not miss the opportunity to highlight his champion: “During his speech at the Mediterranean University Center in Nice, in March 2012, Nicolas Sarkozy had already recognized that France had abandoned the harkis and had a debt to them. Today, more than four years after this statement, during the ceremony commemorating the tribute to the harkis, the President of the Republic simply plagiarized these remarks by acknowledging the responsibilities of the French governments in abandoning the harkis.”
Repeating solemnly what was said during an (already) electoral meeting becomes plagiarism? And why?
But Christian Estrosi’s pleading does not stop there: “I wonder about the sincerity of this recognition even as the date of March 19 continues to be maintained as the official date of the end of the Algerian war. This date constitutes for the veterans, the pieds-noirs, and the harkis, a denial of truth. I strongly remind that the number of victims and missing persons increased after March 19, 1962. The signing of the Evian Accords, unilaterally respected by France, marked the beginning of abductions and the massacre of thousands of European civilians and harkis,” he added.
One wonders about the validity of this controversial remark that takes into account another argument and another date.
In passing, Nicolas Sarkozy, who was indeed present yesterday morning at the Invalides, had declared the day before, during a meeting in Perpignan, that, if elected, he would abolish this date of March 19, which does not suit the repatriates, a substantial electoral base where he draws well with his radical ideas.
One might wonder why he did not do so during the term when he was President of the Republic.
As for Christian Estrosi, we understand well: It is not easy to resist the temptation to exploit an official celebration for electoral purposes.
It’s called, primal instinct, isn’t it?
