Gisèle Halimi on November 14, 2003. -

JACK GUEZ / AFP

A collective of women and girls of harkis, auxiliaries of the French army during the Algerian war, opposes the possible entry into the Pantheon of the lawyer Gisèle Halimi, who had mobilized in favor of the militants Algerian separatists.

"We are unanimous, strong and determined, against the proposal made by (historian) Benjamin Stora of + the entry into the Pantheon of Gisèle Halimi, a great female figure of opposition to the Algerian war +", write about fifty women in a column published Thursday in the daily Le Figaro.

A pantheonization advocated by Benjamin Stora

The Pantheon, located in the heart of Paris, hosts great figures of French history, from the leader of the Resistance to the Nazi occupier Jean Moulin to the scientist Marie Curie.

Gisèle Halimi, who died on July 28, 2020, was one of the main lawyers for activists of the National Liberation Front (FLN).

She also denounced the use of torture by the French soldiers in Algeria.

Benjamin Stora, eminent specialist in the Algerian war (1954-1962), submitted on January 21 to President Emmanuel Macron a report recommending various measures to try to appease the differences and memory fractures of French society on the subject, which remains painful for millions of French people.

The situation of the harkis reduced to "the minimum portion"?

According to the signatories of the forum, Gisèle Halimi "displayed on several occasions her contempt for harkis", in particular on France Inter radio, on May 3, 2010, when she had explained that she called women "harkis" women whom she considered to be “enemies of women”.

"Harkis women, unfortunately, it does exist", also asserted the lawyer, according to the forum.

"Is this how Benjamin Stora wants to promote reconciliation?"

ask the signatories, also criticizing the rest of the report, like other harkis organizations,

Benjamin Stora proposes the creation of a “Memories and Truth” commission, the objective of which is to succeed in appeasing these painful memories in France, but also to work for the normalization of relations between Paris and Algiers, which are always volatile.

In particular, he recommends facilitating the movement of harkis - considered by some Algerians as collaborating traitors - and of their children between France and Algeria.

Politics

Algerian War: "Symbolic acts" but no "excuses" by Emmanuel Macron

Society

Stora Report: The harkis denounce the "minimalism" of the historian

  • Harkis

  • History

  • Gisele Halimi

  • Algeria

  • Society