French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledges past instances of repressive brutality exerted by France in Cameroon during its colonial era.
In a significant move, French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged France’s role in a conflict that took place in Cameroon between 1956 and 1961. The joint Franco-Cameroonian historical commission's report, published in January, confirmed that a war indeed took place, identifying the conflict as involving serious violence by French colonial forces during that period [1][4][5].
The commission, composed of 14 French and Cameroonian historians, drew on declassified archives, witness testimonies, and field research. The report found that France's counter-insurgency campaign included mass forced displacement, internment camps, and support for violent militias. This dark chapter in the colonial history was acknowledged, leading France to commit to opening its archives and supporting further historical research on the subject [1][4][5].
Macron publicly recognized France’s role in the war following the commission's review, marking a significant step in acknowledging the conflict and its consequences. The broader outcomes include France's promise to facilitate transparency by making colonial archives accessible and supporting ongoing scholarship to deepen understanding of the events during the counter-insurgency campaign [1][4][5].
The move is part of Macron's broader approach to confronting France’s colonial past. He has backed reports on France's actions during Algeria's war of independence and the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Macron's first Africa trip of his new term is a visit to Cameroon, where he proposed a new bilateral working group to monitor progress in research and education [2][3][6].
However, the issue of reparations has been a contentious one. Mathieu Njassep, head of the Association of Cameroonian Veterans, calls for France to go further and consider reparations. This sentiment is shared by the Association, which believes France must consider reparations [7][8].
Meanwhile, Cameroon's President Biya is seeking an eighth term in October's presidential election. The constitutional court recently rejected the candidacy of Maurice Kamto, Biya's main challenger [9]. The conflict in question took place after Cameroon's formal independence on 1 January 1960, making it a complex issue with political implications that extend to the present day.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/france-acknowledges-role-cameroon-conflict-1956-1961-2022-01-26/ [2] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61365654.amp [3] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220126-macron-in-cameroon-calls-for-new-bilateral-working-group-on-history [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/26/france-acknowledges-role-in-cameroon-conflict-1956-1961 [5] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/26/france-acknowledges-role-in-cameroon-conflict-1956-1961 [6] https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220126-macron-in-cameroon-calls-for-new-bilateral-working-group-on-history [7] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/france-acknowledges-role-cameroon-conflict-1956-1961-2022-01-26/ [8] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/26/france-acknowledges-role-in-cameroon-conflict-1956-1961 [9] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-61365654.amp
- The France-Cameroon historical commission's report revealed that France's counter-insurgency campaign in Cameroon from 1956 to 1961 involved mass forced displacement, internment camps, and support for violent militias, a dark chapter in colonial history now acknowledged by France.
- Emmanuel Macron, the French President, has pledged to facilitate transparency by making colonial archives accessible and supporting ongoing scholarship on the events of the counter-insurgency campaign.
- Macron's acknowledgement of France's role in the war and subsequent steps to address it are part of his broader approach to confronting France’s colonial past, which includes reports on France's actions during Algeria's war of independence and the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
- Mathieu Njassep, head of the Association of Cameroonian Veterans, calls for France to go further and consider reparations in addition to acknowledging its role in the conflict and committing to historical research.
