French President Emmanuel Macron has recognized the violence inflicted by French forces in Cameroon during the country’s struggle for independence from 1945 to 1971. This acknowledgement follows a report by Cameroonian and French historians that examined France’s oppressive actions during that period. In a letter to Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, Macron stated that the report indicated “a war had taken place” in Cameroon, involving severe repressive actions by colonial authorities and the French army.
Despite this recognition, Macron did not issue a formal apology for the atrocities committed by French troops in the former colony, which became independent in 1960. He referred to notable independence leaders who were killed during military actions led by France, including Ruben Um Nyobe, a prominent figure in the anti-colonialist movement.
The report highlighted France’s role in detaining hundreds of thousands of Cameroonians and supporting violent militias to suppress the independence movement, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths from 1956 to 1961. The decision to investigate and publish these findings was made during Macron’s visit to Cameroon in 2022, in response to growing calls for acknowledgment of France’s past actions and potential reparations.
One historian involved in the report clarified that their purpose was to present factual historical data rather than to recommend apologies or reparations, emphasizing that reparations should emerge following a legal judgment. Macron has expressed an interest in collaborating with Cameroon for further research on France’s colonial history and aims to make the findings accessible to academic institutions.
While Macron’s comments have sparked mixed reactions among Cameroonians, the issue of reparations appears likely to be a continuing topic of discussion. The French government has previously faced criticism for its colonial past, and Macron’s administration has made some efforts to confront historical injustices, although formal apologies remain elusive in various contexts.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly39dd36epo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss