Algeria: Should the French apologise?

Street fighting during the Algerian civil war, in the fifties.

Should the French authorities officially apologise for the torture carried out by their soldiers during the eight year Algerian War, which ended in 1962? That's the debate currently raging in France. Some generals, who've admitted to torturing Algerians, have come out in favour. But others - including President Chirac - argue that an apology would only be more divisive. James Coomarasamy reported.

At a low key ceremony, France's most decorated serviceman pins medals on some of those following in his footsteps.

But for General Marcel Bigeard - hero of the Battle of Algiers - pride in his achievements has been soured by fresh revelations about the use of torture by French troops during the Algerian War:

The debate has been reopened by some of General Bigeard's senior comrades in arms. One of whom admitted to executing more than twenty Algerians personally. It's long been common knowledge that French soldiers tortured Algerian, but France has never acknowledged it publicly:

Algiers - today

Daniel Cirera is international secretary of the French communist party.

The communists were always against the eight-year colonial war. Now they're sponsoring efforts to raise the question of repentance in parliament.

Rewriting history

The official history of the war did speak of torture - but that carried out by the Algerian side. The French journalists who wrote about the electrodes, and the Nazi-style water tortures used by their compatriots faced death threats.

Jacques Duquesnes was one of them. He showed me horrific photos of raped Algerian women which he's only now felt able to publish¿ But - as communist Daniel Cirera acknowledges even 39 years after the war, this is not easy:

Boris Vian's "The Deserter"was one of a string of songs and films that criticised Algeria which the French authorities banned for years.

President Chirac : No need to apologise

Some believe this attitude served to deepened the wounds the conflict left on the nation; helped ensured that the wounds have never fully healed. And, according to Algerian expert, Remy Levaux, its unlikely they will under the current regime:

And, indeed, neither the government, nor the French President are showing signs of taking up the challenge.

Prime Minister Jospin has spoken simply of new historical analysis, while President Chirac is more categorical: "I'll never do anything to harm the memory or the honour of the men who fought for France. In these sort of events the best thing is to stand back and let history do its work."

But history alone won't be enough to bury this deep-rooted taboo. President Chirac's successors will find it an increasingly difficult problem to leave behind.