France passes law recognising Algerians fought in independence war

Salah Abdelkrim (R) is awarded with the “Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur” by French President Emmanuel Macron during a ceremony in memory of the Harkis [GONZALO FUENTES/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]

France last week approved a bill recognising Algerians who fought on the side of France during the Algerian War of Independence, opening the door for them to receive compensation.

Up to 200,000 Harkis – Muslim Algerians – fought for France during the 1954-62 war which ended with Algeria gaining independence. The Harkis were then abandoned by France, in spite of previous promises to take care of them. Many were massacred in Algeria.

They and their descendants can now apply for compensation for the way they were treated.

The law comes after a speech by the French President Emmanuel Macron on 20 September to representatives of the Harkis, during which he asked for their “forgiveness” for being “abandoned” after the signing of the Evian Agreement on 18 March 1962.

READ: France to declassify Algerian war archives

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