Reasons for the ban on rallies organised by Algerians in Paris
Fearing disruption of public order and security, the Paris prefecture has decided to ban the two rallies planned for Sunday 18 February on two of the main squares in the French capital. The Square of the Nation and the Square of the Republic. Although the two places are several kilometres apart and the risk of confrontation is minimal, the French authorities considered it prudent to ban the two demonstrations.
The importance of the hirak
While the entire Algerian diaspora living in France was preparing to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the civil uprising of 22 February 2019, "the hirak", which toppled the Bouteflika regime, we were surprised by the dissemination on social networks of clips calling for a rally in Paris to celebrate "shahid" day, in homage to the martyrs fallen on the battlefield during the Algerian war of liberation.
The clip features raï star Chab Khaled calling on his fellow citizens to gather en masse on the Place de la Nation to "express their love for Algeria and their loyalty to the sacrifices of the martyrs". Did the famous raï singer, rejected by the Algerian authorities since acquiring Moroccan nationality, know who was behind the organisation of this rally? We don't think so.
Paradoxical as it may seem, it is a French association protected by the 1901 law (see picture) that is organising a demonstration in homage to the Algerian martyrs who fought against France, arms in hand. It is not a political association. "It specialises in the economy, the development of skills and their corollaries. It brings together Algerian, Franco-Algerian and French executives and entrepreneurs from the best schools and universities in France (...) It works, in particular, for the strategic rapprochement between France and Algeria through the economy, entrepreneurship and skills development', according to its presentation sheet.
Although created on 1 October 2005, the REAGE association has never been heard of. It is difficult to see what it has to do with a gathering of Algerians celebrating for the first time an event that has never existed or been held. The choice of 18 February as the day of the "Shahid" (martyr) makes no sense at all. From 1 November 1954, the date of the outbreak of the Algerian war, to 5 July 1962, the date of independence, no historian has been able to find any trace of a significant event during this period that took place on 18 February.
The date of 18 February, established as 'Shahid' day, is a very recent invention of the Algerian authorities. Its aim is to annihilate the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the "hirak", which has been brought forward to the 18th of this month because the 22nd is Thursday and it is difficult to gather people for the occasion.
And what does the REAGE association have to do with this celebration? For some time now, the Paris branch of the DGDSE, based at the embassy, has been working to counter the hirak demonstration. Playing on the patriotic feelings of Algerians and following instructions from Algiers, it was decided to celebrate this famous "Shahid" day. To avoid suspicion and to protect the Algerian secret services, the French association REAGE was called in. How clumsy!
One cannot be more clumsy than the so-called intelligence services calling on a French association to pay tribute, on French soil, to the men and women who died with weapons in their hands to expel France from their country and, at the same time, bring down the last piece of the French empire. Paradoxical as it may seem, the celebration of this famous "Shahid Day" is forbidden in Algeria. No street demonstrations are allowed. There is no end to the contradictions of the Algerian regime, which has the arrival of 22 February in its stomach.
In banning the two Algerian rallies in Paris, the French authorities acted with great tact. First, they avoided any confrontation between Algerians, even if the risk was minimal. Secondly, they sent the two rallies back to back to clear the air in a country that had long since closed the file on the Algerian war.
However, it should be noted that the fact that Algerians are demonstrating in the capital of the former colonial power because they cannot do so in their own country is a clear admission that Algeria's independence in no way brought freedom and democracy. It is a disgrace.