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- Between 1956 and 1961, France鈥檚 fight against Cameroonian independence claimed 鈥渢ens of thousands of lives鈥� and left hundreds of thousands displaced, the historians said
- A 2021 report concluded France bore 鈥渙verwhelming responsibilities鈥� in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and a 2020 review examining France鈥檚 actions during Algeria鈥檚 war of independence called for a 鈥渢ruth commission鈥� and other conciliatory actions
PARIS: France waged a war marked by 鈥渆xtreme violence鈥� during Cameroon鈥檚 fight for independence in the late 1950s, historians said in the latest officially commissioned study grappling with Paris鈥檚 colonial past released on Tuesday.
The historians found that Paris implemented mass forced displacement, pushed hundreds of thousands of Cameroonians into internment camps and supported brutal militias to squash the central African country鈥檚 push for sovereignty.
The historical commission, whose creation was announced by President Emmanuel Macron during a 2022 trip to Yaounde, examined France鈥檚 role leading up to when Cameroon gained independence from France on January 1, 1960 and the following years.
History professor Emmanuel Tchumtchoua poses for a portrait next to a martyrs' wall in the village of Bahouan, in Bafoussam, on January 25, 2025. (AFP)
Composed of both French and Cameroonian historians, the 14-person committee looked into France鈥檚 role in the country between 1945 and 1971 based on declassified archives, eyewitness accounts and field surveys.
Most of Cameroon came under French rule in 1918 after its previous colonial ruler, Germany, was defeated during World War I.
But a brutal conflict unfolded when the country began pushing for its independence following World War II, a move France violently repressed, according to the report鈥檚 findings.
Between 1956 and 1961, France鈥檚 fight against Cameroonian independence claimed 鈥渢ens of thousands of lives鈥� and left hundreds of thousands displaced, the historians said.
鈥淚t is undeniable that this violence was extreme because it violated human rights and the laws of war,鈥� it said.
For many in France, the war in Cameroon went unnoticed because it mainly involved troops from colonies in Africa and was overshadowed by the French fight in Algeria鈥檚 1954-1962 war of independence.
鈥淏ut this invisibility should not create an illusion. France was indeed waging war in Cameroon,鈥� the report said.
The formerly British Cameroons to the south gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 and became part of the newly independent state.
While the study aims to fill France鈥檚 鈥渕emory gap鈥� on this period, for Cameroonians, 鈥渢he profound trauma linked to repression remains,鈥� it said.
The report comes as France has seen its influence wane among its former African colonies, which are reevaluating 鈥� and sometimes severing 鈥� their ties with Paris.
Even after Cameroon gained independence in 1960, Paris remained deeply involved in its governance, working closely with the 鈥渁uthoritarian and autocratic鈥� regime of Ahmadou Ahidjo, who stayed in power until 1982.
France helped draft Cameroon鈥檚 post-independence constitution and defense agreements allowed French troops to 鈥渕aintain order鈥� in the newly independent state.
Ahidjo鈥檚 successor, current President Paul Biya, 91, in office since 1982, is only the second president in Cameroon鈥檚 history.
Receiving the report in Yaounde on Tuesday, Biya called it a 鈥渨ork of collective therapy鈥� that would encourage the peoples of both countries to better accept their past relationship.
Ahead of its publication, former anti-colonial fighter Mathieu Njassep had told AFP he wanted France to admit to wrongdoing.
鈥淚f France does not recognize it was wrong, we won鈥檛 be able to forgive it,鈥� said the 86-year-old who fought against Ahidjo鈥檚 government from 1960 and was thrown in jail for 14 years for 鈥渁rmed rebellion.鈥�
Macron has taken tentative steps to come to terms with once-taboo aspects of the country鈥檚 historical record, though many argue he has not gone far enough.
A 2021 report concluded France bore 鈥渙verwhelming responsibilities鈥� in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and a 2020 review examining France鈥檚 actions during Algeria鈥檚 war of independence called for a 鈥渢ruth commission鈥� and other conciliatory actions.
But Macron has ruled out an official apology for torture and other abuses carried out by French troops in Algeria.
France is now reconfiguring its military presence in Africa after being driven out of three countries in the Sahel governed by juntas hostile to Paris 鈥� Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
And Chad accused Macron of showing contempt after he said African leaders had 鈥渇orgotten to say thank you鈥� to France for helping to combat jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel.
Last week Macron said he was committed to 鈥渃ontinuing the work of remembrance and truth initiated with Cameroon鈥� after receiving the report.