France’s colonial legacy in Cameroon: History of forced displacement, brutal repression Article by Le Monde

The French newspaper Le Monde has published an article addressing France's colonial history in Africa. Caliber.Az offers its readers an analysis of the piece.

The article delves deeply into France's violent colonial legacy in Cameroon, with findings from a commissioned historical study. A 14-person committee, consisting of both French and Cameroonian historians, reveals the extreme measures France took to suppress Cameroonian independence, a period marked by brutal violence and repression.

The historians found that France waged a war characterized by “extreme violence” against the Cameroonian people during their fight for independence in the late 1950s. This included widespread forced displacement, the internment of hundreds of thousands of Cameroonians, and the support of violent militias to crush any resistance to French rule. The report underscores the devastating scale of the French response to the push for sovereignty, which it describes as a violation of both human rights and the laws of war.

In their examination, the historians focused on the period from 1945 to 1971, analyzing declassified archives, eyewitness accounts, and field surveys. The commission’s findings shed light on the systematic efforts by the French state to suppress independence movements in Cameroon, particularly from 1956 to 1961. During this time, the French military's actions are said to have caused "tens of thousands of lives" to be lost, while "hundreds of thousands" were displaced, reflecting the dire human cost of France’s colonial war.

The historians note the historical invisibility of the Cameroon conflict within France, which has largely been overshadowed by the better-known war of independence in Algeria. "But this invisibility should not create an illusion. France was indeed waging war in Cameroon," the report asserts. This observation highlights a broader issue of the French public's limited understanding of its colonial history, particularly regarding the repression of independence movements across its former colonies.

A key element of the article is the discussion of the long-lasting trauma that remains among the Cameroonian population. While the study seeks to address France’s “memory gap” regarding this violent history, it acknowledges that for many in Cameroon, "the profound trauma linked to repression remains." This quote emphasizes how the legacy of colonial violence continues to affect the national consciousness in Cameroon, as well as the broader impact of colonialism on African nations.

The article also draws attention to France's enduring post-independence influence in Cameroon. Despite the country gaining independence in 1960, France maintained significant control, working with the "authoritarian and autocratic" regime of Ahmadou Ahidjo and assisting in drafting Cameroon’s post-independence constitution.

The ongoing presence of French troops, under agreements allowing them to "maintain order" in the newly independent state, further underscores France's deep involvement in the governance of its former colony, which persisted well into the late 20th century.

The release of this report comes at a time when France's influence in its former African colonies is rapidly declining. Many of these countries, including Cameroon, are reevaluating their relationships with Paris, with some severing ties entirely. As part of this wider reconfiguration of France’s colonial legacy, President Emmanuel Macron has initiated several efforts to address these dark chapters of history, such as the 2021 report on France’s role in the Rwandan genocide and the call for a "truth commission" regarding abuses during the Algerian War of Independence. However, Macron's refusal to offer an official apology for France's actions in Algeria has been a point of contention.

As France faces mounting challenges to its influence in Africa, exemplified by its withdrawal from countries in the Sahel due to hostility towards its military presence, Macron's rhetoric—such as his controversial remarks about African leaders’ lack of gratitude for France’s anti-jihadist efforts—further complicates his government's attempts at reconciliation with its former colonies.

In conclusion, Le Monde's article and the accompanying historical report reveal the brutal and often overlooked aspects of France's colonial rule in Cameroon. It serves as an important contribution to the ongoing conversation about memory, truth, and reconciliation, reflecting the broader struggles that former colonial powers like France face as they attempt to come to terms with their past. The report's findings are a call to action, urging not just the acknowledgment of historical violence, but the healing of deep, enduring wounds created by colonialism.