Between the Past and the Future

Yesterday, two countries decided to look back to their respective pasts and make a revision of them. First, the French President, François Hollande, acknowledged during an official visit to Algiers the “sufferings” of the Algerian people during the colonial rule (that ended with the Independence War from 1954 to 1962), which he characterized as “deeply unfair and brutal”. Second, the Argentinian judiciary sentenced the first civilian officer for crimes against humanity during the military rule between 1976 and 1983. Jaime Smart, Minister of Government of the Buenos Aires Province, was found guilty of ordering 57 illegal detentions and a murder.

When these kind of statements are made one question that pops into the mind is what purpose they might serve. Firstly, they are not an exaggeration, but most certainly justified. Indeed the French rule over Algeria as a colony and the behavior of French troops during the Independence War were heinous (especially on the War, Franz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth offers a clear account of the oppression on the Algerians). As well, it seems to be true that when judging military rules, not only in Argentina, the collaboration of civilians is many times overlooked, tending to focus on the abuses committed just by members of the Army.

Secondly, this kind of revisionist exercises has the goal to help societies coming to terms with themselves, particularly after a divisive and confrontationist context. In France, no President had spoken like that of the colonial rule. Now, Hollande even promised to improve the issuing of visas to Algerians who seek job opportunities in France. In Argentina, some people could feel that the change of regime would not be complete and that democracy had not taken root until the people who committed abuses have faced the justice system.

But why until now? When there is an implicit risk of awakening old grievances, it is not easy to confront the past. Perhaps that cost is erased with the symbolic and pragmatic gains that those statements or actions can bring about. It is not possible to change the interpretation of history with a speech, or to condemn a regime with one more imprisonment, especially when people who suffered are still alive. However, victims can feel there is some positive change underway or justice being arbitrated. And if that represents the maintenance of support for a government or prevents some problem from arising, for the time being no one gets harmed and a win-win situation appears to emerge: “we are sorry for the past, and the future will be better.” The Algerians and Argentinians will say if that was ultimately true.