Algerian Radio
The Minister of Environment and Quality of Life, Kaouter Krikou, presided over the opening of an information day in Algiers this Thursday, dedicated to highlighting the environmental impacts of French nuclear explosions in Algeria. This event marks the 66th anniversary of these explosions.
In a statement to the press on the sidelines of the event, organized in coordination with the National Archives Center, the Minister explained that this demonstration falls within the framework of adopting archival documents as a reference for the National Committee for Environmental Memory. This aims to provide supporting evidence that confirms the “full elements of a crime against humanity and a war crime” based on international laws, particularly regarding the proven damages to the environment, animals, and plants.
The program included an exhibition for children to instill awareness of environmental and national memory among the youth, and to cultivate the values of preserving the legacy of the martyrs, while involving artists in the event to “plant the seed of optimism and emphasize Algeria's resilience through its children, people, and army,” the Minister added.
Ms. Krikou explained that her sector, in coordination with the Ministry of Mujahideen and Rights Holders, has established the “Environmental Memory” file through the creation of the National Committee for Environmental Memory and the National Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development. This aims to “prove the criminal acts of the French colonizer in Algeria from an environmental perspective, and the resulting impacts,” she added.
In this regard, she indicated that soil, environmental, and plant samples were taken from several sites across the country to conduct analyses on the damage caused by nuclear explosions and prohibited weapons to the soil and ecological balance. She added that “the process is still ongoing and that preliminary analyses have resulted in recording the presence of heavy metals in some areas”.
For his part, the President of the Algerian Committee for History and Memory, Mohamed Lahcen Zeghidi, emphasized that organizing this event at the National Archives headquarters gives it historical dimensions and depth within the national memory, considering this facility a primary reference for the preservation and maintenance of documents.
He explained that reviving environmental memory from the National Archives proves that, despite the means of death and attempts to erase existence to which it was subjected, Algeria has survived and reclaimed itself through its children. He recalled that colonial France left more than 11 million mines on the borders and conducted 17 nuclear explosions between 1960 and 1966, including the first explosion, “Gerboise Bleue” (Blue Jerboa), in 1960.
For his part, the Director General of the National Archives, Mohamed Bounâama, explained that the archives “serve as a fortress preserving national heritage and a catalyst for one of the values of national sovereignty”. He added that the event falls within the framework of the ongoing institutional struggle to reclaim the national memory.
During the information day, an exhibition dedicated to the environmental impacts of nuclear explosions was organized. It featured a wing for the National Archives of Nuclear Explosions, which included historical documents and manuscripts documenting these tests and explosions carried out by France in the Algerian South. Additionally, a wing was dedicated to the National Observatory for the Environment and Sustainable Development, where the Minister followed a presentation on the preliminary results of the analyses conducted by the Observatory regarding the pollution of soil, air, and water caused by these explosions.
Pedagogical workshops for children were also organized to enhance the youth's awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and preserving national memory. Additionally, an Environmental Memory wing focused on the environmental damage resulting from nuclear explosions, particularly regarding animals and plants.
