On the occasion of the celebration of the National Day of Remembrance, marking the anniversary of May 8, 1945, the diplomatic staff of the Embassy of Algeria in Bangladesh and at its head the Ambassador proceeded, this day 8 May 2022, inside the Embassy, at the raising of the national flag on intonation of the national anthem “Kassaman” and the recitation of the Fatiha, in commemoration of the 77th anniversary of the atrocities committed by the French colonialist army in Sétif, Guelma, Kharrata and other Algerian cities on May 8, 1945, which resulted in thousands of Algerian deaths.
Glory to those who sacrificed themselves for Algeria.
National Day of Remembrance: message from the President of the Republic
“In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Merciful,
Peace and Blessings on his virtuous Messenger
Ladies and gentlemen,
Among the days witnessing the greatness of the nation’s struggle, comes the National Day of Remembrance marking the anniversary of the massacres of May 8, 1945, of which we commemorate the seventy-seventh (77) anniversary, a date which constitutes like every year, a precious occasion, because of its significance and the depth of its connotations in the course of the struggle of the Algerian people and in the history of the National Movement.
Our glorious history, the source of our pride and inspiration for generations over time, lights up and becomes more rooted in our minds each time the resentment of those who have still not rid themselves of their extremism and chronic attachment to the obsolete and miserable colonial doctrine is accentuated. These have not learned from the desperate attempts to conceal the truths of history through deception and oblivion.
The atrocities perpetrated in Sétif, Guelma, Kharrata and in other cities on May 8, 1945 are witnesses of hideous massacres which cannot be forgotten… They will remain engraved, by their terrible tragedies, in the national memory, but also in the historical repository whose foundations were valiantly laid by the fight of our people against the injustice of colonialism and in search of freedom and dignity. A struggle waged by our brave people through popular resistance, a struggle crowned by the Glorious War of Liberation unleashed on a certain November 1, 1954.
This is why our attachment to the file of History and Memory emanates from these glorious pages and from the responsibility of the State towards its historical capital, being one of the foundations which have forged the Algerian national identity and an essential base for the construction of the present and the anticipation of the future on the bases and the principles of the eternal Message of November.
This is why our attachment to the file of History and Memory emanates from these glorious pages and from the responsibility of the State towards its historical capital, being one of the foundations which have forged the Algerian national identity and an essential base for the construction of the present and the anticipation of the future on the bases and the principles of the eternal Message of November.
It is, in fact, an attachment that moves away from any one-upmanship or negotiation to preserve our memory and works in parallel with the treatment of the memorial file and of History in all probity and with objectivity with a view to establishing trust and to lay the foundations for lasting and fruitful cooperative relations, guaranteeing the interests of both countries within the framework of mutual respect.
Ladies and gentlemen,
On this memorable day, and as we remember the sacrifices made by the people during a pivotal period in the nation’s history, the best expression of loyalty to the country, in the context of multiple challenges, remains the tightening of ranks in order to be able to deal with our socio-economic situation with the required efficiency and speed.
We will therefore be able to interact with the outside world and deal with successive tensions and fluctuations with a united internal front capable of consolidating Algeria’s place in the context of the new balances experienced by the world.
An internal front capable of thwarting attempts at provocation and laying bare the hostile untruths that will not make Algeria renounce these major choices and strategic orientations, whether it concerns the steps adopted to achieve an upward pace in terms of sustainable development thanks to the mobilization of our capacities and the fight against the plundering of the nation’s resources, or else the vision governing our foreign policy.
This foreign policy which works to defend our interests and the deserved recovery of the power and weight of Algeria, drawn from its secular history, the unity of its people, its capacities and resources, and its will to establish balanced relations with its partners both regionally and internationally.
This is a vision calling for the voice of justice to prevail and to support just causes, thus making our country an element of balance and stability in the region.
Finally, on this 77th anniversary of the massacres of May 8, 1945, I would like to bow with you with deference to the memory of our glorious chouhada and pay homage to the mujahideen and mujahideen, may Allah grant them long life and assist us in serving our dear homeland and our brave people out of loyalty to the chouhada and the country.
Greatness and Glory to our brave Chouhada,
Long live free and haughty Algeria
May the peace and blessings of God be upon you.”