Algeria Launches Commission to Document Colonial-Era Environmental Crimes
In a significant move to preserve its national memory, Algeria has officially established a high-level commission tasked with a solemn mission: to identify and document the environmental crimes committed by French colonialism. The initiative seeks to formally assess the scale of long-standing ecological damage, from forests razed by scorched-earth tactics to lands poisoned by destructive practices.
A Formal Step for Environmental Accountability
The national multisectoral commission was inaugurated this Monday in Algiers at the headquarters of the Ministry of Environment and Quality of Life. The ceremony was attended by key figures, including Environment Minister Kaouthar Krikou, Minister of Mujahideen and Rights Holders Abdelmalek Tacherift, and the presidential advisor for energy, mines, and environment, Amine Maazouzi.
This body represents a concrete step towards addressing a historical blind spot. For decades, the conversation around colonial atrocities has often focused on human cost, while the silent, lingering scars on the environment have been less visible. Now, Algeria is bringing them to the forefront.
Unveiling the ‘Colonial Environmental Memory’
This commission is the direct outcome of a project titled “Colonial Environmental Memory,” which itself emerged from a national symposium held on November 3rd. The symposium, themed “The Environmental Impacts of Colonialism in Africa: Historical Realities and Ecological Legacies—The Case of Algeria,” highlighted a critical gap in historical scholarship.
The project aims to fill that void by rigorously investigating the lasting ecological consequences of the French occupation. How did colonial policies alter the landscape for generations? What is the true extent of the damage inherited by modern Algeria? These are the questions the commission will seek to answer.
A Collaborative National Effort
Placed under the joint supervision of the National Center for Studies and Research on the National Movement and the Revolution of November 1, 1954, and the National Observatory for Environment and Sustainable Development, the commission is a collaborative powerhouse.
It brings together representatives from a wide array of ministries, including National Defense, Interior, Transport, Agriculture, Water Resources, Health, and Higher Education. The goal is to pool expertise from diverse fields to conduct meticulous research, create detailed maps, and preserve crucial data related to these historical environmental crimes.
Anchoring a New Pillar of National Memory
In her address at the ceremony, Minister Kaouthar Krikou emphasized that the project is a “cornerstone in the process of anchoring the concept of environmental memory.” She described it as an essential, yet often overlooked, pillar of national memory.
“The importance of identifying and documenting all areas still marked by the ravages of colonialism is paramount,” Krikou stated, noting that its environmental and human consequences “remain visible to this day.”
The timing of the commission’s launch was deeply symbolic, coinciding with the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict on November 6th. Minister Krikou used the occasion to reiterate a universal principle: “the environment must not be a battlefield, but a common space guaranteeing the life and stability of peoples.”
With this pioneering initiative, Algeria is forging a unique path that intertwines history, ecology, and memorial justice. It is a further step in a long journey—not just toward recognizing the full scope of colonial crimes, but also toward rehabilitating territories that have borne the scars for over half a century.
Source: Original reporting based on announcements from the Algerian Ministry of Environment and Quality of Life.