Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the massacres of 8 May1945
The Algerian Embassy in Japan commemorated today the 80th anniversary of the massacres of May 8th, 1945, in presence of the Embassy staff.
On this occasion, the Algerian national anthem was sung and the Fatiha Sourate recited on the memory of the Algerian martyrs.
During this ceremony, H.E Ambassador Toufik Milat has delivered a short speech, emphasizing the symbol of this commemoration in the History of Algeria, highlighting that the massacres of 8 May 1945, crimes against humanity that will remain forever engraved in our memories as an indelible stain in the history of colonial France.
He added that while the world was celebrating the Allied victory over Germany and the end of World War II, tens of thousands of Algerians took to the streets in Setif, Guelma, Kherrata and other cities to peacefully claim Algeria’s independence, as France had promised, unexpectedly the response of the French government at the time was bloody, incredibly brutal, as 45,000 Algerians were massacred.
Furthermore, the Ambassador recalled that this tragic event has developed Algerians' awareness and conviction that only armed struggle could end the colonial oppression that allowed Algerian people, 9 years later, to trigger a glorious liberation war to reach our independence and recover our dignity.