Emmanuel Macron must evoke this Wednesday, January 26 the shooting of the rue d’Isly, in Algiers, which left 46 dead and 150 injured in 1962. Many civilian supporters of French Algeria were present, among them Sauveur Bucaro. He remembers.
“60 years later, I don’t know how I’m alive“says Sauveur Bucaro when he talks about the shooting in the rue d’Isly.
Now living in Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes, this returnee from Algeria was 25 on March 26, 1962 and had just had his first child.
Came with his brother-in-law and a niece of El-Bair, in the suburbs of Algiers, he … not did not expect the demonstration to end in bloodshed.
60 years later I don’t know how I’m alive
Sauveur Bucaro, protester from rue d’Isly
“The people of Bab El Oued were confined to their homes. They couldn’t even go down to buy the milk at the grocery store for their child“Explains Sauveur Bucaro when asked what prompted him to demonstrate.
This blockade took place following the death of several French soldiers in a clash with the Secret Army Organization (OAS.), oclandestine organization opposed to independence, confrontation which took place in the district of Bab El Oued.
Following the Evian agreements of March 19, 1962 on the independence of Algeria, various organizations of French Algerians, including the OAS, called for a peaceful march, in particular against this blockade of Bab El Oued.
Any demonstration is then prohibited by France.
According to Gérard Crespo, historian a graduate of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales Paris (EHESS) and doctor of history, there was “two errors monumental“:
- “The first is to entrust the maintenance of order to the army“.
- “The second error is to entrust it to a regiment of Algerian skirmishers“.
Faced with the skirmishers, the demonstrators parade rue d’Isly in Algiers, they regroup in front of the soldiers to try to force the passage towards Bab El Oued, blocked.
Just then a gunshot is heard.
Following this first shot, the army responds by firing into the crowd. Sauveur Bucaro especially remembers the sound of weapons and scenes of horror: “I saw people going down the street to protect themselves in the entrances of buildings“.
He does not explain the origin of the shooting but maintains that the crowd was peaceful: “supposedly someone shot but that’s not true“.
“A riddle that is still unsolved” for Gerard Crespo. The historian evokes two hypotheses:
- “A “barbouze” provocation. A plainclothes policeman who allegedly fired to scare people and disperse the demonstration”.
- “The second hypothesis is that the OAS was engaged in the confrontation, which is unrealistic because it was not ready for a direct confrontation with the army.“.
“One of the highlights of the President of the Republic’s remarks will revolve around what happened on March 26 in Algiers, rue d’Isly”
Emmanuel Macron must speak on this shooting this Wednesday, January 26 during a meeting with associations of returnees from Algeria.
More than 60 years after the events, the President of the Republic will wear “a word of gratitude“.”One of the highlights of the President of the Republic’s remarks will revolve around what happened on March 26 in Algiers, rue d’Isly“says the Elysée.
At the question : “Is this speech by the President important to you? “, Savior’s answer bucaro fuse: “What would have been more important is that he did not say that colonization was a crime against humanity“.
Like many “pieds-noirs”, this direct witness to the shooting in the rue d’Isly did not forgive Emmanuel Macron for these remarks.
The head of state had described colonization as a “crime against humanity” during a trip to Algiers in 2017.
“It is important all the same, but the time has not come. It’s electoral concludes Savior bucaro referring to the April 2022 presidential election.
The names of the “innocent victims” of the rue d’Isly have been inscribed since 2010 on the national memorial to the war in Algeria and the fighting in Morocco and Tunisia, but the French State has never acknowledged responsibility in this shooting which, according to the official report, left 46 dead and 150 injured.
Details of the archives opened by France are online on the site of the national archives portal.