L'ALGÉRIE, DE GAULLE ET LA BOMBE
Le 19 mars 1962: la conclusion des accords d’Evian, scelle, après sept ans et demi d’une guerre meurtrière, l’indépendance de l’Algérie. L’O.A.S., organisation terroriste, créée, en 1961 par un groupuscule paramilitaire ultra, sème la terreur dans le pays. En proie au chaos, commence alors l’exode des pieds noirs, ils quittent en masse «leur» Algérie. Mais des clauses secrètes aux accords d’Evian, permettent aux militaires et des scientifiques français de continuer jusqu’en 1966 les expérimentations nucléaires dans le Sahara.
La bombe voulue par le général De Gaulle a été l’un des enjeux secret de la guerre d’Algérie.
Sur le thème connu des premiers essais nucléaires, Larbi Benchiha apporte un regard neuf. Ce film raconte une histoire savamment occultée.
ALGERIA, DE GAULLE AND THE BOMB
How was France able to implant its atomic bases sensitive and secret installations, in Algeria a country at war?
Why did it realize such investments and did take the risk of bringing the nuclear bomb here, while the uprising gets organized and increases?
The question of Sahara and military experiments was the major stake in the secret negotiations between the French government and the delegation of the FLN.
For the general de Gaulle, Sahara was not a part of Algeria. For the FLN, on the contrary, the Algerian territory extended from banks of the méditerranée to the borders of Sahara.
Evian agreements signed on March 18th, 1962, ended seven and a half years war. France finally recognized the Algerian sovereignty on Sahara. In exchange, the FLN accepted that France preserves the various military bases and pursues its nuclear tests in independent Algeria during five years.
All in all 17 atomic explosions were realized in Algeria. Some of them were enamelled by incidents, the gravest has took place May 1st, 1962, it is the shooting in the name of code "Beryl", it is considered as a major accident in the military nuclear power. The soldier Michel Dessoubrais was present this day, with eight other companions. He was a member, of a patrol of radiological protection. They were seriously irradiated.
According to Evian agreements, in 1966 the French army leaves Sahara for the Pacific.
Half a century of secret, silence and lies prevented that the light is made on this history.
It will have needed to wait for 2008, so that is set up a group of Algerian and French experts to study the feasibility of a program of rehabilitation of the nuclear sites, which today still, continue to expose the populations to the dangers of the radioactivity. In January, 2010, a law for the recognition and the compensation of the victims of nuclear tests was done in France …
This movie reveals this secret side of the history.
