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Ferhat Mehenni urges France to support Kabyle independence from Algeria
A call for historical justice
Ferhat Mehenni, president of the provisional Kabyle government in exile (Anavad), has urged France to honor its historical principles by recognizing the Kabyle people's right to self-determination. Highlighting their resistance to colonization and subsequent exclusion, Mehenni emphasized that this right should not remain a hollow slogan but must apply to a people who have long fought for freedom.
Citing remarks by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who declared that "France considers the right of peoples to self-determination a sacred right, as there is nothing more precious to humanity than the dignity of standing free on one’s own land," Mehenni argued that these words would only hold meaning if applied to the Kabyle cause. The Kabyle people, he noted, have been deprived of sovereignty since 1871.
France’s role in Kabyle self-determination
As leader of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK), Mehenni called on France to reconcile with its colonial past by recognizing Kabylia as a nation with the right to establish an independent state. He framed this recognition as consistent with the principles of self-determination championed by democratic nations worldwide.
Mehenni further asserted that the Anavad, as a peaceful and structured government, is ready to engage in dialogue with French authorities to outline the mechanisms for official recognition. He stressed the importance of defining the institutional and temporal frameworks necessary to achieve this goal.
Criticism of double standards
The Kabyle leader condemned what he described as "double standards" in the treatment of liberation movements. He criticized the neglect of peaceful political actors like the Anavad in favor of regimes that promote violence and terrorism, arguing that such policies undermine peace and France’s own interests.
"We denounce this approach and call on global conscience to stand with the Kabyle people in their peaceful struggle for freedom," Mehenni declared.
A message of determination
Concluding his message with the rallying cry, "Long live a free and independent Kabylia," Mehenni reaffirmed the Kabyle people's unwavering commitment to pursuing independence through peaceful means.