Young Adults' Public Opinion of France's Reparations to Historical Injustices

 Although the public opinion on reparations for the historical injustices of France against Libya is divided, it is unfortunate and insensitive for France to refuse to apologize for the historical massacres it has done during the colonial rule of Libya. This post will specifically draw attention to results from 16 focus groups with 18-29 European participants and their views towards their country’s local and international affairs.

History: Under European colonialism, which began in the late 19th century (Rodney, 1971) and was mainly motivated by controlling resources (oil, diamond, gold) in developing countries, France invaded Libya in 1911. The invasion was cruel and inhumane; the authority forced men to work in mines, abusing and killing women, lynching youth and elderly, and burning and burying children while alive; tens of thousands died. France also suppressed the culture and Islamic religion in Libya. The invasion lasted until 1951, leaving heartache from haunting memories and massive European control over the price of agricultural products produced on the African continent (Rodney, 1971).

 

Unlike the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy (Ambassoli, 2023), France has never apologized for the historical injustices against Libya, nor is it planning to pay reparations for things that its ruling has done over 50 years ago. According to the Pew Research results (Silver et al., 2023), participants were realistic in calling France to offer financial aid to parts it invaded, improve lives for French citizens of former migrants, and return the dignity of Libya’s historical arts and artifacts. There is also the need to revisit the one-way import-export relationship between African nations and Europe in general, between the metropolitan countries such as France and those with natural resources (Rodney, 1971). France, however, recognizes the benefits of controlling trade prices. Although it is considered developed and “one of the world’s powers,” it still has “collapsing buildings and has issues with inequalities” (Silver et al., 2023). Its economy relies on the mass production of goods using African-based imports. For that same reason, France has continued to il-legitimize claims from nations such as Libya and Haiti, “leaving a sore point in the diplomatic exchanges between the countries” (Ambassoli, 2023, para 3).

 

Libya has better diplomatic ties with Italy, for example. In 2008, before the Arab Spring, both countries signed the Treaty of Benghazi that delivered $5 billion in reparations, an issued apology by the Prime minister, and the return of a historical artifact, Venus of Cyrene (Ambassoli, 2023). France could not learn from other nations even if it wanted to. It has kept close attention and influence on the Arab Spring after Algathafi’s death and supported a military coup led by Haftar, the army commander (Reuters, 2017).

 

Until today, the French government keeps suppressing Muslims and Arabs, even those considered French or White; the latest is the ban of Abaya’s (Beardsley, 2023), making internal matters more shaken and unstable than ever. Arguably, the public opinion that could matter the most is of the young adults. “We will only be able to help internationally when we have political and social stability in our own country.” (Silver et al., 2023, p. 4). Young participants also had opinions regarding the United Nations, starting with annulling the veto power to members such as China, Russia, and others and revolutionizing the structure, especially when France is viewed as contradicting (standing with Ukraine while importing oil from Russia); that stance is the same across EU countries. 

 

Ambassoli, (2023). Reparations and realpolitik: Lessons from Italy and Libya. Georgetown Security Studies Review. https://georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org/2023/02/08/reparations-and-realpolitik-lessons-from-italy-and-libya/

Beardsley, B. (2023) A ban on wearing the abaya in French schools is causing an uproar. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/09/08/1198520450/a-ban-on-wearing-the-abaya-in-french-schools-is-causing-an-uproar

France under Macron signal shift in Libya policy toward Haftar (2017). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/cnews-us-france-libya-idCAKCN18E2UU-OCATP

Rodney, W. (1971) How Europe underdeveloped Africa. The Walter Rodney Foundation. Atlanta, GA. 

Silver, L., Fagan, M., Lippert, J., Greenwood, S., Baronavski, C. & Keegan, M. (2023) How young adults want their country to engage with the world. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2023/03/08/how-young-adults-want-their-country-to-engage-with-the-world/