### Between Paris and Algiers: Echoes of a Refractory Memory
The recent diplomatic tensions between Paris and Algiers are rooted in a tumultuous past, but it is crucial to look not only at recent events but also at the cultural and memorial repercussions of this historical struggle. France’s about-face on Western Sahara, the controversial arrests of literary figures such as Boualem Sansal, and the belated recognition of Algerian pain by the Goncourt Prize awarded to Kamel Daoud for his novel “Houris,” resonate well beyond the political and literary spheres. These events open a profound reflection on the traumas shared and narrated through literature, anchored in a pivotal period in Algerian history: the black decade.
#### A Round Table of Memorial Debates
It is not uninteresting to imagine a round table bringing together writers, historians and philosophers from both sides of the Mediterranean to discuss the representation of this “national tragedy”. It is fascinating to see to what extent this collective memory is both felt and sometimes instrumentalized by the governments in place. Article 46 of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation in Algeria, which punishes “the instrumentalization of the wounds” of this civil war, can defuse debates that would be necessary to open for a true reconciliation. This type of regulation reinforces the idea that suffering is often a taboo subject unfortunately too exploited for political ends.
Let us recall that the black decade (1992-2002) cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of Algerians and that the wounds are still present in the collective memory. Writers such as Aziz Chouaki with “L’Etoile d’Alger” or Yasmina Khadra have been able to transcend pain by bringing a literary voice to a wounded society. In these stories, the memory of the children of Algeria, their fragmented memories of a heavy past, is the common thread that is woven to connect these works.
#### The Art of Resilience: When Literature Embodys the Breath of Resistance
The voice of Amina Damerdji, through her novel “Bientôt les vivants”, participates in a crucial literary phenomenon: the construction of a collective memory through writing. Giving voice to a generation that has experienced exile, she appeals to all the senses to evoke this period, illustrating how literature can be both a mirror and a catharsis. The smell of cement, the walls standing as silent witnesses to the violence suffered, evoke a palpable reality. Through this sensory approach, Damerdji succeeds in establishing a powerful link between art and lived experience.
Beyond the simple evocation of pain, this narrative art questions our relationship to memory. What defines our civilization? Our successes, our failures, or the way we tell our story? Works like Chouaki and Damerdji’s fuel this necessary debate, echoing global concerns about identity as other societies divided by conflict engage in similar processes of resilience and identity reconstruction.
#### Comparison with Other Wider Conflicts
Broadening the perspective, a comparative analysis is necessary. Algeria’s post-conflict transition shares notable similarities with other countries that have experienced violent crises. In Colombia, for example, the process of post-conflict memory, through literature and the arts, has helped to re-establish a complicated dialogue around the violent past. This fosters mutual understanding and a process of healing that could be applied to the Algerian context. The role of literature in these identity struggles cannot be underestimated.
Statistics remind us that millions of people have been affected by internal conflicts around the world. A UN report indicates that in recent crises, often, more than 80% of the victims are civilians, marking a tragic trend. Focusing on Algeria, the number varying between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths is a bitter reminder of the fragility of contemporary societies when history is forgotten or misunderstood.
#### Conclusion: Towards a Shared Reflection
The diplomatic news between Paris and Algiers is not only a reflection of political quarrels; it also embodies the challenge of a collective memory still under construction. It is through the work of writers on both sides of the Mediterranean that paths of reconciliation, an exploration of suffering, and an attempt at dialogue inspired by lived experiences are emerging. Writing about these wounds is not easy, but it is a fundamental step towards healing and mutual understanding.
It is essential that this literature continues to be encouraged, that these voices are heard and that they go beyond geographical borders. In this cultural exchange, all the richness of humanity is found. If history should be taught, it is first as a means of enlightening the eyes of those who inherit it, in order to determine together the vision of a peaceful future.