Pain and Joy as Algerians Celebrate Independence

 PARIS, France — Algeria is kicking off its 50th anniversary of independence from France Thursday with a series of year-long celebrations.  But many Algerians and French are marking the event with mixed emotions.

Algeria's 50th independence anniversary began on a sober note, as President Abdelaziz Bouteflika laid a wreath before a monument dedicated¹ to Algerians who died in the war.  Things lighten up later with a huge evening concert.

But Paris-based Algerian journalist Atman Tazaghart says the celebrations are edged with bitterness.

Tazaghart says that while Algerians are very proud of their independence from France, they also are disappointed. Their dreams of building a modern, democratic and prosperous society have not been realized. Despite the country's vast oil wealth, unemployment is high and many are angry at what they believe is a dictatorial² state.

French feel equally conflicted about the anniversary - but for different reasons. The war of independence uprooted³ hundreds of thousands of pieds noir, of French settlers in Algeria.  Many Harkis - Algerians who fought on France's side during the war- faced bloody⁴ reprisals⁵. Thousands were resettled to France to live in poverty.

French and Algerians both committed atrocities⁶ during the war. They are still trading accusations⁷.

In a recent French television report, the children of Algerian fighters offered grim memories of the war. One women said she waited 42 years to get news of her father's death.

Journalist Tazaghart says there are also second- and third-generation French Algerians who feel rejected in France. They idealize Algeria, but they don't realize all of its problems.

Algerians are still waiting for France to apologize for its colonial rule and the brutalities it committed during the war of independence. Some hope that will happen under French President Francois Hollande. But Tazaghart is among those who believe it will take time - and possibly a new generation of French and Algerians - to be able to bury the past.

1 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

2 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

3 uprooted   

v.把（某物）连根拔起( uproot的过去式和过去分词 )；根除；赶走；把…赶出家园

参考例句：

• Many people were uprooted from their homes by the flood. 水灾令许多人背井离乡。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The hurricane blew with such force that trees were uprooted. 飓风强烈地刮着，树都被连根拔起了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

5 reprisals   

n.报复（行为）( reprisal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They did not want to give evidence for fear of reprisals. 他们因为害怕报复而不想作证。
• They took bloody reprisals against the leaders. 他们对领导进行了血腥的报复。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 atrocities   

n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪

参考例句：

• They were guilty of the most barbarous and inhuman atrocities. 他们犯有最野蛮、最灭绝人性的残暴罪行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy's atrocities made one boil with anger. 敌人的暴行令人发指。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。