Macron acknowledges the violence of France in Cameroon during the struggle for independence

• Macron acknowledged the repressive violence during the struggle of Cameroon for independence.
• France carried out mass executions and supported harsh police actions.
• This letter is part of France's attempt to acknowledge its colonial past.

President of France Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that his country applied "repressive violence" in Cameroon during the struggle for independence in the 1950s. This fact was highlighted in a letter sent to Cameroonian leader Paul Biya, which became public on August 12, 2025.

In the letter, published by Macron's office, it is mentioned that French colonial troops carried out mass executions, holding thousands of Cameroonians in internment camps and supporting harsh police actions to suppress the aspirations of the country for independence. This conclusion was drawn in a report by the French-Cameroonian historical commission established in 2022.

The commission investigated France's role in Cameroon from 1945 to 1971, noting that the repressive actions of the French army continued even after independence in 1960. Macron also acknowledged France's responsibility for the deaths of independence leaders such as Ruben Um Nyobe and Paul Momo.

Cameroon was a colony of Germany until the end of World War I, after which the territory was divided between Britain and France. Cameroon gained independence on January 1, 1960, while the southern British Cameroons joined the federation the following year.

This letter is part of Macron's recognition of France's colonial past, although many critics believe that his actions are insufficient. Earlier, he acknowledged France's responsibility for the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, but he refrained from official apologies for abuses committed by French troops in Algeria.

Tags: Europe/Politics