France's nuclear tests in Algeria: A colonial legacy that still radiates 60 years later

The enduring impact of France's nuclear testing program in the Algerian Sahara represents a significant and unresolved chapter of colonial legacy. Despite Algeria gaining independence in 1962, the environmental and human costs of these experiments, which continued until 1966, persist. The article underscores the profound suffering experienced by local populations, exemplified by the story of Mokhtar Benabdelkader's grandfather, Mohamed, who battled liver cancer after witnessing the 'Gerboise Bleue' explosion.

Gerboise Bleue

The 'Gerboise Bleue' atomic bomb, detonated in Reggane in 1960, was four times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, spreading radioactive fallout over a vast area. This initial test was just one of 17 atmospheric and underground explosions conducted across two Saharan sites, Reggane and In Ekker. The immediate aftermath saw widespread death among people, animals, and plants, with long-term health consequences like cancer becoming prevalent in affected communities.

Families like the Benabdelkaders were forced to relocate, believing they could escape the danger, only to find the threat lingered. The article emphasizes that the exact number of victims remains unknown, a testament to the secrecy surrounding the tests. This lack of transparency has compounded the suffering, as communities grapple with the invisible enemy of radiation without adequate support or information.

Samia Henni

Algerian historian Samia Henni's work, 'Colonial Toxicity,' provides critical context for understanding the ongoing crisis. Henni argues that the scattered radioactive waste and abandoned materials across vast areas of the Sahara constitute a profound infringement upon the dignity of the Saharan people. She highlights that France's refusal to acknowledge and address the material and geological consequences of these bombs is an integral part of a broader colonialist project, designed to obscure the violence and long-term temporal reach of colonial actions.

According to Henni, the demographic repercussions have been severe, with the population in the Reggane region reportedly halving from 40,000 to 20,000 inhabitants. This drastic decline underscores the devastating human cost of the tests, which were justified by France on the false premise that the Sahara was an uninhabited area. Her research points to the inaccessibility of archives as a major barrier to understanding the full scope of the tragedy and providing justice to the victims.

Secret Defence

France's continued refusal to provide Algeria with maps detailing the locations of buried radioactive waste and contaminated equipment is a central point of contention. This stance is rooted in French legislation, specifically a 2008 heritage law and a 2021 anti-terrorism and intelligence law, which impose a 'double lock' on nuclear archives. These laws grant military authorities a veto over the release of documents deemed sensitive or related to weapons of mass destruction, effectively shielding the details of the Algerian tests from public scrutiny and international accountability.

Experts like Patrick Bouveret of Ican note that this legal framework prevents declassification, hindering Algeria's independent decontamination efforts. The lack of transparency not only obstructs environmental cleanup but also perpetuates a sense of injustice among Algerians who continue to suffer the consequences of a colonial past. The ongoing secrecy prevents a full reckoning with history and impedes efforts to mitigate the health and environmental hazards that still radiate across the Sahara.