Sputnik spoke to the national secretary of the Algerian League for the Protection of Human Rights Houari Kaddour about why the complaint has not been raised before and what the organization aims to achieve by raising it now.
“It is time for our NGO to bring forward the legal weapon to protect rights of the victimized Algerians. The Algerian League for the Protection of Human Rights is taking France to court, accusing it of crimes against humanity, for several reasons: the impact on environment and the human and moral consequences,” Kaddour said.
He further said that the organization wants complete clarity on the consequences of their actions.
“We still do not know exactly what is happening in Reggane and Tamanrasset [places where nuclear testing occurred]. The radiation over there might stay at a high level for the next 3,000-4,000 years. We appeal to The Hague court to expose the actions of France,” the secretary said.
The objectives of this initiative are both concrete and symbolic.
“The main purpose [of the complaint] is to ensure that the French state [deactivates] the objects. Secondly, France should stop thinking that it can commit crimes for which it will not be judged,” Kaddour told Sputnik.
Despite this, the secretary said that he doesn’t want to ignite a conflict with France, but rather the aim is to ensure that “humanity lives in peace.”
