the essential
The stele in homage to the harkis of the Bias camp was covered in a blackish liquid that resembles used engine oil.
Shock within the Harkis community of Villeneuvois, this Tuesday, September 17 in the morning. The inhabitants of the Astor and Paloumet estates of Bias, built on the site of the former CARA (Reception Center for Repatriates from Algeria), had the unpleasant surprise of seeing the stele that borders the Paloumet road covered in a blackish liquid.
Immediately, a banner was erected around the monument paying tribute to the harkis. According to initial observations made on site, it was used oil. This is far from a simple splash, the damage extends across the entire width of the stele, both in front and behind.
Complaint and request for cameras
Boaza Gasmi and Larbi Bouzaboun, both members of the National Harkis Liaison Committee association, did not hide their dismay at such degradation, on such a symbolic monument. “A stele is respected,” the two men whispered. They were to meet with the leaders of the other associations to study the follow-up to be given in the face of this degradation. “One thing is certain, we are going to press the Bias town hall to install a camera at this location.”
On its own initiative, the association “Mémoire harkis du camp de Bias” announced early in the afternoon that it was “filing a complaint” to identify and convict the perpetrators of this act of vandalism. This is not the first time that this stele has been targeted: in 2018, the marble plaque was broken and the monument tagged. This time, the damage comes a few days before the National Day of Homage to the Harkis, scheduled for September 25.
