French press review 7 December 2013

The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the passing of Nelson Mandela continue to dominate the front page stories of the French dailies for the second day running.

Several French papers examine the deployment of 1,000 French troops in the lawless former French colony and the sectarian violence that has claimed 300 lives in the capital Bangui in 48 hours.

Free-market champion L’Opinion sees no justification for the French army’s presence in Bangui. It admits that the Central African Republic is the most unfortunate of the former French colonies in the light of the armed groups perpetrating terror there. But it insists that the pity and compassion it feels for the country does not suffice for it to support the French military expedition against a faceless enemy.

Eastern regional paper Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace differs, arguing that UN-backed military intervention is the sole strategy to end the chaos and massacres taking place in the country, even if France is depicted as acting like a “ex-coloniser”.

The rather "sympathetic" motto of this nation of five million inhabitants - "unity, dignity and work" - has never been trampled upon as it is now, not even during the terror of the late emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa's rule, it says.

According to the paper, the operation is the perfect opportunity for Paris to redeem its reputation after manipulating the politics of the diamond, gold and uranium-rich country for decades.

Le Républicain lorrain holds that, thanks to a twist of fate, the government is drafting the theory in Paris and carrying out the field work in Bangui - an allusion to the fact that France was hosting over 40 African leaders at the summit on security in Africa on the day it launched military operations in Bangui. President François Hollande urged Africa to "ensure its own security" in order to "take charge of its destiny".

Hollande promised France's help with the potential creation of a special African rapid reaction force and training of up to 20,000 soldiers every year. The European Union has released 50 million euros to aid the French-led operation.

As South Africa begins 10 days of mourning for Nelson Mandela who passed away at the age of 95 Thursday, Le Figaro marvels at the man whose passing has led the United States, France, Britain and several countries around the globe to fly their flags at half mast.

Mandela’s disappearance, according to the paper, is certainly one of the few events of our time that has touched all humanity, without distinction of race, culture or ideology. Since Thursday, we have all become South Africans more or less, says Le Figaro, even if some shades of opinion would be dismayed by our canonisation of a former passionate advocate of armed struggle. For the paper, such reservations will not reverse the fact that that Mandela stood for a good cause and that he triumphed at the end.

According to Le Figaro, it was thanks to him, his long campaign of resistance, his will to dialogue that apartheid was abolished without a civil war. It claims that the Mandela myth was construction during his five years in power and during his 27 years in prison as well.

For Le Figaro, Mandela's strength lay in his ability to be at the same time a combatant, a shrewd negotiator, the world’s longest-serving political prisoner, one of the freest men of his time, a powerful oppressed an elevated mind in a frail and fellable body.

In its tribute Libération described Mandela as a legend, an icon and a myth during his life time, observing that he incarnated a rare capacity in mankind to write history and to change the cause of the world, starting with the abolition of the ignominious regime of apartheid, a ferocious and militarised form of racism that portrayed blacks as inferiors to whites.

According to Libé, Mandela’s long struggle and imprisonment gave a face to the aspirations of black South Africans for an identity, dignity and basic rights.

The Catholic daily La Croix celebrates a rare moment of unanimity in the life of the world, a time to pay a universal tribute from US President Barak Obama to the leaders of China, France, Germany, not forgetting Pope Francis I, the Dalai Lama, football star David Beckam and Morgan Freeman, who played Mandela in the famous film Invictus.

According to the paper, despite the words of respect and admiration pouring in from around the world, the greatest homage Mandela deserves is to foster more justice and reconciliation, especially in an Africa torn apart by too much violence.

Mandela’s death has plunged the world in immense sadness commensurate with the joy that rocked the world on 11 February 1990, when he was freed from prison, according to L'Humanité.

The Communist Party daily recalls that millions were glued to television screens around the world, discovering his broad smile and his raised fist and his revolutionary salute, proud and happy that he had discovered hard-earned freedom again after 27 years in the notorious Robben Island prison.

L’Huma claims that his smile and gesture were ample proof to the world that his struggle continued, getting beneficiaries of the all-white apartheid regime to live peacefully with their segregated and humiliated black foes. The two make up one nation now says l’Humanité thanks to the tenacity will, courage and intelligence of Mandela.