French Rights Groups March Against Colonialism Law

"We call for annulling clause 4 of the law, which glorifies French colonialism, not just amending it as suggested by President Jacques Chirac," the groups said in a joint statement, a copy of which was sent to IslamOnline.net.

The mass rally is organized to mark the first anniversary of the enactment of the controversial legislation which made it obligatory for teachers to give favorable gloss to the role of the French presence overseas, a euphemism for colonialism.

"The school syllabuses shall recognize in particular the positive role of the French presence overseas, notably in North Africa, and devotes to the history and the sacrifice of the soldiers of the French Army originating from these territories," reads the law.

The measure had drawn fire from former French colonies, chiefly the North African republic of Algeria which took the brunt of French colonialism.

In December, Algerian lawmakers put forward a new draft law criminalizing France's colonial era in the Arab country and pressed for trying Paris for "crimes against humanity."

Israeli Lawyer

Sarkozy, a staunch supporter of the controversial law, has added insult to injury by naming a French-Israeli lawyer to head a special panel reviewing the pros and cons of the bill.

"Arno Klarsfeld is not the right man for the job, because he served in the Israeli occupation army and had a hand in the Israeli crimes against the Palestinians," the Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Among Peoples said in a statement.

In 2003 , Klarsfeld served as a conscript in an Israeli border guards unit.

He is also known for his staunch support for the US-led invasion-turned-occupation of Iraq.

"Klarsfeld is an extremist Zionist who cannot lead a committee studying the impacts of colonialism," agreed the Euro-Palestine group.

It dismissed his appointment as a "provocation" by Sarkozy.

Earlier this month, Chirac said the law was "dividing the French" and ordered the National Assembly speaker to write a new law that will bring people together.

The BBC has reported that more than44 , 000people signed a petition to repeal the law, including Socialist Party lawmaker Victorin Lurel, who called it a "law of shame."

In April of2005 , more than1 , 000French intellectuals and historians signed a petition urging the abolition of the law.

http://islamonline.net/English/News/2006-01/22/article02.shtml