The bureaucracy of memory: France’s abstention and the weight of history
France's abstention on the UN resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as the "gravest crime against humanity" reveals a deep-seated reluctance to address the legacy of colonialism. While officials cite legal technicalities, the move reflects a fear of reparations rooted in the compromises of the 2001 Taubira Law. Human Rights defender Christine Mirre links this diplomatic denial to a broader pattern of state blindness, drawing parallels between France's stance on slavery and its response to systemic violence against the Amhara people and domestic abuse victims.
