History. MPs unanimous to "repair the ordeal" of those repatriated from Indochina

Seventy years later, MPs unanimously approved a cross-party bill on Tuesday for France to recognize those repatriated from Indochina, providing for both a national day of tribute and a financial compensation procedure for those received in appalling conditions.

The bill aims to repair "an ordeal" that began in 1954 after the Geneva Accords marking the end of the Indochina War, according to the words of the first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure , author of the text.

"That of these auxiliaries of the French army, of these police officers, of the prison administration, of these counter workers who were still called natives, who became foreigners in their country of origin for having served France. So we must repatriate them," the rapporteur of the text, co-signed by around a hundred deputies from LFI to LR, recounted from the podium (the RN and Ciottist deputies criticized the deputy at length for not having included them).

"France behaved like a colonial power" with them, insisted Olivier Faure, describing "undignified" living conditions in "camps run by former colonial officials." "Barriers, barbed wire, curfews, flag salutes, authorization for visits, for entry, for exit..." listed the MP, himself of Vietnamese origin.

The text was adopted by the 231 voting deputies, from LFI to RN. It will now go to the Senate. It states that "the Nation expresses its gratitude to the repatriates from Indochina" and recognizes the "indignity" of their "reception conditions."

It also extends the national day of homage to those who died for France in Indochina, on June 8, "to combatants, soldiers and members of auxiliary formations, as well as to repatriates."

Above all, the text opens the way to "reparation for damages" resulting from the reception conditions of repatriates, taking into account in particular the length of stay in reception structures.

The people concerned are those who stayed "between July 22, 1954 and December 31, 1975" in these facilities. A date that sparked the most heated disagreements, particularly within the government majority, which wanted to shorten this period.