New Monument for Muslims

France has been remembering the three-hundred-thousand men who gave their lives during the Battle of Verdun, ninety-years ago during the First World War. As part of the commemorations, the French President, Jacques Chirac unveiled a monument to the many Muslims who fought and died for France, but whose contribution has not been officially recognised until now. This report from Jonny Dymond:

Verdun has for decades been celebrated as the quintessentially French battle of the First World War. It was targeted by the Germans for symbolic, as much as strategic, value. It became a military mincing machine. Until now the recognition of the role, played by Muslims from France's colonies, has been noted but not really commemorated. But from Senegal and Morocco, from Algeria and Tunisia, Muslims fought under the French flag in the First World War. Their sacrifice, almost eighty thousand of them died, has been overshadowed by the memorials to Christian and Jewish soldiers who lost their lives. No longer, as President Chirac unveiled the new monument, close to the building that contains the bones of more than one hundred and thirty thousand unidentified men from the battlefield, he spoke of unity. In the moment of history, at Verdun and for Verdun, he said, France knew how to unite. During this interminable year, he added, all of France was in Verdun.

Jacques CHIRAC in French

(translation)

Seventy-two thousand soldiers from the former French empire died for France between 1914 and 1918. They fought in this war under our flag: Moroccan foot soldiers, Senegalese, Algerian and Tunisian infantrymen, soldiers from Madagascar and also Indochina, Asia, Oceania. It was 90 years ago, but it was just yesterday.

穆斯林纪念碑揭幕, 缅怀凡尔登烈士

法国人一直铭记着九十年前在第一次世界大战的凡尔登战役中失去生命的三十万人。作为纪念活动的一部分，法国总统雅克·希拉克为一座穆斯林纪念碑揭幕，这座纪念碑是为了纪念那些为法国而战、为法国献出生命的穆斯林而修建的。他们的贡献直到今天才得到官方的认可。来自约翰·杜蒙迪的报道。

数十年来，凡尔登因为经历了法国在一战中最经典的战役而广为人知。德国人因为觉得它有某种象征意义而对准它，并且它还有战略价值。在战争中这个城市成了军用绞肉机。直到现在，人们虽然已经意识到来自法国殖民地的穆斯林在战争中所发挥的作用，但对于他们并没有真正意义上的纪念。而事实上，在第一次世界大战中，来自塞内加尔、摩洛哥、阿尔及利亚以及突尼斯的穆斯林人都在法国的旗帜下作战。将近有八万人死于这场战争。他们的牺牲一直被掩盖在对基督教和犹太教烈士的悼念之中。历史不会一再遗忘。当总统希拉克在给这座靠近13万士兵的尸骨场的纪念馆揭幕时，他谈到了团结。他说，在这一历史时刻，在凡尔登也为了凡尔登，法国人知道了如何团结。他补充道，在这个漫长的年代，整个法兰西都在凡尔登。

雅克·希拉克 法国

（翻译）

在1914到1918年间，有72，000名来自前法兰西帝国的士兵为法国捐躯。在这场战争中，来自摩洛哥，塞内加尔，阿尔及利亚和突尼斯，马达加斯加，印度支那，亚洲和大洋洲的士兵――他们在我们的旗帜下战斗。时隔已有九十年，但一切似乎就发生在昨天。