On Sunday, in the context of an interview given to the Parisian, Omar Sy questioned our relationship with the war. promoting the movie skirmishers, which opens in theaters on Wednesday, the actor was surprised that the French “are so affected” by the conflict in Ukraine.
“I’m surprised people are so affected. Does that mean that when you’re in Africa, you’re less affected?” he said. I feel threatened in the same way when he is in Iran or Ukraine. (…) A war is humanity sinking, even if it is at the other end of the world”.
58 French soldiers die in the Sahel
Since then, this statement has been highly commented, especially on social networks, where numerous personalities have made their outrage heard. For the latter, with his words, Omar Sy makes invisible the dozens of French soldiers who have died in recent years in an African theater of operations.
“There are 58 French soldiers who died in the Sahel fighting against the jihadists. No, Omar Sy, the French are not ‘less affected’ by what is happening ‘in Africa’. Some gave their lives so that Malians stop being threatened by terrorists,” said Macron MEP Nathalie Loiseau.
The same story for Gérard Araud, former French ambassador to the United States, stressing that “almost 60 French soldiers gave their lives to fight terrorism in the Sahel…”.
Asked about it on our antenna this Monday, Nathalie Loiseau, however, wanted to qualify her statements a bit. “He says the right things because what happens close to home always affects us more. (…) It shouldn’t be like that. (…) Does that mean that what happens in other places does not affect the French at all? ?” she stressed.
For Bruno Tertais, deputy director of the Foundation for Strategic Research, the fact that the French feel more affected by the atrocities committed in Mali than in Ukraine is “perfectly normal”. “Just as the Congolese felt more affected by the conflicts in Kivu than by those in Yugoslavia.”
“Ingratitude”
For the lawyer Charles Consigny, engaged with Valérie Pécresse during the last presidential elections, the release of Omar Sy would even be part of an “ideological enterprise of French cinema”, according to what he declared. this Monday at RMC. “This ingratitude is hateful.”
“We can no longer talk about World War I without immediately addressing the issue of the Senegalese riflemen,” he said, referring to the subject of the film currently being promoted by Omar Sy.
Finally, the national deputy for Rassemblement Julien Odoul criticized the star’s statements on Monday on BFMTV. of untouchables, who now lives in Los Angeles. “What is disturbing about Omar Sy’s statement is the selective outrage of this ultra-privileged showbiz star.”
“Healthy and Just Anger”
As of this writing, only LFI MP Clémentine Autain has welcomed the actor’s message. “Healthy and righteous anger. Thank you Omar Sy,” she said on Twitter.
Source: BFM TV
