The Higher Institute of Contemporary Tunisian History Presents a Rare and Unpublished Document
The Higher Institute of Contemporary Tunisian History presented on Wednesday the Arabic translation of the book "La Protection française en Tunisie" (The French Protectorate in Tunisia), published in 1918 in Geneva by nationalist activist Mohamed Bach Hamba. The text, translated by researcher Ali Aït Mihoub, is considered a rare and unpublished document, according to the Institute, which claims to possess the only known copy.
A Precocious Contestation of the Colonial Regime
This rehabilitated text sheds light on an early contestation of the colonial regime, reveals the behind-the-scenes of the nationalist struggle in exile during World War I, and relaunches the debate on the legitimacy of the protectorate itself. The book, presented at the El Kitab bookstore in Mutuelleville, lifts the veil on a little-studied period: the action of Tunisian nationalists abroad during the Great War (1914-1918). According to the Institute's director, historian Khaled Obeid, the booklet challenges "certain certainties that have been taught for a long time" and encourages new research in foreign archives.
The Original Text
The original 19-page text denounces the legitimacy of the French protectorate. Bach Hamba advances three arguments:
- The forced signature of the treaty by Bey Mohamed Sadok
- The absence of real legal power of the Bey as an Ottoman representative
- The armed resistance of the Tunisians, which made the protectorate "unacceptable"
A Precocious Claim for Independence
The booklet is also distinguished by a claim considered precocious: Bach Hamba's call for total independence, while most nationalists were only demanding a reform of the protectorate regime. The edition publishes, in particular, letters exchanged with Abdelaziz Thâalbi, in which Bach Hamba urges him to impose this claim on the national movement.
The "Silent Crime" of Forced Conscription
Historian Khaled Obeid also highlights what he calls a "silent crime": the forced conscription of thousands of Tunisians during World War I, sent to the front or to French factories.
The Publication
The volume includes the original French text, its Arabic translation, and introductions by the translator Ali Aït Mihoub and the Institute's director.
Mohamed Bach Hamba: A Figure of the Nationalist Movement
Mohamed Bach Hamba (1881-1920), brother of the leader of the Tunisian Youth Ali Bach Hamba, was one of the figures of the movement. Trained in law, translator, and then judge at the Dar El-Dhiba tribunal, he left Tunisia in 1913 before settling in Geneva, where he wrote the book.
Preserving the Memory of the National Movement
According to the Institute, this publication is part of a program aimed at preserving the memory of the national movement. The research conducted has made it possible to repatriate nearly two million archival documents, in addition to sound funds.
