A vibrant tribute paid, in Sète, to the Manouchian couple

Près de 200 personnes se sont rassemblées ce mercredi matin devant le monument aux Martyrs de la Résistance et de la Déportation de Rose Roc. Midi Libre – Patrice Espinasse

A few hours before Missak and Mélinée Manoukian entered the Pantheon, nearly 200 people paid tribute to the resistance couple in front of the Monument to the Martyrs of the Resistance and Deportation, this Wednesday, February 21, in Sète.

It was a great moment of sharing. And emotions. This Wednesday, February 21, Sète paid a vibrant tribute to Missak and Mélinée Manouchian, a few hours before their entry into the Pantheon and on the day of the 80th anniversary of the death of Missak, shot by the German army on the hill of Mont -Valérien.

Nearly 200 people gathered, many with a rose in their hand, at the Monument to the Martyrs of the Resistance and the Deportation of Rose Roc, Promenade Maréchal Leclerc. They had responded to the call of numerous associations (Veterans, Attac, Greenpeace, La Baraquette Citoyen, La Libre Pensée, LDH, Le 51, Visite citoyenne du CRA) and political and union organizations (PC, PS, LFI , CGT, CFDT).

Symbol against obscurantism

Four speeches marked the ceremony. The communist activist Valérie Suire retraced the life and commitment of the two resistance fighters, married in 1936. President of Arac de Sète, Nathalie Moréno listed the twenty-three companions of ;arms shot the same day by the German army. Arnaud Jean, general secretary of the local CGT union and Pierre Confavreux, spokesperson for the Human Rights League, gave lively speeches.

More political, the latter welcomed "this pantheonization requested for years by many citizens and historians", symbol "against obscurantism". Directly targeting President Emmanuel Macron, Pierre Confavreux also pointed out the "perfect contradiction between the orientation given to the debate on immigration and tribute to foreign resistance fighters".

The Song of the Partisans, echoed by the audience, closed a ceremony imbued with great solemnity.