Bertrand Valla
Mr. Thompson and Mr. Oldani
Seminar
Thursday June
7, 2001
What is the cause of the civil war in
Algeria and what could help to stop it?
Algeria is a country located in the
Northern part of Africa between Morocco and Tunisia. Algeria, in contrast, to
many other nations in the Middle East, did not become a fundamentalist Moslem
country. A country in which the law is
based upon the Koran. In 1991, the FIS Front Islamique du Salut (translation:
Islamic front of Salvation) won the election, but the Algerian army did not
accept it. The difficulty encountered by the FIS to enter the Algerian
government pushed the FIS to extreme violence. Since 1991, the date of the
crucial election, more than 100 000 people have died in Algeria.
My Grandmother is from Algeria. She
has lost two brothers, Camel and Ahmed, due to the civil war. Camel died
because he was enrolled in the Algerian army. The other brother Ahmed died
because he had been kidnapped by the FIS. Today, nobody knows where he could be.
Nobody knows where he might be, but everyone has an idea where he is. Today,
when my Grandmother is talking about her brother, she usually says that he is
in a happy place where everyone is good and gentle. I think she was talking
about heaven
I am strongly convinced that if the
media of the United States were defusing more informations about the war that
happens today in Algeria, my grandmother’s brothers will still be alive today.
I specified the media of the United States because they are the most powerful.
Ask any person from anywhere in the whole word whether or not they know the CNN
media. He will probably responds yes. On the other hand, if you ask to the
whole word whether or not they know “le quotidien”, one of the most famous
French newspapers in France, I am less convinced that they will respond yes to
the question posed. The power of the US media have the power to change in a
desperate country.
In the paper I will explain the
cause of the civil war that burned in Algeria in 1991 and how the United States
could have been helpful.
Brief
overview of the war in Algeria.
A civil war broke out in Algeria
because of the failure of the FLN Front de Liberation National (Translation:
National Front of Liberation). After the War of Independence, Ahmed Ben Bella
took power in 1963. He represents the first president and the first failure of
the FLN because of its dictatorship
(Foreign area study,
Algeria a country study)
Three years later, in 1965, Houari
Boumedienne in conflict with the regime of Ben Bella took his place with a
coup. During the regime of Houari Boumedienne, the economy was very poor and
the dictatorship continued. The only difference with Ahmed Ben Bella’s
dictatorship is that Houari Boumedienne didn’t do illegal things. The power he
had in the country was specified by the constitution. The dictatorship of the
two first presidents in Algeria didn’t meet the needs of the population because
of the lack of freedom within dictatorship.
(Foreign area study)
After the death of Houari Boumedienne
in 1979, Chadli Bendjedid took his place in the presidency. During his
presidency, the population complained about the dictatorial regime and the bad
economy. In response to the confrontation of the past regime, Chadli Bendjedid
made new laws such as the multiparty law. The new law permitted the FIS Front
Islamique du Salut (Translation: Islamic Front of Salvation) to win the
election in December 1991. The army rejected the victory of the FIS and the
civil war broke out between the Algerian army and the FIS. The army didn’t want
the FIS in power because they might lose their power in the government.
(Foreign area study)
The future of the civil war in
Algeria will depend on the current president. I also believe that if the
information of the civil war were more diffused in famous media of the United
States such as New York Time, Los Angeles Times and Post Washington, it would
help to resolve the problem in Algeria.
The
Failure of the FLN
Ben Bella
Ahmed Ben Bella was born to a faming
family in 1918 on the 5th of July at Maghnic at the frontier near
Morocco. In World War II, he fought with the French against the German army.
After the World War II, he decided to struggle for the independence of Algeria.
In the struggle for the independence, Ben Bella had a very important position
because he was included as one of the 9 legendary members of the revolutionary
committee called the CNRA Community Nationnal de la Revolution Algerienne (Translation : National Community of the
Algerian Revolution). The CNRA had a very important role during the war between
France and Algeria because it where all the decisions about the war were taken.
(http:
//archipress.org/bb/biobb/html)
The French stopped the struggle of
Ben Bella for the Independence of Algeria. On the 22 October 1956, the French
Army hijacked Ben Bella plane from Rabat to Tunis at Algiers. The hijacked of
the pane cause Ben Bella and other member of the Revolutionary Committee to be
jailed. Ben Bella was only liberated in 1963.
In spite of his jailing, the popularity of Ben Bella was not touched and
he became the first president of the new independent country.
(http://masterweb.free.fr/html/alg56c.html)
The presidency of Ben Bella was not
a success for the new Algerian country. “He formed his government without
needing legislative approval and was responsible for the definition and
direction of its policies. There was no effective institutional check on his
power”. Ahmed Ben Bella represented a dictator in Algeria because he was at the
same time, chief of State, head of government, and supreme commander of the
armed force.
(http://arabculture.ab...ry/weekly/history/blhalgeriaben.html)
The
army did not accept the absolute power of Ahmed Ben Bella because it gave them
less power. The army believes that they should be able to direct in some way
the Algerian government. Louhoari Add, a journalist, said in the “Monde
Diplomatique” in February 1998 that the role of the army in the government is
to lay down the major economic guideline, which constitutes a very important
role. The army decided that they should have an important place in the
government because they are the ones who fought against the French people for
the independence of the Algerian country. Louhari explained the role of the
army in his article. He said that: “The Army derives its authority from
Algerian history, and from the need to guarantee national unity and defend it.”
Explanation of the quote: The
“Algerian history” could be explained by the colonization of the Algeria
country who have been colonize for 124 years. The colonization of the French
people was a bad experience for the Algerian, and today they do not want to be
dominated again. In order to prevent futures problem in Algeria, the country
“needs to guarantee national unity and defends it” by the Algerian army
Ahmed Ben Bella did not succeed as a
president because he did not give enough power to the army. The lack of power
given to the army by Ahmed Ben Bella caused the rise of Houari Boumedienne who
was allied with the army. On June 19 1965, Houari Boumedienne, with the help of
the army, took the power of Ben Bella in an illegal coup without any violence.
(http://arabculture.ab...ry/weekly/history/blhalgeriaben.html)
Houari Boumedienne took the power in
1965 after an illegal coup. The coup was accepted by the Algerian population.
He represents the second failure of the FLN because of the failure of the
economy and the political governance.
The Algerian people understood that
the dictatorship of Ahmed Ben Bella was not a good method to develop a country.
Houari Boumedienne, with the help of the army took over the presidency of Ahmed
Ben Bella because he had too much executive power. It is very strange but when
a country do not need any information, the media come. In the New Work Time, on
the June of 19 1965, there was a plenty of information to explain what was
happening in Algeria. The country could have done without the information given
by the media of the United States
Houari
Boumedienne is a name derived from Muhammad Ibrahim Bukharruba. He was born in
1938 at Heliopolis. He fought for the independence of Algeria against the
French people. In 1960 he was nominated chief of staff of the army outside of
Algeria. When Ben Bella came to the power in 1962, Houari Boumedienne
represented the defense of the ministry until 1965.
(Foreign
area study, Algeria a
country study)
Houari
Boumedienne developed the industry in Algeria with the four years plan of
1971-1974. The plan was focused on exporting heavy industry to give self-sufficiency
for the Algerian economy. The development of the industry was focused on
hydrocarbon production. During the four years plan, the hydrocarbon represented
1/3 of the gross domestic product in Algeria. In that time the hydrocarbon
represented the fourth largest production in the world.
(Foreign
area study, Algeria a country study)
Agricultural debt to feed
the Algerian population
In
spite of the will of the Algerian government to develop the production the
Algerian agriculture has been in shortage to feed the Algerian population. The
products put on the market are high priced could be explained by the population
growth and the decline of the price of the petrol.
Agricultural
production doubled from 1967 to 1982, but it is not enough to nourish the whole
population. From an expert point of view “The agriculture was sufficient to
feed the population between 1962 and 1967, but to be efficient after 1967, the
production should have been multiplied by three because of the doubling of the
population.” ( Smail , Le Mal Algerien)When the growth of the population
is faster than a production growth, the country has to import food from foreign
countries to feed the population.
|
50.56 |
5.71 |
6.02 |
6.46 |
7.15 |
8.48 |
9.53 |
9.84 |
Population million |
|
|
1911 |
1921 |
1926 |
1931 |
1936 |
1948 |
1954 |
1955 |
Years |
|
|
10.05 |
1027 |
10.48 |
10.69 |
10.9 |
11.12 |
11 |
11.27 |
Population million |
|
|
1956 |
1957 |
1958 |
1959 |
1960 |
1961 |
1962 |
1963 |
Years |
|
|
11.61 |
11.96 |
12.33 |
12.76 |
13.14 |
13.52 |
13.93 |
14.33 |
Population million |
|
|
1964 |
1965 |
1966 |
1967 |
1968 |
1969 |
1970 |
1971 |
Years |
|
|
14.76 |
15.2 |
15.65 |
16.14 |
16.63 |
17.15 |
17.7 |
18.26 |
Population million |
|
|
1972 |
1973 |
1974 |
1975 |
1976 |
1977 |
1978 |
1979 |
Years |
|
|
18.86 |
19.48 |
20.13 |
20.8 |
21.48 |
22.18 |
22.84 |
23.48 |
Population million |
|
|
1980 |
1981 |
1982 |
1983 |
1984 |
1985 |
1986 |
1987 |
Years |
|
|
24.1 |
24.72 |
25.34 |
25.95 |
26.56 |
27.17 |
27.77 |
28.36 |
Population million |
|
|
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
Years |
|
|
28.94 |
29.52 |
30.08 |
30.64 |
31.19 |
31.73 |
|
|
Population million |
|
|
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
|
Years |
|
Source from 1950 to 2001(http://census/ipc/www/idbrank.html)
Source of 1948 years (http://census/ipc/www/idbrank.html)
Source
from 1911 to 1936 (Gillepsie, Algeria)
Graph
about the evolution of the Algerian population from the chart above
The graph above show us that the
population of the population Algerian greatly during the period of the Houari
Boumedienne Regime. The increase of the Algerian make it difficult for the
agriculture to feed the Algeria population. The population improved more than
what the agriculture production growth had expected.
This
made it difficult for the Algerian agriculture to feed the Algerian population.
The below graph below shows us that importation of agricultural
products were higher than the exportation amount in Algeria during the period
of the presidency of Houari Boumedienne from 1965 to 1979. The only period in
which the exportation were higher than the importation is between 1973 and
1975. The balance between the exportation and importation is very important
because it represents the profit made by the country. If the importation is
higher than the exportation, the country will not make profit, but debt.
(Smail Goumezianne, Le Mal Algerien)
One
has to note that the products bought in foreign countries for the development
of the production were financed by borrowed money from the IMF. The debt to the
IMF was tolerable because the production was increasing.
The third factor is caused by problem of the petrol.
Algeria had to use money from the petrol production to balance products
imported into Algeria. The problem of the petrol is that the agricultural
importation are higher than the value of the petrol, which makes it difficult
to pay for the importation. During the regime of Houari Boumedienne, the
agriculture based on the sale of petrol was a failure because of the import
debt and the inability to properly nourish the population.
Graph of the petrol and agriculture
The Algerian products are very
expensive for two reasons.
The first reasons could be explained
by the discriminatory price of the products ought in western countries. “The
equipment sold to third World countries were sold 50 to 80% more than the
developed country.” The discriminatory prices of the products bought in the
western world to develop the production raise the overrun of the price of the
products.(Smail)
The second reasons could be
explained by the non-skilled population, that does not know how to use complex
machines such as tractors because of their low qualifications due to a lack of
training. There are only a very few persons with high skill to assure’ that the
work is well done by the workers. In consequence, the worker who does not know
how to use the machine often breaks the machines without surveillance.
(Gilbert Meynier,
L’Algerie Contemporaine, Bilan et Solution pour Sortir de la Crise)
The discriminatory prices of the
western world and the non-skilled Algerian population raises the cost of the
products put on the market. The prices of the products are very expensive for
the Algerian people to buy.
When
Houari Boumedienne took the power, his goal was to remedy to the political
problem of the dictatorship of Ahmed Ben Bella. Houari Boumedienne did not
accept the “morbid deviation of power” of Ben Bella. ( Foreign area study,
Algeria a country study) The goal of Houari Boumediennne was to give power to
the army that represents an important part of the Algerian country. Houari
Boumedienne succeeded to give more power to the army, but he didn’t stop the
dictatorship. (Foreign area study)
In
1976, Houari Boumedienne consolidated the power of the executive power.
“Boumedienne was named head of State and head of government as prime minister,
commander in chief, and minister of National Security General of the country’s
single legal party.” In addition, the constitution of 1976 also reinforced the
importance of the FLN as the unique party. The constitution instituted by
Houari Boumedienne is very similar to a dictatorship. Houari Boumedienne has
too much of an important place in the government.
(http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/dztoc.html)
The
power he obtained in 1976 has been gradually obtained through the years. Two of
the leading leftist ministers, Boumaza and Brussel were isolated from the
government. They did not have any possibility to give any ideas to the Houari
Boumedienne government. The lack of power to the two leftist ministers in the
government made them leave the Houari Boumedienne government in April 1966. The
departure of the left party gave more power to Houari Boumedienne because there
were less people to share the power with.
(
Foreign Area study, Algeria a country study)
In
1967, Houari Boumedienne with the help of Abdeladif Bouteflika worked to
reestablish Algerian credibility and leadership among the countries of the
Third World. The year 1967 was also a start for Houari Boumedienne in foreign
affairs with the Arabs world and the countries of the third world.
(Foreign
area study, Algeria a country study)
In
1973, the importance of foreign affairs continues to rise. Houari Boumedienne
went overseas to show off Algeria because they have political and economic
independence.
(Foreign area study)
In 1973, he explained to the Arab world that the
natural resources of one country are the key to develop the economy of a
country. He explained that the natural resources could be used to develop the
economy by exportation of natural resources such as the petrol because the rich
countries are the primary consumer of those resources.
(Foreign
area study)
In
1975, he became the leading spokesman for a development of the economy because
of his idea to develop the economy of the Arab world and third world countries.
The popularity of Houari gave him more political power, and it is the reason he
decided in 1976 to change the constitution to expand the executive power.
(Foreign
area, a country study)
In
addition, from previous reading, I have learned that Houari Boumedienne didn’t
allow freedom of speech in the media. The people against the dictatorial regime
of Houari Boumedienne were not allowed to give their opinion. The Kabile who
represent the first people of Algeria were the most effected by the restriction
of freedom of speech This is due to their opposition to the arabization program
of the Algeria.
It
is difficult to say that the media of the United States such as the New York
Time does not give any information about the civil war Algeria. Information are
given but sometimes they are incomplete. For example, when Houari Boumedienne
died on 27 December 1979, New York Times wrote a glorious article about the
governance of Houari Boumedienne with few protestations of the regime of Houari
Boumedienne. New York Times wrote “Houari master of Algeria and one of the
spokesman of the third world” and a “fighter for poverty. The only protestation
the article is the surplus of power by Houari Boumedienne. New York Time says:
“Mr Boumedienne’skill in domestic power became clear as he managed to keep
himself in office for over a decade. This he did largely by reserving vast
power of decision to himself and by preventing
potential rival from amassing
power of their own.”
On
the 27 December 1978, Houari Boumedienne died and Chadli Bendjedid took his
place in the presidency on February 9 1979. Chadli Bendjedid made very
important changes in Algeria. He decreased the power of the socialist
administration to develop the economy, change toward a more democratic Algeria.
(http://arabculture.ab...ry/weekly/history/blhalgeriaben.html)
Chadli
Bendjedid modified the economy of Algeria due to the anger of the population
because of the food expense that rose with the decrease of the value of the oil
price in the years 1980 to 1986. I said before that the Algerian people had to
import food from other countries to feed the population with the rent of the
petrol. If the value of the oil price decreases, the market goes down and the
value of the Dinar goes down. In consequence, imported products will be more
expensive because of the important difference of money value between Algeria
and countries exporting food. The decrease of the oil price and the Dinar in
Algeria causes the income of the Algerian people to drop form $2600 in 1983 to
$1600 in 1986.
(Smail, le Mal Algerien)
The
difficulty of the economy made the population unhappy about the economic system
in Algeria and the politic situation. On the 24 June 1986, the CND Centre
National de Decision (Translation: National Center of Decision) contested the
inefficient socialist economy. (Djallal Malti, La Nouvelle Guerre
d’Algerie) The most important conflict occurred from October 5 to 11 1988. This
conflict is commonly known under the name of “The Black October”. Many rioters died. During the 6 days of
riots, more than 900 people died.
(Djallal Malti)
“Throughout
the country, thousand of Algerian attacked city hall, police station, post
office, anything that seem to represent the FLN.”( Foreign area study, Algeria
a country study.) The Algerian revendication were against: the increase of
unemployment, frequent food shortage, and a decline of the living standard.
(Foreign area)
It
will probably more easy to understand the Algerian revolt if one knows the
increase of the price of food during that time. A block of butter that used to
cost 50 cents cost 1 dollar, and cooking oil that used to cost $2.46 cost 4
dollars.
( Gilert Meynier, L’Algerie
contemporaine, bilan et solution pour sortir de la crise)
In response to the rebellion of the Algerian,
Chadli Bendjedid changes several thinks in the government. He “dropped the word socialist from the
official country description.” (http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/dztoc.html)
In 1987, he abolished the ministry of planning which was not very beneficial
for the economy.
(Smail, Le
mal Algerien)
Chadli
Bendjedid also guaranteed freedom of speech to political parties and
associations. (Djallal Malti, La Nouvelle Guerre d'Algerie) As a result of the freedom given by Chadli
Bendjedid, an important number of newspapers such as “Le quotidian d’Algerie”,
“La Nation”, “El watan” came to the surface. “Newspapers became the liveliest
and freest in the Arab world.” (Djallal Malti, La Nouvelle guerre
d’Algerie) Chadli Bendjedid also made a new law in the constitution that
allowed Multi-Party that permits every political party to represents themselves
in the election. (Djallal Malti)
Economic
and political changes didn’t satisfy the population. Changes of Chadli
Bendjedid toward a free country didn’t satisfy the Algerian people enough to
vote for the FLN in the election of 1991. It is the FIS that won the election
in 1991 with 42% of the seats in the first round of parliamentary elections.
(
http://www.hejleh.com/countries/algeria.html
)
Chart
of the election of 26 December 1991
(
Reza Shah-Kazemi, Algeria Revolution revisted)
The
victory of the FIS in the election did not please the army. On January 11, 1993
the army directed by the minister of defense Khaled Nezzar and the minister of
Interior Larbi Belkhair asked to Chadli Bendjedid to resign from the
presidency. In consequences to the destitution of Chadli Bendjedid, the
election of 1991 was suspended.
(Foreign
Area, Algeria a country
study)
The FIS, which had been deprived from its right, would
fight against the army power of the FLN in order to be heard. This is how the
civil war started in Algeria between the FIS and the Algerian army.
(Djallal
Malti, La nouvelle guerre)
The
important events of Chadli Bendjedid have been informed by the three popular
media of the United States ( The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los
Angeles Time.) The destitution of Chadli Bendjedid has been informed by the
three popular media with incomplete information. The average length was around
¼ of a page. The important events have
been given by the media of the United States, but not all the information has
been given by the media of the United States. For example, the contestation of
the CND 24 June 1988 has not been informed by the newspaper world leader.
The
FIS is an extremist political party divided into two main groups between the
radicalists and the non-radicalist. Abassi Madani, a cultivated person who
desires the communion of the sharia’h and democracy, directs the non-radicals.
The sharia’h is a law made by fundamentalist countries based upon the Koran.
(Graham E Fuller, Algeria The Next
Fundamentalist State?)
The
other leader of the FIS, Ali Beldjadj, is a fiery orator, who does not
think democracy has a place in the
Islamic world. For him, the only way to set power is by the means of violence.
In addition, Ali Bedjadj does not like the French people because of the bad
experience they had with the French colonization. In 1980, he asked for the
withdrawal of all French Peace Corps. (Graham E Fuller, Algeria the Next
fundamentalist State?)
In
spite of the differences between the two main leaders, the FIS shares several
similarities. Followers of the FIS are generally very young and have social
problems such as unemployment. Most of the people who enter in the FIS see a
hope toward something better. In addition, they do not fear arrest and are
capable of violence. The FIS tries to gain power and influence through
propaganda by high impact media and communication with the masses. The most
important thing for the FIS is to come to power.
(Graham E Fuller)
The FIS has caused a lot of blood
shed since the beginning of the civil war in 1991. It is the GIA Groupe
Islamique arme (Translation: Islamique groupe army) that caused the most
important terror among the Algerian population. Especially in 1996, at the
highest point of the civil war in Algeria, the GIS Groupe Islamique du Salut
(Translation :Islamic Group of Salvation) caused a lot massacres among the
Algerian population. In December 1996, at Blida in the south of Algier, the GIS
attacked a bus and killed 20 people. Among the 20 persons killed, 8 had their
throats cut, and the head of several victims were puts on sticks to be exposed
to the population. This is an example of the important number of victims that
died due to the Civil War in Algeria.
(Tore
kjeilen, http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/gia.html)
The bloodshed they caused among the
Algerian population is a not a very good image of the FIS. What will happen if
they come to power?
Economy
Several things might happen in the
economy if the FIS come to the power.
First
of all, the economy will be capitalist because “most Islamic parties generally
are opposed to socialist economic policies.” (Graham E Fuller, Algeria
the Next Fundamentalist State) Privatization of the economy by the FIS does not
mean that every part of the economy will be privatized. Control of the
resources energy of Algeria represented by the petrol will remain with the
government because it represents the most important source of income of the
Algeria economy.
(Graham E Fuller)
Second of all, the FIS will emphasize the
agriculture for self-sufficiency. Strengthening the agriculture will be an
important step of the FIS because most of the foods in Algeria are imported. A
self-sufficiency of the agriculture will be very beneficial for the Algerian
country because the products will be less expensive. They will not have to pass
through the tax of imported products.
( Graham E fuller)
The
economy that might be developed by the FIS does not sound very bad, but will
they succeed to meet the people’s need for employment. With 30% unemployment
and an important debt to the IMF (International Monetary Funds), the FIS will
have to work very hard to satisfy the Algerian population.
(Djallal
Malti, La Nouvelle Guerre d’Algerie)
There
are several things the FIS might do if they came to power.
As
Graham E Fuller says in the book “Algeria, the next Fundamentalist State.”
"he FIS will undoubtedly seek to bring penal law as well into closer
accordance with the Sharia’h” (Graham E Fuller, Algeria the Next
Fundamentalist)
The
Sharia’h are laws based upon the Koran. Law based upon the Koran has
disadvantages. In Saudi Arabia, for example, there is no written constitution,
the law depends on the interpretation of the Islam. In consequence, the people
who go to court are judged by a judge and Higher Commision upon the
interpretation of the Koran that vary from person to person. If the FIS come to
power in Algeria, there is strong chance that they will fallow the Islamic
leader of the Arabs world, Saudis Arabia.
( World Book 2001, Saudi Arabia)
Ali
Bejhad, one of the main leaders of the FIS, has advocated the return of the
women home, but there are few chances that will happen for two main reasons.
The loss of income from the women cannot be afforded by the poor Algerian
economy. The women will probably not return home, but the women dress code, the
forbidden of the alcohol will be advocated by the FIS if they come to
power.
(Gilbert
Meynier, L’Algerie Contemporaine)
In
contrast to the belief of Graham E Fuller who said in his book, “The Next
Fundamentalist State” that “there are chances that the FIS will be tolerant
toward the Tamazight language” is unreasonable. In my opinion, if the FIS come
to power, there is a high chance that the Kabile people will have some trouble
with the FIS.
The
Berber are people located in North Africa from Morocco to Egypt. They are
people from an area unknown. Nobody knows where they come from. Searches have
been made on the subject, but there is not a definitive answer. Some scientists
believe that they have an European origin because monuments such as dolmen have
been in North Africa. A. Bertrand said that it could be the reason why many
Berber have blond hair and blue eyes. M Olivier gave a different theory; he
declared that the Berber have Greek origin because of the similarity of
language between the Berber and the Greek.
(Haddadou, Guide de la
culture et de la langue berbere)
The people to the unknown origin
have been invaded by many people through their history. Roman invaded the
Berber until the 4th century.
After the failure of the invasion of the Roman came from the Vandals from 431
until 483. After the Vandals came the Byzantine from 535 until 540. The Berber
decides to divide the Berber in independent royaume. After the Byzantine came
the invasion Arabs.
(Haddadou)
A
lot of people invaded the Berber, some Berber region have been influenced by
the invasion, other less. For example, in Egypt, the Berber people that used to
leave in the country have greatly lost their own culture. Berbers are still there,
but only few of them still speak the language or try to keep the culture. On
the other hand, in Algeria, the Kabile who represent the Berber have lost some
of their original culture, but the most important part of the culture is still
alive. They have their own language; tradition and culture.
(Haddadou)
The Kabile of Algeria are strongly opposed to
the arrival of the FIS in power because they fear that they will arabize the
country. They fear that the FIS will impose
Arabic language to the Kabile people. The method used by the FIS to be
heard is unorthodox because they use violence. Kabile people fear that the
crime committed by the FIS will be emphasized with the arrival of the FIS in
power. Lounes Matoub, a legendary singer of Kabily is a good example of crime
commits by the FIS on 27 June 1998. Lounes Matoub is a very popular singer in
Kabily because he sang what people think. He sang many songs concerning the
discrimination of the Kabile people in Algeria. His last songs title is “Open
Letter to the President and the Congress.” In the songs, he says that he would
like Kabily to have their own language. Lounes Matoub was considered as the
plague for the FIS because he was influencing the Kabile people to fight for
their own patrimony.
(Aomar Mohellibi, Le terrorism en
Kabily)
The
Kabile have their own language and culture, and the arrival of the FIS in power
will destroy it. The Kabile do not want to lose their patrimonies. The RCD
Rassemblement pour la culture et la democratie ( Translation :Democratic and
cultural rassemblement), a political party of Algeria, is “opposed to its
participation in government in any way.” If the FIS come to power, there is
strong chance that the fight will continue because of the tension between the
Kabile and the FIS.
(Graham
E Fuller, The Next Fundamentalist State)
Next victim if the FIS come
to power
In
my opinion I think that Kabily will be the next victim of the FIS. The Kabily,
who represents the first people of Algeria before the arrival of the Arabs, are
the people the most touched by the Civil War. Almost every Kabile in Algeria
are against the presence of the FIS in the government. They believe that the
FIS will intensify the arabization of the country and are afraid that they
might lose their culture and language as a result.
(Graham E fuller, Algeria the nest fundamentalist state?)
The
Kabile who represents the first people of Algeria are afraid because they have
a culture and language different than the Arab people. If the FIS come to power
in Algeria, the FIS might lose their patrimony. ( I explain in more depth who
are the Berber later in the paper)
One
may think that the Kabile are opposed to Islam because they are against the
FIS. This is wrong, the Kabile are not opposite to Islamization, but opposite
to arabization and unity of the culture. They do not want to give away their
tradition, language, and culture. They
have fought against so many
invaders to keep their culture, they are not going to give away their culture
today.
(Graham
E fuller, Algeria the
next fundamentalist State?)
Enemy of the FIS
The
Algerian army is the one who fights against the FIS in Algeria. After the
victory of the FIS in the election in December 1991, the army cancelled the
election because they did not want the FIS in power. In summer 1992, soon after
the victory and cancellation of the election, more weapons and more soldiers
reinforced the army. 150 000 to 200 000 paid civil reinforced the Algerian
army.
(Djallal
Malti, La Nouvelle Guerre d’Algerie)
The
army action’s against the FIS was made by the infiltration of the army into the
FIS camp. Fake deserters of the army infiltrated the FIS and told them that
they are people who betrayed the army and gave information to the FLN. This
method of infiltration by fake deserter of the army permits them to obtain
important information on the FIS and create trouble within the FIS. Today, the
method of infiltration in the civil war in Algeria permits to create trouble
between the AIS Armee Islamique du Salut (Translation: Islamist Army of
Salvation) and the GIA Groupe Islamiste Armee
(Translation: Group Islamist Army) who represents two important parts of
the FIS. The other method used by the army is represented by the bombardment of
the FIS camp, which resulted innocent people being killed. The Operation Ain
Defla, which was directed by the FIS against the army, was a victory against
the FIS but many innocent people died because of the bombardment. (Djallal
Malti)
Algerian army conflicts
with the FIS
There
are two reasons why the FIS fight is against the army.
In
my opinion, the first reason is that they are afraid to lose their power if the
FIS came to power. Today, the army is the “head” of the government and control
the action of the FLN. Fact given that shows the control of the army toward the
FLN are very important. Chadli Bendjedid has been the army has manipulated
expulsed by the army because of the victory of the FIS and many other
presidents. If the FIS come to power, I believe that the army will lose the
possibility of control toward the government.
( Graham E fuller, The Next
Fundamentalist State)
The
second reasons could be explained by the two faces of the political party of
the FIS. The FIS is share between radicalism and modernist. If the FIS come to
power, there is important chances that the radicalist might advocate important
punition for act or behavior against the sharia’h. The radicalist might impose
law such as the radicalist country of Iraq. In Iraq, one who steal, will have
the hand cut. If the FIS come to power,
there is strong chance that the radicalist asks to make such law that will or
not be accepted by the Algerian Army.
(Graham
E Fuller, The Next Fundamentalist State)
Future of Algeria
Abdeladif
Bouteflika
Since
the arrival of the president Abdeladif Bouteflika in 1999, the economy
continues his road toward privatization started by Chadli Bendjedid. Abdeladif Bouteflika has a plan to sell the
90% of the industry that still remains under the control of the state.
(http://ehostvogw11.epnet.com)
The
problem concerning the civil war has decreased in the big city, but still
continues in the mountain, region of Kabily due to the great initiative of
Abdeladif Bouteflika. On the 14 January 2000, he accorded a pardon for Islamist
prisoner with an engagement of the FIS to the Algerian government that they will lay down their arms. Not
every person of the FIS could beneficiate of the pardon of the pardon of the
president. Prisoner who commited murder or rape will not go out from jail. This
offer has been taken by 6000 former Islamic guerillas of the FIS who
surrendered their arms and returned to their homes.
(http://ehostvogw11.epnet.com)
As
a French proverb says “Nothing is perfect on this earth.” Everyone did not
fallow the great initiative of the president.
Two terrorist groups rejected the offers of pardon proposed by the
president They are GIA Group Islamique Armee (translation: Armed group
Islamist) and GSPC Groupe du Salut Pour la paix et le Combat (translation:
Salafist group for Preaching and Combat.) Soon after the pardon of the the
president, 19 civilian were killed and four other wounded by suspected Muslim
militant at 300km west of Algier. ( http://www.fas.org/man/dad.101/ops/war/1999/06)
In spite of the desire of the president Abdeladif Bouteflika to change
the society in Algeria, there is still 30% unemployment with an important debt
to the IMF, and people still died because of the FIS. (http://ehostvogw11.epnet.com)
United States in Algeria
Why United States does not do too much in Algeria? They have helped so many country in the world. Why Algeria is not in their top 10 agenda? The powerful media of the United States are the cause.
Economic
connection between the United States and Algeria
The United States is connected to Algeria as Israel is.
The United States characterize themselves as peacemakers for the
world where they have some personal interest. The United States have help the
peace making of the Israel Palestine war because they have some personal
interest in the Israel country. The personal interest of the United States in
Israel is explained by the great number of Israelite in the United States. If
Israel is in trouble, the Israelite people of the United States will be
concerned about what happen in their country. Israel is the Jewish patrimony.
The role of the government in the United States is to satisfy the need of the
population and help to resolve the problem in Israel. In consequence to the
involvement of the United States in the support of the Israel country,
informations about the war between Israel and Palestine have been spread in
every newspapers of the US everyday.
The United States is involved with
Israel because they have personal interest with the country. The great power of
the world should also be involved in Algeria more because they have economic
trade tie with Algeria. Algeria exports to the United States more than 12
billion of energy divided in three group: crude condensate ($6.1 billion) ; refined product ( $2.1
billion) ; natural gas ( $ 2.8 million) ; LPG ( $ 730 million). The export of
energy good to the United States is not one way. Algeria buys product to the
United States. “Algeria remained to the United States an important importer of
product.
(http://strategy.ic.gc.ca/ssg/da90002e.html)
United States have not only economic
tied today but throughout the Algerian history from the beginning of the
independence. In 1962 an ambassador came to Algeria for the first time to have
economic discussion with the provisory person in charge of the Algerian
country. In 1967, the United States economic tie with Algeria broke with the
involvement of Algeria in the war against the Israel State. The tie between the
two countries came back with the help of Algeria to release the hostage in
Iran. As a result of the gift to the Algerian people, United States gave to
Algeria $ 25. 8 million
(http://strategy.ic.gc.ca/ssg/da90002e.html)
The ties between the two countries
seem strong. United States seems to be willing too help Algeria economically,
but not about the disaster Algerian war. As the war burn out in Algeria, the
United States says that they do not want to get involved in Algeria. In my
previous reading, I have learned that a important person of the government of
the United States came to Algeria and said that the problem that was happening
in Algeria were not very important because they are not threatful to other
nation.
The report made by a representing of
the United States is quite not true. France has had a lot of trouble with the
Algerian terrorist problem. The representing of the United States may want to
say that they are not very harmful because they are hurting only one country in
the international community. I believe that one country is a lot and should be
considered.
The United States said that they
will not be physically involved in Algeria, but they will help the country to
develop their economy. I don’t think that economically involvement in Algeria
is enough to stop the war. The economy involvement will simply make the
environment of the war a better place to live because the economy will be
better. A better economy will not do anything to stop the terrible civil war in
Algeria that killed more than 100 000 people since 1991.
(http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/dztoc.html)
Moreover, the United States should
be more involved in Algeria because if the FIS come to power in Algeria nobody
know what they will do. It is a mystery. You can make a suggestion on what it
will be if the FIS come to power but it is not an absolute good answer.
The question mark of the problem
of the FIS should be more questioned by the United States. Who knows what they
will do of the petrol? They might make the oil price higher because they do not
like the western people due to the bad experience of the West with the French
people. They might not do that, nobody now. The unanswered question should make
the US think a little more. Most of people are afraid of the unknown. Why does
the US is not?
Media problem
The media of the United States are
the solution to the problem of the terrible crisis in Algeria. I specified the
media of the United States because they are the most famous in the whole world.
The media in the Mediterranean talks about what happening in Algeria, but I
don’t think it is enough to stop the terror of the FIS.
The influence of the media in the
United States could be explained by two reasons. First of all, the United
States is the most powerful country in the world. “The US has the largest
economy in the world with a per capita GDP of $33 900” (http://odci.gov/cia/publications/factbooks/geos/us.html#Econ)
Second of all, media in the United
States are made in English that represents one of the most important languages
today. From a Cambridge statistic, English represents the first language the
most spoken by people with 1 400 million of English speaker.
(http://www.cftech.com/brainBrainBank/COMMUNICATIONS/TopLanguage.html)
Those two factors permits to the US
to diffuse information more than any country in the whole world. I remember
when I was in France seeing the New York Time in almost every bookstore I went
to. In the United States, I frequented several bookstores to find French
newspaper, but I didn’t find much. Only several bookstores sell few French
newspapers. In addition, on the French cable, there is CNN information. As I
did not see any French newspaper in the United States, I did not see any French
or other nations information channel on the American cable.
Who doesn’t know the Los Angeles
Time, New York Times, and Washington Post? From
Jeremy Tunstall point of view, the three newspapers I just cited represent one
of the powerful newspapers in the whole world and have influenced many other
newspaper company. “The leading newspaper (New York Times, Los Angeles Time and
Washington post, Times) of most of other country in the world have been modeled
upon one of this newspaper.”(Jeremy Tunstall, The media are
American-Angle American media in the world) Jeremy Tunstall also claimed those
three newspapers are the most spread throughout the world. It is true because I
have rarely seen those newspapers absent of the bookstore.
Diffusion
of the civil war in Algeria
The three newspapers are the leading
newspapers of the world, but they do not spread complet information about the
conflict that happen today in Algeria.
|
Famous
Newspaper in the U.S |
12/26/91 |
|
10/5 to 11/88 |
2/9/79 |
|
4/10/94 |
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Los
Angeles Time |
|
coverage |
|
coverage - |
|
coverage |
|
|
no coverage |
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New
York Time |
|
|
coverage |
|
coverage- |
|
coverage |
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|
no coverage |
|||||
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washigton
post |
|
|
coverage |
|
coverage - |
|
coverage |
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no coverage |
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Famous
newspaper in the U.S |
|
9/21/94 |
|
7/5/98 |
|
1/13/95 |
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Los
Angeles Time |
|
no coverage |
|
no coverage |
|
coverage- |
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New
York Time |
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no coverage |
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no coverage |
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no coverage |
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Washington
Post |
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no coverage |
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coverage- |
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no coverage |
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The
chart express the date and diffusion of the Algerian civil war in important
newspaper of the United State .
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"Coverage"
means that the information of the civil war on the newspaper is complete |
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"Coverage
-" means that the information of the civil war is incomplete. |
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"No
coverage" means that the information about the civil war were not given
on the newspaper of the U.S |
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The
data example taken represent important event of the civil war in Algeria |
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12/26/1991
: victory of the FIS in the election |
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20/5 to 11/1988 : Black October |
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2/9/1979 : Chadli Bendjedid became president |
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4/10/1994 :city in Kabily paralysed by strike |
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07/05/1998 : Arabization proposal by Abdeladif
Bouteflika |
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1/13/1995 : "Nationnal violence
contract" proposal by Abdeladif Bouteflika for end of Violence |
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The lack of diffusion of the most
important media of the United States is probably the reason why United States
did not get more involved in the civil war in Algeria. The media have the magic
power to involve emotionally the foreign policy makers who decides what United
States should do about conflict in foreign country. If information about the
civil war in Algeria were more spread in the newspapers, United States will
probably get more involved with the civil war in Algeria.
The influence of the media to the
foreign makers policy has been shown many time in the political history of the
United States. Some recent studies have found that the poll of the media that
represent the public opinion influenced the Policy maker to act for a country.
An another study made by Dumbrell founded that the media and the public opinion
influence 66% of the decision taken by the policy makers.
( Dumbrell,
The making of U.S Foreign Policy Second edition)
Many examples illustrate the
influence of the Policy makers by the media and the public opinion. In Somalia,
for example Dumbrell declared : “against a background of heightened and media
interest, the Bush administration began to consider a U.N effort to Somalia.” Bush acted in Somalia because he wanted to
look good with the American people. A desinvolvement in the Somalia conflict
would have been very harmful for his image of president. He would have lost
respect and popularity with the American population.
(Dumbrell,
The making of U.S Foreign Policy Second Edition)
What
are the different think the United States
could do to help for the Algerian civil war?
Several
proposition to help the United States have been introduce in a commitee about
the crisis in Algeria.
One of the most important idea that
raised throughout the colloque is to help the French or the Maghreb to set an
agreement between the Army and the FIS. They says that Unites States should not
be involved as a third part, but as a fourth party. The Maghreb and France are
very connected to the Civil War in Algeria. If the United States come to help
Algeria as a third party, it will not be seen very well by France and the
Maghreb.
(United
States concern about the crisis in Algeria before the subcommitee on foreign affairs
house of representative secon session)
The help of U.S as a fourth party will
help a lot Algeria because United States is the most powerful country in the
world. If the United States got more involved, the two party will probably more
listen because the United States is the most powerful country in the
world.
An another idea that come on how to
resolves the civil war is to help the Algerian economy to develop a better
eonomy. The colloque proposed to help in the housing sector and agriculture.
Helping a country to have a better economy do not have anything to do with
helping the civil war in Algeria. A better economy will only make a better
environment in the country, but it will not stop the Algerian civil war.
The best idea of involvement of the
United States is to be as a fourth party. A fourth party of the United States
will greatly help the Algeria.
A civil war broke out in Algeria due
to the to the failure of the economy and policy of the FLN. Ahmed Ben Bella did
illegal action in the government that will contested by Houari Boumedienne who
will take his place after a coup. Houari Boumedienne, continue the political
dictatorship started by Ahmed Ben Bella, but his power was specified by the
constitution. In addition to the dictatorship, Houari Boumedienne continues the
socialist economy not very efficient.
Chadli Bendjedid is the one who will
have to resolves the problem of the past two presidents due to the riot of the
population. The change he made in the country permitted the FIS to gain power.
The army did not appreciate the victory of the FIS and they decided to cancel
the election. The FIS, not happy to be deprived from their victory will fight
against the army to obtain the power in Algeria. If the FIS come to power one
day, there will be problem of discrimination against the Berber and law upon
the sharia’h.
I strongly believe that if the U.S
got involved in the civil war as a fourth party in support with France and the
Maghreb, it will help to resolves the problem in Algeria.
United States is the
most powerful country in the world.
http://odci.gov/cia/publications/factbooks/geos/us.html#Econ
http://www.cftech.com/brainBrainBank/COMMUNICATIONS/TopLanguage.html
http://www.fas.org/man/dad.101/ops/war/1999/06
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/dztoc.html
http://ehostvogw11.epnet.com
http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/dztoc.html
http://census/ipc/www/idbrank.html
http://arabculture.ab...ry/weekly/history/blhalgeriaben.html
http://www.hejleh.com/countries/algeria.html
Http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/gia.html
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Mohellebi, Le Terrorism en Kabily. Alger : L’Imprimerie l’Artisan.1999
Djallal
Malti, La Nouvelle Guerre d’Algerie. Charter:Bussiere Camedan Imprimerie.1999
Dumbrell,
The making of U.S Policy Second Edition. Great Britain : Northern
Phototypesetting co ltd.1997
Foreign
area study, Algeria a country study. Washigton D.C : The foreign University.
1986
Gilbert
Meynier, L’Algerie contemporaine Bilan et Solution pour Sortir de la Crise.
France : Harmattan.2000
Graham
E Fuller, Algeria, The next fundamentalistState?. Santa Monica : RAND.1996
Haddadou, Guide de la culture et de
la langue berbere. Alger : ENAL.1994
Jeremy
Tunstall, The media are American, Angle American media in the world. New York :
Columbia University press. 1977
Mameri,
Citation du President boumedienne. AlgerSNED.1975
Reza Shah-Kazemi, Algeria a
revolution revisted. London : Islamic World Report.1997
Smail Goumezianne, Le Mal Algerien. France : Fayard.1994
World Book 2001, saudi arabia. Chicago.
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