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10/1/1988 - Autopsy of a Revolt - The October Riots in Algeria by Dirk J. Vandewalle

INSTITUTEOFCURRENTWORLDAFFAIRS DJV Ambassade Belgique Chemin Tayyebi E1 Biar Alger October AUTOPSY OF A REVOLT THE OCTOBER RIOTS IN ALGERIA Mr Peter Martin Institute Current World Affairs Wheelock House West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 Dear Peter It someone familiar could pinpoint damage Rue Didouche Mourad commercial thoroughfare snakes surrounding hills harbor Algiers looked almost I months The boutiques opened again terraces people drinking coffee enjoying But there subtle differences The lines people waiting busses grown little longer destroyed Suddenly there shortages pasta butter government supermarkets restocked overnight And there observed small lingering signs destruction telephone booths witho glass windowpanes university Swiss Air office window carefully taped Polisario bureau boarded abandoned Algeria trying recover first serious riots since independence Even carefully controlled government daily E1 Moudiahid forced admit things never before The official deathtoll stood unofficial estimates ranged When bloody conflict Algeria youth profoundly irrevocably shaken govemment President Benjedid resignation within Politburo His taped national address sixth riots edited emotional bremkdown front cameras A number carefully nurtured myths alongside young demonstrators The mystique National Liberation Amay ALN liberation against France evaporated recruits clear conmmnds protesters streets The Algerian longer people pretends young university student belongs FLN fatcats After horror earlier against colonial power documented cases torture I couple victims university meeting brought national nightmare A muhida freedom fighter bombing incident during difficulty restraining herself while recounting during lunch young Belcourt Dirk Vandewalle North Africa fellow Institute Current World Affairs His interests concern political economy Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya since their independence Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young adults outside United States write about international areas issues Endowed bythelateCharlesR Crane theInstituteisalsosupportedbycontributionsfromlike mindedindividualsand foundations DJV abused security police building where french tortured father She asked rhetorically Was I nothing How could government known respected skillful international diplomacy react brutal fashion against young people It question I returned Algiers immediately after events A centuries Ibn Khaldun North African sociologist historian described decline states three generation cycle The first builds state second consolidates consumes gains rhade decline state completes itself third generation It clear almost mechanistic explanation should taken literly But underlying dynamic difficult refute A country leadership somehow convince succeeding gener ation legitimacy political system Only consolidation place It clear twenty years after independence Algeria rulers succeeded doing President Benjedid around always linked raison country political economic structure War Independence quarter century They confronted month generation conflict means little These young people younger longer their elders during To weekly history lesson They student bitterly stated during conversation Basilique Notre Dame Afrique jobless while billions natural Messaadia former FLN country political party lives There reasonable answer first questi After independence Algeria adopted state capitalism economic strategy necessitated internal austerity order channel earnings savings toward heavy industry The country leaders hoped economic strategy would highly diversified economy producing goods needed Algerian people adequate housing employment The debate initial strategy still rages When economic policy finally abandoned Houari Boumedienne death Algeria president camps emerged The called nationalists considered economic liberalization under successor Chadli Benjedid international capitalism treasonous egalitarian ideals revolution Chadli supporters maintained state capitalist model become outdated extremely inefficient could longer serve Algerian people under changing economic circumstances 1970s 1980s Not surprising explanations contain truth In years since Benjedid became president certain groups country profited extraordinarily economic privatization It perception angers Algerians A taxidriver echoed older Algerians informally preferred Boumedienne austerity things tough least equal chances At other spectrum stand young equally dissatisfied economic policies current government paradoxically reasons The young student reference Mohamed Sherif Messaadia coincidence Together number other FLN officials ALN officers someone whose close connection country called popular institutions netted considerable fortune Most nationalists argue Benjedid squarely within category At contend represents interests those around The nationalists consider vatization richer The political ouverture accompanies economic strategy elaborate cover hoodwink those financial The internationalists point state capitalism during 1970s outlived usefulness It become inefficient argue could longer provide economic services goods needed people Especially after Algeria income natural started decline alternative private sector economic tasks In contend strategy greater welfare greater number people In period relative economic decline debate within Algeria particularly vexin On public buildings country official slogan From The People To The People prominently displayed For quarter century underlying philosophy egalitarianism provided least official language powerful solidarity among country citizens But widening cracks developed seemingly smooth facade linked arrogance hypocrisy country officials While boasting about country hospitals doctors three leaders European countries DJV relatively minor surgery performed While Messaadia ritually intoned egalitarianism opulence daughter marriage commented Algeria upper circles And expensive villas Algiers incredible privilege average family capital where according official statistics people cramped small badly maintained apartments When bifurcation between reality becomes clearly visible street government stands legitimacy Most longtime observers legitimacy Algeria artificially place severely flawed As Tunisia during Bourguiba masked growing unease pretensions authoritarian government As opposed Tunisia however dissent Algeria carefully ruthlessly suppressed The FLN officially remained representative people significance Algerians limited rubberstamping National Assembly They institutions voice those groups increasingly clamored stake country future young workers Islamists How government handled riots aftermath gives clues future Algerian politics It strange telling Algerians informing themselves about riots listening Radio Monte Carlo France Inter BBC pulling European TV channels through sattelite dishes become common sight Algiers despite government levies import already expensive equipment During after riots official Algerian newspapers waged vicious verbal against foreign press called collaborators inside country The argument familiar backward social elements fomented riots Algeria enemies colonialists profited difficulties discredit FLN institution preserve country unity A month after riots during second November FLN regional congresses preparing national congress party militants applauded demanded removal those journalists believe Parti unique When Kasdi Merbah Prime Minister talked National Assembly anniversary revolution November several delegates demand In reality foreign correspondents later national press corps reported courageously conscie ntiously riots Their extremely difficult government langue truths outfight representatives In notorious government issued statement claiming Algiers completely normal while Bab Oued district capital murderous confrontation entire riots place between Army demonstrators Algrrie Actualit6 weekly published french Information Ministry eventually published number critical articles The question published after bloody riots Why government completely ignored complaints about systematic censorship local journalists submitted Bachir Rouis Minister Information several months before riots And letters Algrrie Actualit6 carefully clipped avoid certain information I compare letters group university professors organization mujahidad student groups their published version Beyond these questions press coverage crucial issues government until after riots introduce changes country political system Do arrangements followed FLN Congress December really promise democratic political system The official answer first question infighting within FLN among those supporting opposing President Benjedid economic policies prevented change riots tipped balance power favor Benjedid powerful supporters allowing Algerian president press forward needed reforms I think answer essence correct For years government hobbled competing factions stalled reforms Several supporters style FLN socialist economic experiment finally shunted aside perhaps demonstrated removal Messaadia number brass different occasions November But these changes Do imply New York Times editorial would Algeria resolutely turned toward perestroika deserves unqualified support West I think should tittle discriminating For number reasons Algeria fully deserves support diplomatic record alone which includes crucial liberation US hostages Iran warrants sympathy troubles DJV experiences The Benjedid govemment provided cautious increasingly pragmatic leadership Maghreb Although image somewhat tarnished riots Algeria remain player diplomatic initiatives Saharan Africa It powerful member potential Maghrebi union The country substantial amounts financial resources before economic strateg starts For number reasons European countries particularly worried about economic future Algeria Maghreb Perhaps important among these considerations haunting specter North Afriea rapid population growth matclled poorly performing economies If Maghrebi economies cannot tamed around provide local employment unemployment greater emigration toward Continent seems unavoidable With close links former colony France already extended billion dollars It largest single amount ffered Mitterand government hints serious French government considers situation The difficulties Benjedid faces immense He wants extricate country outdated economic system without riding roughshod feelings those remember Boumedienne idealism dedication country revolutionary history At hopes convince cynical apolitical young generation believe economic strategy advocates His monumental slightly ameliorated removal remaining opponents country economic direction A crucial aspect possible success perception among population economic policies benefit everyone group Without labor unrest popular dissatisfaction expressed through groups Islamists continue The riots promises political reform followed their further raised consciousness political expectations Algerians their political system satisfy If government seriously attempts political ouverture vulnerable until double between political economic expectations ability country political system economy deliver goods other closed Can Algeria perestroika Perhaps The intensified privatization strategy bring greater struggle Algeria The country faces inherent dilemma between necessity liberalizing economy while straightening public finances through policy reform This leave little social aways The recent FLN Congress attendant pious declarations recantations egalitarianism clarify fights obligations those participate trenches sidelines struggle Whether recent changes another settlement guerre clans remnant Boumedienne supporters eventual toward political economic liberalization remains point unclear And should aware recent political moves clearly shown still military Alg controls country direction With those members ranks opposed Algerian infitah those present interest seeing privatization succeed If measures expected outcome military choice intervene increasingly farreaching privatization possible A lawyer friend guardedly pragmatically optimistic I prepared leave The government change perhaps because really wants after happened because other choice He already proveri fight recent national FLN Congress But those changes reaching enough convince apathetic young generation Will institutional changes adjustment rules effectively translate political participation Has there really structural change change power access power Algeria My evaluation pessimistic friend The FLN decline importance adjustments power behind institutional facade supporting group economic elites perhaps firmly control interest seeing economic experiment succeed All Received Hanover Dirk Vandewalle