The War in Algeria: Is a Solution Possible for Algeria?
Rous, Jean
philosophy which, from Tunis to Mar-nist or pan-Arab propagandists, and rakech, has already gained an enthu-who in the midst of the painful birth siastic hearing among many of North of the...
...At the Socialist Party convention of Puteaux, prior to the formation of the Mollet government, a solution —or rather, a preliminary solution—was proposed and, with this understanding, was adopted by all...
...Hence, the following position was finally adopted by the convention: (1) the idea of integration with France is outmoded...
...UDMA, National Liberation Front, MNA, etc...
...Many Frenchmen in Algeria are afraid and seek a reasonable solution...
...Under these circumstances, and if this declaration was to be taken at its face value, the chances of success— at least with this spokesman for Algerian nationalism—became, at the least, doubtful unless the Front was granted a monopoly in the negotiations from the start...
...moderates both reminded Mollet that, in, the case of Tunisia, a cease-fire appeal was accompanied by a political amnesty and precise guarantees...
...3) this referendum, so as to select valid spokesmen, would be based upon single lists (no racial separation) and universal suffrage under the control of representatives of all the political organizations...
...Furthermore, "Algeria as a national reality" is a formula which is sufficiently general to provide a base for negotiations during the course of which any and all proposals become possible: autonomy within a federal system, independence, a national statute for the French minority, etc...
...The repression and subsequent dissolution of the only mass nationalist movement, the MTLD (Movement for Democratic Liberties), explains the present situation with respect to authorized spokesmen for the Algerians...
...It was therefore possible to hope that an understanding would be reached...
...There is no longer any need to prove the connection between the French and Algerian crises...
...We must clearly recognize that the Algerian war may lead to massacres so horrible that they could provoke not only a general North African uprising but foreign intervention...
...Political positions and proposals must constantly be put forward...
...Messali Hadj proposed an open conference to arrange a cease-fire, but was rebuffed by Mollet's demand, interpreted as an ultimatum by the Algerians, that any discussions must be preceded by a surrender of arms...
...Deprived of any legal road to winning their emancipation, a group of young nationalists launched the rebellion...
...The Vietnam adventure should have served as a rehearsal and shown how much better it is to consent beforehand to what must eventually be accepted amid ruins and shambles...
...Mollet denied the existence of an "Algerian nation" despite the evidence of a collective will on the part of millions of Moslems for nationhood...
...The right of self-determination for 8 million Moslems cannot be considered apart from the right of self-determination for 1,200,000 French...
...Better to recognize this fact before than after the wart This signifies that all the known and existing tendencies of the 8 million Moslems (Group of the 61...
...Unless the Algerian contagion strikes this undertaking it may well prove to be effective...
...The insurrection is the product of suppression of freedom of press and assembly, systematic rigging of elections, prescription of all nationalist activities as constituting a conspiracy against the State...
...The two principal Algerian nationalist movements—the MNA of Messali Hadj and the Liberation Front—were in agreement about the one preliminary condition: recognition of the Algerian people's right of self-determination, to be realized through single list elections to a Constituent Assembly which would negotiate with France...
...At this point, Jean Rous outlines the courses of events which have made negotiations out of the question, for the moment, and which may be summarized briefly: Premier Mollet's now famous trip to Algeria when he first took office proved far more assuring to the colonists than to the Algerians who, consequently, hardened their attitude...
...The will to negotiate is not a sign of weakness but of assurance...
...His followers are those younger sinking into the sloth that charactermen who are no longer content with izes so large a part of the Islamic the solution offered them by Commu-world...
...In any case, the political objectives of democratic France must be perfectly clear since we know that in struggles of this kind real strength is, more than anything else, political...
...But such intrigues would be of little effect if all traces of the old colonialism were wiped out through an energetic political counterattack...
...True, foreign intrigues of unequal weight (Cairo, Washington, Moscow) lie in wait to take France's place and to profit from the agony of old colonialism...
...It serves no purpose to say that this nation doesn't exist if a collective will asserts the contrary...
...At the time this position was adopted, it undoubtedly had a good chance of being accepted as a basis for negotiations by the different elements of the Algerian resistance movement...
...French and Algerian...
...Algeria as a national reality does not necessarily mean the same thing as a Moslem nation...
...But it was equally evident that it was up to the newly installed Republican Front government to show by its attitude and its acts that such indeed was the road it intended to follow...
...Just because of these handicaps and the present relation of forces, recognition of the Algerian nation, if it takes place in time, could bring about negotiations in which an Algerian state, connected with France and including a French minority, would result...
...Anyone who has really taken note of such an irreversible phenomenon can only conclude: (1) Better that this nation build itself up in peace together with France than in war against her...
...No matter how one examines the Algerian problem it has clearly become so serious that, asp in the case of Vietnam, a political solution must now take precedence over any other...
...requisite for such a dialogue...
...DURING THE LAST electoral campaign in France both the Republic Front of Pierre Mendes-France and the Socialist Party seemed aware of this situation and of the urgent need for a political solution capable of bringing about peace...
...As a matter of fact, the bridges have been burned and, for the time being, discussions are impossible...
...In the end, both sides and all factions faced one another from entrenched and inflexible positions.—Ed.1 CAN SOMETHING still be done to prevent the war from spreading...
...Everyone now knows that the Algerian population increases by 250,000 annually, that 2,000,000 school-age children roam the streets, that a majority of the population is under 20, that the living standards of the fellahin who Corm the bulk of the Algerian Moslems averages one-tenth that of the French, that there are 1,000,000 unemployed .. . The cause of this drama is also political...
...First of all, since misunderstanding and confusion have become worse, it seems impossible to temporize any longer in the antechambers of a solution...
...Political rivalries which already existed within the MTLD and had produced a split between the supporters and opponents of Messali Hadj were carried over into the military struggle...
...philosophy which, from Tunis to Mar-nist or pan-Arab propagandists, and rakech, has already gained an enthu-who in the midst of the painful birth siastic hearing among many of North of the Mahgreb nations are seeking a African Islam's more thoughtful lead-doctrine that will prevent them from ers...
...But if we show them by our actions that we really want to follow the road laid down by the Socialist convention, we shall surely be able to hold talks...
...In reality, things are more complex...
...However, since this viewpoint was opposed' by Guy Mollet, who was already scheduled to be the next Premier, as well as by other party federations, it seemed more desirable to find a compromise...
...the French government has admitted as much...
...This movement went over from a comparatively moderate position (which had won support from a section of the Moslem bourgeoisie and the French left) to one of intransigience: preliminary recognition of independence, negotiations only with the Front and dropping of the idea of preliminary elections...
...Thus we have seen a kind of competition unknown in the case of Tunisia or even Morocco as to who is entitled to speak in the name of Algerian nationalism...
...Egyptian support only came afterwards...
...Unfortunately, everything that has taken place since then is as if deliberately calculated, in the actions of both parties, to destroy the already tenuous conditions...
...Ulemas...
...If intransigence and fanaticism are run into, then care must be taken not to push everyone into the arms of the fanatics through a policy of senseless repression...
...That mutual confidence which would allow proof of the Algerian national reality by elections no longer exists...
...2) the existence of an Algerian entity is recognized, its nature and form to be determined by a free referendum...
...Prior to that, the old Algerian assembly would be dissolved and esssential freedoms restored...
...2) Everything must be done to assure a place for the French element in this structure and to maintain the strongest possible ties between this nation and France...
...Le Monde made public a proposal of the National Liberation Front implying an important strategic change...
...Nor is there any need to repeat that the deteriorating Algerian situation contaminates the whole of North Africa...
...Bourguiba, for Tunisia and Mohammed V, for Morocco, have both stated frequently enough that the stability of their newly independent regimes depends on reestablishment of peace in Algeria...
...There was no excuse left for self-delusion: the Algerian climate was more and more charged with impassioned elements comparable to those found in religious wars .. . On February 3 a new development occurred on the Moslem side, one which was bound to show clearly how difficult would be the task of rapprochement and negotiation...
...express a kind of unanimous national consciousness summed up in the demand for an Algerian nation...
...Nevertheless, well informed persons reassured us, rightly or wrongly, "It's just a matter of tactics, a simple reaction on their part...
...The first insurrectionists founded the National Liberation Front and have succeeded now in associating with it the moderate tendencies of Ferrhat Abbas' UDMA (Algerian Democratic Manifesto group) , the so-called Group of 61, the Moslem Ulemas and a minority of the former MTLD...
...The majority of the former MTLD, under the leadership of Messali Hadj, has continued as the MNA (Algerian National Movement) . Despite their differences, these tendencies unanimously demand the recognition of Algeria as a nation...
...Following a report given by Oreste Rosenfeld, the Seine Federation of the Socialist Party proposed that the fact of an Algerian nation and its right to self-determination be recognized as the first essential condition for negotiations...
...With no other solution discernible and a majority of the responsible militants in jail, the situation deteriorated to such a point that the maquis became the only pole of attraction...
...With independence as a starting point, interdependence is being freely negotiated...
...Never have were been so many detailed surveys made of Algeria's economic, social and demographic situation as now...
...They want to be Algerians without at the same time ceasing to be French...
...But what would be the equivalent of such a solution for Algeria...
...An act stripped of any equivocation is called for: the solemn recognition of Algeria as a national entity...
...To negotiate a national minority statute for them and with them is not out of the question...
...In Morocco and Tunisia the foundations for a successful policy have been laid...
Vol. 3 • July 1956 • No. 3
