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Algeria and the Struggle Against Apartheid in South Africa, 1955–1994

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Algeria and the Struggle Against Apartheid in South Africa, 1955–1994 HISTORY otions of freedom and liberation from oppression Algeria and the Nare well-rooted in Algerian culture and attitudes. So too is the will to fight against human rights violations struggle against and the injustices of discrimination. Furthermore, MK cadres found common cause with FLN guerrillas in apartheid in South their endeavours against the foreign domination and minority rule. Under such circumstances the Algerian people Africa, 1955–1994 stood firmly behind the ANC both morally, and materially… In this context it is interesting to refer to a report in recognition of Algerian support by Margaret Resha, whose husband Robert Resha (succeeded by Johnny Makathini) was the deputy chief representative of the ANC in North Africa from 1966. To quote her: I remember us stuffing money into a birthday cake for some commemoration of the ANC anniversary. The money [received from the Algerian government] had to go to Dar es Salaam in disguise. Similarly, at one stage the then Algerian President Haouari Boumedienne, donated 50 000 Francs to the ANC without being asked for funding, a gesture so moving that the then president of the ANC, O.R. Tambo, wrote a letter of gratitude to President Haouari Boumedienne on behalf of his organisation and the oppressed people of South Africa on what was a characteristically remarkable act of solidarity and internationalism... Unconditional Algerian support for the South African struggle against the apartheid regime was united at both state and party levels until 1989. In this issue we publish extracts from a lengthy Thereafter, with the introduction of The Road to Democracy in South the multiparty system, the support chapter in the continued. In this period, the Algerian Africa, Volume 5, published by the South African press played an important role in the form of journals and newspapers, such Democracy Education Trust (SADET). For as El Khabar and El Chourouk Al Yaoumi in Arabic language; and Liberté and El reasons of space the edited version excludes Watan in French. All upheld the view that the Algerian stance on the South a great deal of detailed information as well as African liberation struggle was an integral part of Algeria’s outlook for a the footnotes. We thank SADET for granting liberated African continent. Until the us permission to publish extracts from this victory of the ANC in the democratic elections of April 1994, there was chapter. an article or report virtually daily in Algerian newspapers about the ANC and the South African struggle... By Smail Debeche The situation in Algeria was similar 80 THE THINKER HISTORY in many ways. French colonial troops ALN in our western front, to train them Algerian-Morocco border: in the cities of Setif and Guelam in the in using transmission instruments. In my Immediately, when I met Mandela eastern region and Ain Timouchent in discussion with them I insisted on self- [in late November 1961?], we formed the western region of Algeria savagely reliance in the guerrilla battles because a bond and talked for hours daily. attacked and killed more than 45 the timing and the situation requires I was frank with him in every detail 000 civilian people in May 1945 in individual initiative and rapid action. of our revolution; we spoke as two reaction to protests demanding that Whenever Mandela came to train, he intellectuals – him as lawyer and me French pledges to give the people and the ANC soldiers showed a new a medical doctor – politically and their freedom be met. They had been interest in knowing about our tactics, militarily motivated. Mandela’s inquiries promised liberation in exchange for challenges and achievements in the were very intelligent. I felt that we were their participation with the French field. We were instructed by our chiefs beginning to celebrate the regaining of against the Nazis during the Second to provide Mandela and his comrades our independence. We were at the last World War. On 8 May 1945, Algerians with all details. We dealt with them in stage of armed struggle and negotiations went out to the streets celebrating the same manner as Algerian fighters. with the French had already stared. the victory over Nazism and Fascism, On their part they were polite and very When I met him most of our talks were which was supposed to be followed by friendly. We really had a very good time about our revolution’s achievements the realisation of the Algerians’ dream with them... and its process to reach such a stage. of regaining their independence. A Military training was an important He really showed the interest to massacre followed and this made factor in the thinking of the ANC understand and the readiness of a great national movements and other political military leaders, especially the strategies and intellectual leader believing in a just parties rethink their attitude of non- of guerrilla warfare and military cause that must be realised. We shared violence towards French colonialism. human values, nationalist principles, Armed struggle appeared to be the intellectual analysis and convictions only way out of the impasse. Influential We were at the last of the necessity of armed struggle as militants such as Ahmed Ben Bella (the stage of armed struggle the only means the colonialists and first president of Algeria); Mostapha and negotiations with racists understood. We also shared the Ben Boulaid (who led the first armed experience of early-age participation offensive against the French); and the French had already in the national movement and its Mohamed Boudiaf (president of Algeria stared. When I met him development to reach the option of in 1992); individually began to prepare armed struggle. From my side I lived for the alternative of armed struggle that most of our talks were and experienced the massacre of 8 came to a head in November 1954... about our revolution’s May 1945 that convinced us to adopt This view was shared by Hassani the option of armed struggle. Similarly, Abdelkarim, an Algerian liberation achievements and its Mandela had lived and experienced fighter and one of the officers who process to reach such the Sharpeville massacre which made trained MK cadres including Nelson the ANC (and Mandela himself) opt for Mandela. Hassani said: a stage. armed struggle, with Mandela the leader Before the arrival of our South of MK. I gave Mandela all the detail he African cadres I myself did not know operations. ANC fighters (among wanted and what he was interested in, that our revolution had such an impact them Mandela) were trained by highly to the extent that I felt that he drew in a place so far away as South Africa. skilled Algerian military officers such a diagram from my clarifications to I was in charge of training the ANC as Cherif Belkacem (who later became exploit for MK military actions. When soldiers along with other Africans from prominent in the era of President I met Mandela again in May 1990, he Angola and Ghana. The leadership Boumedienne); Mohammed Lamamari remembered all he had experienced of the Algerian National Liberation (who became one of the top figures in with us on the western frontier during Army (ALN) led by Colonel Haouari the Algerian army leadership from 1994 our liberation war. He reiterated Boumedienne insisted on keeping the to 2005); and Mustfai Chawki, who was how beneficial this had proved to his names of the soldiers secret. We gave praised by Mandela himself in his book mission. I was thrilled to meet him in them internal names (nicknames) for Conversations with Myself, describing the final stages of the liberation war of the sake of their security as the French him as a ‘masterpiece’. Mandela later the South African people – just as had in Morocco were actively spying on explained how and why he went for been the case when Mandela came us. The fear was more from Hassan military training and the value of the to us first during the last stage of our II, the son of the king Mohamed V, lessons provided by the Algerians… liberation war... who had a close relationship with the In an interview with the author, Algeria is highly respected by South French, and his power and influence Dr Mustfai Chawki (who was a Africans for its special anti-apartheid in the decision making especially in representative of the FLN and the role and its close relationship with the Moroccan army was strongly rising. Algerian provincial government) the ANC throughout the history of I myself was especially charged by reported the content of his discussions the South African armed struggle for Bouteflika, the secretary general of the with Mandela at their meeting on the liberation. This was openly expressed by Volume 63 / 2015 81 HISTORY the then South African president, Thabo people throughout the continent. and was inaugurated by President Ben Mbeki, on the occasion of the visit President Ben Bella saw to it that Bella. On 26 June he inaugurated the of the Algerian president, Abdel Aziz the Algerian authorities concerned new ANC office... Bouteflika to South Africa in October provided financial support for the ANC Changes at the leadership of Algeria 2001: and undertook to continue receiving on 19 June 1965 had no effect on Clearly, despite the physical distance ANC militants for military training at Algeria’s hard-line position for a final imposed upon us by geography, the the best Algerian training bases. He also end to colonialism. They maintained relationship between our two countries pledged to give the ANC representatives their call for a tougher stance against is an intimate one, going back many in Algeria full diplomatic status and Western influence, especially the West’s decades to the struggle of the African provide them with Algerian passports alliance with the apartheid regime.
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