The role of Berber-nationalists in the national movement and the struggle for Tamazight (1945–1949)

Abstract

In 1926, a number of immigrants in France founded an organization called Étoile Nord-Africaine, with the aim of defending the rights of North African workers (Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco). A large number of Kabyles participated in it, among them Belkacem Radjef and Amar Imache. Later, a disagreement emerged between Messali Hadj and Imache regarding the identity that the country should adopt. Imache demanded that the Amazigh identity be granted its rightful place and enjoy the same status as Arabic, but Messali rejected the idea.

In 1945, a number of young Kabyles, secondary school students, emerged within the Nationalist Movement. They joined the Algerian People's Party and worked for the liberation of Algeria and the defense of the Amazigh identity. They were known as the “Amazigh Nationalists.”

This study aims to examine the activities of those activists known as the “Amazigh Nationalists” within the nationalist movement and their defense of the Amazigh identity between 1945 and 1949. It seeks to answer the following main research question: What role did the Amazigh Nationalists play in the Nationalist Movement and in preserving the Amazigh identity between 1945 and 1949? From this central question, emerges another sub-question: What was the reality of the Amazigh Crisis of 1949? In this present research, we adopted the descriptive and analytical method when addressing the works carried out by these militants. In addition, we have also used a comparative method to demonstrate the differences among writers and historians especially their disagreement over the causes of the Amazigh crisis.

This research relies on several sources, including the book by Hocine Aït Ahmed, Mémoires d’un combattant, since its author was a member of those who experienced and participated in the events surrounding the Amazigh Crisis. We also relied on the Arabic translation of the book by Mohammed Harbi, Le FLN, mirage et réalité. In addition, we referred to other important studies, although they are not considered as primary sources, such as the works by Salem Chaker, Imazighen Ass-a  and  La question berbère dans le mouvement national algérien 1926–1980.

From the conclusions we have reached, we can say that the “Amazigh Nationalists” loved deeply their homeland, some of them also attained high-ranking positions, among them Amar Imache. In addition, the “Amazigh Nationalists” were among the first to call for revolution, even before the events of May 8, 1945. As for the Amazigh Crisis, we may also add that the major conflict was not really about identity, but rather stemmed from the lack of democracy within the party, a problem that repeatedly resurfaced. In conclusion, we can state that what the Berber-nationalists demanded was the right of Tamazight to exist in public life.

Key words

The Algerian People's Party/ Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties, Berber nationalists, Berber identity, The Berberist Crisis