Larbi Ben M'hidi
Larbi Ben M'hidi | |
---|---|
العربي بن مهيدي | |
Larbi Ben M'hidi (
Ben M'hidi initially commanded Wilaya V (the military district in the
He was captured by French paratroopers in February 1957. His death was announced in March 1957 by Pierre Gorlin, Robert Lacoste's press officer. The events surrounding his death were disputed, and contended by many that he was in fact tortured before being summarily executed. Many who knew him, have ruled out the possibility of him taking his own life, as was reported in the media, due to his devotion to Islam, which forbids suicide. In 2000, General Aussaresses admitted that Ben M'hidi was executed whilst in his custody, however, the exact truth regarding his death remains a mystery to this day. Ben M'hidi is considered to be a national hero in Algeria and is considered to be a symbol of the revolution that brought an end to French colonialism.
Early life
Larbi Ben M'hidi was born sometime in 1923 to a
Rebellion
Ben M'hidi became a follower of
Ben M'hidi was designated Wilaya V (Oran), however, he encountered exceptional difficulties as the area had been recently struck by an earthquake, and arms that were promised had not arrived.[9]
On 2 November 1955, Ben M'hidi took command of the Zone Autonome d'Alger (ZAA) and appointed
Soummam Conference
On 20 August 1956, a congress assembled in the Soummam Valley in the Kabyle. Ben M'hidi attended alone from Wilaya V (Oran). He also deputized for the "externals" in absentia, as he was the delegate to have been most recently in contact with their views. The first session was presided over by Ben M'hidi, with Abane Ramdane as secretary.[14] Ben M'hidi had criticized the "uselessly bloody operations" which had given a bad impression on public opinion, specifically citing Zighout's massacre at El-Halia which had occurred exactly one year previously. He had also criticized Amirouche where perhaps over a thousand dissident Muslims had been "liquidated" in a village near Bougie. The conference lasted 20 days ending sometime in September 1956. The French authorities had no knowledge that many of their most important adversaries were assembled in one place.[15]
During the conference, Ben M'hidi was elected along with Abane Ramdane and Krim Belkacem to the Comité de Coordination et d'Exécution (CCE; Committee of Coordination and Implementation) where they were given the responsibility in running the Algerian War of Independence.
Battle of Algiers
In August 1956, Ben M'hidi handed over Oran to Abdelhafid Boussouf and assumed command in Algiers, as he was given the responsibility after the election for launching the Battle of Algiers.[9] On 30 September 1956, he began a campaign of bombing attacks targeting Europeans.[16] In January 1957, he suggested the idea of an insurrectional strike. It took place on 28 January 1957. It caught the attention of the world and the United Nations (UN).[17] Ben M'hidi did not stay longer than two days in each hideout in the Casbah with his companions as two thousand paratroopers were searching for FLN members.
Capture and execution
Ben M'hidi was captured by Marcel Bigeard and his men on 23 February 1957 after receiving a tip-off provided by Roger Trinquier's network of informers. The details regarding Larbi Ben M'hidi's arrest are controversial, as there are several versions which contradict each other.[18][19] According to French sources, parachutists burst into an apartment on Rue Claude Debussy, in the European quarter, and arrested Larbi Ben M'hidi in his pajamas. Apparently, they thought they were on the trail of Ben Khedda, who was another leader of the Coordinating and Executing Committee (CCE). The other members of the committee had fled to the mountains or abroad (primarily Tunis). The photograph of his arrest was published the following day in all the newspapers in Algiers. The photograph showed Larbi Ben M'hidi with handcuffs on his wrists and ankles, with a cheerful brave face. Ben M'hidi also appeared in video footage released by the French press, alongside Brahim Chergui, the liaison chief of the Zone Autonome d'Alger (ZAA) who was arrested on 24 February 1957. Ben M'hidi was seen to be smiling towards the camera, and exchanging words with the armed paratroopers. He was handcuffed and had his feet shackled on the video footage, unlike Brahim Chergui. The video footage was taken in El Biar at then Colonel Bigeard's command post.[20]
Marcel Bigeard personally interrogated Ben M'hidi, and according to him would not allow him to be tortured. After two weeks of questioning, Ben M'hidi showed no sign of backing down, and Bigeard grew to like and respect him. During the interrogation, Ben M'hidi constantly stood up to his interrogators, due to the extensive pressure of the interrogation, insisting that Algeria would be victorious in the battle and that the Algerian people would be liberated. Bigeard was impressed with Larbi Ben M'hidi's defiance and dignity, even though defeated, he proved that he was in no way of form broken, mentally, physically or spiritually. When told the war was lost he responded by citing the 'chant des partisans' of the French Resistance:'Another will take my place'.[21]
General Jacques Massu, however, was frustrated with Bigeard's slow progress, and arranged for Ben M'hidi to be transferred into the custody of Major Paul Aussaresses. According to a report to the CCE on 4 March 1957 made by an FLN spy who had been working in the Algiers police headquarters, Bigeard "was unable to prevent Ben M’hidi being handed over to men of a 'special section' of the paratroops. These interrogated him on their own initiative, and killed him last night". Under Aussaresses, Ben M'hidi was tortured, and then driven to an isolated farm 18 kilometres south of Algiers, where he was hanged – "to make it look like suicide".[22][3] On 6 March 1957, Pierre Gorlin (Robert Lacoste's press officer) announced that Ben M'hidi "had committed suicide by hanging himself with strips of material torn from his shirt". His body was later transferred to Maillot hospital in Algiers. On arrival, two French medical officers stated officially after examining him that he was already dead. General Jacques Massu claimed that Ben M'hidi was "still breathing" on his way to hospital after hanging himself with an electric flex during the night.[23] Everyone who knew him insisted that he would never take his own life. They know this because he was a devout Muslim and the religion of Islam forbids suicide.[24]
Post-execution and memorial
General Aussaresses admitted in 2000 that Ben M'hidi had been killed by the state, as had the lawyer Ali Boumendjel.[25] General Bigeard said he had respect for Ben M'Hidi and that he regretted his death.[26][27] Bigeard had declared himself 'sickened' by the news that French troops had assassinated Ben M'hidi.[28]
After Independence Rue d'Isly, one of the two main streets of Algiers was renamed Rue Larbi Ben M'hidi.[29]
He was depicted in the movie
References
- ^ a b "Mohamed Larbi Ben M'hidi; L'homme qui a fait trembler l'état-major français" (in French). Algérie Network. 3 March 2014. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ "Yacef Saadi: "Ben M'hidi a été tué par balles"" (in French). Liberte Algerie. 15 February 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Le général Aussaresses confirme que le chef du FLN à Alger, Larbi Ben M'Hidi, a été pendu". www.lemonde.fr (in French). 5 March 2007.
- ISBN 978-0810853409.
- ^ "Larbi ben M'hidi : l'homme des grands rendez -vous - Trouver un livre - Bibliothèque Universitaire Centrale Univ Oran 1". buc.univ-oran1.dz. p. 11. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ^ 🇩🇿 🇫🇷 The Algerian Revolutionary, Larbi Ben Mhidi | Al Jazeera World, retrieved 2 September 2023
- ^ "Les fils de la Toussaint". Getty Images. 2 January 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-9961-892-69-5.
- ^ ISBN 9780-7103-0505-3.
- ^ Adli, Fateh (29 September 2013). "'Suicidé' en prison par Aussaresses" (in French). Mémoria. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
- ^ "Principal Dates and Time Line of Algeria 1945-1957". Marxists Internet Archive. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ "Algeria must remain French, beginning of the insurrection". Algerie2012.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2014.
- ^ "Algeria still defined by independence war". The Daily Star. Lebanon. 1 November 2014.
- ISBN 1590172183.
- ^ Bidwell, Dictionary of Modern Arab History, p. 390
- ISBN 978-1-118-88463-8.
- ISBN 9780748647583.
- ^ "Former revolutionary figure Abdelkrim Hassani to Echourok: I'm ready to testify over the case of Amirouche". Echorouk Online. 13 October 2010. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
- ^ Mefti, Abderachid (23 January 2013). "55 ans après, le mystère persiste" (in French). Mémoria. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ "Arrestation de dirigeants du FLN". Ina.fr (in French). Institut National de l’Audiovisuel.
- ISBN 9781443807227.
- ^ Boot, Max (5 July 2010). "The Consummate Warrior". The Weekly Standard.
- ISBN 1590172183.
- ^ "Ben M'hidi - One Of The Greatest Heroes Of Algeria | I Love Africa". 29 November 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ "L'accablante confession du général Aussaresses sur la torture en Algérie". Le Monde (in French). 3 May 2001. (subscription required)
- ^ a b "1957: Larbi Ben M'Hidi, in the Battle of Algiers". ExecutedToday. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
- ^ "Larbi Ben M'hidi". English Speaking Algerians. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011.
- ISBN 978-1847015228.
- ^ "Rue Larbi Ben M'hidi · El Djazair 16000, Algeria". Rue Larbi Ben M'hidi · El Djazair 16000, Algeria. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
Further reading
- Horne, Alistair (2006). A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 (New York Review Books Classics). NYRB Classics. ISBN 978-1590172186.
- Aussaresses, Paul (2010). The Battle of the Casbah: Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Algeria, 1955–1957. New York: Enigma Books. ISBN 978-1-929631-30-8.
- Djebar, Assia (2001). Algerian White. Seven Stories Press. ISBN 978-1583220504.
- Singer, Barnett; Langdon, John (2008). Cultured Force: Makers and Defenders of the French Colonial Empire. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-19904-3.
Bibliography
- Horne, Alistair (2006). A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 (New York Review Books Classics). NYRB Classics. ISBN 978-1-59017-218-6
- Aussaresses, Paul (2010). The Battle of the Casbah: Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Algeria, 1955–1957. New York: Enigma Books. ISBN 978-1-929631-30-8
- Djebar, Assia (2001). Algerian White. Seven Stories Press. ISBN 978-1-58322-050-4
- Singer, Barnett; Langdon, John (2008). Cultured Force: Makers and Defenders of the French Colonial Empire. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-19904-3