In the biginning, the promess of a terrible fire…
It has been a year since the end of the world was approaching. Everywhere I would go, I would hear it. Algeria is undergoing a political deadlock, and it would not last until things exploded. In public television, official propaganda of algerian president Bouteflika started broadcasting documentaries telling horrors of Algerian civil war in the 90’s. A way of warning against any sort of opposition or rebellion that would supposedly degenerate into violence. From people’s side, it is more a “syrian scenario” that Algerians fear. They, who have known an early “spring” (Algerian civil war in the 90’s and Black Spring in 2001). So, next time fire ?
It has been then a year since I was preparing myself. So, at that day, when I saw these huge crowds in the streets, chanting slogans, that we, before, dreamed of saying outloud, I thought to myself: “here we are, the “prophecy” is happening.” But instead of the chaos we were promised, I only saw joy and determination. Protests in fact, turned out to be very peaceful. However, the apprehension I had, didn’t leave me. The devastating fire, the ultimate threat that I’ve been waiting for could occur at any moment. What if it goes worse ?
Months later, the protests, alternatively tolerated or repressed, turned to a revolution and established in a long term. But tension persists, and even the most “joyful” revolution (2019 Algerian protests have been called “Smile Revolution”) is never that serene. Not far from us, Sudanese Revolution, that started almost at the same time, sinked into chaos. So, how to carry on? For me, there might be only one way. It is to remember that risk in uprising is always a fatality. But we can always continue to build, and just have a strong belief that next time…there will be no fire!
*Fire next time is the title of an essay of James Baldwin in 1963, it is inspired by a slave spiritual that tells the story of God warning Moses that there could be a worse punishment for humans than the floods, namely fire. The phrase has become significant for an “undeniable threat”.
Algerian uprising in 2019
Massively rejected by a popular uprising since Februray, 22th, Algerian ex-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika was pushed to resignation. He leaves a country devastated by corruption, and a fragmented opposition. Since then, the army has been taking control over state institutions and multiplying random arrests and detention. Meanwhile, Algerians keep the mobilization every Friday for a radical change of the “system”.
In 1988, the army fired on demonstrators in Algiers. This painful memory never left Algerian people. How far can security forces go to stop the crowd ? Anxiety was there…Nobody could answer to that question yet.
Since 2001, public rallies are strictly forbidden in the capital city Algiers. Hania (the girl in the picture) didn’t get to know her father. He was murdered by islamist terrorists in the Algerian civil war in the 90’s. For her, president Bouteflika’s policy didn’t do justice to her father. With many others, she reclaims the streets despite the ban.
Algiers, 01.11.19. A protester with the inscription “Silmiya” (“peaceful”) in Arabic). The slogan « Silmiya » has been decried since the beginning of the demonstrations until even become one of the names of the movement, the demonstrators are proud of it, for them, to lead a peaceful revolution is a challenge.
Students protesting inside of the « Tunnel des facultés » in Algiers. Behind them, images in reference to post-revolution effort (Algerian independance war in the 60’s). Is this new uprising a revolution ? The word sounds too big. For many of this algerian youth, « Revolution », like the one of their grand-fathers, can only be violent.
Students protests in Algiers. Behind the young man, the word « Hirak » (or Harak), meaning « movement » in arabic. Many prefer this appellation rather than « revolution ». For them, it means the end of the statut Quo, since something has undeniably moved. Since the beginning of the uprising, more students are actively engaging into politics.
24.02.19. A policeman is affected with tear gas. During protests, demonstrators often adress chants to police saying « The police are our brothers ». As I published this picture on social media, it evoked a widespread sympathy. People identified the policeman, a former football player, that they presented as being stuck in the « bad side ».
A female demonstrator defies police after a tear gaz attack. Although demonstrators insist to keep protests peaceful, tension and temptation of confrontation remain tangible.
To disperse demonstrators, police often releases tear gaz bombs without any warning. After 2 months of protests, the « peace signature » of the uprising established itself. In the field, however, the reality is often more complex. Power relationship keeps intesifing and 2 people already died during the protests.
For a whole new generation of children participating in protests, a culture of democartic exercise is establishing itself.
Since the start of the 2019 protests, the official media have repeatedly censored and defamed the protest movement. Here, protesters recreated a television frame with the title « The Algerian people will not vote. »
On December 12, 2019, the highly contested presidential elections took place. The same moment, thousands of people demonstrated throughout the day in several cities in the country. They were violently repressed, with a toll of dozens injured and several arbitrary arrests. Many are still in prison to this day.
LYDIA SAIDI 