Translated "Avante!" Article by Albano Nunes, Member of the PCP Secretariat of the CC
The proclamation of the independence of Algeria was due 50 years ago, on July 5th, 1962.
It is a historical major event, important to be highlighted, in remembrance of the significance of its revolution, a liberating national revolution of deep progressive and anti-imperialist nature , for the people of Algeria, for Africa and the whole world. And particularly for Portugal, where, side-by-side with the Cuban revolution, played a great mobilizing influence within the Portuguese youth in the 60’s, and the anti-fascists forces, organized within the NLPF, National Liberation Patriotic Front, met among the people of Algeria and the NLPF government, a strong solidarity.
One ought never forget, the demanding great sacrifice and heroism in order to defeat the oppressor, which, since 1830, anticipating the avalanche of the imperialism colonial invasions, at that time, at the end of the 19th century, in fact, occupied Algeria’s territory. A million and a half dead was the price paid by the Arab and Beriberi people of Algeria in order to get liberated from the colonial exploitation, racial discrimination and national oppression.
All the possibilities exhausted of a negotiated solution, confronted with a fierce repression over the most elementary national and democratic demandings together with whole populations cruel massacre, resistance had no choice but to respond to the oppressor’s violence with the liberation violence. Before these acts of inaudible violence, such as the Setif and Guelma massacres (40 thousand dead), the liberation struggle undertook insurrection, on the November 1st, 1954, the armed struggle path and the rural and urban guerrilla war. The colonialist bourgeoisie’s answer was to be terror, the most cruel state terrorism, napalm bombardments on whole populations and the indiscriminate use of torture, a brutal reality, which Henri Alleg, a communist writer, so brilliantly denounced to the world in La Question. ´The SOA (Secret Organization Army) fascist bandits’ criminal action, was not a mere desperate reaction unto the Algerian insurrection imminent victory, but an exemplar expression of the capitalism criminal essence.
Upon the revolution triumph, independent Algeria proceeded its way towards great economic and social changes and became part of international life as a solidary nation with the peoples emancipating cause and a prestigious member of the Non- Aligned Movement. Many projects and dreams were left behind, degenerating phenomena developed, the force correlation changes, in result of the socialism defeats and the imperialist globalization, have touched this Maghreb important country. But the revolution furrows have not been tarnished.
As all genuine revolutions, the Algerian revolution confirms the masses determinate role, within the social and human emancipation process. A united and determined people are invincible. And moreover shows how diversified are the revolution paths, not in obedience to aprioristic “models”, and, creatively, during the revolutionary combat itself, the masses together with their vanguard fighters , meet struggle directions and build alliances and organization forms, which lead to victory.
