35th Anniversary of the Popular Demonstrations of Ouargla
As part of its policy aimed at imposing a fait accompli and deluding international public opinion, France sent a government delegation led by Max Lejeune, Minister of the Sahara, with a view to approaching the notables of the region and swaying them in its favor. Having heard of this and in order to mark its opposition, the National Liberation Front, gave the order to the inhabitants of the Oases, through a letter addressed to the chouyoukhs of the 14 communes by the head of zone 4 - Wilaya VI, asking them to organize grandiose demonstrations, opposed to the visit of the French delegation to Ouargla and expressing at the same time the attachment of the inhabitants of the Sahara and their unity around the leadership of the FLN and the Army of Liberation.
This demonstration for which the crowds were mobilized coincided with the visit of the French delegation on February 27, 1962. That day, the heads of the 14 assemblies in Ouargla transmitted the instructions; all necessary measures were taken to mobilize the people for mass participation and intense contacts took place between the militant organizers and the masses across all the villages.
It was decided that the demonstrators would leave the villages at six in the morning in absolute calm to meet at Souk El Had, in the center of Ouargla.
Before the time fixed for the departure of the demonstrations information arrived according to which the arrival of the French official and the delegation accompanying him was postponed until 1 p.m. the same day. Immediately, orders were given to the activists to inform the citizens and ask them to remain calm and to carry out the directions and orders given to them by the organizing activists.
The traders were ordered to open the shops and cafes, to temporarily resume activity at the market so that colonialism and its minions did not notice the existence of popular movements which were opposed to it as well as to the mission of the official French delegation.
In fact, activity instantly resumed as normal at the market and throughout the city, stopping definitively at 1 p.m. for the popular demonstrations.
As soon as the news of the landing at Ouargla airport of the plane carrying the official French delegation was known, the people gathered behind the activists responsible for managing the operation, carrying banners on which one could read slogans denouncing France's policy in Algeria and demanding national independence for the entire Algerian territory, chanting 'Allahou Akbar' (God is great), shouting the names of the FLN and the ALN and the GPRA, the sole representative of the Algerian people, the Sahara is Algerian and remains an integral part of the Algerian nation. The demonstrators also began to chant patriotic songs such as 'Chaabou al jazairi muslim' (the Algerian people are Muslims) or 'Kassaman' (Algerian national anthem).
Moments later, an imposing force of French army units, reinforced by tanks, armored vehicles, foreign legion infantrymen and gendarmes, intervened with extreme violence and ferocity, attempting to stop the advance of the demonstrators who were heading towards the headquarters of the prefecture where the French delegation was located.
When the gendarmes realized the determination of the demonstrators, at whom tear gas grenades were thrown, which they ignored, it was the turn of the mercenaries and the gendarmes together who regrouped behind the ramparts of the gardens overlooking the market, surrounding the old palace, then began to fire machine guns at the crowds of citizens and chase them through the streets and public squares. The demonstrators held on to the enemy troops using bladed weapons such as daggers, sticks, iron bars or stones, etc. It remained like this until late in the evening of that day.
- Death of many citizens
- These demonstrations constituted support for the Algerian negotiators on the eve of the last stage of the negotiations.
- Failure of all the maneuvers of French colonialism, inside and outside because these demonstrations were a demonstration for public opinion of the degree of attachment of the inhabitants of the Sahara to the unity of the Algerian territory.
This demonstration for which the crowds were mobilized coincided with the visit of the French delegation on February 27, 1962. That day, the heads of the 14 assemblies in Ouargla transmitted the instructions; all necessary measures were taken to mobilize the people for mass participation and intense contacts took place between the militant organizers and the masses across all the villages.
It was decided that the demonstrators would leave the villages at six in the morning in absolute calm to meet at Souk El Had, in the center of Ouargla.
Before the time fixed for the departure of the demonstrations information arrived according to which the arrival of the French official and the delegation accompanying him was postponed until 1 p.m. the same day. Immediately, orders were given to the activists to inform the citizens and ask them to remain calm and to carry out the directions and orders given to them by the organizing activists.
The traders were ordered to open the shops and cafes, to temporarily resume activity at the market so that colonialism and its minions did not notice the existence of popular movements which were opposed to it as well as to the mission of the official French delegation.
In fact, activity instantly resumed as normal at the market and throughout the city, stopping definitively at 1 p.m. for the popular demonstrations.
As soon as the news of the landing at Ouargla airport of the plane carrying the official French delegation was known, the people gathered behind the activists responsible for managing the operation, carrying banners on which one could read slogans denouncing France's policy in Algeria and demanding national independence for the entire Algerian territory, chanting 'Allahou Akbar' (God is great), shouting the names of the FLN and the ALN and the GPRA, the sole representative of the Algerian people, the Sahara is Algerian and remains an integral part of the Algerian nation. The demonstrators also began to chant patriotic songs such as 'Chaabou al jazairi muslim' (the Algerian people are Muslims) or 'Kassaman' (Algerian national anthem).
Moments later, an imposing force of French army units, reinforced by tanks, armored vehicles, foreign legion infantrymen and gendarmes, intervened with extreme violence and ferocity, attempting to stop the advance of the demonstrators who were heading towards the headquarters of the prefecture where the French delegation was located.
When the gendarmes realized the determination of the demonstrators, at whom tear gas grenades were thrown, which they ignored, it was the turn of the mercenaries and the gendarmes together who regrouped behind the ramparts of the gardens overlooking the market, surrounding the old palace, then began to fire machine guns at the crowds of citizens and chase them through the streets and public squares. The demonstrators held on to the enemy troops using bladed weapons such as daggers, sticks, iron bars or stones, etc. It remained like this until late in the evening of that day.
- Death of many citizens
- These demonstrations constituted support for the Algerian negotiators on the eve of the last stage of the negotiations.
- Failure of all the maneuvers of French colonialism, inside and outside because these demonstrations were a demonstration for public opinion of the degree of attachment of the inhabitants of the Sahara to the unity of the Algerian territory.