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On July 31st, the German Friendship Association Germany­Kabylie presided by Lyazid Abid organized a conference, jointly animated by Mr. Ferhat Mehenni, President of MAK and Mr. Ulrich Delius, President of the "Society of Endangered Peoples". Before starting his intervention, Mr. Mhenni invited the audience to to observe a minute of silence in memory of Farid ACID, who died the day before in Nantes(France) from bullet wounds he received from government security forces during the 2001 “Kabyle black spring” demonstrations in Kabylia, Algeria. Mr. Mhenni’s intervention titled “Back to Kabylia’s Autonomy” gave new lightings about the concept and the project of regional autonomy for Kabylia. Mr. Delius for his part delived the following communication. It is a very interesting one, in that it is the expression of the 1st German view on Kabylia and its combat for its autonomy.

ULRICH DELIUS

SUPPORT TO THE STRUGGLE FOR AUTONOMY OF KABYLIA

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Imazighen Friends. Speak of Imazighen in Germany and you will understand in the interrogating look of your listeners, how much this People is unknown to them. Kabylia remains unknown to the majority of Germans. To Germans, the word “Berber” reminds one more of rugs rather than a group of Humans. In Europe, Autochtonous Peoples of North Africa await still, the recognition of their culture.

In Algeria, 40 years after the independence of the country, Imazighen await the recognition of their culture, and their fondamental rights. They of course represent 25% of the Algerian population, but under the regime of an arabo­islamist autoritarian elite, the rights that should legitimately theirs are yet to be granted. Kabyles are the most numerous amongst Imazighen. The Touaregs, another berber group, are far more known in Germany. Imazighen have been the arraow in the battle for the Algerian independence. At that time, they hoped to have, at the end of the war, an impartial algerian State, which, of course, will recognize their culture. Today, Imazighen are still waiting for that minimum.

This said, it is important to highlight that Imazighen are not just hoping, but also active. It is my honnor to be this evening by the side of Mr Ferhat Mhenni, one of the militants most recognized and engaged in the Amazigh cause. Over the last 30 years, he has lived through the roller coaster of the struggle of Imazighen. He has been arrested at least 12 times and experienced the cruelty of Algerian prisons. His life reflects Imazighen’s struggle for the recognition of their language and their culture, as well as more autonomy for Kabylia.

23 years ago when when I began my work at the Society for Andangered Peoples (gr:Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker), he was one more time imprisoned. In 1985, he was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for militating for the rights of Imazighen and for having been one of the founders of the first league for the defense of human rights in Algeria. At that time, one of the first things I did within the Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker Society was to demonstrate for his release and that of dozens of other Imazighen who, in 1980, during “Berber Spring”, demanded the recognition of their culture and their fondamental rights. At that time, security forces brutally stepped over the peaceful march of the Kabyles. At the same time, the revolte of the Kabyles in 1980 revealed the authoritarianism of the FLN and how much the regime steps on Human rights.

None the less, foreign powers didn’t vigorously denounce this denial of Human rights. Algeria, an important non­aligned country, was the brat of the Internationale Socialiste. In certain political milieux, it was out of question to criticize the algerian regime for being considered the intermediary between them and the arabe world and that it could play a decisive role in a hostage taking situation or a hijacking. On the other hand, internally, the regime was not listening to the needs of the population and accelerated the arabization and islamization of the country.

The principal victim wasn’t just democracy, but also Imazighen, who were vainly engaging it for the recognition of the dual arab and Amazigh personality of the country, as well as as for the liberty of the press and opnion, along with the recognition of their language and traditions. A tradition which, for example, gives more rights to Women than in the arabe tradition.

Today, almost 30 years after the berber spring, Kabyles are still waiting the big change and the recognition of their rights. The Algerian regime rarely tries to calm them by granting them a minimum of rights. Despite, Kabylia is boiling, the discontent is forever growing in the face of the paralyzed regime in Algiers,

What are the alternatives? More and more people hope for the autonomy of Kabylia, Ferhat Mhenni is one of the militants most engaged for the autonomy. For Arabic media and for the authorities, that is sufficient to discredit him publicly as a “sionist agent.” It is an often used reproch and efficient when certain persons ask unpleasant questions.

Even thoough the regime in Algeria often shows off as critical of the former colonial power, it has non the less adopted the centralized system of France which denies regional particularities and which wants to conceive of Algeria only as an arab country. There is is no place left for the culture of Imazighen, many thousand years old, which existed long before the immigration of Arabes to North Africa.

It is absurd and unacceptable that a State which calls itself democratic criminalize militants actions for Autonomy. Autonomy does not endanger neither the territorial integrity nor the survival of the algerian State. Autonomy is a way amongst many others to exercise the rights of Peoples to dispose of themselves, an affirmed right, for example in the charters of the United Nations.

Currently, there exist many autonomous regions in many countries. Certains of these, are autonomous only on paper (TibetXinjinag, China), others are formidable forward examples. Regions where autonomy is a great success are the following: Nunavut (Canada) of the arctic indigenous population.

The Inuits in Groenland (Danemark)

Aland Islands (located between Sweden and Finland)

Trentin­Haut­Adige (Italy)

Catalogna (Spain)

It is noticeable that the regions where autonomy constitutes an agent for success are located in States

that are Democratic. In a State such as Algeria in which the political system authoritarian, it will be difficult to realize a successful autonomy.

In general, the following conditions must be fulfilled for an autonomy to be successful: The Nation­State must be pluralistic and democratic, The autonomous region must have adequate budgetary means available,

Power must be distributed in a very precise way between the central power and the autonomous region. Autonomy must be secured in the Constitution, An independent institution for the resolution of between the central government and the region is indispensable,

Algeria, with its political system of “democracy, authoritarian and centralized” is therefore far from being able able to realize a credible autonomy for Kabylia. Despite that, we must continue to fight because of the fact that the culture and the Human rights of the Kabyle Paople can only be protected within the framework of an autonomy.

How could the EU and Germany influence the destiny of Algeria and Kabylia? Ofcourse, today, Algeria is no longer the spoiled brat of the European socialists and their social­democracies, Yet, it has become more and more important for European governments. When it comes to Algeria, European governments, avoid speaking of deficits in matters of Human rights. On can say that EU and the US gave carte blanche to Algeria and those North African countries to violate Human rights because they are considered important partners in the global fight against terrorism.

As an energy provider, Algeria is for Germany of increasing importance. In August 2008, during her visit to Algiers, Chancelor Angela Merkel has really courted the regime. Algeria has immense hydrocarbon reservers and Germany is in search of independence from Russia and Lybia in terms of energy esource. To add to that, recently initiated projects for the construction of solar panels whose electric currant will be transported to Europe will probably be built in southern Algeria. Add to that, with the help of high energy prices, the coffers of the algerian State being very full, which gives Algeria an important for export sector of the Eu and German economies.

For all these reasons it is not easy for us to turn the attentions of Germans more towards the justified demands of the Kabyle People. However, Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker, will continue to fight for the autonomy of Kabylia for more Human rights for the Kabyles.

München, this july 31 st, 2009.
This text was translated from German to French by Franziska Widmann, and to English by MAK­USA