North African Combatants: From Colonial Mobilization to National Reintegration Reintegration of Ex-combatants in the Maghreb after Independence Dr. Majid Hannoum History and Experience of Post-conflict Reintegration and Stabilization Conference June 5-6, 2013 Tunis, Tunisia
Combattants in the Maghreb Anciens Combattants, those who fought in WWII on the side of the French Anti-French Combatants, those who fought against France after WWII in the Maghreb
The French System of Reinsertion of Ex-Combatants The association des Anciens Combattants Founded on the idea to honor fallen comrades, to preserve memory of combats, sacrifices, and friendship. Politics was excluded to make sure the excombatant would not be enlisted for another political cause.
Following WWII and after independence (1956 for both Tunisia and Morocco, 1962 for Algeria), the Maghreb combatants benefited from the French carte de combattants Guaranteed their rights and provided pension, housing, and free health care. Offices of the ex-combatants: in Algiers, Casablanca, and Tunis. The ex-combatants could also freely travel to France without any restrictions.
Tunisia Not more than 3000 Bourguiba s policies - exclusion of the ex-combatants (those who fought with the French as well as those who fought against them). The fellagas in particular were of great concern to Bourguiba: they were openly his political enemies even before independence Sticks & Carrots: while excluding them, Bourguiba also used the carrot and provided them with few benefits such as housing, free land for agriculture, license for commerce, etc. The combination of exclusion from military and political life along with opportunities for a decent living condition neutralized them and made them well reintegrate socially.
Morocco & Algeria: Similarities and Differences The moujahid in Algeria and the mouqawim in Morocco benefited from the priority for employment, free housing, free transportation, license to run a business, including licenses for taxis and buses, allocation of pensions, scholarship for children. Exempt from taxation on propriety, and benefited from aides for emergencies, etc. In both Morocco and Algeria, policy of commemoration was an important means for psychological and social reintegration. In Algeria, most of the streets are given told martyrs. The moujahid is filled with pride, not only he feels his life is so meaningful, but there is an implicit message in the ideology that makes the liberation of the nation the sole work of the moujahid. Materially and ideologically, the moujahid is part and parcel of the state.
Morocco & Algeria: Similarities and Differences In Morocco, bulk of the insurgents were people from the country side with limited or no schooling. Many ex-combatants benefited from the state policies, but a number of them were also left out. This is to say, that the policies in these two countries were successful, but had also their shortcomings. In Algeria, these policies created a culture of nepotism reminiscent of colonial times. In Morocco, due to limited or lack of schooling, a number of ex-insurgents ended up living in poverty and depend on their families (often their children) to survive.
Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco Maghreb policies should not be taken out of the social and historical contexts were they were implemented. These policies were implemented in a national legitimacy of the state that draws its meanings from the struggle against colonialism. Insurgents and moujahidines in both Morocco and Tunisia traditionally cared less about the reintegration policies as they saw they fight an obligatory one for which they scarified without expecting a pay back.
Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco Maghreb reintegration policies also had the success because of the social structure. Ex-combatants in the Maghreb were able to return to their communities and families that constituted the most important means of reintegration. The ex-combatant is also part of a family and a community: his social and economic reintegration was accomplished with these social structures.
Alarming level of mobilization of young people since 2011 in Libya and Syria In the context of the Arab Revolutions, the DDR is as urgent as ever.
Conclusions The success of the Ex-combatants in North Africa was largely due to the fact that they fought in the name of the nation and reintegrated in the name of the nation. Following conflict, the Maghreb countries had legitimate, strong states that could implement successful reintegration policies. Unknown - what will happen to these fighters today? They will not return to countries that recruit them, but will return to North Africa, Yemen, France, or England. Social reintegration is a component of DDR; BUT ideological reintegration may emerge as the biggest challenge.
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