Ben Bella Proud Of Being A Peasant

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30782, 21 June 1965, Page 14

Ben Bella Proud Of Being A Peasant

(NJ. P.A. -Reuter— Copyright >

ALGIERS, June 20. Mr Ahmed ben Bella became Algeria’s first president when the country gaineu independence from France in 1962. ' He was proud to say that he was an Algerian fellah (peasant) and pledged himself to create a place in the sun for the millions of his fellow-peasants.

A bachelor aged 45, he waa born in Marnia, a small mountain town In western Algeria, near the Moroccan border.

His father was a merchant of Moroccan origin who had small land holdings. The young Ahmed received his education at a small French Government school at Marnia.

He served in the French Army in World War IL. reaching the rank of warrant officer and winning a medal for bravery at the battle of Monte Cassina, in Italy. In all he received five decorations for bravery during the war, one of which was bestowed cm him personally by General de Gaulle.

Shortly after the war ended however, he joined clandestine movements seeking the independence of Algeria from French rule. On November 1,1954, he was one of nine men who founded the National Liberation Movement—the ruling party of Algeria—and became one of the “fathers of the Algerian revolution.” Secret Arms

He arranged for the first secret deliveries of arms with which the bloody seven-year Algerian revolt was sparked off.

In 1956. he was captured by the French after the airliner in which he was flying to Tunisia from Morocco was ordered to land in Algiers. He languished for seven years in French gaols until the cease-fire in 1962 which ended the Algerian revolt.

His declared aim was to lead his country towards what he called “revolutionary socialism”—a system similar to that applied by the Cuban Prime Minister, Dr. Castro. Several times he has declared publicly that he is not a Communist.

A tall, well-groomed man of athletic build, Mr ben Bella is self-assured and usually has a sullen expression. He is not considered an intellectual. Austere Life

Maintaining physical fitness through daily exercise, he prefers an austere life and neither drinks nor smokes. He is a devout Moslem, but he favours a secular state.

As a boy he excelled at soccer and at one time considered becoming a professional player. He is still a soccer fan.

His other big interest—even as the President of Algeria—was driving his car late at night through Algiers helping beggars, whom he placed in homes.