The Press THURSDAY, JULY 15,1965. Stability In Algeria?

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 14

The Press THURSDAY, JULY 15,1965. Stability In Algeria?

Nearly a month after the bloodless coup, the now less mysterious Colonel Boumedienne appears to have reasonable prospects of establishing political stability in Algeria. Algerians will be thankful for peace and quiet: but no-one knows what their response to pleas for economic austerity will be when they are quite obviously seeking an easier life. Colonel Boumedienne has said that the objections to his deposed predecessor, Mr Ahmed Ben Bella, were to the concentration of power in one pair of hands, to economic bungling, and to “ anarchy and demagogy He has had to allay any suspicion that one dictator was being replaced by another, and also to satisfy the country that there would be no return to the detested army rule from which it had escaped three years previously.

The coup itself was remarkable for its efficiency; the calm since has been equally surprising. Early demonstrations—relatively mild for Algeria—by women and students have died away. At first the military regime sought to continue arrangements for the Afro-Asian summit conference, but when participants expressed doubts about the security of their delegates Algeria quickly agreed to a postponement rather than face a threatened change of venue. The fears may have been groundless. Colonel Boumedienne has been able progressively to establish his system with little interruption or bother. His 26-member revolutionary council, almost entirely army officers, could not rule alone for long. He has cast his net widely to form an administration from the army, civilian politicians, and union leaders. They include a number of Mr Ben Bella’s Ministers. Colonel Boumedienne has become Prime Minister: but there is no mention of a replacement as President for Mr Ben Bella, in whom the two offices were combined Indications are that the posts will be separated, a sign of the new regime’s determination to limit the concentration of power. Colonel Boumedienne, the 40-year-old ascetic and devout Moslem, who was not regarded as politically skilful when he was second-in-command to Mr Ben Bella, is clearly mellowing. He may yet become a popular leader.

He faces a big task in his declared aim to consolidate the revolution in a more moderate socialism, to provide efficient government, justice, and economic progress. He has said he will favour neither the Western nor the Communist blocs. It is not known quite where he stands ideologically. He has been an admirer of Mao and Castro: once he was thought to be pro-Peking but he is grateful to Russia for its support of his army: economically, the country has important links with France and the United States. By avoiding the foreign entanglements which contributed to public dissatisfaction with the Ben Bella regime, he may obtain a breathing-space in which to grapple with the problems of a bankrupt economy and widespread unemployment. For the sake of Algerians who badly need a rest from turmoil, it is to be hoped that the present calm is not a prelude to another storm.