Paul Balta : Boumediene was about to make changes before his death

The French writer and journalist Paul Balta is considered as one of the biggest specialists of the Arab and Islamic world, he lived and witnessed several historical events starting from the revival of the revolutionary movements until the turning of the Islamic religion into a terrorist one. In a wide –ranging interview he discussed several issues in relation to the matter.

• Q: You have been a witness of several events occurred in Algeria since its independence until now and even wrote a lot, what has been changed in this country since the period where you were a correspondent at “Le Monde” in the period  between 1973- 1978 and today?
• A: We have to bear in mind that the Algerians have sacrificed their lives to free their country and after the independence the president Boumedienne tried to raise the living standards, but corruption gave birth to social system based on classes (Feudalism), everybody noticed that those who participated in the revolution remained poor and those who didn’t turned to be rich all of a sudden.
• It should be noted that there are efforts deployed to develop the country but the results didn’t live up to the existing economic opportunities in the country and much is left to do; for instance, the unemployment rate remains high  though  the country is in need of a multitude of projects. The East- West high way project goes back to Boumedienne’s era.
• When I was in charge of the Maghreban affairs department at the newspaper, I remained closely in touch with the Algerian events and I was delighted when the Moroccan king Hassen II invited me on the occasion of the creation of the Arab Maghreb Union. The idea of the creation of a Maghreban entity as opposed to a European one was good but I feel sorrow when I realise that the project is in the fridge.
• Q: You have written a full book on the personality of the late president Houari Boumedienne entitled “ Boumedienne’s strategy” how was the man behind the president according to your own testimonies?
• A: I had the opportunity to meet the president Boumedienne for whom I owe a lot of respect for being an honest man, he had a lot of perspectives for Algeria for which he strived to put it on a pedestal at the domestic and international level.. Of course he made mistakes, but who is the president who didn’t? I think that he set strong basis.
• When I was summoned to quit Algeria, I went to the president Boumedienne to inform him and say goodbye but he was disappointed and launched “ It’s impossible.. I have decided to call up the party’s top officials at the end of the year to take stock of my achievements as a president and will not limit to the positive things but also to the setbacks in order to correct my mistakes”. I replied” M president I will ask for a delay from my newspaper until the then and will let you know”. My newspaper refused arguing that I had to cover the events in Iran during the Iranian revolution; he was sad and informed me that the party’s meeting will be a “major event”.
• I asked the president saying “Since you have decided to organized this meeting may I know whether there will be something new as concerns the freedom of press and more interests for the civil society and culture?” .  He was thinking for a moment, smiled at me and declared” I cannot answer you for the moment because you are the first one who knows about the project”. I replied” If I consider your smile M presidents I expect things going on the same direction I have mentioned earlier”, he didn’t reply but I’m sure  he was about to make radical changes. It was my last conversation with the president who died few months after.
• Q: What makes that the French –Algerian relationships register a step forward and two backward at the political level?
• A: I remember that the visit of Valerie Jiscard Destaint was the first of its kind after the independence and it was a failure and was considered by Houari Boumedienne as unsuccessful though he was expecting a lot from this visit.
• Two days after the coup on the Iraqi king in July 16, 1958, I met with the Egyptian president Abdenasser who told me “ De Gaulle will give Algeria its independence”.. I replied “ do you have any secret information on the matter?” he replied” No, I cut all relationships with the French, but this is my own conclusion”.  He went on saying that De Gaulle was a great nationalist and will notice the nationalistic scope of the Algerian revolution.. He will understand that the best thing to happen for France is to pacify the Arab world and set diplomatic relationships with them.