Traitorous Pens at the Service of the Coup Plotters Against the G.P.R.A
The history of Algerian independence is one of heroic struggle against colonialism, but it is also, tragically, a story of betrayal orchestrated by a military clique that, in 1962, destroyed the hope for a civil state in favor of an authoritarian regime. The GPRA (Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic), the legitimate representative of the people and the spearhead of the independence negotiations, was brutally overthrown by the Army of the Borders led by Houari Boumédiène, a man who had never fought on Algerian soil. By orchestrating this coup d’état, Boumédiène and his allies, aided by deserters from the French army, not only sowed violence—which cost the lives of more than 3,000 people—but also established a military regime that still dominates today. Worse, this seizure of power found defenders among some treacherous pens, intellectuals, and theorists who attempted to justify this repression by presenting it as a historical necessity. This essay will dismantle these spurious justifications, while asserting that the GPRA was the only legitimate representative of the Algerian people, betrayed by the ambitions of illiterate military leaders.
The Legitimacy of the GPRA: The Overthrown Revolutionary Authority
The GPRA, formed in 1958, was much more than a simple administrative body for Algerian independence. It was the political embodiment of the aspirations of the Algerian people, internationally recognized as the legitimate voice of the revolution. Composed of civilian leaders who had fought for the country’s freedom, the GPRA represented a vision of a future where Algeria would be governed by civilians, not by arms. This government, which had negotiated the end of colonization with France, carried the hopes of a democratic and independent Algeria. However, these aspirations were violently shattered by an army that, far from having fought in the heart of the country, stood on the borders, waiting for its moment.
Houari Boumédiène, leader of the Army of the Borders, had never participated in the internal fighting on Algerian soil. Yet, through opportunistic alliances with deserters from the French army and exploiting internal divisions within the liberation movement, he succeeded in overthrowing the GPRA. This coup was not merely a change of leadership, but a deep act of betrayal. The GPRA, which represented the popular voice, was brutally eliminated, while Boumédiène proclaimed himself the strongman of a military regime that endures to this day.
The Traitorous Pens: Cynical Justifications for the Coup
What makes this coup even more abject is the way some intellectuals tried to justify this power grab. Under the pretext of the absence of an organized political class and a supposed rural illiteracy, these theorists argued that the post-independence Algerian state had to resort to force to “discipline” a population described as politically immature. Such justification merely conceals the true motivations of the coup plotters: the consolidation of power by a military clique, not the establishment of a democratic state.
The idea that the state had imposed a policy of force to “educate” a rural and illiterate population is not only paternalistic but historically incorrect. During the war of independence, rural populations, far from being passive or unaware, played a central role in anti-colonial resistance. It was these same populations who supported the maquisards in their fierce struggle against the French army. Claiming that these populations lacked political consciousness is an insult to their commitment and a minimization of their role in national liberation.
Repressive Violence Disguised as Educational Policy
Behind this pseudo-pedagogical rhetoric lies a much darker reality: the violence exercised by the Army of the Borders was in no way an attempt at nation-building. It was not about teaching or disciplining a people but about eliminating any civil opposition. By using force to seize power, Boumédiène and his allies murdered more than 3,000 Algerians. This violence was not a means to establish a new order but a brutal repression aimed at annihilating the GPRA and ensuring total military control.
This military takeover has left deep and lasting scars. Even today, Algeria is governed by an army that imports its military equipment from abroad and continues to stifle any attempt at democratic reform. Peaceful demonstrations, such as those of the Hirak movement, are crushed in blood, illustrating that Boumédiène’s successors have never renounced violence as a tool of government.
The Manipulation of Intellectuals: Legitimizing the Illegitimate
By claiming that the 1962 coup d’état was a necessity imposed by the absence of civil political forces, these intellectuals overlook a fundamental element: the army was not forced to take power. It did so out of ambition and political calculation. The justifications invoking illiteracy and the absence of political awareness are merely rhetorical tools to exonerate the coup plotters from their crimes. In reality, the rural populations, far from being passive spectators, were at the heart of the resistance and would have been ready to support a civil and democratic government if given the chance.
It is particularly cynical to suggest that military violence was a necessary educational tool. This rhetoric masks a cold desire for domination. The treacherous pens that served the coup plotters attempted to transform an act of betrayal into a historical necessity, disregarding historical truth and the aspirations of the people.
Conclusion: An Unforgettable Betrayal
The 1962 coup d’état, orchestrated by Boumédiène and his allies, was a profound betrayal of the ideals of the Algerian revolution. The GPRA, the sole legitimate representative of the people, was brutally eliminated in favor of a military regime that, sixty years later, continues to dominate Algerian politics. Worse, this betrayal was accompanied by a series of intellectual justifications that attempted to present the use of force as a historical necessity, a hypocritical attempt to rewrite history in favor of the coup plotters. Today’s Algeria remains marked by this betrayal, still captive to a regime that has turned its back on the ideals of freedom and democracy championed by the GPRA. The treacherous pens, by legitimizing this coup, have contributed to burying the dreams of a free, sovereign Algeria governed by its people.
Khaled Boulaziz
