Rabat – Leadership in Algiers appears to have forced two former opposition leaders out of retirement to join in its propaganda efforts. Former rivals of the Algerian regime, Soufiane Djilali and Abdelkader Bengrina, both conveniently decided to issue sudden statements following the unconfirmed attack.
Following the fresh round of Algerian accusations, domestic media published two eerily similar statements about former political rivals of Algiers suddenly “breaking the silence” to condemn Morocco, and support the regime that they have routinely condemned in the past.
Former rivals “speak out”
Announcing that “Soufiane Djilali comes out of his long silence,” Algerian media published and commented on a statement by the former political opponent who in recent years has changed into a pro-regime commentator.
Djilali in recent years has pivoted from being a vocal supporter of the Hirak protests, to celebrating the widely boycotted new constitution as constituting the emergence of a “new Algeria” that fulfilled the Hirak’s demands.
Both Djilali and many in the Algerian populace clearly understand these words are not that of Djilali, but instead originated from “the power,” as Algerians call their opaque clique of political and military leaders. Parroting exact phrases pushed by the aging Algerian regime, few saw his statements as anything but evidence of his acquiescence after years of opposition.
In 2019, Djilali as Chairman of the Jil Jadid party rejected the elections that saw current President Abdelmadjid Tebboune emerge as the de-facto heir to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Ever since, Djilali appears to have “bent the knee” to the regime he repeatedly described as despotic, issuing several pro-regime statements.
Algiers used Djilali in its efforts to legitimize its widely boycotted constitutional referendum, forcing him to proclaim the unpopular reforms meant the realization of the Hirak’s demands, even as its followers roundly mocked the political theater.
Political lackeys
Algeria’s regime again used Djilali’s rapidly deteriorating reputation as a truth teller this week as he conveniently decided to come out of retirement to rally the population in support of the regime he long opposed.
Djilali barely made an effort to conceal the nature of his message, instead choosing to parrot Algiers’ message nearly verbatim. He pointed to Morocco’s “expansionist desire” as evidence for the accusations.
A nearly identical message came from Abdelkader Bengrina, a politician who ran against Tebboune in the 2019 elections. Similar to Djilali, Bengrine chose to spontaneously “break his silence” and push the regime’s messaging.
As with Djilali, Algiers appears to be pushing its former rival to urge Algerians to focus on perceived foreign foes, instead of the country’s economic woes.
Amid rising food prices, water shortages in the capital and a structural economic crisis, Bengrina chose to finally speak up, not on Algeria’s crippling crises, but instead to support the regime’s messaging and denounce Morocco’s “cowardly, despicable and contemptible aggression.”
It appears that Algiers is hoping for a renewed sense of national unity by parading two former rivals in front of the national media’s cameras and having them parrot the government’s warmongering narrative.
The nearly identical statements, issued in a nearly identical way, shows a clear and amateuristic attempt to bring opponents of Algeria’s regime into the fold and silence internal debates on the country’s crises.
A pattern of propaganda
Following the emergence of Algerian accusations of a Moroccan strike on three Algerian nationals, Algiers appears to aim to unify the population by forcing its former political opposition to present a mock “unified front” against Morocco.
Algeria’s state press agency stirred up further tensions with Morocco this week by publishing a statement that accused Morocco of a “barbaric bombardment” targeting two Algerian truck drivers and their local guide.
Algerian news outlets did not report on the issue however, instead they all published the government statement nearly word for word. The sudden lack of editorial creativity evident on Algerian media’s front pages appears to show decision-makers in Algiers ensured all media would push the exact same message aimed at the Algerian population.
As seen in other similar cases in recent months, Algeria’s leadership has only one message: Algerians should ignore their domestic crises and unify against a foreign threat.
Algeria has grasped at straws to justify its renewed belligerence against Morocco, accusing its western neighbor of a “zionist conspiracy theory” that caused local wildfires.
The accusations came amid dozens of similar wildfires on the same day across the Mediterranean coast of Europe and North Africa. Algerian police investigations quickly concluded that a group of minors had been the source of the blaze, yet Algiers continued to present the natural disaster as a devious foreign plot by its political opponents.
Victimizing Algerians
The unfortunate side effect of Algiers’ efforts to distract and galvanize the population is an artificial diplomatic crisis at a time when dialogue and cooperation is most needed. The regime continues to be a prime example of what Karl Marx described as “bonapartism,” showing a shift to authoritarian rule following a popular revolution, by using the co-option of the revolution’s ideals.
Algeria’s elite has shown it has no problem turning the deaths of dozens of victims of wildfires into political tools, as weapons aimed at its own population.
It should be no surprise, therefore, that the unfortunate demise of three Algerian nationals this week was immediately used to attempt to create a faux moment of unity, conveniently occuring on Algeria’s independence day.
What Algeria’s regime cannot answer, and won’t let its media ask, is one crucial question: What does Morocco have to gain from allegedly bombing two civilian Algerian trucks? A related question might be: After months of attempts to de-escalate tensions with Algeria, why would Rabat suddenly break years of peace by attacking Algerian civilians?
Instead of investigating and mourning the deaths of three citizens, Algeria’s decision-makers saw a convenient opportunity to again attempt to distract Algerians from their economic plight.
Algeria’s leadership attempted to trigger a similar artificial crisis in May, by suddenly expelling Moroccan farmers from their land near Figuig. Morocco chose to recognize Algeria’s decision as a sovereign choice, in order to reduce tensions. Since then, Morocco has made repeated overtures for peace and dialogue, which have all been ignored by Algiers.
Algeria’s regime continues to need the appearance of conflict between Morocco and Algeria, as it has few solutions on offer for its restless population. Time and again, citizens of both nations become the victims of these amateuristic attempts to spark bilateral tensions.
Playing with fire
Algeria’s regime has few solutions on offer for the deep structural crises the country is facing.
The country’s pseudo military-leadership appears to have only one final straw to grasp at, by likening today’s artificial stand-off with Morocco as part of the country’s independence struggle.
Algeria’s regime cheapens the legacies of the thousands who died and millions who valiantly struggled to rid the country of France’s imperial presence. That legendary zeal and commitment is now being reduced to empty propaganda targeted at a fellow African state.
Decision-makers in Algiers count on what 19th century philosopher Gustave LeBon described as the unconscious irrationality of crowds, of its power to make people conform to the group opinion facing a common goal or threat.
Yet, Algeria’s aging leadership fails to recognize that in the age of the internet, their efforts are as transparent as they are ineffective. Few will see Algiers’ accusations as the rallying cry it is hoping for.
Still, Algeria’s leaders continue to play with fire, risking to accidentally trigger a real conflict. Algiers is making a mockery of the pan-African ideals to create continental peace and stability. It is casting aside efforts by European and Arab League partners to mediate. In its twisted quest for national survival, Algeria’s bonapartist regime is focusing only on its own political survival.
Worse of all, Algeria’s leaders appear willing to risk regional instability, impoverish their own people, undermine Maghrebi unity and cheapen the unfortunate deaths of its citizens with amateuristic political theater, all in a blatant effort to stay in power, all else be damned.
