1406 Members of the editorial board ef the Bulletin have reeently held discussions with two comrades who have recently taken up residence in Algeria and who are to work there. We give a summary of some of the information they pave us, and we have the promise of regular information on the situntion in Algeria. This report is, of course, very superficial and other journals will give greater inform ation and a theoretienl estimte.
The comrades explnined the conflict between Bef Bella and his supporters, on the one hand, end Ben Kheddn and the mojority of tho former GPRL, on the other, in terms of a struggle betwoon a gemine revolutionary tendency and a neo~colonialist Obs» Ben Belle nnd his tenm, whilst not being experienced Marxists want to carry out & social revolution and establish a socialist Algeria. Hut the mir problem facing them today is to prevent an economic brenkdown in the country. ‘The economic problems facing ilgeria are staggering - some 5 million people being destitute (unemployed or returned peasants finding their villnges destroyed), hundreds of thousands of war orphers who have nowhere to live and no one to look after them, nearly all buildings, installations, etce having boon damnged or dostroyed during the fighting (especially in the wave of destruction carried out by the 0.4.5), agriculturs, which was highly mechanised, is facing tremendous problems because of the Inck of tractors (tho French destroyed them before leaving) and tho recent sowing campnign was only 60% success— ful, There is a real danger of 2 famine later this youre
The new Algorin is receiving very little help from onyone, The workers states, with the exception of Jugoslavin which sent a large number of tractors, have donc littlo except in the ficld of modicine. Yarious Areb states have made small loans but these are just a drop in tho ocean. The situation reminds one of the carly days of the Russian revolution when tho country was hit by faminee Plans are afoot to to got ald from all possible sources. We shall be carrying information on this soon.
The comrndes told us of the Tripoli programis of tho F.eLeN. which is the most advanced political programme of any colonial revolution including the Gubsan. This has been published in Frenee and efforts are to be mde to get . publisher in Britain, Tho comrades also told us of the appointment of Michel Raptis (Pablo) to an important post in the Ministry of Abandoned Propertiese This covers the most important sectors of the oconomy beenuse of the huge mimber of propertisos left bahind by the colons. Raptis, whose sorvices to the Algerinn Revolution oarned him a prison sentence, has helped to draw up laws for workers marngement committees in enterprises taken ovor!(Peace News cnrried a fnvournble article on these committocs earlisr this month).
Bon Bella, in spite of tho terriblo economic probloms which fnce Algorin consciously jeopardised a big Amorienn lonn by exprossing solidsirty with Cub? agninst the USA. Tho talks were broken off when Bon Belln stwd his ground. Algerian has becoms tho H.0. or revolutionnry movements from oll over Afriea, ond Bon Bellin has ropeatodly statod his government's intention of arming anti-coloninlist revolutionsrios, only this woek it was announced thot the Algerinns have been arming the Anmgolanse On tho domestic front the Govern=ont has passed laws setting 1 maximum oalary fer officials related to the scarnings of workers, tho land reform is to apply to all land including that of Arab Inndowmers, and o drive has begun agninst spoculmtors and othors who have tricd to use the cconomic situation to their advantage.
Our comrados arc confident that the Algerian Revolution is now entering its social phase. This makes it moro impornativo than cvor thet all socialista mobilise maximum nid for this horoic movencnt.