Tribute to cherif ‘DJAMEL’ BELKACEM

“Philosophers have only interpreted the world, the point however is to change it!” so said one of the greatest thinkers who ever lived.

It can be safely remarked that the great unsung hero of the struggle against imperialism and colonialism, Cherif Belkacem known to some by his nom de guerre “Djamel” took heed of this call for the need by men of conscience to change the material conditions inherited directly from the past in order to bring about social justice and destruction of the bonds of the master slave relationship.

As all present here today will recall, in 1962 the great icon of the struggle for liberation in South Africa in particular and the wretched of the earth in general, Nelson Mandela, accompanied by Robert Resha came to Algeria in 1962 for the purpose of mobilising military resources for the struggle against apartheid as well as to undergo military training. In his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela reminds us that upon his arrival in the Moroccan small town of Oujda where the Provisional Government of the Republic of Algeria (GPRA) was stationed he met with the leadership of the National Liberation Front (FLN) which briefed him about the history of the Algerian resistance against French colonialism. Mandela himself viewed the situation in Algeria as the closest model to that of the suppressed people in South Africa where a white settler community ruled the indigenous majority with impunity.

The South African Embassy has of recent late been engaged in the exercise of documenting the great history between our two great countries forged during our respective liberation struggles. To this end, amongst the unsung heroes that the Embassy met for this purpose was our very own Cherif Belkacem whom the Embassy met on 11 March 2009. During the interview, Mr Belkacem recalled that his first contact with Mandela and Resha was in Oujda where he had the mandate of facilitating military training for them under the orders of that great son of Africa, Houari Boumedienne. In this regard, Mandela and Resha were taken through the realities of war and a practical armed insurrection.

Mr Belkacem also reminded us that when Mandela returned to Algeria following his release from prison in 1990 he insisted upon landing at the airport that the first people he wanted to greet were his former guides of 1962 which included ’Djamel’ Belkacem.

It should also be mentioned that during the interview of the Embassy and Mr Belkacem, he indicated that one of his unfulfilled wishes was for all the Algerian and South African military/struggle veterans to be reunited including Mandela himself. In commitment to fulfil one of Mr Belkacem’s last wishes the South African Embassy aims to constitute the friends of South Africa Group which will be composed of all the Algerian heroes and heroines who contributed to South Africa’s liberation struggle. The Embassy also intends to celebrate Mandela’s upcoming birthday on 18 July 2009, with the iconic figures who contributed to making our revered father of the nation, I’m specifically referring to figures such as general Mohamed Lamari, Djelloul Melaika and Nouredine Djoudi amongst others. Of course, were he still with us, Belkacem would have been part of these celebrations.

The great English philosopher Edmund Burke once remarked, “Evil prevails when good men do nothing”. The significance of this quote is that it will guide history in judging Belkacem’s contribution to the advancement of the cause of humanity and fight against reactionary forces. Ever the internationalist, Djamel did not fold his arms whilst the liberation of the African continent was still pending but rather gave his life to ensuring that Africa’s liberation is realised in his life time!

I thank you!