22^nd February: Angry crowds

The people don’t want Bouteflika and Said.

VO:

In February this year, millions of Algerians took to the streets.

The people demand the downfall of the regime

VO:

Their 82-year-old president was rumoured to be considering a fifth term of office.

Algerians saw the 5^th mandate as a direct challenge, I think it was a humiliation for Algerians.

VO:

Long enfeebled by a stroke, the leader was propped up by a ruling elite widely seen as corrupt.

Those people ate the country, they shared it up amongst themselves, they took enough money for three to four generations.

 You ate the country, you are thieves.

VO:

For almost five months the Algerian people have been demanding change.

Algerians are demanding a total rupture with the regime and a clean up of all corruption.

 Viva Algeria! Get rid of them all!

VO:

Till now, the demonstrations have been peaceful, with the army acting as referee between the people and the regime. But now it has to decide which side to back.

VO:

For the first time this film tells the full story of Algeria’s protest movement. With exclusive footage of the demonstrations and the voices of the people calling for change.

Title Page

Algeria – Revolution of Smiles

VO:

Anes Tina is one of Algeria’s most daring screenwriters.

Known for his outspoken critique of Algerian society, his award-winning sitcoms are a hit with the country’s youth.

In 2014, he used his own YouTube channel to speak directly to his fans.

I cry for you my country, they want to sink you like the Titanic.

Three years later he savaged the nation’s ruling elite in his video, ‘I’m angry’.

I cry for you my country, they want to sink you like the Titanic.

Within months, it had over 14 million views and Anes Tina was banned from appearing on Algerian state media.

The word which expressed the reality of the Algerian street, which was ‘I am angry.’ The streets were boiling because there was a big change in living conditions Algerian people and they were getting poor. Moreover, there was also huge provocation from Algerian politicians towards the people.

You can’t feed us sardines, but you feed the bodies of our fleeing youth to the fish.

VO:

Anes Tina has become a symbol of the nation’s disenfranchised youth, fed up with a ruling elite they saw as corrupt, old, and out of touch.

VO:

The country was crying out for change. When presidential elections were set for the 18th of April, it seemed the moment had finally come.

VO:

Then word spread that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika might run for an unprecedented fifth term.

On Friday 22^nd February, defying a 20-year ban on protests, Algerians across the country took to the streets.

This was a direct challenge to the people and immediately after the people responded in the streets in this place, the square of the Central Post office, people went out in their millions.

VO:  

The protests were quickly dubbed the Harak, or movement. A tidal wave of anger that Louisa Ammi was there to capture. 

She’s one of Algeria’s few female photojournalists, her career a visual record of its troubled recent past.

I arrived La Place Champs de Manoeuvre and I saw people coming from all sides, all towards the square. It didn’t seem true, I couldn’t believe it, it was like a dream. It’s been 20 years since people demonstrated, they didn’t have any rights, they were afraid, but they broke the fear barrier.

VO:

Many saw the prospect of another term of an absent and enfeebled president as one humiliation too many.

VO:

Among the protestors was Merouane Lounnas. He’s a veteran radio presenter and journalist but had never been a dissident.

No-one could believe such numbers of people could come together in that moment. It was if they fell from the sky or came out from under the ground. I personally was so proud not to miss this historical moment when millions liberated themselves to decide their destiny again, on their feet, refusing, at any cost, the renewal of a fifth presidential era.

VO: The protests were peaceful, but how would Algeria’s rulers respond to such defiance?

VO:

In 1962, the Algerian people finally threw off French rule and gained independence.

Two key organisations emerged.  A people’s party – the FLN – and a popular army. 

Between them, they’ve effectively ruled Algeria ever since.

But the wealth of this oil-rich nation has not been evenly spread. And many have grown tired of what they see as a corrupt one-party state, headed since 1999 by President Bouteflika.

VO:

Zubaida Assoul is a prominent Algerian lawyer.

She’d long been one of Bouteflika’s most vocal opponents.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika believed Algeria was his property. Even in his statements, he would say “I am Algeria.” This proves that that he was totalitarian and he didn’t want to share power with anyone.

VO:

After the protest on 22^nd February, Zubeida put a video on social media.

Today we broke the fear barrier and we went out in strength and we came out to peacefully and clearly express our political stance.

VO:

Peacefully, peacefully.

Two days later, determined to keep the spirit of protest alive, Zubaida and many fellow activists returned to the streets.

Remove your police hats and come join us.

We were severely repressed. I was subjected to tear gas by the security officers and then we were arrested. It shows that the authorities don’t accept that civilized, peaceful demonstrations be led by political leadership.

Within days, the elderly president was rushed to Geneva for medical treatment.

It was now inconceivable that Bouteflika would run for a fifth term.

We know that democratically a president can only serve two mandates and moreover our President was absent and didn’t address us for more than six years and everyone knew he was sick. 

VO:

Up till now, the Algerian media, under tight political control, hadn’t even mentioned the protests.

But that was about to change.

Without people, there is no justification for statehood.

VO:

Radio presenter Merouane Lounnas decided to address the subject of leadership.

He quoted the French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau.

We can’t imagine the continuation of a state without people, it is the most important pillar in establishing the essence of a state.

Very soon, Merouane discovered he’d crossed the line.

Suddenly, the director of the radio station ordered my team to stop my show. I was surprised how a show that that didn’t mention any parties or names got cancelled. So I didn’t feel like keeping silent after this idiotic decision at that particular time.

 28 FEBRUARY (PROTEST 3)

VO:

A week later, Merouane joined fellow journalists to demonstrate against state censorship.

It was a historic day for Algerian journalists when they decided to support the Harak, because they are an essential part of ? and we couldn’t give up this chance to free ourselves as journalists and be able to report the news as it happens on the ground. 

VO:

Photojournalist Louisa Ammi was also there, covering the protest.

The journalists were protesting and shouting slogans, but I saw real repression. They arrested them and threw them in police vans. It was unbelievable and I wondered how they’d react in the next demonstration. It would get worse.

VO:

It’s the not the first time Louisa’s witnessed nationwide protests.

In 1988, when the price of oil plummeted, Algeria was convulsed by riots.

The government changed the constitution, allowing the first multi-party elections to take place.

But when an Islamist party looked set to win, the military intervened. 

The President was replaced and a state of emergency declared.

The Islamist party was outlawed, and armed Islamic groups began a dirty war.

It lasted a decade and claimed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people.

If I could wipe that period from my life, I would, it was so hard. Now that I’m talking about it, the images are coming back to me. I’ve people massacred, friends killed. I saw blood all the time, tears, it was a real horror.

VO:

Backed by the army, Bouteflika was elected president on a ticket of national reconciliation.

Thousands of Islamists laid down their weapons, but the trauma is still etched in the collective memory of Algerians.

It’s a memory Bouteflika’s declining regime was keen to exploit.

Every time there was opposition to Bouteflika’s staying in power, even though he was incapable to run the country, all the president’s supporters would use the same warning tactics, “Do you want to go back to the years of blood and killing?” The regime always used this scare tactic to frighten the society and to some extent, they succeeded.

VO:

Even now, Bouteflika wasn’t out of the game.

With just hours remaining for the presidential candidates to declare, his spokesman made an unexpected announcement.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the president of Algeria, said in his letter addressed to the Algerian people, 

“In the spirit of completing the good work that we started, in serving our nation and people, I declare I am a going to run for the elections next April. Thank you.”

Even If you deploy your special forces,  Ooh , OOOH,

There’ll be no 5^th mandate for Bouteflika

VO:

That night, the street gave its verdict on the president.

While Anes Tina posted his views on YouTube.

This is only a video, and it will not bring change, it is not the solution. In fact, the opposite will happen, it will bring me problems, but at least, it’s a message. I can say ‘We’re a nation that is not accepting, that went out on the streets in peace and in a civilized way and is shouting, “No to the 5^th mandate”, shouting “Oh President. No you can’t.”

When an event like this happens, immediately I get thousands of messages, because there is more confidence in You Tuber than in the politicians. It was an honour to be the people’s voice that could reach those responsible and I think they heard.  

VO:

As Bouteflika’s regime crumbled, the head of Algeria’s army, Gaid Salih, issued a warning.

It disturbs some parties to see Algeria peaceful and stable and they want to take us back to the years of sorrow and ashes during which Algerians suffered so much.

Protest 5: 8^th March

We don’t want Bouteflika and Said

VO: 

Three days later, it was International Women’s Day.

Across the country, an estimated 22 million people poured out into streets.

8^th March was an indescribable joy, it brought tears to my eyes. For the first time in the history of independent Algeria, we presented one of the most beautiful images to the entire world.

It was phenomenal, I was on a terrace, and I saw the women arriving, there were men, but it was the cries of the women that drew my attention. There were women wearing the veil, women without it, it was a mix. Women market the 8^th of March, peacefully.

Women demand the downfall of the regime

VO:

The slogans echoed the demands of the Arab uprising in 2011.

The People want the downfall of the regime

Our whole lives they made us believe demonstrations led to violence, especially with what is happening in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria.

VO:

But Algerians were determined that this time it would be different.

Algerians understood that the violence leads nowhere. The people at the top didn’t believe we could protest peacefully. 

Peacefully, peacefully

VO:

As the protests grew in size, they also became more frequent.

Algeria’s 1.4 million students boycotted their classes and joined in too.

Mostafa BenAmzal is a political science student at Algiers university and active in the student movement.

The students played a big role in the popular Harak, especially in  keeping it going, because it is a youth movement and the new Algeria will be for them.

VO:

For the first time in decades, students believe they can build a truly democratic Algeria – and that they have a special role to play in educating the people.

Algerian are worried about their country, and they are asking questions to the point that our university subjects like democratic transition are being discussed in the streets.

As the protests continued into April, General Salah surprised the nation.

APRIL 2^ND

We must immediately execute Article 7, 8 and 102 of the constitution.

VO:

At first the army chief had supported Bouteflika’s re-election. Now, in a dramatic change of direction, he appeared to side with the people.

Therefore our decision is clear and final, is to stand with the people until their demands are fully completed.

VO:

On the evening of 2^nd April, on national TV, President Bouteflika resigned.

Abdelkader Bensaleh, a loyalist insider, replaced him as interim president.

And the upcoming presidential elections were cancelled.

VO:

Time had finally run out for Algeria’s longest serving president.

The day of his resignation, it was enough for me. He was a sick president, he made the country sick for 20 years, and we didn’t achieve anything. They robbed the country, they stole the country, they ate the country.

I had hoped that the end of Bouteflika would not be so painful, but alas, he chose this situation where he had to exit with so little dignity. 

It was a historic moment that I lived on that day. I felt that people were finally able to impose their demands and make the government bow down to their will. 

Now it is time to convalesce so that the country can recover.

VO:

The euphoria was short-lived.

Get rid of them all!

Bensaleh, the interim leader, declared there’d be new presidential elections on the 4^th of July.

But the people were now bolder, demanding a total break with the old regime.

so too did their determination to remain peaceful.

“Our aim is to be peaceful, that is our message. We’re here with our beloved brothers live and direct from Algiers.

They’ve been threatening long before the protests started that these protests can turn violent and lead the country to destruction.

So being peaceful right up until today was the most beautiful thing that happened. Peace is the only weapon that Algerian people have.’

13 APRIL

 We demand Free and Independent Justice!

Prominent among those calling for justice were Algeria’s lawyers and magistrates. Like Zubaida. 

All the Algerian people in all their classes call for the independence of the judicial authority. This is what made us come out demonstrating in our black robes, because even the judges were fed up from being controlled by the executive authority.

VO:

Still seemingly siding with the protestors, General Salah ordered a series of high-profile arrests.

VO:

Millionaires, ministers and intelligence chiefs were all taken away for questioning.

The fact that the army has taken the people’s side proves that its only goal is to ensure the protection of the constitution and the people from the bandits that are shaking the country’s stability and pushing it towards falling into a constitutional abyss.

Culminating on the 4^th of May with the arrest of Said Bouteflika, brother of the former president, and the second most powerful man in Algeria.

You ate the country you thieves

VO:

But the arrests were no longer enough.

There was a fear that they’d bring a president and have presidential elections with the same regime and that someone from the same clan will come and revive this regime of old people who should have been dismissed.

VO:

In early May, as Ramadan began, the country was locked in stalemate.

The people still rejected a presidential election that featured only the old discredited faces.

Now Algerians know all the details of what happens inside the regime. They’re aware that a gang has been ruling the country. Therefore this is just the beginning but the main demand is the radical change of the system, so that we don’t repeat the experience, which harmed the country on so many levels. 

VO:

In the event, the only candidates for president were two unknowns. Algeria’s constitutional council postponed the elections indefinitely. 

VO:

Since it began almost five months ago, Algeria’s ‘Revolution of Smiles’ has forced the resignation of a president and the cancellation of two elections.

Many of the nation’s most powerful men, including two former prime ministers, are now behind bars.

The old regime is finally being held to account.

What really happened was joyful, we managed to break the fear barrier, and grab the moment. We were happy to erase the image of Algeria because in the 1990s Algeria was linked to blood and violence.

But for the millions still out demonstrating, this is just the beginning.

Today I am happy for all that is going on in the country but there was a huge campaign to weaken the demonstrations but the response in the streets, after each demonstration was ‘together, together as brothers’ to return to us the rights.

This revolution is actually the revolution of grassroots change to establish of the rule of law and a modern state open to the world, and also a state that will allow the youth to build their future in their homeland.

The Harak helped me to see that my future is here in Algeria, not abroad because the country can be better so much better than what it is.

Independence Day

VO:

On 5^th July, Algerians commemorated their independence from France in 1962.

This year, the celebrations were reclaimed by the street.

People want total independence.

We were fed up of the bleakness that we lived for 20 years

We will remain peaceful because this is our strength

We want the entire system out.

It is going to be brighter because we have youth who are aware of their responsibilities

Listen to the youth

We won’t stop. Get rid of them all.

But this time, it is their chance and they have understood. They won’t let it go. They’ll be out as long as it takes, 90, 100 Fridays. They’ll be there. 

chants

VO:

This generation has voiced its anger – and will not be silenced.

Will the People's Army, fearing an impending political vacuum, halt its momentum?

Or will the Revolution of Smiles eventually succeed?

The BBC asked the Algerian government to comment on the protests. It did not take up the request.