Omar Oussedik
Encyclopedia
Omar Oussedik (1920 or 1922 in Aïn el Hammam
, Algeria
– June 1972 in Algiers
, Algeria
) was an Algeria
n nationalist politician and independence leader, born in a Berber
family from the Kabylie
region.http://www.khouasweb.123.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=1076
At about age 22, he was drawn to the movement for Algerian self-rule and independence
, joining the Parti du peuple algérien (PPA) headed by Messali Hadj
. Following the Sétif massacre
, he was among those who pushed for the formation of an armed clandestine network, the Organisation Spéciale (OS). The OS was soon crushed by France, and in 1948 he was arrested by France
and imprisoned in Blida
military prison, where he was tortured. After being freed in 1951, he left to live in France, where he was active in the Algerian labor movement.
He returned to join the newly formed Front de libération nationale
(FLN) in 1955, under the nom de guerre of Si Tayeb. During the Algerian War of Independence
(1954-62), he held political missions such as a post in the provisional exile government of the FLN, the Gouvernement Provisoire de la République Algérienne, (GPRA) between 1958 and 1960. He later worked as FLN representative in Guinea
, which supported the Algerian revolt.
After independence in 1962, he served as ambassador
of Algeria in the Soviet Union
, Bulgaria
, India
and Italy
, under then-foreign minister
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
. He died in 1992.
Ain El Hammam
Ain El Hammam is a town and commune in Tizi Ouzou Province in northern Algeria....
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
– June 1972 in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
) was an Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n nationalist politician and independence leader, born in a Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
family from the Kabylie
Kabylie
Kabylie or Kabylia , is a region in the north of Algeria.It is part of the Tell Atlas and is located at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Kabylia covers several provinces of Algeria: the whole of Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia , most of Bouira and parts of the wilayas of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Jijel,...
region.http://www.khouasweb.123.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=1076
At about age 22, he was drawn to the movement for Algerian self-rule and independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
, joining the Parti du peuple algérien (PPA) headed by Messali Hadj
Messali Hadj
Ahmed Ben Messali Hadj was an Algerian nationalist politician dedicated to the independence of his homeland from France...
. Following the Sétif massacre
Setif massacre
The Sétif massacre refers to widespread disturbances and killings in and around the Algerian market town of Sétif located to the west of Constantine in 1945. Shooting by the French authorities against local demonstrators occurred on 8 May 1945. Then, riots in the town itself were followed by...
, he was among those who pushed for the formation of an armed clandestine network, the Organisation Spéciale (OS). The OS was soon crushed by France, and in 1948 he was arrested by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and imprisoned in Blida
Blida
Blida is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name Blida, i.e...
military prison, where he was tortured. After being freed in 1951, he left to live in France, where he was active in the Algerian labor movement.
He returned to join the newly formed Front de libération nationale
Front de Libération Nationale
Front de Libération Nationale may refer to:* National Liberation Front , a socialist political party founded in 1954 for independence from France for Algeria...
(FLN) in 1955, under the nom de guerre of Si Tayeb. During the Algerian War of Independence
Algerian War of Independence
The Algerian War was a conflict between France and Algerian independence movements from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria's gaining its independence from France...
(1954-62), he held political missions such as a post in the provisional exile government of the FLN, the Gouvernement Provisoire de la République Algérienne, (GPRA) between 1958 and 1960. He later worked as FLN representative in Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, which supported the Algerian revolt.
After independence in 1962, he served as ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of Algeria in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, under then-foreign minister
Foreign minister
A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika is the ninth President of Algeria. He has been in office since 1999. He continued emergency rule until 24 February 2011, and presided over the end of the bloody Algerian Civil War in 2002...
. He died in 1992.
External links
- Obituary: June 15, 1992, New York Times.