The Movement for the self-determination of Kabylie (MAK;
Kabyle: ''Amussu i ufraniman n tmurt n iqbayliyen''; french: Mouvement pour l’autodétermination de la Kabylie, named Movement for the autonomy of Kabylie (
Kabyle: ''Afraniman i Tmurt n Yeqbayliyen''; french: Mouvement pour l'autonomie de la Kabylie before 3 October 2013); is a
Kabyle nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
and
separatist
Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...
political organization seeking
autonomy
In developmental psychology and moral, political, and bioethical philosophy, autonomy, from , ''autonomos'', from αὐτο- ''auto-'' "self" and νόμος ''nomos'', "law", hence when combined understood to mean "one who gives oneself one's ...
,
self-determination
The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a ''jus cogens'' rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as authoritative interpretation of the Charter's norms. It stat ...
rights of the
Kabyle people
The Kabyle people ( kab, Izwawen or ''Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', ) are a Berber ethnic group indigenous to Kabylia in the north of Algeria, spread across the Atlas Mountains, east of Algiers. They represent the largest Berber-speaking populat ...
, and ultimately independence of the
Kabylie
Kabylia ('' Kabyle: Tamurt n Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', meaning "Land of Kabyles", '','' meaning "Land of the Tribes") is a cultural, natural and historical region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kabyle people. It is part of the ...
province from
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
. It was founded by the
Kabyle Berberist Ferhat Mehenni
Ferhat Imazighen Imula, also known as Ferhat Mehenni ( Kabyle: Ferḥat Mehenni or Ferḥat Imazighen Imula, born March 5, 1951), is a an Algerian Kabyle political activist, singer, and founder and first President of the Movement for the Auton ...
, now president of the
Provisional Government of Kabylie in exile, after the "
Black Spring" disturbances in 2001.
Since 2021, the MAK has been classified as a terrorist organisation in Algeria after claims from the Algerian authorities saying that MAK members were planning car bombs. The founder of MAK, Mehenni, is arrested by the French authorities and placed in police custody in 2021 as part of an investigation into organised money laundering in relation to sports betting.
In 2011, a close associate of Ferhat Mehenni and a former senior member of the organisation, Idir Djouder, accused the MAK of receiving funds from
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
(250,000
euros
The euro (symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . T ...
per month) and criticised its management methods. Idir Djouder uses the term "dictator", he describes his "government" and the content of the meetings as formal with decisions taken "elsewhere".
On August 26, 2021, Algeria issued an international arrest warrant for Ferhat Mehenni
L’Algérie lance un mandat d’arrêt contre le chef du MAK, Ferhat Mehenni
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On Thursday, May 19, 2022 in Paris, The Kabyle provisional government (Anavad) and the Movement for the self-determination of Kabylia (MAK) presented, the very first draft of the Constitution of what will be the Federal Republic of Kabylia.
MAK claims to speak for the Kabyle people
The Kabyle people ( kab, Izwawen or ''Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', ) are a Berber ethnic group indigenous to Kabylia in the north of Algeria, spread across the Atlas Mountains, east of Algiers. They represent the largest Berber-speaking populat ...
, who express frustration due to the efforts of the Algerian government
Politics of Algeria takes place in a framework of a constitutional semi-presidential republic, whereby the President of Algeria is head of state while the Prime Minister of Algeria is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by th ...
to assimilate the remaining Berber ethnic group minorities into the Arabized Berber
Arabized Berber denotes an inhabitant of the Maghreb region in western North Africa, whose native language is a local dialect of Arabic and whose ethnic origins are Berber.
Most populations in the Maghreb are of Berber heritage, including thos ...
and Arab
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
majority. The immediate goal of MAK is regional self-determination for the province of Kabylie, which, according to Mehenni, could be the "first step towards a Kabyle, Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
State".
See also
* Kabyle people
The Kabyle people ( kab, Izwawen or ''Leqbayel'' or ''Iqbayliyen'', ) are a Berber ethnic group indigenous to Kabylia in the north of Algeria, spread across the Atlas Mountains, east of Algiers. They represent the largest Berber-speaking populat ...
* Berber people
, image = File:Berber_flag.svg
, caption = The Berber flag, Berber ethnic flag
, population = 36 million
, region1 = Morocco
, pop1 = 14 million to 18 million
, region2 = Algeria
, p ...
* Politics of Algeria
Politics of Algeria takes place in a framework of a constitutional semi-presidential republic, whereby the President of Algeria is head of state while the Prime Minister of Algeria is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the gov ...
* Barbacha
Barbacha is a small region containing 34 separate villages in northern Algeria in the region of Kabylie. The population is mainly composed of indigenous Amazigh people from the Kabyle tribe.
History
Following the 2001 Black Spring in Algeria, ...
- A self-governing town in Kabylie.
* Rally for Culture and Democracy
The Rally for Culture and Democracy ( ber, Agraw i Yidles d Tugdut; ar, التجمع من أجل الثقافة والديمقراطية; french: Rassemblement pour la Culture et la Démocratie, RCD) is a political party in Algeria. It promotes ...
(RCD) - The main Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
Berber party.
* Socialist Forces Front
, Berber: Tirni Iɣallen Inemlayen (RƔN)
, logo = Socialist Forces Front.png
, leader1_title = First National Secretary
, leader1_name = Youcef Aouchiche
, leader2_title =
, leader2_name =
, foundation =
...
(FFS) - The main Socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
Berber party.
* Arouch Movement - A Kabyle political organization modelled on traditional village councils.
References
External links
"The Other Intifada"
Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
report on the MAK
"Autonomy in Kabylia: breaking a taboo"
Discussion of the autonomist movement in Kabylia in general by Professor Salem Chaker.
MAK official website
Algerian democracy movements
Berberism in Algeria
Berberist political parties
Federalist parties
Governments in exile
Kabylie
Liberal parties in Algeria
Libertarian parties
Nationalist parties in Algeria
Organizations designated as terrorist by Algeria
{{Berber-stub
Berber separatism in North Africa