La résistance de Moulay Chekfa 1871
Introduction:
The resistance of Moulay Chefka is another episode in the series of the Algerian Jihad against the French colonization and its oppression-based policies applied in Algeria, generating a strong reaction from the Algerians, which they portrayed in Resistance, uprisings, and revolutions that characterized the 19th century. Like the resistance of Moulay Chefka in Jijel and nearby areas.
Reasons Behind Moulay Chefka Resistance:
The most notable reasons are the following:
The effect of the Mokrani and Cheikh El-Haddad’s resistance on the near areas like north Constantine.
The colonial policy applied to the inhabitants of the region based on injustice, oppression and authoritarianism, negatively affecting the social and economical situations of the Algerian people.
The religious factor that was the first in all the resistance, revolution, and popular uprisings, based on a conflict between Islam that represents the owners of the land and Chritianity that stands for the French occupires the unbilievers.
The role Moulay Chekfa in confronting the French colonization:
The outbreak of Mohamed El-Mokrani and Cheikh Haddad’s resistance had a profound impact on Moulay Chefka, who found his way in joining the revolution against the French on 20 June 1871, declaring a new frontline against the colonizers. The beginning of his Jihad was with the Zouagha rebels on 04 July 1871, attacking the French convoy coming from Constantine heading to Setif; After that, he stayed with the tribes of Beni Khateb and then moved to the El Aroussa region. Cheikh Hussein Ben Ahmed, also known as Moulay Chekfa, was able to win the approval of the tribe's leaders in the region notably Cheikh Ibrahim Ben Amer from Beni Ebeid, Cheikh Saleh Ben Souilah from the tribes Beni Ferguen, Cheikh Amer Ben Rafass from the tribes of Muslim. He united the resistance lines in Jijel with Cheikh Mohamed Ben Fiala Muqaddam ( facilitator) in a marabout, Muqaddam Cheikh Arbi, and Ibn Hadj Mohamed Sadeek.
Conduct of Jihadist Operation:
The beginning of the Jihadist operation was with an attack on a convoy on 04 July 1871, then expanding on a bigger scale in the Jijel area. On July 4th of the same year, Jijel was attacked and the mujahideen caused significant human and material losses. From there the uprising moved to north Melilla, where the mujahideen attacked the French forces in the region. Then the process of awareness of the need to engage in the ranks of resistance began from one area to another, from the inhabitants of Lashaish to Beni Kaid El-Akeeba, to Tlilen in Maa Labiad. Chiekh Mohammed Fiala, relied on contacting the Cheikhs and inhabitants of these areas, so they raised their weapons and destroyed the economic institutions built by the French enemy, the railway linking Skikda and Constantine was destroyed along with the settler’s villages.
On 27 July 1871, a fierce battle happened between the mujahideen led by Hussien Ben Ahmed, known as Moulay Chekfa, and Mohamed Filali and the French enemy, where the settlers' farms were attacked. This confrontation resulted in serious losses among the lines of the French enemy.
In a strategic plan, Hussein bin Ahmed withdrew to the Zawagah and Beni Khattab tribes, and he settled among them; while Mohamed bin Fiala took refuge in the Beni Habibi tribes, where he came with his forces to burn the settler's farms and the forests of Oued Kabir and Oued Zehour. At the beginning of August 1871, Mujahid Hussein Ben Ahmed and Mohamed Ben Fiala fought several fierce battles against French forces, headed by General Delacroix and Officer Aupret. Then they moved to other areas to expand the intifada, where they arrived with their troops at Ain al-Nekhla, then Fedj Binan then Sidi Maarouf, and Kofi mountains.
Reasons for the Fail of Moulay Chekfa Resistance:
The military balance in this uprising between the Algerian forces consisting of volunteers empowered with their love for independence and aimed to evict the unbelievers from Algeria, and the colonial forces working to control the wealth, via people's contempt and humiliation using their power derived from their experience in the big wars of Europe, that the Algerians never witnessed. Without counting the advanced military equipment, particularly the Artillery Corps that France was known for at that time.
The lack of military equipment, weak military planning, and both general and in-field inexperience were the main factors in the failure of the uprising. Heavily armed and traitor-dependent colonial forces were able to monitor the movements of the intifadah's men by trapping rebels and taking both heroes Hussein Ben Ahmed and Mohamed Benn Fiala as captives on 21 August 1871. However, this event did not affect the continuity of the intifada. Cheikh al-Quraishi Ben Sidi Saadoun and Omar Bouarour continued the uprising in Collo, Oued Kabir, and Ferdjioua. But, the French forces arrested Cheikh al-Quraishi while Cheikh Omar Bouaraar managed to escape to Tunisia in secret until he died there.
The French reaction:
The areas in which the uprising erupted suffered from French criminal acts in response to the uprising; the first criminal act by the French colonial authorities was to burn and sabotage the Marabouts of the Cheikhs on 4 and 5 September 1871. So that the population would be deprived of their property, some of them were exiled or tried, and unfair laws were applied to punish them. Colonial reactions are a mirror of the results of France's policy based on enslavement and humiliation of peoples.
