The Resistance of Cheikh Bouamama 1881-1908
Introduction:
Unlike the other Algerian regions, the southern Oranie area suffered from the hardships of the French colonization through its hellish policies consisting of striking in one line, relying on the role of Arabic offices that succeeded in creating confusion and hatred between the tribes. Also, they were able to permeate into the great families to cause sedition, like what happened between the Gharaba division, where Cheikh Bouamama belongs, and his cousins in Cheraga. However, Cheikh Bouamam discovered the intentions of French colonialism, so he declared his Jihad to liberate the country and the people from the grip of the french colonization. He continued his fight until 1908.
Pre-Resistance Conditions:
Anyone who follows the history of the south Oranie region since the resistance of Ouled Sidi Cheikh knows that it was independent in conducting its internal affairs. Due to the low number of settlers in the area, even the French army had only one office in El Bayadh, Sidi Cheikh division of Cheraga. However, after fierce battles led by the family of Ouled Sidi Cheikh, they were able to divide them, some members were obliged to migrate to Morocco, and some others departed to the south, settling in El Menia.
What is most interesting is that the disinclination of the region's inhabitants to the resistance they declared in 1864 did not last long until the emergence of the branch of
Ouled Sidi Cheikh El-Gheraba. Through the resilience shown by Cheikh Se Maamer, son of Cheikh El-Tayeb, leader of the Gheraba division, against the French enemy at the beginning of April 1873. However, he was forced to retreat because of the compulsory residence order. After the end of the period between 1878-1880, A new leading character appeared; he was Cheikh Bouamama, who raised the flag of Jihad against the French colonization and stood the face of the expansion in the Saharan regions.
Reasons Behind Cheikh Bouamama Resistance:
The rejection portrayed by Algerians is a core reason that prompted Cheikh Bouamama to prepare and organize the revolutionary actions against the enemy in south Oran, Undoubtedly that there was a series of factors that contributed significantly to accelerating the start of the revolution, the main ones being:
Direct Reasons:
The direct cause behind the start of confrontations between Cheikh Bouamama and the French colonial administration was the murder of French officer Wayne Bruner, he was a lieutenant working as the head of the Arabic office in El Bayadh, on 22 April 1881, along with his 4 Spahis knights because he was trying hard to stop Cheikh Bouamama’s activities.
Indirect Reasons:
Cheikh Bouamama was influenced by the idea of Jihad against the Christian invaders since he was a religious man and leader of a marabout, plus the correctional ideas coming from nearby regions. Particularly the invitation of Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, and Sultan Abdul Hamid II to build an Islamic alliance under the frame of the Islamic succession aiming to change the circumstances of Muslims and expel the settlers. These ideas came to the Maghreb from the immigrants of the middle east, adding to this the role of the Senousnian preachers in inciting the inhabitants of the Saharan areas against the Colonial incursion, which affected Cheikh Bouamama's spirit. These were sufficient factors for Cheikh Bouamama to carry out his jihadist movement against French colonialism in his region.
Economical Reason:Economic reason:
The deterioration of economic conditions in South Oran resulted in the detonation of the situation and the outbreak of the revolution. Especially after the widespread famine that decimated the inhabitants, who lost all their property, Not to mention the unjust policy of the colonial administration. These include preventing certain tribes from moving between 1879 and 1881, especially those of Aflou, El Bayadh, and the nomadic tribes of Ksour mountains, generating a kind of grumbling and extreme resentment and caused the death of large numbers of livestock, around 300 animal in the Aflou area alone, which is around 80%, and 37% in 1879-1880, and 43% in 1880-1881.
The French authorities also intended to establish a military observation post at the Tiout Palais after the failure of the official mission of the study project to extend the railroad through the desert in the southwest of the province of Oran in 1879.
4. Phases of the Resistance:
First Phase:
Cheikh Bouamama did not declare the revolution on French colonialism in South Oran until he prepared all the Saharan tribes through the supporters of the Cheikhi method spread across the whole region. They include Taravi, Rezaina, Ahrar, Frenda, and Tiaret tribes. This call has reverberated with the Amour, Hamian, and Chaamba tribes. In no time, Cheikh Bouamama was able to gather around 2300 soldiers of knights and infantry.
The first military confrontation between Cheikh Bouamama and the French forces took place in Sfisifa south of Ain Sefra on 27 April 1881; It resulted in the defeat of the French army and the martyrdom of some of the Cheikh's men. One of them is the commander of Almalif, Commander of Rezaina. Given the seriousness of the situation, the colonial authorities quickly sent additional troops to the area to suppress and eliminate the revolution. the support included:
Three infantry legions under Colonel Innocenti's command.
Two teams led by Al-Qaid Kaddour Ould Adaa.
A Tiaret team led by El Hadj Kaddour Saharawi.
A convoy of 2,500 camels with 600 Algerians.
The Commander of the Military Division in Mascara, general Collinio dancé, took over the overall command of this military force.
The second military confrontation between the Algerian and French took place in the Muelk near the palaces of Challala in the Ksour mountains on 19 May 1881. There were violent battles in which fighting intensified between the parties. Cheikh Bouamama was able to take the victory despite the enemy's superiority in materiel and number. According to the French reports, this battle left losses for both parties, the French estimated that 60 people were murdered and 22 wounded. After this battle, Cheikh Bouamama kept his winning position; he headed to El-Abiodh Sidi Cheikh, helping the revolutionaries in this period to cut off the telegraph lines between Frenda and El-Bayadh, and attack the centers of the French-Algerian Allies Company. Many of its Spanish workers were killed, pushing the French authorities to take security protection measures, like gathering four strong lines in these areas:
Ras El Ma Division's mission was assigned to Colonel Janine.
Bakhether Division led by Colonel Zuine.
The Tiaret Division’s mission was assigned to Colonel Prunosiare.
El-Bayadh Division was led by Colonel Tadio and then Colonel Negéri.
In response to Cheikh Bouamama's successive victories, the French authorities made rapid moves to send their forces to the southwest to encircle and eliminate the revolution and thereby expand in the region and extend their influence over all the palaces of south Oran. Colonel Negeri had the mission of punishing the tribes that participated with Cheikh Bouamama in the revolution, beginning with blowing the Sidi al-Cheikh al-Kabir Marabout in El-Bayadh. Then Followed up by terrible massacres carried out by the occupation army against the defenseless inhabitants of Tarafi and Robbouat in El-Bayadh area; in retaliation for their participation in the revolution. The inhabitants of Challala Dahrania, and El-Abiodh Sidi Cheikh witnessed the same fate; of heinous acts that were committed by the assassin Negeri on 15 August 1881. who detonated and dug up Sidi Cheikh's tomb, mocking the spiritual aspects of the Algerian people and their customs and traditions. Between September and October 1881, French forces commanded by General Colonio and General Louis were attacked by mujahideen near Ain Sefra, resulting in many deaths and injuries among the two parties. The killer Louis also smashed the two castles owned by Cheikh Bouamama, namely the upper and lower Palaces in Moghrar; his marabout was also destroyed, and many defenseless people were murdered.
Another significant development during this period was the admission of Cheikh Se Sulaiman Ben Hamza, leader of Ouled Sidi Cheikh in El-Gharba, to the Cheikh Bouamama's resistance heading 300 Knights. Together with his troops, he headed to southwest Ain Sefra to the Bekakara region to pressure the pro-colonial tribes.
In the face of the increasing colonial forces and the support provided from each region, pressure increased on Cheikh Bouamama, so he had to withdraw to the Fakiq area in Morocco. When his activity has decreased, his followers and supporters dispersed, some of them joined Se Kaddour ben Hamza, the leader of the Ouled Sidi Cheikh in Al-Cheraga, Others joined the ranks of Cheikh Se Sulaiman Ben Hamza, commander of Ouled Sidi al-Cheikh al-Gharba, and the rest of the mujahideen, stayed in the Fakiq area and its environs. On 16 April 1882, the colonial forces pursued Cheikh Boumama in the Moroccan territory however, he responded with a violent attack on the Tighre shore, killing the enemy and forcing him to withdraw. This defeat was significant in French military circles, and increased the revolution's resilience and challenge, and proved once again its superiority over French forces.
B.The Second Phase:
The resistance of Cheikh Bouamama during this stage was known for a remarkable weakness after settling in his hometown of Hammam al-Fawqani in Fakiq, where he arrived in July 1883, so that he could organize his ranks for the future. This made the colonial authorities fearful of his heavy movements, so they were quick to send a telegram signed by General Sussie, the commander of the 19th legion, to his government in Paris calling on them to pressure the Moroccan sultan to expel Cheikh Bouamama from the Moroccan territory. Because he posed a danger to French properties in the region, this pushed Cheikh Bouamam to leave the region.
He took refuge in Tuat within the residents of Deldol Oasis by the end of 1883. He settled there until 1894, where he established his marabout and began organizing religious lessons to continue jihad and stop the colonial expansion in the southwest. He wrote to various Saharan tribal elders to declare jihad against the nonbelievers and fight them.This activity also resonated widely among the Saharan tribes, Especially the tribes of Tuareg, who suggested that he moves in to cooperate in jihad against the French enemy; he was also supported by Some tribes residing on the Algerian-Moroccan border. French colonialism tried to stifle the revolution from all sides by all means and expand in the south through the establishment of economic institutions and commercial centers in the province of Tuat and Tadekalt.
C. The Third Phase:
This stage is the beginning of the end. Amid these events, Cheikh Bouamama was able to gain many supporters and the confidence of the inhabitants of the Saharan areas. This led the colonial authorities to consider listening to him by all means. They liaised through the French Commission in Tangier, Morocco in 1892 to negotiate the issue of safety, which ended without result.
The friendly and kind links between Cheikh Bouamama and the Moroccan authorities have caused concern and fear among the French colonial authorities. Especially after his recognition as the leader of the Sidi Cheikh tribes and supervisor over all the Saharan areas, they again tried to win his favor to facilitate their mission to expand and extend their influence over the Saharan regions. Therefore, on October 16, 1899, General-Governor L'aferiar decided to grant Cheikh Bouamama complete safety without any conditions. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Cheikh Bouamama entered Morocco and settled in Oujda. This made the French authorities in Algeria breathe a sigh of relief by getting rid of one of their most resistant enemies. The years of Cheikh Bouamama in Jihad have greatly hampered the colonial expansion in the desert, especially the western part of it. Despite the major blockade attempted by the colonial authorities against the resistance led by General Leotti.
5. Results of Cheikh Bouamama's resistance:
The results were as follows:
Cheikh Bouamama's revolution was a major challenge to the policy of the Third Republic, which aimed at completing the occupation of Algeria and was able to disrupt and obstruct French projects in the southwest.
The Cheikh Bouamama's revolution marks the final stage of the strategy of national leaders in fighting French colonialism through popular resistance, which relies primarily on the religious factor to mobilize Algerians to resist occupation.
Cheikh Bouamama's revolution is one of the most violent popular resistance movements during the nineteenth century after the resistance of Emir Abdulkader.
The revolution with Bouamama exposed the vulnerability of the French in the face of resistance, causing it to seek political solutions to extinguish the fire of the resistance, especially during the second phase 1883-1892, when the issue of the safety sought by the French authorities emerged, which Bouamama rejected through correspondence and negotiations sought by France.
Human and material losses were also among the most significant consequences of the revolution.
The revolution precipitated the completion of railway projects in the region and linking the north to the south.
Even though the resistance of Cheikh Bouamama did not achieve its objectives of expelling colonialism from the region because of the obstacles it encountered. Namely the inability to unite the branches of Ouled Sidi Cheikh and the pressure of Moroccan Sultan Abdelaziz on the revolution and its confinement to the borders has demonstrated its ability to resist, and steadfastly, and obstruct the expansion in the region.
