MembersThe proclamation of the Republic of Kabylia
Middle East expert and Israel Today correspondent Edy Cohen reports on a historic and highly sensitive event in France: the proclamation of the independent Republic of Kabylia—after decades of resistance against the Algerian state.
Archive image: Kabyle Berbers (Amazigh) carry Amazigh flags during a rally marking the 32nd anniversary of the so-called "Berber Spring" in Tizi Ouzou, about 100 kilometers east of Algiers (April 20, 2012). Photo: EPA/MOHAMED MESSARA
A historic event took place last week in Paris—one for which millions of Kabyle people have been waiting for decades. Under the highest security precautions, the founding of the state of Kabylia, officially the “Federal Republic of Kabylia,” was announced.
Out of fear of a possible terrorist attack by Algerian secret service agents, the venue had to be changed at short notice. The new location was only communicated to guests and participants two hours before the start. Observers describe it as one of the most significant and simultaneously most dangerous political events France has experienced in recent times.
The declaration was made by Ferhat Mehenni, chairman of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) and president of the Kabyle transitional government in exile. Kabylia is located in northern Algeria and is predominantly inhabited by Kabyle people—a Berber-Amazigh people with their own language, culture, and history.
Numerous recordings and reports from the event circulated on social networks, including from French observers:
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