BY SARAH STEPHEN
In 1989, Algeria's government stepped up its "Arabisation" program, imposing Arabic as the only language on the entire population, regardless of whether or not people spoke it. Even books were rewritten, from French into Arabic.
"In 1989 I was a 17-year-old high school student, studying in French", explained Angel Boudjbiha, an Algerian Berber. "I could not keep studying once Arabic was imposed. It prompted me to start opening my eyes. I saw no future in study, so I decided to get involved deeply in political activities."
The Berbers are indigenous to the Algerian region, and number nine million, of a total population in the country of 28 million. The remaining 19 million include people of French, African and Arabic background.
Seven distinct Berber tribes, with their own dialects, are spread across different regions of Algeria and into parts of Morocco, Tunisia and Libya.
"I heard of people being fined 5000 dinar [$130] if they wrote a letter to the council in French", Boudjbiha exlained. " Many people had to quit jobs."
"I was involved in the illegal Berber Cultural Movement, the MCB", Boudjbiha explained. "In 1990, as a concession to the strengthening Berber movement, the regime agreed to allow the MCB to operate legally for the first time."
According to Boudjbiha, this was a move to appear moderate, to make some concessions to the democratic movement, but the regime has used terrorism to undermine the movement's activity. They arranged for the killing of intellectuals, journalists and doctors. Political assassinations were a daily occurrence.
"I have been arrested many times. I had my identification papers cut up, and had to present them to the authorities in ripped-up pieces at every checkpoint."
"In 1992 I wrote an article which raised the issue of the government's involvement in organised terrorism against the Berber people. It was published in a newspaper in France. When they discovered the article, the government tortured and interrogated me."
"I feared for my safety and decided to leave Algeria, but I had no passport. To get a passport, I needed to have done military training, as well as justification for leaving the country, and proof that I was going to come back. I was exempt from military service, as I had been studying, which also meant I didn't have a passport."
"I was able to get the necessary papers from a contact at Algeria's port, and went to France where I sought political asylum. I was interrogated by French immigration, as they assumed I was a terrorist. There are many Algerians applying for asylum in France, and I was initially rejected, which I appealed. I was in France from 1992 to 1997 before losing hope and leaving for Germany, Switzerland, then the Netherlands."
"Then I went to South Africa where I sought political asylum. It was a long process to determine my case, and I got no feedback on its progress. I was given a visa for six months, which I had to keep renewing. I was in South Africa for two years, without result."
"Next I went to England, where I got a tourist visa to come to Australia. I was detained at Villawood [immigration detention centre, in Sydney] when I arrived and was released after 34 days after my refugee claim was processed."
Boudjbiha arrived just before immigration minister Philip Ruddock's introduction of three-year temporary protection visas for unathorised arrivals, so was granted permanent residence and lives in Sydney. He is now active in the refugee rights movement.
Describing his feelings at finally having the right to live freely and legally in another country, Boudjbiha said "That's all I want now — to be part of the Australian community. I want to live peacefully with people and be someone who can contribute."