Fron the Now York Militant of 30/7/62 ——
The Algerian revolutionary leador, Bon Bolla, who figures so proninently in current devolopments in that nowly independent nation, made a point of ‘granting his first interviow, aftor release from a Fronch prison, to Carlos Franqui, Director of tho Cuban nowspaper, Revolucion (March 31). The following is a translation of that intorviows
"We live in Algeria but our heart is with Cuba," Bon Bolla told us, and ho wont on: "This is a truth, not an ompty phraso; the fundamental line which we havo chosen is the samc and it dotermines the closeness and the unity botwocn our peoples and our revolutions." Bon Bolla received us at tho door of tho house which tho Liorocean government had made available to him in tho outskirts of Rabat. Outside, onti~aireraft guns among the trees guarded the sky, alert for any colonialist att— ack. Bon Bolla shook our hands vigorously. Moments later it seomed to us that this man had been a lifelong friend, not the oxtraordinary leader, the hero whom wo wore meoting for the first time. Bon Bella gives theimprossion of being in good shape, filled with energy and youthfulness for tho great battle which is going to decide the destiny of Algeria and of Africa.
Aftor an hour of convorsation it is our opinion that French colonialisn is never going to forget that for five years in French prisons Bon Bella doopened his learning of the rovolutionary science, that to his fighting experience was now joined the thoory which would permit him to see the course with total clarity. At every monent we sensed the sympathy which Ben Bella has for the Cuban Revolution Ho knows Fidel's speeches, Che's book, the Second Declaration of Havana, and tho many books and documents about Cuba which have been published in Lurope. Ho enthusiastically rocalled that cach day in jail he and his comrades had read our nowspapor, Rovolucion, so that now ho was granting his first interviow as an honor and oa distinction to Cuba, while hundreds of journalists from all parts of the world were besioging hime.eo
"What are the porspectives and tasks of the Revolution after the peace accords?" we asked, and he answored somotimes in Spanish - a language he speaks well cnough -— and other times in Fronch, which was translated for us by our corrcspondent in Rabat, .maro del Rossal, in this manners "The poace itself does not fulfill the objectives of the Revolution. The poace is a compromisee We ncod to transform this situation towards tho fundamental objectives of the Revolution. The reconversion sets before us the problem of time. If the time wore to be too extended, the revolutionary enthusiasm, the revolutionary spirit, tho morale to struggle of our people would bo liquidated. If that situation should last too long it would cool the revolutionary enthusiasm of the masses. Tho revolutionary consciousness, the energy and onthusiasm of the Algerian people are the fundanental capital which must be directed towards the essential tasks of the Revolution now, towards the construction of socialism later."
And Ben Bella continued: "The first objective is the Agrarian Rovolution as in Cuba. You first made the Agrarian Revolution and aftcrwards you bogan to build socialism. Simultancously with the tmilding of a new Algoria, we must take part in the battles in Africae against colonialism and noo-colonialism."" Ben Bella spoke to us onthusiastically of tho revolutionary struggles in Angola, South Africa Rhodesia and the Congo, He explained to us that on his first visit to the Algerian refugees and the A.L.N. in Oudja, he had taken with him Mario Andrade, rovolutionary leader of Angola, in preference to Olden, candidate of the U.S.. He had also taken fotssawayi, of South Africas; Dicanor Jnawo, of the Cameroons; and Djido, of Nigeria who represent the most anti-imperialist currents of Africa. As Ben Bella had told us he was familiar with the Second Declaration of Havana, we asked about the struggle of guerillas and about the role of the peasantry in Latin America and APFrica, His answers "Yes, I know the Declaration of Havana, the thesis of Fidel and aiso the articles of Che Guevara in this sense. The peasant masses play a great role in the struggle. They are able to to take vanguard positions in the colonial and seni-colonial countries, and it is beginning from this reality that wo have stru- GGled in Algeria, whose example should be taken to heart in the colonized countries and especially in Africa."
Ben Bella, when referring to Cuba, spoke with warmth, as if speaking of sonothing that was his owns"...sesesoeoothe experiences of Cuba are very useful for us. Although we are in Africa and you aro in America, we are vory close, the Geographical factor is secondaryesce.ee.eeThere is an idontity in reality and in ideology. The internal and forcign questions are complementary, the national and international probloms unite or separate pcoples." I asked him if he wanted to visit Cuba and he roplied: "I will visit Cuba as soon as possible and I will feel in Cuba as if in my own home. lly grectings to Fidel, Raul, Che Guevara and Dorticos." And continued Ben Bellas "In the French prison, I received a very beautiful letter from a Cuban girl. To her, to the people of Cuba, through the medium of Revolucion, my greetings. I am happy to know that Algerian children and wounded are recuperating in Cuba. To them, our affection." As we thanked him for the interview, he concluded: "It is a revolutionary satisfaction to grant to Cuba my first interview." uD. NOTE: The article has been slightly shortened to cut out repotition. The Newsletter of 28 July describes Ben Bella as "reactionary ", No comment.