1421 The first National Congress of the General Union of Algerian Workers opened in Algaria on the 17th of Jamary. About 400 representatives of Algerian workers in the country, and of those in France, Belgium, and other countries attended the Congress, Fremier Ben Bella was present and spoke at the opening ceremony. Hoe pointed out that all ilgerian national organisations, espe cially the Trade Unions, should carry out their activ —ities in the spirit of the F.L.N. program as accepted at Tripoli, Within the framework of the Trades Union movement, the workers enjoyed complete autonomy in administration, The Algerian Premier expressed the hope that the Trade Union Movement in the country would play its role in agriculture and Agrarian reform, He said: "The Trade Union Movement will be better arm ~ed when agricultural Trade Unions and their peasant mombers take their place in construction." He said that some 1,000,000 hectares of abandoned land were under the care of administration commissions, It had bem decid ~ed to call the first National Peasants! Congress to study concretely ways and means to carry out agrarian reform," he added. Ben Bella also called on the Algerian Trade Union Movement to take part in the administration of vacant industrial properties and in the struggle to reduce the cost of living and abolish speculation,
At the end of the conference 4 resolution wes passed: "is a ren olutionary centre U.G.T.A. (Agricultural Workers' Union) has henceforth the task of strengthening its organisation and carrying out the Tripoli programme, always supporting the F.L.N. political burean, and taking an effective and active part in the building of Socialian," It said that the first National Congress of U.G.T.Ai. called on all agricultural workers, functionaries, cadres, to mobilise their energies, devotion and technical knowledge in the service of the nation, to carry into effect, swiftly and effectively the call of the F.L.N. and the Tripoli program, in order to pool their resources to develop a dynamism leading to a higher consciousness and to rid the country of all vestiges of colonialism. It also called on them to back the govermmah policy of austerity, The congress demanded the mobilisation of the masses in nation-wide campaigns to wipe out ignorance, for the protection of health, and for reconstruction, for developing agricul tural production by means of a real and effective agr -arian program of revolution, for the development of education and professional training, end for development of light industry and the creation of heavy industry. The resolution urged workers to take part in the ad~ ministration of abandoned properties and in the development of co-cperat -—ives after receiving technical training. Congress reaffirmed its firm support for the solidarity of workers in the whole world in conformity with the traditions of international solidarity. The following suggestions were ondorsed:
(1) Peoples Farms and Co-operatives should be formed on abandoned agricultural land, among the best land. of the country, to be administered by workers who would share the profits,
' (2) Agrarian land exeseding 2 certain level should be subject to reform,
(3) Gradual pooling of lend distritmted to individuals through various forms of co-operatives and by means of govt, aid. The example and the role of the public sector of the agricultural economy would be decisive.
(4) Increase cultiveted acreage by reclaiming waste and other land. (About 15,000,000 hectares). Create possibilities for the most poverty— stricken agricultural workers to lesd agrarian reform.