The Movie Battle of Algiers - Essay Example

The focus of this paper is to make an in-depth analysis of the move, Battle of Algiers. In this respect, the focus will be to examine the cause of the National Liberations Front’s (FLN) fighting as well as how they would be categorized given their actions as depicted in the movie. In order to understand the motivation of the FLN, it is important to look at their predicaments. On the same note, in order to categorize the group as terrorist group or otherwise, it is important to define terrorism and compare to the actions of the group; these issues are central to understanding the group. The depiction of war in this film reflects the root cause of war, like they occur in other places. Wars normally arise out of ideological differences driven by social, economic and political circumstances. In Battle of Algiers, just as the name the war was driven by the desire of the Algerians to drive the French from their country. The French colonized Algeria during the time when most Western European countries looked for colonies to safeguard their political and economic interests. The Algerians also sought to meet their social, economic and political rights that were not tenable with French in their country. As result of conflicting interest, the Algerians formed different movements and the most predominant one was the FLN. On the other hand, the French felt threatened and therefore had to crush the FLN before it became powerful. Like any other war in history, the unfair treatment of combatants deepened the motivations of the sympathizers of either side and that increased the warfare (Prochaska, 2003). This war film depicts the events that took place in Algeria war against the French Colonialist between the years 1954 and 1962. Like many other countries that were fighting colonial regime, the Algerians decided to coalesce and form the National Liberation Front. It was the understating of the people, at least according to the movie, that they had to form a formidable force through which they would battle the French especially the army and the police who were used by the French government to infringe on them. It inferred from the movie, that the cause is liberation of the country from the French rule but some actions of the FLN members is questionable given the high blood letting tendencies (Parker, 2007). Equally members of the FLN have questionable character. For example, one character Ali La Pointe decides to join the movement. However, his character is ragged given that he had been taken to a reform school in early life. On the same note, he was a criminal that was later taken to prison and only joined the movement after seeing the horrific actions of the French; his motivation to join FLN was the beheading a fellow country man by the authorities (Parker, 2007). Judging the film from the view point of the French government, the FLN is an illegitimate grouping that has no justification whatsoever. From Colonel Mathieu’s viewpoint, the FLN is a terror group whose actions must be dealt with for the sake of peace of civilians as well as for the peace of French authorities in that country. Evidence of the French fight against the group is well depicted in Colonel Mathieu’s assurance to the civilians that they would stump out the group through all necessary means (Reid, 2005). Notwithstanding the perceptions that other people may have of them, the FLN continued to wage gorilla like tactics that were synonymous with other groups all over the world that fight towards liberations. For instance between 1954 and 1957, the group concentrated in Casbah where through their unorthodox approaches captured the territory. The FLN, further, justified their course by arguing that they are fighting against the French forces unjust treatment. For example, the French force, like the FLN target civilians who are killed albeit as collateral damage. The police, on the same note battle with civilians and castigate them as well as use a lot of force against them; there is clearly lack of political agreement from both sides of divide. The next question is how to categorize the FLN; whether as terrorist or otherwise. Terrorism is defined as unjust use of force against any group including the government and civilians with a view to instill view, violence of apprehension in course of advocating for any social, political or economic agenda. Given the actions of the FLN, it would be fair to categorize them as terrorists. FLN used all means possible as well as women to drive their war agenda against the French troops. For instance, there is a scene where three women infiltrate the French camp by uncovering their veils so as to look western. They, without any remorse, plant bombs to cafes where adults and children are raving and enjoying themselves. It is apparent that only a terrorist would have the audacity to make such a move. There is another instance where the group behaves like terrorist. Ali, one of the characters is forced to kill a police officer in order to earn trusty within the group. Like terrorist, the FLN is motivated with spilling of blood (Reid, 2005). A fairer judgment would be directed to the FLN if they pointed their aggression solely to the French troops. Only then would their legitimacy as a revolution for liberation stand. However, their legitimacy is washed away because they target innocent civilians including women and children. Like modern day terror groups, the FLN subdivided its membership into different groups (cells). Through the cells, secrecy was perpetuated because the cells did not have many members and different cells did not know other cells (Parker, 2007). In conclusion, it is clear that the FLN was motivated to fight for the liberation of their country but while doing that resorted to terrorist like initiatives that included killing innocent civilians. The war between the French government and the FLN was driven by ideological difference on social, political and economic differences. It is fair to state that Battle of Algiers truly depicted what happens when disagreements occur between groups that fight for political legitimacy. References Parker, M. (2007). The Battle of Algiers (La battaglia di Algeri). Film Quarterly, 60(4), pp.62-66. Prochaska, D. (2003). That Was Then, This Is Now: The Battle of Algiers and After. Radical History Review, 2003(85), pp.133-149. Reid, D. (2005). Re-viewing The Battle of Algiers with Germaine Tillion. History Workshop Journal, 60(1), pp.93-115. Read More