The “Dina” Ship Memorial: A Representation of the Shared History Between Algeria and Morocco
On September 2, 2016, an Algerian television channel aired a program about Moroccan-Algerian cooperation and solidarity during the liberation war. Several Moroccan and Algerian witnesses who experienced the events surrounding the liberation wars in Morocco and Algeria were interviewed, with a presentation of the late King Mohammed V during his discussions with Algerian leaders during the liberation war. The program also covered the events of the Dina ship, which symbolizes the beginning of organized resistance operations by the Liberation Army in northern Morocco. This historical event is summarized by the departure of the ships Dina 1 and Dina 2, which docked on Moroccan soil at the beach of the commune of Ras el-Ma, in the Nador province. It represents a period of joint Maghreb struggle where the Moroccan Liberation Army and the Algerian Liberation Army worked in close solidarity to support the national liberation causes in the Maghreb countries. A memorial was erected in Ras el-Ma to honor the historical memory and celebrate the achievements of the joint Maghreb liberation struggle, linked to the landing and unloading of the Dina ship carrying arms for the Moroccan and Algerian liberation movements after departing from Cairo. The memorial was inaugurated in 2013, and the Moroccan High Commissioner for Veterans emphasized the importance of passing messages to the youth and civil society organizations to recognize the efforts of the previous generation. The Algerian channel aired that evening the statements of the High Commissioner who praised the ceremony organized by Morocco three years ago and the monument in Ras el-Ma dedicated to the Dina ship, illustrating the joint Maghreb struggle. It also presented the statements of the son of the ship’s captain, Nadir Bouzar Abdelkader, who authored the book Odyssée de Dina, highlighting that the memorial carries Maghrebian significance. During the 2013 ceremony at Ras el-Ma, on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the start of the first operations of the Liberation Army in northern Morocco, the representative of the National Organization of Algerian Liberation War Veterans and the Algerian consul were present. The High Commissioner stressed the need to convey messages to the youth and the media to commend the efforts of the previous generation in building the Maghreb. The Dina departed from Port Said in 1955, and the weapons were unloaded under difficult conditions after a French attempt to stop it. The captain persevered to deliver the weapons to the Moroccan and Algerian fighters. The ship docked far from the shore, and the weapons were transferred in the rough sea, with waves tossing them. The efforts of the Moroccan and Algerian peoples in fighting colonialism were praised, along with the moment of eternal bonds, and the presence of Houari Boumediene at Ras el-Ma was mentioned. Boumediene was a leader of the National Liberation Army and became, after independence in 1963, the second president of Algeria, following Ahmed Ben Bella, the first president after independence in 1962. Efforts by Ben Bella, Abdelkrim El Khattabi, and the Cairo office organizing the operations were also mentioned. The 22-ton ship, 11 meters long and 4 meters wide, departed from Cairo via Benghazi and docked at Ras el-Ma to supply arms to Moroccan and Algerian fighters. In 2013, during the Dina memorial ceremony at Ras el-Ma, the late Nadir Bouzar Abdelkader, who had commanded the ship, was honored in the presence of his Algerian family, Moroccan parliamentarians, government officials, and the High Commissioner for Veterans. The Algerian channel aired on September 2, 2016, testimonies from the era, from Moroccans like Chourak and Beijou, the Moroccan High Commissioner, and Algerians who lived through the period, as well as the late captain’s son, Nadir Bouzar Abdelkader, and several veteran fighters. All these historical events presented by the Algerian channel that evening undeniably connect to the royal speech of August 20, 2016, focusing on Morocco’s relationship with its environment, based on a shared history marked by absolute solidarity between Moroccan resistance leaders and the Algerian National Liberation Front. This spirit of solidarity, transmitted through ages and generations, emerged from a strong will to face a common enemy: colonialism. But what about the frightening nightmare of insecurity and fear represented by terrorist groups and the danger of extremism? Isn’t it time to link the past with the present and draw on the lessons of the past to unite ranks to achieve Maghreb economic integration and development, and confront the imminent danger, which is no less terrible than the sufferings endured by the peoples?
Salima Faraji – Lawyer – Parliamentarian
With the Bouzar family who commanded the Dina ship
