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Gibson Nyikadzino-Herald Correspondent

The Ambassador of Algeria to Zimbabwe Mr Nourredine Yazid has said the role of women in the fight against colonialism should be embraced and rewarded in equal measure as their contributions in the emancipation of Africa are immense.

Mr Yazid made the remarks at the recent première of a film, Battle of Algiers, an event that commemorated the 60th anniversary of Algeria’s independence from France at the Celebration Centre. The Battle of Algiers depicts the liberation ideas and the role played by women in Algeria’s independence through the smuggling of weapons, providing safe haven to fighters and placing bombs in enemy territory. 

Addressing diplomats, academics and students, Mr Yazid said Algeria’s fight against French colonialism was in response to the violence, racism, loss of sovereignty and the use of torture that had been used in large scale to subjugate the Algerian population.

He highlighted that colonialism in Africa was an “ignorance promoting policy” that also showed that it was a face of capitalism which women contributed to overcome.

“Algeria was considered as part of French territory unlike other countries that had been granted independence. So the people had to organise and fight and women played a key role. 

“Through colonialism, torture had been used in a large scale to subjugate the Algerian people,” he said.

Panellists who spoke at the same event, University of Zimbabwe (UZ) political science lecturer Dr Prolific Mataruse and The Sunday Mail Editor Mrs Victoria Ruzvidzo said the role of women in mobilising fighters against colonial settlers should not be underestimated.

Dr Mataruse said Algerian fighters, both women and men, subverted the French quarters through the Battle of Algiers as a contribution to the Algerian Revolution on the principle “throw the revolution to the streets and the people will embrace it”.

“The principle of throwing the revolution and having people embrace it was distinguished between merely opposing colonisation or oppression to organising to effectively end it. 

“And here we appreciate the role women played in winning the battle of Algiers against French occupation for the establishment of a more equal and just society.

“It was not only in Algeria, but women also played a greater part in the liberation of their countries in the greater part of Africa and hence in the fight against colonialism, neo-colonialism or imperialism, Africa has to see itself as one,” said Dr Mataruse.

In the case of Zimbabwe, Mrs Ruzvidzo called on Government to continue creating equal opportunities for women and men as through the liberation of Zimbabwe and their post-independence contributions, women showed they were and are equally capable.