Algeria has always been the most important country of the Maghreb region. Both in terms of size of the soil and the diversity of its population make Algeria most exclusive country in the region. The "exclusivity" of Algeria, which dates back to the early periods of the Ottomans, continued in the negative sense during the French colonial period. As a matter of fact, Algeria did not have any of the freedoms that other colonies had achieved. Maybe this disorder and refusal of authority is the result of the 12,000-year-old Amazigh tradition of the "free man". What makes Algeria special is not only being influenced by external factors but also being not influenced by some of them. E.g. while the Arab Spring has ravaged the Middle East and North Africa, Algeria which experienced a process alike ten years back, was almost not affected by this Spring. However, once the Arab Spring came to an end and was replaced by civil wars in the neighborhod coutries, the dynamic and young Algerian society started to organize mass actions which called HIRAK that were more consistent and stable than the Arab Spring due to its own internal problems. Although these actions were developed against the former President Bouteflika who was annoounced to run for the 5th term of presidency, these protests later on evolved to a completely anti-corruption struggle. Although Hirak was not developed under the leadership of any party, it embraced people from all walks of life. Algerian youth has become apolitical under the influence of the stable, relatively prosperous but equally ordinary and boring Algerian city life developed after the civil war. The youth were ended up to seek new challenges and fields to show their talents and potentials. The Hirak, for the youth of Algeria, is promising to break the walls which limits them. This is the main reason why the youth participate the Hirak. The main demand of these young people is the income of the natural resources of the country to be used for the development of the country. Algeria, which is an oil rich country, acted slothfullybe to solve even simple infrastructure and transportation problems. Both the financial and intellectual accumulation of the country were not spent to progress of the country but drew the curtain.
However, number of Algerians who think the petrol incomes were not used for people but seized by oligarchs, is so considerable. So that the Hirak which began to topple Bouteflika, continued after resignation of Bouteflika. After resignation of Bouteflika, the target of Hirak was removing former the henchmen of Bouteflika, influence of the military in politics and of course more freedom. Even today the civil war of Algeria during 1990s is fresh in memory of Algerians. Thus, to keep the demostrations peacefecull is greatest succes of the Hirak. This ensured symphaty of people towards the Hirak.
The Hirak which got the hundreds of thousands of people to take street each Friday since 2019 February, only took a break because of Covid-19 pandemic. Even this pause could not stop the movement. At May 2021, the movement re-started the street demostration – more powerfull than before. In response, the Algerian government used violance against to protestors. Tens of activists’ home raided by police most of them arrested. So far, it is fair to say these raids and arrests didn’t work to thin-down the Hirak movement.
In fact, since the independent Algeria was founded in 1962, the army and the people have been close as the bark to the tree.Thus, the army has always been influential in the politics. However, Politicians, who could not prevent corruption, allowed the protests that took place in 1988. These protests caused the collapse of single-party system which led by founder party Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) which is affiliated to the army. Then, caused empower the Islamic movemnts in the country in 1990. In other
meaning, even the Algerians, who do not have a problem with the army and the current administration, have moved to support alternative forces by acting reactionally. It is fair to say all these social developments and plus Hirak caused fade of the reputation of the army. Many observers would analys that the Hirak movement gained popularity within the framework of the above-mentioned problems, and this is perfectly correct. However, during our observation in Algeria, we determined the indications that the Amazigh community too much buy into Hirak movement. Indeed, in any Friday-Hirak street demonstration, it is possible to see Amazigh flags as much as Algerian flags. For the Amazigh minority who struggled until 2002 for their language accepted as official language, Hirak is not only an anti-corruption movement but also a platform that express their demands. Even though, the military and the government routinely announce that any flags except Algerian and Palestinian one will be banned, that couldn't prevent the people to take Amazigh flags. Contrary, it caused more demonstrations demand to free the young men who were jailed for holding Amazigh flags.
