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Rabah Bitat 

ZODIAC ELEMENTS

Rabah Bitat was a prominent Algerian politician and revolutionary figure, recognized as one of the key players in the struggle for Algeria’s independence from French colonial rule. Born on December 19, 1925, in the town of Aïn Kerma, near Constantine, Algeria, Bitat grew up in an environment shaped by anti-colonial sentiments. His early political activism began when he joined the Algerian People's Party (PPA) in the 1940s, a nationalist movement led by Messali Hadj, which sought independence for Algeria. Over time, Bitat became more deeply involved in the nationalist cause, particularly as a founding member of the National Liberation Front (FLN), the organization that would lead Algeria’s fight for independence.


During the 1950s, Bitat played a critical role in organizing the FLN’s revolutionary efforts. He was a key architect of the armed resistance against French rule, and his leadership in the FLN’s operations helped to fuel the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962). In the early stages of the war, Bitat was appointed to lead military operations in the Algiers region. His commitment to the cause led to his arrest by the French authorities in 1955, and he was sentenced to death. However, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and he was released in 1962 following the Evian Accords, which ended the war and granted Algeria independence.


After independence, Rabah Bitat became an influential figure in the new Algerian government. He held several key positions, including Minister of Transport and Communications, and was a close ally of President Ahmed Ben Bella. When Ben Bella was overthrown in a coup led by Houari Boumédiène in 1965, Bitat remained an influential figure within the political establishment. He later served as President of the National Assembly from 1977 to 1990. One of his most notable roles came in 1978, when he assumed the position of Acting President of Algeria following the death of Boumédiène, serving in this capacity for a brief period until Chadli Bendjedid was appointed president.


Bitat’s political career spanned several decades, and he remained a respected figure within the ruling FLN party. He retired from active politics in the 1990s, although he continued to play a symbolic role as a veteran of Algeria’s struggle for independence. Rabah Bitat passed away on April 10, 2000, in Paris, France, and his body was returned to Algeria for burial. His legacy endures as one of the key architects of Algeria’s independence and as a dedicated public servant in the post-independence period.


REFERENCE:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabah_Bitat

GOVERNING TIME LINE

Rabah Bitat (Acting)


Office: Acting President

Assumed Office: December 27, 1978

How: Following Boumédiène’s death.

Left Office: February 9, 1979

How: New president elected.

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