If the tragic death of Djamel Bensmaïl deeply shaken Algerian society, he is now a symbol of altruism and civic engagement in the country.
While Algeria is facing fires of unprecedented magnitude which have claimed at least 90 victims according to official reports, the news of the extremely violent murder of volunteer Djamel Bensmaïl in the municipality of Larbaâ Nath Irathen in Tizi Ouzou under the gaze of an angry crowd aroused a wave of fear and emotion all over the country.
Originally from Miliana in the wilaya of Ain Defla, Djamel Bensmaïl went to the town in the grip of fires in order to come to the aid of the affected population. Falsely accused of being one of the arsonists who started the forest fires in the region, his death comes amid tension fueled by official reports of the criminal origin of the fires in the country.
Following the tragedy, the Public Prosecutor’s Office ordered the opening of an investigation into the circumstances of his death. While the tragic death of Djamel Bensmaïl has deeply shaken Algerian society, the many testimonies surrounding his altruism have been the occasion for a tribute to the life of the one who now represents solidarity with the most vulnerable in the country, optimism and civic and humanistic commitment.
Djamel Bensmaïl (nicknamed Jimmy by his relatives) was a painter, musician, poet and nature lover. Born in 1987, those around him retain his generosity and his willingness to actively participate in building a better Algeria. Working to democratize art, Djamel Bensmaïl was a member of the Association of Friends of Miliana for Culture and Art, an initiative to bring art to the streets of the city.
Firmly committed, the artist was at the forefront of all battles. He took part in mass mobilizations for a democratic Algeria, called for solidarity with refugees from Sahel countries and participated in efforts to come to the aid of regions affected by devastating fires.
His life thus echoes the outpouring of solidarity and the exceptional mutual aid of Algerian citizens both of the country and of the diaspora towards the victims of the fires. Indeed, hundreds of convoys (carrying water, clothing, food and basic necessities) from all regions of Algeria have been flocking since the start of the crisis to Kabylia, a region the most affected by the fires and with which Djamel Bensmaïl had close ties.
He is now the symbol of the hope of the Algerian nation, of selfless service and of an empathy that transcends differences, as the country faces not only one of the most serious environmental disasters in its history, but also to a deadly third wave of the global coronavirus epidemic. The artist’s life offers a lesson in altruism and civic engagement to be celebrated and emulated.
In the aftermath of the announcement of the death of Djamel Bensmaïl, it is with deep dignity that the artist’s father called for calm and national unity, while hate speech against Kabylia was spreading over the social networks.
The Kabyles are our brothers. We are not looking for discord. We must unite.
Despite his immeasurable pain, Noureddine Bensmaïl thus warned the country against division and violence. Like her son, her magnanimous dedication represents an ideal of solidarity and altruism that is one of the nation’s models.
“I lost a son, but I gained children. You are all my children. “
Noureddine Bensmaïl to the young people who welcomed him at the Tizi Ouzou University Hospital
Featured work: Van Gogh – Almond tree in bloom. The work painted to celebrate the birth of the artist’s nephew was a source of inspiration for Djamel Bensmail and symbolizes renewal. Like Djamel Bensmail, Van Gogh was a nature lover. The almond tree has the particularity of counting among the first fruit trees to bloom at the end of winter and is among the emblematic trees of Djamel Bensmail’s hometown, Miliana.
Translated by Hope from : https://www.thecasbahpost.com/la-lecon-daltruisme-de-djamel-bensmail/
Title by Hope.
