Mohammed Ameziane

His full name was Mohamed Ben Lhaj Mohamed Ben Hado Ben Ahmed Ben Abdessalam Ben Saleh, the founder of the zawiya of Azghenghan. He was known as Cherif Sidi Mohamed (Mohand) Amezian. His family created the Zawiya Al Qadiria, which is also known by the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed o Abdsalam in Zeghanghane and lies within the sphere of Ait Bouifrour, one of the fifth branches which constitutes the Qaliat tribe.

Most references mention that he was born in 1859, others say 1860, these two years date back to the Tetouan war which witnessed the victory of Spain over Morocco. He took the Qur'an by heart in the Zawia which was led by his father in Zeghanghane, between 1887 and 1891 he joined Al-Qaraouiyin mosque in Fes to pursue his studies. After accomplishing his education he returned to his birthplace, Zeghanghane, where he didn’t confine himself in the Zawia waiting for gifts and charities, he rather practiced trade by transporting goods cows and beasts between the Rif and Algeria.

After 1907, following the cession by Bou Hmara of the mining operations in the area to the Spanish, Ameziane prosecuted the former.[3] Bou hmara tried to arrest him in the early 1907, but he managed to escape and took refuge in the Moroccan army whose base was near Melilla.

Ameziane fought with its soldiers when they attempted to outflank the rebellion of Bou hmara in the eastern region. However Bou hmara and his team defeated the weakened Makhzen in 1907, then the rest of the army including Amezian took refuge in Melilla in the beginning of 1908.

During the domination of Bou hmara over the eastern Rif he authorized two companies, a Spanish and a French one, to exploit the iron and lead mines in Bouifror and build two railway lines connecting them to Melilla. But after the crushing defeat inflicted on Bou hmara by the Ait Waryaghel tribe he returned to the east and found out that the eastern Riffian tribes had chosen Cherif Mohamed Amezian as their leader in October 1908. They hindered railway projects and the exploitation of the mines.

Bou hmara, lacking enough Spanish support, was forced out of the area in late 1908.[4]

Spain took advantage of Bou hmara’s rebellion in addition to the anarchy that prevailed in eastern region and the enemity which existed between the Riffian tribes. During February and March 1909 it managed to occupy Kariat Arekmane and Ras El Ma, then it resumed the building of the railway and the exploitation of the mines. It also benefited from the growing influence of its allies in the region, and poured money on them besides providing them with the newest artilleries, they used to support Spanish incursions openly and even tried to convince notables and tribes of the advantages of the Spanish incursions.

Amezian stood firm in opposing the Spanish invasion and refused all offers and lures given by general José Marina Vega, the military governor of Melilla. After meeting raffian tribes with whom he held meetings during which he was accompanied by Alfeqih Mohamed Hado Alazouzi and tackled the resistance issue. Then Cherif Mohamed Amezian had to wait until the end of the agricultural season when peasants gather their crops and seasonal immigrants return from Algeria so as to express his opposition militarily by attacking Sidi Mosa on 9 July 1909, thus, he put an end to the vibration of opinions and the hesitation which he began to perceive within the tribes.

Following a shutdown of the construction of the railway, building works resumed and, on 9 July, Ameziane instigated a party of Riffians (making them believe they would receive support from the neighbouring tribes) to attack a group of 13 Spanish workers, killing and slitting the throats of 4 of them and wounding 3.[5][n. 1] This prompted up a retaliatory action by Marina Vega, kickstarting the Second Melillan campaign.

Confrontations between riffian resistance and Spanish forces renewed when the resistance raided on a group of soldiers which escorted a Spanish topographic expedition. The most important battles took place in the surroundings of Kert river in which resistance inflicted huge human loss and material damages on the Spanish army.

After September 1911 general Ardonit was killed in the battles of Imarofen and Izhafen in Ait Bouifrour. Sporadic clashes continued until 14 May 1912 when Spain targeted the occupation of Azib Allal o Qador, in this operation spies watched the movement of Amezian and 700 Imjahden towards Bani Sidal tribe, they followed his steps until he stopped in Tawrirt Kdiya’s mosque, then Spanish forces were informed and rushed to besiege him.

When Mohamed Amezian was aware of that he prayed Alfajer and gave the choice to his companions; either to fight and die as martyrs or withdraw, then he started with the remaining companions shooting the enemy after the Recolaris forces within the Spanish troops refused the appeal to join imjahden.

He was killed on 15 May 1912 in the vicinity of the position of Kaddur.[9] Jaime Samaniego y Martínez-Fortún, a Spanish lieutenant freshly incorporated to the Regulares, also died in the exchange of shots.[9] Following the death of their leader the rest of the members of the Riffian harka present in the area surrendered upon the arrival of General Moltó.[9]

The body was wearing a blue robe with a brown jillaba and two silk shirts, carrying a sigil with his name, a scapular, a small edition of the Quran, a handkerchief, a Mauser and a Browning weapons, and plenty of ammunition.[10] The corpse was moved to the position of Ulad Ganen, where he was positively identified by a number of Spanish and Riffians who had met him in person in the past.[10] The corpse was respectfully transported to the mosque of Segangan, where he was buried next to his people.[11] Abd-el Krim beheld the body and wrote a letter to his father describing it.[11]

Informational notes

Citations

• El Protectorado español en Marruecos: la historia trascendida