| The History of the Algerian Population in Britain |
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| Written by ICAR.ORK.UK | ||
| Sunday, 20 December 2009 17:02 | ||
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The Algerian population in Britain is poorly known and little understood in the wider British community. Until the early 1990s, there were relatively few Algerians in the UK. Over the last ten years, particularly since the escalation of the conflict in Algeria from 1992 onwards, the number of Algerians has grown significantly. Even though this population remains small compared to more established migrant and refugee groups in the UK, it is extremely diverse. Developing events in Algeria have provoked the departure of a number of very different groups of people, many of whom are represented in the population resident in the UK. Although there are a number of Algerian associations in the UK, these are not necessarily representative of the population as a whole, and although bonds of solidarity between individuals are extremely strong, there is little sense of a unified ‘community’. Indeed, some sections of the Algerian population are characterised more by mutual suspicion than by solidarity. This concern is not helped by the widespread ignorance of the situation in Algeria amongst the UK population as a whole. In general Algerians in Britain, particularly recent arrivals, are extremely isolated since many of them lack both a cohesive community and a sympathetic host population. Profile of the Algerian population in the UK Presenting an overall profile. It is unfortunately only a partial picture as there has been very little research on the Algerian population in the UK. The total number of Algerians present in the UK is currently estimated at between 25,000 and 30,000 people. Even the most significant study that exists only interviewed 30 individuals and other studies focused on Algerians have spoken to even fewer people. Algerians figure in more general work but typically in even fewer numbers. Refugee support groups and other NGOs are of course in touch with many more individuals but few keep detailed records of their client group, and some do not even record the nationality of their clients. Even where records exist, these are not much larger than the studies undertaken; the largest data source the author was able to consult recorded only nationality, gender and qualifications for 242 individuals. The information that follows is based on the small pool of research that exists, material gleaned from broader studies of the UK population, information obtained from NGOs and interviews with service providers, lawyers, NGO workers, refugee community organisations and key members of the Algerian community. It is by no means a complete picture, and may contain considerable inaccuracies, but can be considered the most accurate profile that is currently available. The 1991 UK census recorded 3,453 Algerian-born residents in the UK. Ten years later, the 2001 UK census recorded 10,672 Algerian-born residents in the UK. However, it is important to note that this figure is based only on the number of people born in Algeria. This obviously includes people who may well not consider themselves to be Algerian (such as pieds noirs, for example) and, conversely, does not include others who may consider themselves to be Algerian, such as British or French-born children of Algerian migrants. The 2001 census also reveals some interesting demographic trends relating to the Algerian-born population. The overwhelming majority of those recorded in the census were male (70.5% of the total) and were predominantly aged between 30 and 39 years (44.4% of the total). The immigration status of individuals is not recorded in the census, so it is impossible to determine how many of this number are recognised refugees and how many entered through other channels.
Gender Possible explanations may be that: Algerian women are present in larger numbers but do not use services. Ethnic Background Algerians are mainly Arabs but there is a significant Berber presence (approximately 10% of the population in Algeria). Although Berbers fall into a number of distinct sub-groups (the four most significant are Kabyle, Choauia, Toureg and Mozabite), they are typically categorised as a single ethnic minority in Algeria. Berbers, particularly Kabyles, are over represented within the Algerian community in France (approximately 20% of Algerians in France are of Berber origin). Languages spoken The nationally recognised languages in Algeria are Arabic and, since 2002, the Berber language Tamaziyt; which of them is spoken will depend on ethnic background. The Arabic spoken is an Algerian dialect that is different from standard Arabic. Religion Islam is one of the founding principles of the Algerian state and the official religion of Algeria. The majority of Algerians are Sunnis and the Malki judicial school is the most common. South Asian Muslims, the most significant Muslim group in Britain, are Sunni and typically from the Hanafi judicial school, which is considered by Malkis to be far less conservative. There is no barrier between judicial schools and Algerians worship in a whole range of mosques in the UK. Though Algeria is far from being an Islamic state, as Islamic law (shari'a) is not in force, there is a strong Islamic influence on private or family law. The Code de la Famille (Family Code), introduced in 1984 and still in force, clearly relates to shari'a and is strongly opposed by feminist groups. Many Algerian Islamist groups and political parties draw their influence most strongly from groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928. Age A wide diversity of ages is represented, though there are many more young people. Those who have arrived since 1992 are much younger. This is unsurprising since 75% of the Algerian population is now under the age of 30. Algerians who have been in the UK for longer are considerably older but much fewer in number. Academic Qualifications The small number of Algerians who arrived in the 1970s and 1980s are very highly qualified, in contrast to the more working class migration to France during this period. Studies suggest that Algerian emigrants since 1990 have generally been very well qualified, and that those with degree level education are over-represented compared to the UK population and compared to those who remained in Algeria. Profession The large proportion of the Algerian population who are undocumented means that the majority are working well below their high level of qualification. Even those with documented status are frequently working in unskilled jobs. This is particularly the case with doctors who are considered sufficiently qualified to work in France without retraining but stand little chance of passing the strict language requirements for recognition in the UK. Length of Residence Those individuals born in Algeria who were present for the 1991 census now make up approximately 20% of Algerians born in Britain (30% of those registered in the 2001 census). The large majority of Algerians have therefore arrived within the last 10 years. It is likely that this will be skewed even more to the last five years since Algerians did not begin to request asylum in significant numbers until 1995. Political Affiliation Those Algerians in Britain who voted in the 1997 Algerian general elections formed part of the section of the emigrant community (Northern Europe) who voted a member of the RCD to represent them at the National Assembly. The RCD is a strongly anti-Islamist, Berber party. Unfortunately the vote is not broken down further so this provides only an indication of the political affiliations of Algerians resident in Britain. One of the six members of the moderate wing of the Islamic Salvation Army (FIS), Djaffar Al Houari, is based in London. His role is to represent the FIS to the International Arab press based in London, not to organise the community politically. There is some evidence of a more extremist position, such as the organisation 'The Algerian Community of Great Britain', who were active in 1994 and 1995 but have apparently disappeared. There is some evidence that younger Algerians develop political interests, but research suggests that this may be a minority position in the UK. Younger Algerians, who have now experienced war in Algeria for more than half of their lives are most often deliberately apolitical, rejecting all sides in the conflict. Geographic Distribution Algerians are overwhelmingly concentrated in London. Within London there are concentrations around Finsbury Park, where the Algerian Refugee Council is located and in Waltham Forest where the Algerian Welfare Association is based. Dispersal statistics collated at the end of January 2003 showed that the largest numbers of Algerian asylum seekers in dispersal accommodation were based in Glasgow, Sheffield, Birmingham and Manchester. Outside London, it has also been suggested that there are also significant Algerian communities in Bournemouth and Leicester partly due to the government's policy of dispersing asylum seekers to particular locations, but also due to the development of social networks. Other Characteristics The Algerian community in the UK has a growing reputation as an artistic community. There are certainly a large number of singers, poets and artists for a relatively small population. This may be attributed to the profile of emigrants during the 1990s. These migrants may be more likely to be interested in artistic pursuits due to the circumstances of their flight from Algeria . Algerians acquiring British citizenship Statistics for the number of Algerians acquiring British citizenship may indicate the extent to which Algerians are becoming committed to living in Britain. These naturalisations are split fairly equally between naturalisation by residency and by marriage. The number of Algerians acquiring British citizenship in 2002 was almost double the number in the previous year. This growth may reflect the fact that the first significant arrivals of Algerians in the UK took place in the 1990s, and those who were granted asylum in this period have now been resident long enough to be eligible for citizenship. Despite this significant proportional growth, it is clear that the number of British citizens of Algerian origin remains extremely small in comparison to other resident national communities in the UK.
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| Last Updated on Sunday, 20 December 2009 17:08 |
