ALGIERS- The body of the Moudjahida and journalist Zineb El Mili, who passed away, on Saturday, at the age of 87, following a long illness, was repatriated, today, Wednesday, to Algeria.
Born in 1935 in Tébessa, the daughter of Chahid Larbi Tébessi and wife of former minister and diplomat, the Mujahed, Mohamed El Mili, is known in the post-independence Algerian press. A journalist for the daily Ech-chaab, she was known for her bravery, her political opinions and cultural contributions in favor of Algeria and its independence.
The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune sent, on Sunday, a message of condolence to the family of the Mujaheda. The President recalled the exceptional career of the deceased who left an honorable post-independence legacy. President Tebboune added that the late Zinab “was known for her bold opinions and her attachment to our national history and the defense of Algeria”.
The Minister of Mujahideen and Rights Holders, Laïd Rebiga, for his part, said he was “afflicted by the death of Zineb El Mili who had joined the ranks of the war of liberation in 1957, imbued with the patriotic sense that she inherited from her father Larbi Tebessi”.
The deceased is also “among the extremely rare female pens who exercised the profession of journalism during the era of the single party. She distinguished herself by her political positions and cultural contributions, in favor of Algeria, its history, its heritage and civilization as well as its politics… Positions that she had displayed during her many trips with her husband, the late Mohamed El Mili, minister and diplomat, in several countries”, added Mr. Rebiga.
He also recalled the many writings of the deceased, including the book “The brides of Algeria” (Arayiss El Djazaïr).
For her part, the Minister of Culture and the Arts, Soraya Mouloudji recalled that the bygone “had worked as a journalist in the daily Ech-chaab after independence”.
“Known for her interest in the protection of intangible cultural heritage, in particular traditional clothes, the deceased had hosted several artistic exhibitions of dolls in traditional costumes to represent different regions of Algeria, some of them are still on display at the Bardo National Museum”, wrote the minister.
