Serious as this was for the F.L.N., more intrinsic was the widening rift between Ben Bella in Cairo and the F.L.N. leaders of the “interior” — notably Abane. In the first instance the row was over the continued failure of the external delegation to provide the arms demanded by the “interior”. An angry exchange of correspondence in April 1956 culminated with this insulting ultimatum to Ben Bella: “If you cannot do anything for us outside, come back and die with us. Come and fight. Otherwise consider yourselves as traitors!” … The differences were papered over temporarily, but beneath them also lay to some extent, dangerously latent, the mutual suspicions between Kabyles (Abane, Krim, Ouamrane) and Arabs (Ben Bella). Not a whisper of these dissensions, however, was to reach the world outside, either then or later.

XREF: Connects to broader history of decolonization movements that projected unity while hiding internal divisions — parallels with other anti-colonial fronts. DEFINE: Clarifies the distinction between FLN's 'interior' leaders and the external delegation based in Cairo.

Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Alge…, loc. 444