Conditioning Algerian-American Economic
Relations by Values of Democracy, Freedom, and Justice
The brutal repression that fell upon the demonstrators in Kabylia leads to only conclusion: The Algerian government will not refrain from shooting at children, causing the death of more than 60 years and more than 1000 injured, which it is supposed to protect. These repressive acts falls into the category of human rights abuses that call for trials in the international court of Justice in the Netherlands.
Since the beginning of the events on April 18, 2001, the Algerian President shined by his inability to start a dialogue with the newly founded village committees. Although the President went on National TV, claimed that he has grasped the meaning and the scope of the protests by the young people of Kabylia. The Interior Minster, Yazid Zerhouni, the former secret service director, claimed that Massinissa Guermah, who died while in the custody of the paramilitary police on April 18th, was a not high school student. Did the minister mean that killing a non-high school student? When the victim’s family showed the high school attendance proof to journalists, the Interior Minster recanted and indicated that he was misinformed about the young man.
As the protests continued, and peaceful demonstrations in Kabylia and Algiers were being organized, the President left for a two-week long visit of the southern region, leaving the young people’s fate at the hands of the riot police forces, the paramilitary units and the Red Berets, a special military units. Protests and clashes with the police forces spread to other Northern region of Algeria such as the Aures, and Annaba. The civilian authorities, the governors (wali) and the subprefects of Tizi-Ouzou, Bouira, and B’gayet disappeared from the political scene as the two regions were subjected to the most brutal repression since Algeria’s independence
Trying to find a scapegoat for the deteriorating situation, the government as wells its political parties RND (government party), FLN (party that ruled Algeria until 1988 when any outside political activity were forbidden) and MSP (fundamentalist) blamed the RCD and FFS political parties behind the protests. It also claimed the protesters to be manipulated. One minister went as far as claiming that they knew the people who were the protests. Government went as far blaming the local authorities, forgetting that the governors and subprefects, judges are nominated by the government.
Thousands of people took park in the numerous demonstrations in Kabylia and Algiers. The June 15 demonstration in Algiers reportedly drew more that 1, 000,000 people as it was called by the councils of Kabyle villages, despite the protest ban that was in effect in the Algerian capital. Still, the Algerian government played a deaf ear to the peaceful claim for justice, democracy, and human rights. Furthermore, when the marchers from Kabylia were allowed to march to the presidential offices, police in riot gears and a number of civilians attacked the Kabyle marchers, causing the death of four people and more than 500 injured. Algerians newspapers reported several acts of police beating the marchers, and policemen even tracking the injured into the hospitals.
The Algerian national TV, which is no other than the mouth piece of the government, portrayed the demonstrators as rioters, and showed groups of people breaking into jewelry stores, and into the Kia car lot, setting to fire. However, several newspaper accounts reported that perpetrators of these incidents were the locals.
The World is today waiting to see whether Bouteflika will be able to follow through his promise and bring to justice the paramilitary forces that open fire on the civilians’ demonstrations. According to the July 28 report of the inquiry commission into the events in Kabylia, the commission revealed that orders to not shoot were given. Still, elements of the paramilitary units continued to shoot and kill the demonstrators. The question is who could have ordered to stop the shooting and why it was not given.
Apparently, the results of the inquiry were not favorable to the interior ministry and the heads of the paramilitary forces, and the status of the inquiry was changed to preliminary at the last minute, delaying therefore the possibility of any head to roll.
Five months into the start of the riots, the government has not openly started to hear the council of Kabyle villages. Instead, it has attempted continuously at undermining them, putting a discredit on their peaceful actions, and intimidating the council members. In addition, its attempt to form a parallel council that will be favorable to government failed. Behind the scenes, it has sent several emissaries from the Presidency and the DRS (Direction de R…and Security). This was followed by the government news service APS (Algerian Press Service) report that quoted an unnamed government official who indicated the willingness to start a dialogue. In response, the council has indicated that only transparency is the only name of the game and that dialogue can only start when the 15-item list established at El-Kseur are accepted.
Given President Bouteflika’s indifference to the brutal killing of the young people in Kabylia, it can safely be said that such government does not deserve the trust of the people. In this case, it is imperative that village councils should request the presence of international human organization at the negotiations with the Algerian government.
Although the discrimination as well as the continued repression of the Amazigh at the hands of the North African government was brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commissioner, Ms. Mary Robinson. Unfortunately, she has excelled in her lack of actions to bring the plight of Imazighen at the hands of the Algerian government to the attention of the world community. In the US, in an interview published on the Algeria-interface web site, Ambassador Richard Pelletreau disappointedly indicated that the events in Kabylia would have no bearing on US-Algerian relations and added “ I don’t think it is a question of things getting much worse [for Imazighen], but much better.” However, forty years of a repressive regime in Algeria indicate that things would get much worse not only for Imazighen but also for all Algerians in general.
With this said, and unfortunately, it seems that Bouteflika’s visit is more a green light for additional US investment, and the current US administration is therefore putting business opportunity ahead of human rights. In this case, the Bush administration’s condoning of the brutal military regime in Algiers is far away from that of President John F. Kennedy, who in July 1957, took to the senate floor, and criticized France’s to make concessions to its then North African colony, Algeria, and advocated its independence. He eloquently had said: “We have deceived ourselves into believing that we have thus pleased both sides and displeased no one [. . .] when, in truth we have earned the suspicion of all." Sadly, almost half a century later, the Algerian people are facing a government that does not respect human rights. The Bush administration could lend an ear to the Amazigh people’s struggle, motivated by aspirations for democracy, human rights, and freedom, the very noble values to which the Founding Fathers of America had given universal significance and scope. Consequently, the Algerian-American relations should be conditions on these values, not more and not less.
Since the beginning of the events on April 18, 2001, the Algerian President shined by his inability to start a dialogue with the newly founded village committees. Although the President went on National TV, claimed that he has grasped the meaning and the scope of the protests by the young people of Kabylia. The Interior Minster, Yazid Zerhouni, the former secret service director, claimed that Massinissa Guermah, who died while in the custody of the paramilitary police on April 18th, was a not high school student. Did the minister mean that killing a non-high school student? When the victim’s family showed the high school attendance proof to journalists, the Interior Minster recanted and indicated that he was misinformed about the young man.
As the protests continued, and peaceful demonstrations in Kabylia and Algiers were being organized, the President left for a two-week long visit of the southern region, leaving the young people’s fate at the hands of the riot police forces, the paramilitary units and the Red Berets, a special military units. Protests and clashes with the police forces spread to other Northern region of Algeria such as the Aures, and Annaba. The civilian authorities, the governors (wali) and the subprefects of Tizi-Ouzou, Bouira, and B’gayet disappeared from the political scene as the two regions were subjected to the most brutal repression since Algeria’s independence
Trying to find a scapegoat for the deteriorating situation, the government as wells its political parties RND (government party), FLN (party that ruled Algeria until 1988 when any outside political activity were forbidden) and MSP (fundamentalist) blamed the RCD and FFS political parties behind the protests. It also claimed the protesters to be manipulated. One minister went as far as claiming that they knew the people who were the protests. Government went as far blaming the local authorities, forgetting that the governors and subprefects, judges are nominated by the government.
Thousands of people took park in the numerous demonstrations in Kabylia and Algiers. The June 15 demonstration in Algiers reportedly drew more that 1, 000,000 people as it was called by the councils of Kabyle villages, despite the protest ban that was in effect in the Algerian capital. Still, the Algerian government played a deaf ear to the peaceful claim for justice, democracy, and human rights. Furthermore, when the marchers from Kabylia were allowed to march to the presidential offices, police in riot gears and a number of civilians attacked the Kabyle marchers, causing the death of four people and more than 500 injured. Algerians newspapers reported several acts of police beating the marchers, and policemen even tracking the injured into the hospitals.
The Algerian national TV, which is no other than the mouth piece of the government, portrayed the demonstrators as rioters, and showed groups of people breaking into jewelry stores, and into the Kia car lot, setting to fire. However, several newspaper accounts reported that perpetrators of these incidents were the locals.
The World is today waiting to see whether Bouteflika will be able to follow through his promise and bring to justice the paramilitary forces that open fire on the civilians’ demonstrations. According to the July 28 report of the inquiry commission into the events in Kabylia, the commission revealed that orders to not shoot were given. Still, elements of the paramilitary units continued to shoot and kill the demonstrators. The question is who could have ordered to stop the shooting and why it was not given.
Apparently, the results of the inquiry were not favorable to the interior ministry and the heads of the paramilitary forces, and the status of the inquiry was changed to preliminary at the last minute, delaying therefore the possibility of any head to roll.
Five months into the start of the riots, the government has not openly started to hear the council of Kabyle villages. Instead, it has attempted continuously at undermining them, putting a discredit on their peaceful actions, and intimidating the council members. In addition, its attempt to form a parallel council that will be favorable to government failed. Behind the scenes, it has sent several emissaries from the Presidency and the DRS (Direction de R…and Security). This was followed by the government news service APS (Algerian Press Service) report that quoted an unnamed government official who indicated the willingness to start a dialogue. In response, the council has indicated that only transparency is the only name of the game and that dialogue can only start when the 15-item list established at El-Kseur are accepted.
Given President Bouteflika’s indifference to the brutal killing of the young people in Kabylia, it can safely be said that such government does not deserve the trust of the people. In this case, it is imperative that village councils should request the presence of international human organization at the negotiations with the Algerian government.
Although the discrimination as well as the continued repression of the Amazigh at the hands of the North African government was brought to the attention of the Human Rights Commissioner, Ms. Mary Robinson. Unfortunately, she has excelled in her lack of actions to bring the plight of Imazighen at the hands of the Algerian government to the attention of the world community. In the US, in an interview published on the Algeria-interface web site, Ambassador Richard Pelletreau disappointedly indicated that the events in Kabylia would have no bearing on US-Algerian relations and added “ I don’t think it is a question of things getting much worse [for Imazighen], but much better.” However, forty years of a repressive regime in Algeria indicate that things would get much worse not only for Imazighen but also for all Algerians in general.
With this said, and unfortunately, it seems that Bouteflika’s visit is more a green light for additional US investment, and the current US administration is therefore putting business opportunity ahead of human rights. In this case, the Bush administration’s condoning of the brutal military regime in Algiers is far away from that of President John F. Kennedy, who in July 1957, took to the senate floor, and criticized France’s to make concessions to its then North African colony, Algeria, and advocated its independence. He eloquently had said: “We have deceived ourselves into believing that we have thus pleased both sides and displeased no one [. . .] when, in truth we have earned the suspicion of all." Sadly, almost half a century later, the Algerian people are facing a government that does not respect human rights. The Bush administration could lend an ear to the Amazigh people’s struggle, motivated by aspirations for democracy, human rights, and freedom, the very noble values to which the Founding Fathers of America had given universal significance and scope. Consequently, the Algerian-American relations should be conditions on these values, not more and not less.