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A new group of Algerian political leaders, opponents and activists is calling on powerful Algerian generals to stay out of politics.
This comes as protesters continue to demonstrate in an effort to push President Abdelaziz Bouteflika out of power, while he said he would no longer be a candidate in the upcoming presidential elections.
On Monday night, the National Coordination for Change, a group of leaders coming out of nearly a month-long protests, issued a statement titled "Platform for Change," requesting that Bouteflika resign before the end of his term on April 28 and that his government resign. at once.
Shortly after Bouteflika confirmed his intention to stay in power after the expiry of his term.
Foreign intervention
Algerian Deputy Prime Minister Ramtane Lamamra concluded a visit to Moscow on Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Following Bouteflika's comments on Monday, Lamamara said Algiers would find an "open and transparent" solution to the situation.
Lavrov added that any Algerian government project would be supported.
The refusal of foreign intervention is the only element that remains coherent between the protesters and the current government.
Algeria still bears traces of its French colonial past.
Thus, any foreign aid, no matter how small, is viewed with suspicion.
"This question is very sensitive in Algerian politics because of the legacy of colonialism," says Arthur Asseraf, a senior lecturer at the University of Cambridge, specializing in the history of colonialism. Colonial Algeria.
In particular, any measure taken by France will be considered with caution.
"Any attempt by the French government to do anything in fact is very badly considered and is accused of having supported this regime over the last 20 years, and then before. . If they say nothing against the regime, they will be frowned upon by the protesters. But if they say something too intense, they will be accused of interfering in Algerian affairs, which is very negative for Algeria ".
Role of the army
On Tuesday morning, the National Coordination for Change declared that the army should "play its constitutional role without interfering in the choice of the people".
To date, the Algerian army has not played a major role in the protests.
But on Monday, Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaed Salah said the army should take responsibility for finding a quick fix to the crisis.
Historically, the Algerian army has played an important role in the country since independence.
Following the independence war of France in 1962, the army declared itself legitimate after defeating the French army, although Mr. Asseraf said that "this Was not a strictly military victory, the Algerian army has never defeated the French army ".
But he actually participated in the war and carved a place in the transition to the Algerian regime of the post-France.
Asseraf however points out that it is misleading to describe Algeria's military government in relation to other countries such as Egypt or Syria: "The system has always been quite heterogeneous, with elements of the ruling party, the FLN, the other group of interest. "That has changed a lot since independence.
In the context of today, since the demonstrations erupted on February 22, the army was called to maintain order among the protesters.
But at most he used tear gas and pushed against some turbulent protesters.
Since the first day, protesters have promised to keep their marches peaceful.
The army did not do much to repel the protesters, as was the case in 1988, when the demonstrations became violent, Asseraf said.
Added to this is the fact that the army is not quite uniform. "There are different interest groups within the military itself, so it 's not clear that everyone is talking with one voice," he added. ;historian.
Revolution?
"It's really his own social movement," says Asseraf. People on the ground referred to it as a social movement.
Although semantics do not really change what is happening in Algeria, its far-reaching effects can not go unnoticed, nor can the number of people taking part in the action.
"Never since the Algerian War of Independence have Algerians risen in this way to unite all peoples around a common goal," says the Committee for the Abolition of Illegitimate Debt.
Before the eruption of the demonstrations, Algerians were often considered as "totally pbadive … there have never been any complaints or demonstrations," says Asseraf.
False facts, since there were always small-scale demonstrations, but never at the level we are currently observing.
"The only comparison that people have made is the 1962 demonstration for independence. Many people have invaded the streets, just in joy, they danced, they sang and they remember that. Many seniors came to the street last Friday and cried because they said: it reminds them of the independent celebrations of July 1962, "adds the speaker.
And as thousands of people continue to flood the streets of the Algerian capital and other major cities, the demand remains the same.
"The Algerian people will not accept any approach tending to extend the current system, whether it is the entourage of the" brother "or the" friend "", have declared the leaders of the demonstration.
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