Africa
Algeria democracy rally broken up
Several injured as police disperse 300 people who defied a ban and attempted to
demonstrate in the capital, Algiers.
Last Modified: 22 Jan 2011 16:53 GMT
Riots first erupted in Algeria in early January over rising food costs and
unemployment [AFP]
At least 19 people have been injured after Algerian police broke up a banned
pro-democracy demonstration in Algiers aimed at pressing the government to
overturn a law banning public gatherings, government officials said.
Hundreds of Algerians defied the ban in an attempt to hold the demonstration on
Saturday but were confronted by dozens of police armed with batons, tear gas
and plexiglas shields.
Said Sadi, the head of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), said at least
40 people were injured and dozens more were arested in the demonstration.
Among those arrested was the head of the party's parliamentary group, Othmane
Amazouz, Sadi said.
Sadi said his party's headquarters in the Algerian capital's main avenue had
been put under siege by police, describing himself as "a prisoner".
"We cannot wage a peaceful campaign when we are under siege," he said, using a
megaphone to address the crowd from a first-floor window.
'Violent regime'
Ait Hamouda Nordine, an RCD member of parliament, told Al Jazeera: "[Algeria]
is a violent regime, it's an anti-democratic regime and it is time for Algeria
to attain credible and democratic systems and parties."
The government had warned people not to show support for the demonstration in
Algiers in a statement issued on the eve of the march, amid fears of popular
unrest spreading from neighbouring Tunisia.
The government warning, carried by official news agency APS, stated "marches
are not allowed in Algiers" and that "all assemblies on public roads are
considered a breach of public order".
The march was planned "without authorisation", it said. Demonstrations are
banned in Algeria because of a state of emergency in place since 1992.
Tunisia effect
The demonstration in Algiers came as protesters in Tunisia continued to demand
the dissolution of the interim government that took charge after the country's
authoritarian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was forced to flee on January
14 in the face of a popular uprising.
Riots erupted in Algeria in early January over rising food costs and
unemployment.
Five days of clashes between demonstrators and security forces left five people
dead and more than 800 wounded.
The government responded swiftly by reducing the prices of oil, sugar and other
basic necessities which had risen sharply, while buying up a million tonnes of
wheat amid assurances that subsidies on essential goods like flour would
continue.
However, unrest still simmers and within the past two weeks eight people set
themselves on fire in Algeria, although some cases were deemed to be linked to
mental-health issues.
Unemployment, specifically of the young, is a crucial issue in Algeria, a
country where according to the authorities 15 million of the 36 million
population is under the age of 30.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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