• Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Blacksonrise.com
DONATE
  • Home
    • Caribbean
    • African American
    • African
    • Australian
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Videos
    • Blacksonrise Interviews
    • Blacksonrise News
  • Ecourses
  • Herbs
  • Consultation
  • Login
    • LogOut
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • Caribbean
    • African American
    • African
    • Australian
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Videos
    • Blacksonrise Interviews
    • Blacksonrise News
  • Ecourses
  • Herbs
  • Consultation
  • Login
    • LogOut
No Result
View All Result
Blacksonrise.com
No Result
View All Result

Algerian protests blunted without a shot fired in anger – SABC News

blacksonrise by blacksonrise
January 30, 2020
in African News
0
Algerian protests blunted without a shot fired in anger – SABC News
0
SHARES
4
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

While uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East have been quelled by deadly force, Algerian authorities are on the way to becalming a powerful protest movement without a shot fired – at least for now.

Thousands still march, but protests are smaller than those that toppled the veteran president last year. Some prominent figures say the opposition should accept an offer of dialogue from the government.

These changes suggest the secretive authorities, known to Algerians as le pouvoir – “the powers that be” – may have outmaneuvered the biggest threat to their rule in decades.

Their strategy has been to place new faces at the top of government, while playing for time and proposing talks. The approach seems to be wearing down the opposition.

“I did not go to the protests on the past two Fridays,” said Hamdadou, 51, a telecoms worker who had attended most previous marches and asked to keep his family name unpublished.

“I think we have done the maximum to push toward change. Let’s cross our fingers and see what happens.”

Protesters say the marches have diminished since last month’s election of a new president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, seen by the leaderless opposition as an establishment stalwart.

Advertisements

The protests began nearly a year ago, flooding cities with national flags and placards, demanding a removal of the ruling elite, an end to graft and the army’s withdrawal from politics.

Le pouvoir jettisoned President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, threw some top officials into prison on corruption charges and let the protests continue, publicly hailing them as a patriotic renewal while detaining dozens of marchers and prominent dissidents.

Their strategy – pushed by the powerful army chief Ahmed Gaed Salah – was to use December’s election to restore legitimacy to a system that would remain essentially unchanged.

Tebboune was elected on an official turnout of 40%, though many protesters believe even that figure was inflated, and immediately freed many prisoners and offered dialogue with the protesters and reform of the constitution.

Gaed Salah then died suddenly of a heart attack in late December, meaning Algeria now has a new president, government and army chief and that all the most prominent figures associated with le pouvoir have been replaced.

Some politicians who embraced the protest movement, known as “hirak”, say their struggle should now move from the street to the negotiating table, arguing that further reforms can only be achieved through dialogue.

“It is the time for politics now. Hirak would continue to be a means of pressure, but only politicians can talk with the regime to push forward demands including a change of the system,” said Soufiane Djilali, an opposition leader.

For the remaining protesters that viewpoint is anathema.

Maasum, a student at the Algiers Bab Ezouar university of technology, who gave only his first name, acknowledged during last Friday’s protest that there were fewer demonstrators, but said he remained committed to bigger change.

“How can you talk with a president we do not recognize?” he said. “We said they must all go. So no dialogue until they all go.”

Djilali was one of several opposition figures including Mouloud Hamrouche, Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, Abdelaziz Rahabi and Ahmed Benbitour to meet Tebboune, a former prime minister under Bouteflika, drawing ire from Maasum and other street protesters.

No set leadership

Few would deny the scope of the hirak’s achievements so far. In a region where leaders have often used extreme violence to suppress public dissent, it has brought down a president, Bouteflika, who was entrenched for 20 years, without a gunshot.

Bouteflika’s brother and de facto regent during his illness, as well as the once all-powerful intelligence chief Mohamed “Toufik” Mediene, have been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

“Many believe that the hirak fulfilled its mission by sacking Bouteflika and cleaning the country of its corrupt leaders,” said Algerian political analyst Farid Ferrahi.

Even in the Kabyle region outside Algiers, a stronghold of the hirak, “life is almost back to normal,” said Said Mezouane, a resident of the village of Haizer.

But the thousands – down from hundreds of thousands last spring and tens of thousands before December’s election – who still protest believe there has been only cosmetic change.

Since the hirak has no leadership, official organization or commonly agreed plans for effecting change, however, there is no clear mechanism by which it can agree on a way forward.

Novelist Kamel Daoud, a fierce critic of the authorities, wrote: “Has the regime won? Yes, temporarily. It is also true to conclude that the protest has temporarily been lost”.

However, Algeria faces a hard economic year with falling energy revenue eating deep into its budget and a planned public spending cut of 9% this year – meaning the government may find it hard to win enduring public support.

Protesters in central Algiers seem unwilling to compromise.

“Morale is high. We will continue our struggle… we want the opposition to unite and push the regime to the exit,” said Dahmani, 25, a student at Dely Brahim university.

Credit: Source link

Previous Post

Austin’s inaugural African American genealogy conference dives into city’s history

Next Post

Eskom to implement Stage 2 load shedding - SABC News

Next Post
Eskom to implement Stage 2 load shedding – SABC News

Eskom to implement Stage 2 load shedding - SABC News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ADVERTISEMENT

HOT Updates

Naomi Osaka Named Louis Vuitton’s Newest Brand Ambassador
African American Business

Naomi Osaka Named Louis Vuitton’s Newest Brand Ambassador

January 13, 2021
COVID-19 regulations put paid to some Milnerton Flea Market hawkers’ plans to trade – SABC News
Africa Business

COVID-19 regulations put paid to some Milnerton Flea Market hawkers’ plans to trade – SABC News

January 17, 2021
Sir Mekere Morauta: the man and his legacy in Papua New Guinea [opinion]
Papua New Guinea Business

Sir Mekere Morauta: the man and his legacy in Papua New Guinea [opinion]

January 12, 2021
Exhibitions leading the Visual Arts sector in 2021
Aboriginal Australia News

Exhibitions leading the Visual Arts sector in 2021

January 15, 2021
Girl shot dead at fetish priest’s anniversary
African News

Girl shot dead at fetish priest’s anniversary

January 15, 2021
Grenada gets its first female attorney general
Caribbean News

Grenada gets its first female attorney general

January 13, 2021
South Africa records over 10,000 cases
Caribbean News

Ecuador reports 674 new COVID-19 cases, 231,482 in total

January 18, 2021
Biden’s big challenge: A growing racial wealth gap
African American News

Gaming out Trump’s impeachment trial

January 15, 2021
Anthony Anderson Will Host the 2021 Inaugural Gospel Celebration
African American Business

Anthony Anderson Will Host the 2021 Inaugural Gospel Celebration

January 15, 2021
AG Letitia James Files Suit Against NYPD for Excessive Force During Protests
African American Business

AG Letitia James Files Suit Against NYPD for Excessive Force During Protests

January 14, 2021
WIPA satisfied with health protocols for Bangladesh series
Caribbean News

WIPA satisfied with health protocols for Bangladesh series

January 17, 2021
‘Vodou Roots’ embraces active living spiral of Black identity, culture
Caribbean News

‘Vodou Roots’ embraces active living spiral of Black identity, culture

January 13, 2021
The End Of The Pussy-Grabbing President
Afro Latino News

The End Of The Pussy-Grabbing President

January 14, 2021
Many businesses in Cape Town metro on the brink of collapse ‘due to curfew’ – SABC News
Africa Business

Many businesses in Cape Town metro on the brink of collapse ‘due to curfew’ – SABC News

January 16, 2021
BAM’s 35th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Caribbean News

BAM’s 35th Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 14, 2021
Kids at risk getting own counsel
Aboriginal Australia News

Kids at risk getting own counsel

January 13, 2021
The Brothas of Harlem Capital Receive $10 Million Investment From Apple
African American Business

The Brothas of Harlem Capital Receive $10 Million Investment From Apple

January 18, 2021
New Website Created to Boost Black-owned Businesses Goes National
African American Business

New Website Created to Boost Black-owned Businesses Goes National

January 15, 2021
Friends of HOW bring holiday cheer to homeless
Caribbean News

Friends of HOW bring holiday cheer to homeless

January 12, 2021
Ocasio-Cortez Says She Feared For Her Life In Capitol Riot ‘Close Encounter’
Afro Latino News

Ocasio-Cortez Says She Feared For Her Life In Capitol Riot ‘Close Encounter’

January 13, 2021

BlackSonRise.com is an online news portal which aims to provide Caribbean News, African News, Business and much more stuff like that. Feel free to get in touch with us!

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Now is the Time” Martin Luther King Jr. celebration week begins at LMC – Leader Publications
  • Apology: Wrong use of picture
  • ‘It’s Not a Level Playing Field. It’s Unacceptable’

Subscribe NOW

Loading
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 Blacksonrise.com is an online news, e-learning, and business website that caters to the global black community.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • Caribbean
    • African American
    • African
    • Australian
    • Papua New Guinea
  • Videos
    • Blacksonrise Interviews
    • Blacksonrise News
  • Ecourses
  • Herbs
  • Consultation
  • Login
    • LogOut

© 2019 Blacksonrise.com is an online news, e-learning, and business website that caters to the global black community.

USD $
  • USD USD $
  • EUR EUR €
  • GBP GBP £