Algeria: after 6 months of dispute, Algeria at the crossroads - RFI

By RFPosted on 22-08-2019Modified on 22-08-2019 at 10:23

In Algeria, since February 22, Algerians are tirelessly descending the streets including in Algiers where any event had been banned for 18 years. Six months after this unprecedented protest, this movement does not weaken, but faces an unyielding power.

Six months after this unprecedented challenge , the time is in the balance sheet. The first Algerian victory was the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Tuesday, April 2, in power for 20 years and seeking an inevitable 5th term. It is this ultimate humiliation that set fire to the powders.

A "system" still in place

Since this resignation, the Hirak (the movement) has not achieved any progress towards the change of regime it claims. Some figures, businessmen and politicians hitherto untouchable accused of corruption, were well locked up.

Louisa Dris-Ait Hamadouche, Professor of Political Science at the University of Algiers, lists some achievements of this mobilization, " the awareness of what is now politically unacceptable , the raising of aspirations to a new level (.. .) and awareness of the power of mobilization . "

The Algerian National Radio announces at the moment that the examining magistrate of the Supreme Court has pronounced the detention in custody of A. Sellal. #Algeria

But the " system " is still in place. The high command of the army, more discreet under Bouteflika, is again the holder of real power.

Beyond the political stalemate, much has changed for Algerians in six months. The fear of demonstrating has fallen, the youth that many thought unable to mobilize has reclaimed politics and on Tuesday and Friday, the streets are always busy despite the passing months, Ramadan and summer holidays.

"Today, nothing can be done against Algerians"

This unprecedented movement created a balance of power with power, which did not exist six months ago. But the latter who does not want to let go, can no longer ignore his people. As proof, the presidential election of 4 July was canceled thanks to this mobilized country.

" The main achievement is psychological. Algerians have gone beyond fear. The Algerians realized that they accepted their differences. The Algerian flag has floated next to the Amazigh flag all over the country, without this being a problem in predominantly Arabic-speaking cities , "said Ihsane El Kadi, director of the Maghreb Emergent economic news site.

It is over 35 degrees in the capital and the mobilization is still ongoing ... # Algiers pic.twitter.com/dW1T5hpjDd

For him, the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika is not essential to the mobilization. It is especially the reappropriation of the policy by the Algerians.

" The peaceful nature of the mobilization is essentially due to the strong female presence in the public space that has changed the relationship. Algerians have thus mixed, including socially. It is a transclass uprising, there are liberal professions, rich people, popular backgrounds, young supporters of football clubs that come from popular backgrounds who frequent the demonstrations, "says Ihsane El Kadi.

The power is now confronted by a society that has become aware of its collective strength and has regained its freedom of expression. " The Algerians realized that they were powerful when they got together again to take an interest in their destiny. They are the masters of the situation. Today, nothing can be done against the Algerians, "says the director of the economic news site.

"The peacefulness of the mobilization is mainly due to the strong female presence. Algerians have thus mixed, including socially, "says Ihsane El Kadi, director of the economic news website Maghreb Emergent. © RYAD KRAMDI / AFP

No democratic progress

If speech was released in the street, from the point of view of the institutions, no democratic progress is to be made. " There is no democratic progress since February 22 at the institutional level. I am in civil society organizations, I am in the Algerian Union of Publishers of the electronic press and it is impossible to have a place to meet. There is nothing that has moved, "continues Ihsane El Kadi.

In Algeria, the public media are under the hand of Gaid Salah after being under the hand of Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Private media close to the oligarchs support Gaid Salah. "The Internet is repressed, the electronic media are not recognized, the radio in Algeria is strictly public. The activists are arrested, arrested. There are prisoners of opinion by tens, "indignant director of Maghreb Emergent.

I have been warned for 10 years that Gaid Salah was devoid of any political sense. It is common sense that he is deprived. Think of saving the system by terrorizing all its components? Without giving anything to the people not fooled? What a splendid suicide !! That makes us waste time. pic.twitter.com/iZEtjmaEtO

" We must not be mistaken. A balance of power has been created between the people and the government since February 22, which means that the people are no longer afraid, that they are going out and that they are showing their way of seeing the future. But otherwise, institutionally, we could even say that in a way, there is still a regression, "concludes Ihsane El Kadi.

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