‘Algeria bribes world powers’

Djamel Benabdeslam Algiers - Hocine Bousalah In an exclusive interview to Arabstoday, the Chairperson of the New Algerian Front Party [NAF] has slammed the Algerian regime for “giving France the right to tamper with Algerians’ emotions and mock their historical legacy.” The opposition politician described the December 19 – 20 visit by French President Francois Hollande as “a disappointment” to Algerians and asserted the determination of a group of 14 parties to form a united opposition bloc before the Algerian regime. Benabdeslam said that Hollande had “taken everything” during his visit to Algeria and “gave Algerians nothing but contempt for their history.” The politician cited “the weakness of the Algerian authority” which he said allowed the French president to “dare” to behave that way toward “a state possessed of sovereignty and a history” by “refusing to apologise for the crimes of colonization” and “in return, demanding to begin a new era and look toward the future.” Benabdeslam added that what he termed Algeria’s “subjugation to the Élysée Palace” had “portrayed Algeria to the world as a French province” through Hollande’s speeches. He also fingered a quality of “suspicious mysteriousness” about the visit, which he said was derived from “unannounced deals” between the two countries. The NAF chief stated that his party along with 13 political grouping that “understand the Algerian people’s burdens” are “continuing marathon meetings which will be concluded with a statement crystallising a comprehensive assessment of the French president’s visit [...] as a prelude to introducing a comprehensive strategic project in which forces fearful for the country [political parties and civil organisations] will join together, with the people’s blessings, after the Algerian regime has forsaken the service of national interests in favour of its own interests.” Describing the emergence of the new political body as “imminent,” Benabdeslam also said it would include all “pure, nationalistic forces” which “burn with protective zeal over the Algeria of the present and of history.” The new political entity, he said, would use “all available means and mechanisms of media and populist pressure” to “produce a complete national project that meets the demands of the Algerian people.” The politician told Arabstoday there were “two principal motives” behind the regime’s choice to “succumb” to France. These he listed as the regime’s loss of legitimacy, having “suppressed popular will by rigging all polls” and “the regime’s contempt for the people.” He warned of the dangers of “exploiting the citizen’s vote in return for bribing world powers to endow this regime wit political legitimacy.” Speaking about the 2008 amendments to the Algerian constitution, Benabdeslam said they transformed put in place a “strategic amendment” that he said “transformed the quasi-presidential system into an extreme version of the presidency.” The new version of the national charter, Benabdeslam told Arabstoday “limited authority to the President of the Republic and opened up term renewals after a two-term limit was set in the 1996 constitution ratified by then-President Liamine Zéroual.” Benabdeslam proceeded to disparage those who are calling on President Bouteflika to run for a fourth term, referring to them as “toadying yes-men” and “quasi-politicians” whom he said were “deepening Algeria’s crises under the motto ‘The king is dead, long live the king.’” Criticising the appointment of Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal to conduct talks with the leaders of parliamentary parties, Benabdeslam described Sellal as being “unqualified for the mission” as it is “a presidential power.” He also described Sellal’s cabinet as a “technocratic caretaker government arising from an illegitimate parliament.” The opposition politician also went to refer to Sellal’s appointment as “an insult to the parties which, at this juncture, stand before a historic challenge,” cautioning against passing a constitutional amendment “through the rigged parliament.” Calling on all political groupings to “stand up to the regime’s submission to France,” he described the French president’s remark that the upcoming constitution will “turn over a new leaf” as “provocative.” The current situation in Algeria, he told Arabstoday, is “grave” and “requires a historic unity of these parties to back a consensus draft constitution in line with in-depth talks resulting in a referendum.” Responding to the regime’s attempts to draw up a new political map in light of the results of the local elections, the NAF chief accused the regime of “directing political life” and “monopolising the media” on behalf of supporting parties. He also told Arabstoday that the regime had reached “a dead end” and that the policy of “fleeing by advancing” had “hit inflamed internal fronts that herald the imminent end of this despotic regime.” Benabdeslam also criticised Algerian foreign policy, citing an “absence of a political compass and a strategic vision directing Algerian diplomacy through the various regional crises that are affecting the country.” He also told Arabstoday he had frequently demanded the dismissal of Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci, whom he described as being “unable to manage the various diplomatic crises” in which Algeria is “floundering.”