Madani: Algeria people’s frustrations same as during French rule

The leader of the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria, Sheikh Abbassi Madani, stressed that Algeria is experiencing a political, economic, cultural, social and security crisis, with no way out unless people are invited to decide their fate and freely choose their path.

Speaking on the anniversary of the Algerian revolution yesterday, Madani said: “Referring back to the opinion of the people, who have lost confidence in this regime, is possible only through a serious and comprehensive dialogue between the regime and the various components of the political class without exception or exclusion in order to establish a transitional period that … delegates power to the people in order to choose their representatives and the nature of the regime they want in an atmosphere of complete freedom and sovereignty.”

“The state of frustration and despair that has gripped Algerians in 2017 while commemorating the glory of their revolution, is only comparable to the sentiments of Algerians before their revolution in 1954,” said Madani, who helped trigger Algeria’s War of Independence from France in 1954.

Read: 3,000 cases of corruption recorded in Algeria since 2013

He said “the country is in greater need for a united youth like the youth of November revolution who are determined to save their country, to rescue Algeria.”

He added: “The first of November, which is known for optimism and hope, has become just a memory of grief and pain, and standing on the ruins of a big loss which brought us to the tyranny, corruption and monopoly of power.”

Algerians do not disagree that the most severe tragedy in Algeria is the crime of usurpation of power and lack of legitimacy and betrayal of the will of the people and depriving them of their right to choose their representatives and rulers from independence until this day.

He added: “I add my voice to that of the good people of our country to beware of the danger of the regime’s incompetence and corruption, in the absence of the President’s power (may God heal him) … and the imposition of rulers in his name, which represents a serious threat to the security of the homeland and its territorial integrity and the stability of the region, which is experiencing unprecedented chaos.”

Algeria yesterday marked 63 years since its deceleration of the war of independence from France after 132 years of colonialism. The war would last nearly eight years and result in the deaths of 1.5 million Algerians after independence from France was declared on 5 July 1962.