DATE=1/9/98
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10525
TITLE=SLAUGHTER IN ALGERIA
BYLINE=GARY EDQUIST
TELEPHONE=619-3940
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
INTRO: U-S NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS WRITERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
REPORTS THAT AS MANY AS ONE THOUSAND CIVILIANS WERE MASSACRED
RECENTLY IN ALGERIA BY SUSPECTED MUSLIM EXTREMEISTS. WE GET A
SAMPLING OF THEIR COMMENTS FROM _________________ IN TODAY'S U-S
OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: ALGERIA AGREED THIS WEEK (JANUARY 8) TO A EUROPEAN UNION
INVESTIGATION BECAUSE OF GROWING INTERNATIONAL CONCERN OVER THE
KILLINGS. UP TO 80-THOUSAND PEOPLE -- MOSTLY UNARMED CIVILIANS
-- HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OF CIVIL UNREST.
MUSLIM EXTREMIST REBELS ARE TRYING TO OUST THE SECULAR,
MILITARY-BACKED GOVERNMENT. THE WASHINGTON POST WRITES THIS
ABOUT THE SITUATION:
VOICE: IT IS NOT ONLY THE SCOPE AND PERSISTENCE OF THE
KILLINGS IN ALGERIA THAT DRAW INTERNATIONAL ALARM, //
BEGIN OPT // A RECORD 400 PEOPLE SLAUGHTERED JUST THE
OTHER NIGHT, AND THEN HUNDREDS MORE. // END OPT //
IT IS THE AURA OF PUZZLEMENT THAT HANGS OVER THE
SAVAGERY. THE EXTREMIST ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP IS
BLAMED FOR MOST CIVILIAN MASSACRES THE PAST TWO
YEARS. BUT CANNOT THIS GROUP UNDERSTAND THE HATRED
IT IS STORING UP FOR ITSELF? MEANWHILE, HINTS OF AN
ALGERIAN ARMY OR GOVERNMENT HAND IN THE TERROR
LINGER; THE PRESUMED PURPOSE WOULD BE TO TURN PUBLIC
OPINION AGAINST THE EXTREMISTS. BUT WHY THEN WOULD
THE ARMY OR GOVERNMENT WISH TO BE ADVERTISING ITS OWN
ABILITY TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE?
TEXT: THE NEW YORK TIMES WRITES ABOUT WHAT IT CALLS "ALGERIA'S
UNENDING CIVIL WAR."
VOICE: IN THE PAST THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REJECTED
FOREIGN INTERVENTION AND DENIED ENTRY TO HUMAN RIGHTS
GROUPS AND U-N HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS, IN PART TO KEEP
THE VIOLENCE FROM ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION.
// BEGIN OPT // THE GOVERNMENT CONTENDS THAT IS IS
WINNING THE WAR AND THAT THE KILLINGS ARE ENDING. ...
INVESTIGATORS MUST EXAMINE WHETHER THERE IS ANY
GOVERNMENT INFILTRATION OF THE GROUPS ACCUSED OF THE
KILLINGS, AND WHY SOME MASSACRES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO
ON FOR HOURS WITH THE ARRIVAL OF SOLDIERS EVEN THOUGH
THE ATTACKS TOOK PLACE NEAR MILITARY BASES. // END
OPT // THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST USE ITS
NEWFOUND UNANIMITY TO PUSH FOR A FULL INVESTIGATION.
WESTERN AND ARAB COUNTRIES SHOULD ALSO PRESS ALGIERS
TO ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION TO END THE WAR.
TEXT: THE LOS ANGELES TIMES WELCOMES THE INTERNATIONAL
INVESTIGATION WRITING THAT "ALGERIAN AUTHORITIES SEEM HELPLESS OR
UNWILLING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THEY RULE."
VOICE: // BEGIN OPT // NO NATION IS PROPOSING AND CERTAINLY
NONE IS WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TO A MILITARY
INTERVENTION IN ALGERIA. BUT // END OPT // THE
CALLOUS INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE ALGIERS REGIME HAS
REACHED CRIMINAL PROPORTIONS. IT'S RIGHT FOR OTHER
GOVERNMENTS TO SAY SO. MAYBE AT SOME POINT, ALGERIAN
AUTHORITIES CAN BE SHAMED INTO DEFENDING THEIR
PEOPLE.
TEXT: THE PORTLAND (MAINE) PRESS HERALD SUGGESTS THAT "THE
GLUTTONY OF RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISTS IN ALGERIA MAY PROVE THEIR
UNDOING."
VOICE: THEIR GLUTTONY INVOLVES NOT FOOD BUT MURDER, AND IN
THIS HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN, THE TERRORISTS' SACRILEGE
HAS REACHED ITS PEAK. SO MANY CORPSES ALREADY HAVE
PILED UP, IT'S HARD TO KEEP COUNT. ... THE
GOVERNMENT'S GREATEST ENEMY NOW IS THE GOVERNMENT
ITSELF, WHICH HAS SHOWN ITSELF INCAPABLE OF DEFENDING
ITS PEOPLE."
TEXT: WITH THAT FROM THE PORTLAND (MAINE) PRESS HERALD, WE
CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THE U-S PRESS.
NEB/GE/KL
09-Jan-98 1:50 PM EST (1850 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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