DATE=4/8/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43059
TITLE=ALGERIA ELECTIONS -- CQ
BYLINE=NEJLA SAMMAKIA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ALGERIA HAS BEEN ROCKED BY VIOLENCE SINCE THE MILITARY
CANCELED THE SECOND ROUND OF PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN
JANUARY 1992 THAT AN ISLAMIST PARTY, THE ISLAMIC SALVATION
FRONT, WAS POISED TO WIN. A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD
NEXT THURSDAY (APRIL 15TH) -- AND NEJLA SAMMAKIA REPORTS ON WHAT
ALGERIA EXPERTS, HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS AND ELECTION OBSERVERS IN
WASHINGTON HOPE THE VOTE WILL ACHIEVE.
TEXT: ANALYSTS HERE SAY THE NEW PRESIDENT OF ALGERIA WILL HAVE
TO ADDRESS PAINFUL ECONOMIC REFORMS, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND A
BURGEONING YOUTH WITH LITTLE FAITH IN ITS LEADERS. A
CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF DISAFFECTED YOUNG MEN HAVE JOINED ARMED
GROUPS FIGHTING THE GOVERNMENT IN THE NAME OF ISLAM. SOME
75-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS,
ACCORDING TO WESTERN ESTIMATES.
CLEARLY, ANALYSTS SAY, ONLY A PRESIDENT WHO IS ELECTED IN A FAIR
AND FREE PROCESS WILL BE STRONG AND POPULAR ENOUGH TO HANDLE ALL
OF THESE PROBLEMS.
SEVEN CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT -- A FACT THAT LES
CAMPBELL OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE, A NON-PARTISAN,
SEMI-INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION, SAYS IS ENCOURAGING.
//CAMBELL ACT//
THE ALGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS REMARKABLE FOR
THE FACT THAT IT'S HAPPENING, AN ALMOST UNHEARD-OF
OCCURRENCE IN THE ARAB WORLD. NUMBER TWO, THERE HAVE
BEEN A NUMBER OF POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE SURROUNDING
RULES AND PROCEDURES AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASPECTS THAT
SHOULD AT LEAST MAKE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS
ELECTION AN IMPROVEMENT ON PAST ELECTIONS; THAT REMAINS
TO BE SEEN, BUT THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL IN THAT.
//END ACT//
MR. CAMPBELL SAYS THE POSITIVE CHANGES INCLUDE ALLOWING
CANDIDATES' REPRESENTATIVES TO MONITOR MILITARY VOTING AND TO BE
GIVEN POLLING RESULTS ON THE SPOT, THUS REMOVING THE POSSIBILITY
OF TAMPERING.
MR. CAMPBELL WAS ON AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM THAT MONITORED
ALGERIA'S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS IN JUNE 1997. THE NATIONAL
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE REPORTED THESE WERE GENERALLY FAIR, WITH
SOME IRREGULARITIES. THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT INIVTED
INTERNATIONAL MONITORS FOR THE APRIL 15TH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
ERIC GOLDSTEIN, OF THE NEW YORK-BASED 'HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH,'
AGREES THE NEXT ELECTIONS SEEM PROMISING, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE
CANDIDATES REPRESENT A BROAD POLITICAL SPECTRUM. THEY ARE
DEBATING SENSITIVE ISSUES THAT A FEW YEARS AGO WOULD HAVE BEEN
UNTHINKABLE, SUCH AS NATIONAL RECONCILIATION, THE SHORTCOMINGS OF
THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY SECURITY FORCES.
// GOLDSTEIN ACT//
ALL THE CANDIDATES ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES LIKE 'THE
DISAPPEARED,' THE MORE THAN THREE-THOUSAND CASES OF
ALGERIANS WHOSE DISAPPEARANCE ARE ATTRIBUTED TO THE
SECURITY FORCES. THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LAMENTABLE
STATUS OF WOMEN IN ALGERIA, THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEBASEMENTS (ABUSES) OF THE SECURITY FORCES, VERY
DELICATELY TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS PART OF THE
CAMPAIGN DISCOURSE THIS TIME.
//END ACT//
THE VIOLENCE HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST YEAR. MR.
GOLDSTEIN SAYS HE HOPES THIS RELATIVE PEACE WILL ALLOW THE
GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS THESE HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AND OTHERS, SUCH
AS THE ABDUCTION OF CIVILIANS BY ARMED GROUPS.
//GOLDSTEIN ACT TWO//
WE ARE CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE
ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE, INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF
EXCESSIVE FORCE AND TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THE SECURITY
FORCE OFFICERS FOUND GUILTY IN THIS PRACTICE. BUT THERE
ARE MANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS DIRECTED BOTH AT THE
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PARTIES, ARMED GROUPS INVOLVED IN
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
//END ACT//
ACCORDING TO THE ALGERIAN CONSTITUTION, THE PRESIDENT WIELDS
ENORMOUS POWER. INTERNATIONAL AND ALGERIAN OBSERVERS SAY
HOWEVER, THAT IN REALITY, THE MILTARY RUNS THE COUNTRY. THEY
SAY WHETHER THE MILITARY WILL RETIRE TO THE BARRACKS AFTER THE
ELECTIONS, AND ALLOW THE COUNTRY TO HANDLE ITS ECONOMIC,
POLITICAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROBLEMS REMAINS TO BE SEEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/NS/RRM/GE
08-Apr-99 10:10 AM EDT (1410 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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