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DATE=6/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250274
TITLE=ALGERIA-MASSACRE
BYLINE=LISA BRYANT
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS SUSPECTED MUSLIM MILITANTS 
KILLED 19 CIVILIANS AND WOUNDED FOUR OTHERS -- IN THE WORST WAVE 
OF VIOLENCE SINCE THE COUNTRY'S NEW PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED IN 
APRIL. LISA BRYANT REPORTS FROM CAIRO.
TEXT:  THE INCIDENT COMES AMID SIGNS OF A POSSIBLE ACCORD BETWEEN
THE NEW GOVERNMENT AND ONE ISLAMIC REBEL GROUP.
ALGERIA'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY SAID THE KILLINGS TOOK PLACE IN A 
VILLAGE IN MASCARA PROVINCE, ABOUT 300 KILOMETERS WEST OF 
ALGIERS.  IT SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD DISPATCHED TROOPS TO TRACK 
DOWN THE KILLERS.
THE REPORTED KILLINGS ARE A BLOW TO ALGERIA'S NEW PRESIDENT, 
ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA, WHO HAS VOWED TO RESTORE PEACE TO 
VIOLENCE-TORN ALGERIA.
THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT BOUTEFLIKA INDICATED HE WOULD SOON SET OUT 
CONDITIONS FOR REACHING AN ACCORD WITH THE MILITANT GROUP,  THE 
ISLAMIC SALVATION ARMY, OR AIS. THE AIS IS THE ARMED WING OF THE 
BANNED ISLAMIC SALVATION FRONT.  
SEVERAL DAYS AGO ITS LEADER, MADANI MEZRAG, CALLED ON PRESIDENT 
BOUTEFLIKA TO SEEK A NATIONAL RECONCILIATION THAT WOULD BRING 
PEACE TO THE COUNTRY.  HE SAID HIS GROUP WOULD HELP FIGHT OTHER 
MILITANT FACTIONS -- IF THE GOVERNMENT ENDORSED HIS GROUP'S 
CEASEFIRE AND OFFERED AMNESTY FOR ITS MEMBERS.
// OPT // MR. MEZRAG ALSO CONDEMNED A RIVAL, MORE RADICAL 
MILITANT GROUP -- THE ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP -- AS DEVIANT AND 
BLOODY. THE ARMED GROUP HAS REJECTED ANY CEASEFIRE, AND SAYS ITS 
STRUGGLE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE. // END OPT //
SINCE TAKING OFFICE, THE NEW PRESIDENT HAS HINTED AT AMNESTY FOR 
SOME ISLAMIST MILITANTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS -- IF THEY RENOUNCED
VIOLENCE.
BLOODSHED ERUPTED IN ALGERIA IN 1992, AFTER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 
CANCELLED A GENERAL ELECTION, IN WHICH THE ISLAMIC SALVATION 
FRONT PARTY HAD TAKEN THE LEAD.  SO FAR THE FIGHTING BETWEEN THE 
GOVERNMENT AND MILITANTS HAS KILLED AN ESTIMATED 70,000 PEOPLE. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/LB/LTD/JO
05-Jun-99 1:38 PM EDT (1738 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.