30 septembre 2011
Clifford irving
Algeria’s Bouteflika faces fine balancing act
Algeria’s president is offering concessions to his country’s population amid increasing protest. Abdelaziz Bouteflika is promising to lift a state of emergency that has been in force for the past 19 years, but people also want economic help. “The situation in Algeria, on a social level, is a bit difficult,” said one student. “The unemployment rate has risen. There are several factors.” Even one of the founders of the Algerian state has called on Bouteflika to respond to calls for political and economic reform. “It’s too hard,” one elderly woman said. “We can’t take it any more. Life is too expensive for workers or small pensioners like us. I think the young people who take to the streets are right.” Algeria is set for further demonstrations today. Protesters are promising to take to the streets every Saturday until their demands are met.
Algeria’s president is offering concessions to his country’s population amid increasing protest. Abdelaziz Bouteflika is promising to lift a state of emergency that has been in force for the past 19 years, but people also want economic help. “The situation in Algeria, on a social level, is a bit difficult,” said one student. “The unemployment rate has risen. There are several factors.” Even one of the founders of the Algerian state has called on Bouteflika to respond to calls for political and economic reform. “It’s too hard,” one elderly woman said. “We can’t take it any more. Life is too expensive for workers or small pensioners like us. I think the young people who take to the streets are right.” Algeria is set for further demonstrations today. Protesters are promising to take to the streets every Saturday until their demands are met.
