Algeria: Update to DZA17609.E of 13 June 1994 on the current status of the Front des Forces Socialistes (FFS) and the treatment of its members

During telephone interviews with the Research Directorate, three oral sources consulted stated that the leaders and members of the FFS are not systematically targeted nor repressed  by the Algerian authorities. These oral sources, a researcher at the Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CERI) (4 Nov. 1998), the Director of the World Algerian Action Coalition (WAAC) (3 Nov. 1998) and a political science professor at St.John's University (5 Nov. 1998) added that the FFS is a legal party that participated in both the national and local elections [élections communales] of 1997. This information was corroborated by Monde-Arabe Maghreb-Machrek  (MAMM) which added that the FFS was represented in 32 ridings (July-Sept. 1997, 118). According to MAMM, the FFS won 20 seats out of 380 available seats in the Assemblée Nationale, the Algerian parliament (Ibid.). In its January-March 1998 issue, MAMM indicated that the FFS won 645 out of 15,000 available posts during the Fall 1997 local elections (64). The three sources added that in order to participate in the elections the FFS had to be well-tolerated by the régime.

According to Algérie Confidentiel, the leader of the FFS, Mr. Aït Ahmed, lives in Lausanne, Switzerland (5 Mar. 1997, 3) and has been in exile for 50 years (30 Apr. 1997, 4). The FFS, with other parties such as Le Mouvement Démocratique Algérien, Parti des Travailleurs, Ligue Algérienne des Droits de l'Homme et le FIS, is a signatory to the Rome Agreement which promotes a pacific and negotiated resolution of the conflict (MAMM July-Sept. 1997, 115). According to the Algerian newspaper El-Watan, "a delegation from the Socialist Forces Front (FFS) met with the president [of Algeria]" (8 July 1998). AFP reported that the FFS is "heavily represented in Kabylia" and that the first-secretary's name is Ahmed Djeddai (6 July 1998). AFP and MAMM reported that in 4-5 March 1998 the FFS had a national conference in Algiers (5 Mar. 1998; Apr.-June 1998, 71). The "congress was being held under the supervision of a bailiff who was ensuring that the meeting was in line with a year-old law concerning political parties" (AFP 5 Mar. 1998). According to the March 1997 law, "parties... have one year to eliminate from their statutes all reference to Islam" (Ibid.). The penalty for failing to conform to the law is dissolution of the party and charges against the leadership (Ibid.). On 12 January 1998, the FFS called for a public demonstration against violence and terrorism that, although banned by the authorities, gathered several hundreds of participants (MAMM Apr.- June 1998, 71). There were no reports of arrests or detentions of those who participated in this demonstration.

The CERI researcher, who has recently published a book on the Algerian civil war and has published articles on Algeria in academic reviews such as Politique internationale and Politique étrangère, stated that the FFS promotes political pluralism and, as such, considers the Front Islamique du Salut (FIS) as a legitimate political party in Algeria; it has been actively working for the political rehabilitation of the FIS through electoral participation (4 Nov. 1998). This last information is corroborated by MAMM (July-Sept. 1997, 115) and AFP (5 Mar. 1998). 

 The Director of the World Algeria Action Coalition (WAAC), a politically neutral organization that does not support any political party or ideology but promotes peace and security for all Algerians, stated that members of the FFS have not been ill-treated by the government simply due to their membership in the party. In fact, the FFS has at times formed coalitions with Al-Nahda, which is a pro-government Islamist party. Other than ignoring certain demands, such as recognizing Tamazight as an official language, the government has not targeted the party (3 Nov. 1998).

The professor of political sciences at the St-John's University in New York State who recently completed a six year study of the Maghreb, including Algeria, and published his results in a book entitled Economic Crisis and Political Change in North Africa (1998) spent the summer of 1998 in Algeria where he conducted field research. He stated that none of the leaders of the FFS are currently in prison. There are two factions in the FFS; one is moderate, the other is radical (5 Nov. 1998). This information was also reported in Algérie Confidentiel (5 Mar. 1997, 3). The radical elements, mainly living outside Algeria, oppose any alliance with the régime whereas the moderate faction inside the country wants to participate in the electoral process and work with the régime to promote national dialogue between all the parties. The presence of these two factions inside the FFS neutralize, in practice, its political action and does not represent a threat to the régime (5 Nov. 1998).

According to MAMM, in February 1997 the FFS contested the legitimacy of the then forthcoming elections, but on 27 March 1997 decided to participate (Apr.-June 1997, 61). On 8 March 1997, dissident members meeting in Bejaia decided to form a new political movement called "Le Mouvement pour la Démocratie et la Citoyenneté" led by Saïd Khelil (Ibid.). According to an AFP report,

One of Algeria's main opposition parties, the FFS, alleged Thursday [29 May] that it had been banned from making a television broadcast in the run-up to next Thurday's legislative elections.

Ali Rochdi, an FFS candidate in Algiers, said the ban -- imposed on a broadcast that was to have been made later in the day -- was attributed to a call it would have made for Algerians to demonstrate in the event of any large-scale electoral fraud.

Speaking at a party rally, attended by several thousand FFS faithful, Rochdi read aloud a letter from the Algerian electoral commission CNISEL that asked for the FFS to suppress parts of its television broadcast.

Rochdi said the CNISEL had thus "become a committee of censorship," although he stopped short of saying whether the FFS would boycott the commission, which has members from all main political parties.

Points that the CNISEL found contentious in the FFS broadcast included a claim that 120,000 people had been victims of political violence in Algeria and allegations that the authorities favour security actions in lieu of a political solution to Algeria's troubles (29 May 1997).

MAMM also reported that on 11 September 1997, the FFS called for a public demonstration against violence that was refused by the authorities, but the FFS leadership quickly organized a sit-in at a public location called "La Place du 11 décembre 1960" in Algiers (Oct.-Dec. 1997, 77).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Agence France Presse. 6 July 1998. "Fresh Clashes Reported in Algeria's Kabylia Regions". (NEXIS)

_____. 5 March 1998. "Algerian Opposition Reiterates Call for Probe Into Massacres." (NEXIS)

_____. 29 May 1997. "Algerian Opposition Party in Pre-Poll Censorship Claim." (NEXIS)

Algérie Confidentiel [Paris]. 5 March 1997. "Le RCD du docteur Sadi a Été le premier parti politique à annoncer sa participation."

_____. 30 April 1997. "Politique: L'équipe des réformateurs de l'ex-chef du gouvernement."

El-Watan [Algiers in French]. 8 July 1998. "Socialist Forces Front Comments on Meeting with President Zeroual". (BBC Summary  11 July 1998/NEXIS).

Monde-Arabe Maghreb-Machrek [Paris]. April-June 1998. No. 160. "Chronologies: Algérie."

_____. January-March 1998. No. 159. "Chronologies: Algérie."

_____. October-December. 1997. No. 158. "Chronologies: Algérie."

_____. July-September 1997. No. 157. "Chronologies: Algérie."

Professor, Political Science Department, St.John's University, New York State. 5 November 1998. Telephone interview.

Researcher, Centre d'études et de recherches internationales (CERI), a research organization associated with the Fondation nationale des sciences politiques (FNSP), Paris, France. 4 November 1998. Telephone interview.

Researcher and Director, World Algeria Action Coalition (WAAC), Washington, DC. 3 November 1998. Telephone interview.