Algeria: The Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation and the evolution of the violence in Algeria
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 24 October 2006 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | DZA101674.FE |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Algeria: The Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation and the evolution of the violence in Algeria, 24 October 2006, DZA101674.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/46fb72f6a.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Background
In September 2005, Algerians voted nearly 97 percent in favour of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation (Charte pour la paix et la réconciliation nationale) put forth by the Algerian government; the voter turnout rate was approximately 80 percent (Reuters 30 Sept. 2005; Carnegie and FRIDE n.d., 10). The Charter, which came into force in February 2006, provided for compensation for the victims of the national tragedy (tragédie nationale) (Algeria 28 Feb. 2006, Art. 37, 38 and 39). It also provides for amnesty for the members of armed groups who turned themselves in to authorities before the end of August 2006 (ibid., Art. 5; see also La Nouvelle République 30 Sept. 2006). The Charter provisions do not apply to those who were involved in offences such as [translation] "mass killings, rape or attempts to set off explosives in public places" (Algeria 28 Feb. 2006, Art. 10). According to Amnesty International (AI)
[English version]
[t]he Charter denies that the security forces and state-armed militias have been responsible for serious crimes, thus conferring systematic impunity. This denial stands in stark contrast to a body of evidence which points to their responsibility for thousands of cases of torture, extrajudicial executions and "disappearances", some of which constitute crimes against humanity. (AI 2006; see also HRW Sept. 2005)
An article in the Algerian daily newspaper La Tribune indicates that, according to the head of legal aid at the Algiers court, the time frame for the application of the Charter provisions will not be extended (5 Oct. 2006). He also states that, under Article 47 of the Charter, Algeria's president can [translation] "find a legal solution and judicial framework" to judge those who turn themselves in after the deadline (La Tribune 5 Oct. 2006; see also La Nouvelle République 30 Sept. 2006). According to an Associated Press article, president Abdelaziz Bouteflika [translation] "maintained that those accused of terrorism who refused to give themselves up would be fought and would no longer benefit from the amnesty provisions" (7 Oct. 2006).
The Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation
As a result of the provisions of the Charter, approximately 2,200 prisoners accused of acts of violence have been released (AP 19 Sept. 2006; Le Nouvel Observateur 4 Sept. 2006). An article in La Tribune indicates that the National Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Commission nationale consultative de promotion et de protection des droits de l'homme, CNCPPDH) estimates that about [translation] "300 members of terrorist groups" put down their weapons before the end of August 2006 (30 Sept. 2006; see also L'Indépendant 15 Sept. 2006). Le Nouvel Observateur quotes the Algerian minister of the interior as saying that [translation] "security forces had killed or captured approximately 500 terrorists" as part of the Algerian government's fight against terrorism (4 Sept. 2006; AFP 13 Sept. 2006). According to a La Tribune article, the president of the CNCPPDH stated that the Commission had counted [translation] "6,146 actual cases of disappearances based on concrete files" (30 Sept. 2006). The CNCPPDH president also indicated in an article in the Algerian daily newspaper La Nouvelle République that the families of the disappeared are experiencing [translation] "bureaucratic problems," which have caused [translation] "enormous difficulties in the issuance of the necessary items for their file" (30 Sept. 2006). According to Algerian authorities, the compensation files of 41,000 victims of the national tragedy have been reviewed by the relevant authorities (La Tribune 16 Sept. 2006; see also L'Expression 18 Sept. 2006).
In September 2006, under the provisions in the Charter, some exiled [translation] "Islamist leaders" returned to the country (ibid.; AP 19 Sept. 2006). On his return to Algeria, one of the leaders of the former Islamic Salvation Front [Front islamique du salut, FIS] (AISA 30 Aug. 2003) stated that he did not rule out the possibility of his party returning to political struggle (AP 19 Sept. 2006; La Tribune 19 Sept. 2006) even though the provisions of the Charter prohibit [translation] "persons responsible for the exploitation of religion that led to the national tragedy" from participating in any political activities (Algeria 28 Feb. 2006, Art. 26; see also AP 19 Sept. 2006).
Evolution of the violence in Algeria
The Salafist Group for Call and Combat (Groupe salafiste pour la prédication et le combat, GSPC) rejected the Algerian government's offer of amnesty and stated that it would continue to operate in the country (AFP 14 Sept. 2006; L'Indépendant 15 Sept. 2006). According to an article in the newspaper L'Express, 600 to 900 members of groups implicated in violent acts – most of whom belong to the GSPC – are still operating in Algeria (7 Sept. 2006; see also AP 12 Sept. 2006). A Le Monde article indicates that these armed groups are located in the [translation] "maquis [mountainous regions] of Kabylia (Tizi Ouzou, Bouira, Boumerdès), of the east (Skikda, Jijel and Khenchela), of the west (Sidi Bel Abbès) and in the Grand Sud" (27 Aug. 2006; see also L'Expression 1 Aug. 2006).
In September 2006, the GSPC reiterated its allegiance to Al Qaida (Le Figaro 15 Sept. 2006; AFP 14 Sept. 2006). In addition, serious attacks continued to be reported in the country: in October 2006, one person was killed and seven were injured in an attack in the city of Boghni (El Watan 11 Oct. 2006); three soldiers and two civilians were killed by [translation] "armed Islamists" in the city of Chabet el-Ameur, in the province of Bourmedès, 50 km east of Algiers; four soldiers and four police officers were injured by a homemade bomb in the province of Bouira, 110 km east of Algiers (AP 7 Oct. 2006); and three police officers and five civilians were injured in an attack in Naciria, 40 km east of Bourmerdès (El Watan 5 Oct. 2006). The APS press agency reports that, on 29 September 2006, in Bouira, [translation] "suspected Islamist rebels" set off a bomb in a freight train (Reuters 30 Sept. 2006; AP 30 Sept. 2006).
According to an article in Maghreb Confidentiel, the Algerian government deployed an additional 4,000 officers from the national police force (Sûreté nationale) to fight potential terrorist attacks during Ramadan (21 Sept. 2006; AP 20 Sept. 2006). The police officers are also targeting [translation] "delinquency and crime, which have increased significantly in Algeria in recent years" (ibid.).
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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA). 30 August 2003. "Algeria: Country Risk Analysis."
Agence France-Presse (AFP). 14 September 2006. "Le GSPC, rallié à Al-Qaïda, considère la France 'son ennemi numéro 1'." (Factiva)
_____. 13 September 2006. "Un 'émir' du GSPC tué par les forces de sécurité en Kabylie (journaux)." (Factiva)
Algeria. 28 February 2006. Journal officiel de la République algérienne démocratique et populaire. "Ordonnance n°06-01 du 28 Moharram 1427 correspondant au 27 février 2006 portant mise en ouvre de la Charte pour la paix et la réconciliation nationale."
Amnesty International (AI). 23 May 2006. "Algeria." Amnesty International – Rapport 2006.
Associated Press (AP). 7 October 2006. "Algérie : trois militaires et deux civils tués par des islamistes armés à un faux barrage." (Factiva)
_____. 30 September 2006. "Attentat contre un train de marchandises à l'Est d'Alger." (La Presse canadienne/Factiva)
_____. 20 September 2006. "Renforts policiers à Alger en vue du Ramadan." (La Presse canadienne/Factiva)
_____. 19 September 2006. Aidan Lewis. "After Pardon, Algerian Islamic Fundamentalists Push for Political Return." (Factiva)
_____. 12 September 2006. "Algérie : mise en oeuvre de la Charte pour la réconciliation malgré l'expiration des délais." (Factiva)
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior (FRIDE). N.d. "Algeria."
El Watan [Algiers]. 11 October 2006. Mourad Hachid. "Terrorisme. Un mort et sept blessés à Boghni." L'Express. 7 September 2006. "Repères – Monde – Algérie : irréductibles djihadistes." (Factiva). L'Expression. 18 September 2006. "Après quinze années d'exil en Europe, Kebir, Ould Adda et Ghemati retrouvent Alger." Le Figaro. 15 September 2006. Jean Chichizola. "[A]l-Qaida trouve un soutien en Algérie." (Factiva) Human Rights Watch. September 2005. "L'impunité au nom de la réconciliation : le plan de paix du président algérien soumis au vote national le 29 September." L'Indépendant. 15 September 2006. "Le GSPC s'oppose à la réconciliation en Algérie." (Factiva) Maghreb Confidentiel. 21 September 2006. "Algérie : un Ramadam sous haute sécurité." (Factiva) Le Monde. 27 August 2006. "Seuls 250 islamistes armés algériens ont quitté le maquis à la faveur de l'amnistie." (Factiva) La Nouvelle République. 30 September 2006. Nadia Kellou. "Farouk Ksentini revient sur la Charte, l'état d'urgence et la corruption. 'Les terroristes ne peuvent plus bénéficier de la clémence'." Le Nouvel Observateur. 4 September 2006. "Algérie – Charte de réconciliation : 'pas assez de positifs'." (Factiva) Reuters. 30 September 2006. "Algérie – Attentat islamiste contre un train de marchandises." (Factiva) La Tribune. 5 October 2006. Ghada Hamrouche. "Le sort des terroristes qui se sont rendus après le 31 August 2006 est entre les mains du président." Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: The Algerian Human Rights League [Ligue algérienne des droits de l'homme] did not respond to requests for information within time constraints. Internet sites, including: Algeria-Watch, Aujourd'hui le Maroc, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), El Khabar, Jane's Intelligence Review, Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent, Le Monde, Le Monde diplomatique, Liberté, Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC).
_____. 5 October 2006. K. Omar. "Trois policiers blessés à Naciria (Bourmèdes)."
_____. 1 August 2006. Ikram Ghioua. "Selon des estinations sécuritaires 600 terroristes sont encore dans le maquis."
_____. 30 September 2005. Hamid Ould Ahmed. "Les Algériens approuvent massivement l'amnistie." (Factiva)
_____. 30 September 2006. Amar Rafa. "M. Ksentini dresse un bilan positif de l'application de la Charte pour la paix."
_____. 19 September 2006. Ghada Hamrouche. "Kebir appelle le GSPC à déposer les armes."
_____. 16 September 2006. Mekioussa Chekir. "Zerhouni suggère une non-prolongation du délai de la Charte pour la paix et la réconciliation nationale."
