Algeria: The families of the disappeared abused in front of the Ministry of Justice

Family members of the disappeared from the districts of Blida, Tipaza and Boumerde were received by police in plain clothes and riot police during a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Justice last 23rd of November. Continue reading the letter sent to Linking Solidarity by Fatima Yous, President of the organization SOS Disparus.

The families of the disappeared in Algeria abused in front of the Ministry of Justice: the contempt continues, but will not stop us!

Some hundred families of the disappeared from the districts (Walays) of Algers, Blida, Tipaza and Boumerdes responded to the appeal of SOS Disparus on Sunday the 23d of November, to vent their anger in front of the Ministry of Justice.

From 9:00 onwards, the relatives of the disappeared, marched on to the Ministry holding photos of their loved ones and brandishing flags of SOS Disparus. They were received by a number of police in plain clothes and riot police. The perimeter around the Ministry and roads leading up to it were seamed with police cars and vans. Hacène Farhati, one of the relatives of the disappeared and founding members of the organization, tried to get as far as the Ministry in order to hand over the acknowledgement of receipt sent by the Ministry following the request for a meeting by the organization with Ministry staff, as well as a number of complaints by the families. He was stopped by police, including a chief of police, who threatened him and told him to leave, invoking the ban on public meetings. He was then beaten and dragged of to the Boulevard Malika Gaïd. The scene was closely monitored by Mrs. Fatima Yous , President of SOS Disparus. She followed the police holding Hacène Farhati onto the boulevard as she feared he would be taken away to the police station only to disappear himself.

While this happened police profited from the incident to disperse the rest of the relatives of the disappeared, who had to also draw back onto the Boulevard Malika Gaïd. There, even though they were now surrounded by police, the families of the disappeared stayed together and started chanting their slogans and shouting out their demands. The meeting was, thus, held in an extremely tense climate.

This is how the Algerian authorities continue to refuse any kind of dialogue with the families of the disappeared. Why such denigration? This must stop after 10 years of struggle by the families for their rights!

“The current distrust towards us reinforces our will to reach our goal of recognition and Truth. We will continue to stress these demands and our meetings will continue until our cause is heard and taken seriously! We only ask, to be heard on how we consider the issue of disappearances ahs been dealt with up to now, to express our needs for the future, in a peaceful and constructive dialogue, like it should be in a true democracy”.

Alger, 24^th of November 2008

P / SOS Disparus

Fatima Yous, President.