News from Algeria 2009

[Al-khiyal]

Le wali a ordonné la démolition de 8 villas, et la mairie en démolie 17

Mercredi 18 Mars 2009 -- La brigade économique appartenant à la sûreté de la wilaya d’Alger a ouvert, hier, une enquête sur l’affaire de démolition de neuf villas situées à la ferme Ali Khoudja, commune de Bordj El Kiffan, durant le mois dernier, pour démasquer les parties responsables de démolition de quelques villas par erreur, ayant coûté aux propriétaires des milliards qui n’étaient pas inclues dans l’ordonnance du wali. La brigade économique a terminé hier l’audition des victimes plaignantes dans l’opération de démolition, qui a été effectuée par les services de la commune durant le 19 du mois de février dernier et qui a touché 17 villas dans la ferme de Ali Khoudja. Cette même brigade a déjà entendu durant le début de la semaine en cour le maire de la commune, et après leur audition aux deux parties, elle a décidé de soumettre l’affaire à une enquête, pour la raison que les victimes détiennent les documents administratifs qui prouvent la légalité de leurs constructions, ainsi que pour avoir consulter l’ordonnance promulguée par le wali d’Alger, Mohamed Kebir Addou, dont El Khabar détient une copie, permettant aux services de la commune de démolir huit constructions illicites construites illégalement à Ali Khoudja, mais la commune en a démolie 17 au lieu de 8. Le wali d’Alger a déjà révélé par le passé à El Khabar que toutes les bâtisses qui ont été démolies faisaient l’œuvre de suivis par les services administratifs depuis longtemps, affirmant que les propriétaires de ces villas n’ont obtenus que les autorisations de reconstruction, délivrées par l’ex maire et qui ont été annulée par la suite.

[Al-khiyal]

Police name teenager shot dead in north London

March 18, 2009 -- Police have named an 18-year-old man shot dead in Tottenham, north London, at the weekend.

Abdulkarim Boudiaf, from south Tottenham, was shot outside a pub on Broadwater Road around 22:20 on March 14th.

The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene after suffering a gunshot wound to the neck.

Reports suggest his death may have been a result of mistaken identity.

Anyone with information relating to the shooting is asked to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

[Al-khiyal]

Jeremić headed for Turkey and Algeria

BELGRADE, March 18, 2009 -- Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić will embark on a three-day visit to Turkey and Algeria, it has been announced.

There, he will talk to both countries' officials on the issue of Kosovo and economic cooperation.

Jeremić told Tanjug that Turkey is an extremely important partner of Serbia, "even though our stands on the future status of Kosovo utterly differ", and announced discussions with his Turkish hosts on bilateral relations, but also on the possibility of strategic partnership on the Balkans.

"Turkey is Serbia's significant partner and it is of crucial importance to overcome, that is to find a way to isolate the problems that separate us and to eventually connect our countries," Jeremić pointed out.

Announcing his visit to Algeria, Jeremić said that he will meet his Algerian counterpart and many other officials.

"Algeria is one of the Arab countries with firm and resolute attitude against Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence. We have closely cooperated so far when it comes to Kosovo-Metohija and we expect Algeria to state their legal opinion before the International Court of Justice," Jeremić underscored.

[Al-khiyal]

Scholarship students made destitute

March 19, 2009 -- I am outraged by the plight of Zimbabwean scholarship students in Algeria.

The Algerian government and Zimbabwe before the inclusive government made a pact to send undergraduate students to Algeria on a jointly funded scholarship programme, with the former providing tuition fees and the latter taking care of students’ welfare. Of interest to me are students that left for Algeria last year in the second week of November and among them was my sister-in-law. My wife and I gave her US$200 as pocket money. She was quite comfortable for the first two months or so but she was lucky to have had that kind of money because most of the students were from poor rural backgrounds, had no money and were relying on a promise of welfare made by the then government of Zimbabwe.

As I write, it is past mid-March and the students who went on scholarship to Algeria last year have not received a cent from the government of Zimbabwe. Their visas have since expired and they are now considered illegal immigrants. Others have resorted to prostitution. At first I had believed my sister-in-law had made a breakthrough but now I feel that she and a host of other students have been condemned to live a life of destitution in a foreign land.

Ten days ago I sent her money through a very expensive bank telegraphic transfer. I wanted to send her US$100 and for that the bank charged me US$25. I was told the money would be routed through New York so she would probably get a balance of US$60 after other bank charges have been deducted. Effectively it meant that it cost me US$65 to send her US$60! When I contacted her yesterday she lamented that the money would take about 21 days to reflect in her friend’s account, because as an illegal she does not have an account.

This situation needs to be addressed or the students simply be brought back home. You are probably wondering why I did not send her money via Western Union or MoneyGram. Well, these money transfer agents barred any money from being sent from Zimbabwe to any other country. Zimbabwe only receives! If I want to send via these money transfer agents I have to cross the border into Botswana or South Africa. That is how bad the situation is.

I am therefore imploring the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Stan Mudenge and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Simbarashe Mumbengegwi to look into the issue of Algerian scholarship students with urgency. While still at it, may the Minister of Finance Tendai Biti send some money right away to Algeria to help the students who are now considered as lepers and outcasts.

Vukani Madoda,
Harare

[Al-khiyal]

Prize 'opened up world' for Algerian artist

Dubai, March 19, 2009: Algerian artist Zoulikha Bouabdellah says she screamed with joy when she heard that she had won the Abraaj Capital Art Prize.

"I was in a crowded hotel lobby in Antalya [Turkey] and I screamed," said the artist, who cut short her holiday and returned to Paris to work on Walking On The Sky. Pisces, which is now on display at Madinat Jumeirah.

"Winning the prize has opened up the world, it makes me see far ahead," she said.

Bouabdellah's work demands the involvement of the spectator, who must physically enter the installation in order to be able to experience it. "It is not interesting from afar; you have to walk on it. When you walk on it, it becomes art."

The work of the 10th century Persian astronomer Abd Al Rahman Al Sufi has provided a key source of inspiration for the piece. "My work is a homage to science, to global intelligence."

Speaking of the influence of Islamic culture in her work, Bouabdellah points to a period between the 9th and 15th centuries, an era to which she would like to return in terms of the expansiveness and inclusivity of Islamic culture. "Islamic culture during that period was like bridges between spaces. We cannot talk about Islamic culture without talking about Africa, India, Southern Spain, China."

The era represents for her a time when the yearning for knowledge transcended boundaries and cultural categories, when the Caliph would invite scholars, regardless of religion or ethnicity, to the Maison du Savoir in Baghdad.

The work can be seen at The Fort, Art Dubai 2009 till March 21. Art Dubai is a subsidiary of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

[Al-khiyal]

Un adolescent algérien tué par balles à Londres

Teenager shot dead in north London

Two arrested over teenager murder

March 19, 2009 -- Two men have been arrested in West Sussex in connection with the murder of an 18-year-old man in London.

The pair, aged 20 and 19, were taken to a north London police station on Wednesday and are still in custody.

Abdulkarim Boudiaf, 18, who was of Algerian origin, was shot dead near Broadwater Road, Tottenham at 2220 GMT on Saturday.

Police said they do not believe the killing was gang related, and it may have been a case of mistaken identity.

On Monday a post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest.

Residents of Broadwater Road said the shooting took place close to Elmhurst Hotel in nearby Lordship Lane, where a party was held on Saturday night.

Hotel staff did not believe customers were involved.

The shooting followed the fatal stabbing of another 18-year-old in Walthamstow, east London, on Friday night.

Wahab Zaaki, from Chingford, died from multiple stab wounds. A 17-year-old youth was arrested on suspicion of his murder.

[Al-khiyal]

Algeria tightens security for presidential campaigns

March 19, 2009 -- Algeria stepped up security measures Thursday (March 19th) for the official launch of the presidential electoral campaign season, El Khabar reported. In the eastern province of Batna, where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will start his campaign on Thursday, security services increased vehicle inspections to prevent any possible terrorist attacks. In 2007, terrorists attempted to assassinate Bouteflika during a trip to Batna. Some 160,000 security officers have been deployed across the country to protect voting sites and administrative offices. Until Election Day on April 9th, Echourouk noted, each of the six presidential candidates will be protected by 8 policemen.