| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Africa: North | |
| Right groups reject Algeria report on disappearances | |
| 2005-04-04 | |
| ALGIERS — Algerian human rights groups yesterday called for an independent investigation into the detentions and subsequent disappearances of more than 6,000 civilians at the hands of security forces during the 1990s. They rejected a much-awaited report this week by a government commission which laid the blame on agents acting individually during a war on militants. "Unfortunately there is no political will to search for the truth. These disappearances were not isolated incidents," National Association of the Families of the Disappeared (ANFD) President Lila Iril said. "We want an independent commission with all the powers at its disposal to be able to call on anyone for questioning, even the highest authorities," Iril said. More than 6,000 civilians, which the commission said were wrongly suspected of having ties to rebels, are feared dead. Human rights groups said the controversial report handed to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was flawed, as the government appointed commission had no legal power to carry out an in-depth probe or bring anyone to court.ÂÂ
| |
| Posted by:Steve White |