 Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika yesterday kicked off a campaign to win support for a referendum on a general amnesty to end a decade-long militant uprising that has cost the lives of up to 200,000 people. It was the first time Bouteflika called on Algerians to vote in favor of a so-called national reconciliation plan to end a conflict, which began in 1992 following the army's cancellation of legislative elections an Islamist party was set to win. "A referendum on national reconciliation will be organized. The Algerian people are sovereign and will choose what they want, and we will be at their service to carry out what they want," said Bouteflika in his first direct call for a referendum.
| Wonder if the pied-noirs will be allowed back in? |
Militants have stepped up their attacks on civilians and the authorities in recent weeks to try to scupper the amnesty project. Bouteflika, praised for helping restore stability to the oil-rich North African country, did not give a date for the referendum or say who would benefit from the amnesty. But human rights groups expect it to take place this year and target hundreds of militants and security forces members suspected of criminal acts since the early 1990s. Last month, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Human Rights Federation criticized the plan, saying it would brush crimes under the carpet. Bouteflika said an amnesty was the only way to achieve peace after violence that isolated Algeria for almost a decade. "What strengthens our hope and boosts our optimism about reaching reconciliation is that the Algerian society is known for its tendency towards supporting peace and reconciliation. Does it have other choices rather than peace?" he asked. |