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| Africa North |
| Medelci: Marches in Algeria will remain minority movements |
| 2011-02-15 |
| [Ennahar] Algerian Foreign Minister Mourad Medelci said Monday that marches in Algeria to demand a change in the system would remain "minority movements" and confirmed the lifting of the state of emergency" in the coming days. "The marches organized weeks ago and Saturday clearly showed that these movements were movements of minorities. I guess, from step to step, they will not do better," he told private radio Europe 1. "Algeria is not Tunisia, Algeria is not Egypt," he said in response to a question about a possible spillover of revolutions in the Arab world to Algeria. About 2,000 people demonstrated Saturday in central Algiers to seek regime change, but were prevented from scrolling by imposing police forces estimated some 30,000 police who conducted arrests. The National Coordination for Change and Democracy, at the origin of these marches that are banned by the government, called for another demonstration on February 19 in Algiers. The minister also confirmed the lifting "in the coming days" of the state of emergency in force since 19 years in the country to combat violence against Islamists, announced in early February by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. |
| Posted by:Fred |