Authorities ban conference

Foreign human rights activists were to take part in

Authorities ban conference

El Khabar, 8 février 2007

Authorities obstructed yesterday, foreign and Algerian lawyers to organise a conference on Reconciliation and Missing persons issue, in AL-Mercury hotel (Algiers), which provoked deep anger among participants who felt embarrassed for many guests were coming from different countries.
The meeting to which foreign associations and human rights prominent activists were invited was cancelled by the hotel’s administration. The conference was so important that many international organisations have been making efforts for months to prepare it. The guests were surprised to be kicked out from the hall. The participants including international bodies and national law experts such as Mustapha Bouchachi, Secretary General of Soumoud associations, Ali Merabet, human rights international federation member and honorific president of National League for Human Rights Defence Mr Ali Yahiya Abdennour, tried to negotiate for a quick solution. Security authorities however refused justifying that by directives from the Interior Ministry, according to the secretary Missing Persons Families Association Secretary General, Mrs Leila Ighil. Though the hotel’s meeting room was previously booked and expensively paid, the aforementioned associations were prevented from holding their conference in.
The conference’s organizers held a news conference in Tahar Jaout Press House, after which they gathered to denounce National Peace and Reconciliation Charter asking President Bouteflika to find a substitute solution that would satisfy all sides. All officials in power are responsible for missing persons and their families’ tragedy; we are not supposed to live again the colonialism of “Bigeard” and “Massu” (French colonial army’s generals) anymore, commented Ali Yahyia Abdenour .

2007-02-08
By Mohamed C.