Revolution for Sale

The Algerian government is considering payouts to various people involved in or affected by the "Islamist revolt" since the 1990s. "A 2006 reconciliation law offers Islamic guerrillas still fighting the authorities a pardon if they lay down their weapons provided they were not responsible for massacres, rapes and bombings of public places." Meanwhile, a small cadre of men from the village of al-Raqiba is going on a Hamas holiday.

Energy Games

Not wishing to be held hostage to Russian caprices, the EU is seeking to diversify its gas sources and partner with Algeria. Meanwhile, "OPEC President Chakib Khelil, speaking in his capacity as Algerian energy minister, said on Tuesday he favored an OPEC oil output cut to counter a slowdown in demand for fuel."

Press Freedom

I read elsewhere that, while allowing a relatively independent media to flourish, the Algerian government controls access to ink, and this Reuters article indicates that editors operate under the threat of jail time due to liberal (use of) defamation laws.

Economic Update: Inflation

Has anyone seen a "sorry we had to raise prices" sign at the deli yet? Algeria seems to be both benefiting from and hurting because of the global inflation going on. Food prices are rising in the local market, but higher oil revenues are helping the country offset debt.

Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Ringing in its 39th year, the DFLP rehashes the "blockade and massacres perpetrated Palestine by Israel." Meanwhile the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) suspects government alliances with radical Islamists will strengthen if President Bouteflika extends presidential terms to last "for life." So as Algerian Christians undergo social protesting, maybe the Constitutionally-protected freedom of religion and worship is out the door too.

The Algerian History of France

Since we seem to have stumbled this time around on english news - ive begun looking elsewhere. There is a special edition of the journal French History on Algeria - it came out at the end of 2006 so its pretty current. It has about five articles for rethinking algeria and france and their colonoial and post-colonial histories. the problem is im not sure everyone has free access to this onlne journal - so if you dont, e-mail me and ill give you my university pin and ID. Its editied by Bertrand Taithe a really cool cultural historian.

"Pilot" commnunes, SADR solidarity, U.S. economic connection

It doesn't look like the Algerie Presse Service has free full articles on the English site; I wrote to them to see if we can get access.

Meanwhile, a couple headlines/summaries caught my eye. First, I get the impression of solidarity with the Sahrawi people's movement in Western Sahara. New negotiations are about to start in Manhasset, NY of all places. Does anybody know the history of that peace process and why the U.S. is involved? Sahrawis have elected about 34% women to their council.

Second, four "pilot" communes for mountain farming have been started in the area around Constantine. Further searching turns up nada. Why scare quotes? Are communes the common farm unit there?

Third, exchange with the U.S. grew 23% last year, to record levels. Would be interesting to learn who's cashing in on this.

Rank Order - Public debt

So the GINI for Jezair is not that interesting - theyre at 35.5 which is pretty much middle of the pack. but algeria does have a very low public debt as % of GDP at 9.7% putting it in the top ten countries with best ratio. by contrast, its other N african neighbors come in at Egypt: 105% and Morroco: 65%. The US is at 36.8%.

Algeria: Anger of the Dispossessed

I missed the event but historian Martin Evans spoke at my office recently. Here's the audio for Algeria: Anger of the Dispossessed. There's also a transcript.

French law on colonialism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

French law on colonialism - : "The February 23, 2005 French law on colonialism was an act passed by the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) conservative majority, which imposed on high-school (lycée) teachers to teach the 'positive values' of colonialism to their students (article 4). The law created a public uproar and opposition from the whole of the left-wing, and was finally repealed by president Jacques Chirac (UMP) at the beginning of 2006,"

Pro-colonial legislation

PARIS (FRANCE) – The collective work of "Colonisation history, rehabilitations, falsifications and instrumentalizations" has been awarded the anticolonial book, the event organizer Ishtar area asserted Friday. The book, co-supervised by historians Alain Ruscio and Sebatien Jahan, is meant to be a cry of alarm of 17 researchers in different disciplines before the initiative to rehabilitate colonialism through numerous actions including law dated 23 February 2005, which has been decried mainly for its article that put forward the positive aspects of this abject system.

?? What's this law?

How to Get Ahead in Ibadan

I was about to click on an article about resolving land disputes between the federal and state government when I spied this tidbit about headhunters. The article really doesn't have enough details, or journalistic standards, to figure out what's going on, but basically some guys, maybe ritualists, were caught with a plastic bag containing three heads which they were delivering to a customer for about 26 dollars apiece. One of the young suspects was driven into a life of crime by drugs.

Petropolitics and AFRICOM

"Nigeria's Resurgent Oil Diplomacy" comments on how the Yar'Adua administration is taking advantage of high oil prices to reposition Nigeria regionally and internationally. At stake is the gas flaring deadline, and location of the DoD's new AFRICOM initiative.

Guns and Whammo

A bunch of naija military officers were fingered for gunrunning recently. An audit of arms and ammunition "could not give an accurate account for nearly ten thousand General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), and over five thousand riffles [sic] and thousands of boxes of grenades and other ammunitions." That's a lot of heat. Supposedly the weapons were bought by "criminals" in neighboring countries and by "militant groups" in the Delta region. One of the guys had to be recalled from a peacekeeping mission, probably the African Union Mission in Sudan, to face charges.

Pre-Valentine's Day Special: Nothing Says Forever Like a Magun Charm

Ok, i don't know where to start here... How about with the article "Choir Leader Dies After Extra Marital Sex" [sic] in today's Independent. Then for follow-up reading on the power of the magun charm, there's this hot romance between two police officers whose circumstances resemble wolf physiology. Still not convinced? Maybe this discussion board on myth and reality can debunk the juju.

Power Problems

I mean electricity, and control. Looks like the energy infrastructure is operating at 40 percent of capacity, and national needs are about 2.2 times capacity. $10 billion was allocated to the National Integrated Power Projects to fix this problem, but results have not materialized. That's a lot of money with which to do nothing.

Darfur = Global Warming

I wasn't aware that the argument he criticizes Ban Ki-Moon for making was either widespread or threatening to his own.

Remittance Data

Hi Sarah,

I've found this chart - so far haven't found anything on the newspaper sites themselves. Looks like the bulk of the money is coming from workers in the US (but I've read the UK elsewhere). Nigeria is one of the top 5 recipients.

Pop Stars

Well, that is one thing about him, he is so nice, and he knows how a woman feels. Whenever he knows he has stayed away for long, he comes around even if it is for four days just to see me, so I am fine by that. Actually I never use to like men before. It’s not like I am a lesbian, so I can cope with that. Though, it hurts sometimes when I see a guy and a girl having fun, it hurts. I can’t cheat on him. I am not trying to sound so faithful. I’d rather let go than cheat and since I can’t do that I’d rather wait for him.

What's up with these interviews???????

Failing to Remit

Hey--note to self--it is interesting to keep tabs on remittance flows in the countries we look at. If you pass by any articles on this please post them! DeGracias

Sorry Cats

Ive been uber busy this month. will jump on the next one i promise.

p.s. how do you put them purty pictures and videos into the blog.

Nigeria Trying to Kick the Habit

Gosh, Pittsburgh isn't even on the smoking ban bandwagon yet. The Nigerian government is suing some major companies for $44 billion, and now trying to boot tobacco factories. WHO Convention on Tobacco Control calls for 1/3 of label space dedicated to health info.

Obasanjo Family Saga

It's a little tough to unpack all the history and characters of the outgoing president's life, but based on the various scandals, including incest, he was probably on the darker side of shady.

My Pipeline

"As we all know, we own the blood-net work in our body, so should we as of right and justice own and control the God-given deposits and landmasses."

Post-Nigeria Party Planning

Anyone down for screening some films about Nigeria at the end of our three weeks?

Eye-popping headline

I thought it was pretty crazy that the government had allocated "N1.5 million for paying for the reading glasses of presidential aides domiciled in the State House" until I read how many blind people there are in Nigeria.

The Gas Flaring Problem

Looks like the Yar'Adua administration has pushed back the deadline to end gas flaring in Nigeria. An editorial in the Guardian has this to say:

The practice of gas flaring is unimaginative and ultimately harmful to the long-term interests of the nation. Nigeria flares about 2.5 million metric cubic feet of gas daily. The World Bank calculates the losses at over $2.5 billion annually. ... Nigeria with its huge population cannot afford to take a myopic view of the future by basking in the glow of crude oil sales whilst at the same time neglecting the associated gas which will ultimately outlive oil as the mainstay of our economy.

This is a big climate change and pollution and health problem. Of course, on all my Chinatown bus rides up I-95 I've noticed several American companies still flare.

Daily Sun, King of the Tabloids

Is it just me? I have a sneaking suspicion that this newspaper didn't actually interview this woman, but just wrote out some answers she might have said.

Oh, God, just a little help.

Newspaper Titles

These are the most uplifting newspaper and journal titles I have ever seen!

Nigeria Topped Happiness Ratings in 2003

"The researchers for World Values Survey described the desire for material goods as 'a happiness suppressant.'"