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.