2011 in Algeria

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Events from the year 2011 in Algeria

Incumbents

January
  • January 11: Riots in towns and the countryside of Algeria have accounted for 5 deaths, 677 injuries, and more than 1,000 arrests. Food products lobbies have succeeded in reducing taxes on import transactions by 41%. The riots adverse effects include the burden on Algerian families, which are having to pay the bills for damages incurred.[1]
  • January 11: The law firm Shearman and Sterling has been selected to evaluate the mobile operator Djezzy, a subsidiary of Orascom. The Algerian state hopes to purchase OTA Djezzy. Nine other consulting firms and investment banks offered bids to evaluate Djezzy.[2]
  • January 13: Algeria has imported more than one billion dollars (800 million Euros) of brown sugar and crude oil in 2010.[3]
  • January 14 Renault pledges to continue its operations in Algeria despite damages it has incurred during the recent riots. Company spokeswoman, Amel Boutamene, says the French auto manufacturer will remain because Algeria is a booming country.[4]
  • January 31: A man from the Bordj Bou Arreridj region became the third person from Algeria to commit suicide by self-immolation. He died from his burns while another man in Algiers attempted to kill himself in the same manner.[5]

February
  • February 2: Air Algeria has extended attractive discounts for the elderly, students, and the unemployed to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and the United States. The promotion lasts until the conclusion of 2011.[6]
  • February 2: Algeria's inflation rate reached 3.9% in 2010 as compared with 5.7% in 2009. The source of the information is the National Statistics Office.[7]
  • February 5 An Italian female tourist, age 56, traveling alone with a guide and a driver, was kidnapped in southern Algeria. The kidnappers, numbering a dozen persons, took the woman to an unknown destination, She had earlier contacted a travel agency in Djanet, near the border with Libya.[8]
  • February 19: Algeria has remained relatively calm despite the turmoil experienced by other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Conditions seem favorable for a revolt, however one comparable to those in Egypt and Italy, is unlikely in the near future.[9]
  • February 7: Nineteen Algeria Post employees have been accused of embezzling more than sixteen billion centimes from the accounts of citizens and public utilities enterprises.[10]
  • February 26: Approximately 50 protestors attended a banned rally in Algiers. This number was less than expected and indicated that opposition hopes in Algeria are fading.[11]
  • February 26 The Algerian government ended a nineteen-year-old state of emergency which had been imposed to combat an Islamist insurgency. The sanctions were imposed initially in 1992. The ban was renewed indefinitely in 1993. The repeal made possible the expansion of civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press.[12]
  • February 27: Around 200 riot police were employed to block an opposition effort to stage an anti-government rally in the center of Algiers.[13]

March
  • March 17: Beji Caid Essebsi, Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of Tunisia, and special envoy of Tunisia's acting president, arrived in Algiers for a one-day visit. He came to discuss the situation in Tunisia after the country's revolt.[14]
  • March 20: Algeria's top Salafist leader, Sheikh Abdelmalek Ramdani, contends that democracy is opposed to Islam. Ramdani resides in Saudi Arabia. He encourages Muslims to ignore all calls for change. Also, he believes that Algerians should obey their leader as long as he is a Muslim.[15]
  • March 21: President Bouteflika pledged to initiate political reforms in Algeria. The improvements promised to address government repression, poverty, and unemployment.[16]
  • March 22: Algeria is planning major forestry projects through a new state-owned agricultural engineering firm in 2011. The projects will be funded by an 18 billion dinar contract.[17]
  • March 23: Algeria's capability for producing drinking water has increased by three times in the past decade.[18]
  • March 25: Approximately fifty people were injured, including five police officers, during soccer fans rush to purchase tickets for the CAN 2012 qualifier match between Morocco and Algeria. The tickets were being sold in Annaba, Algeria.[19]
  • March 29: Doctors who work in hospitals began an indefinite strike. They desire a generally better situation and refuse random assignments to remote regions of the country.[20]
  • March 31: The Ministry of Education has decided to integrate all contract teachers after ten days of protests outside the headquarters of the presidency of the republic in Algiers.[21]

April
  • April 17: The proposed reforms of President Bouteflika received only sparse support from independent media and the opposition. Critics stated that the Algerian leader failed to meet expectations for genuine change.[22]
  • April 20: Frank LaRue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, asked Algeria to guarantee the right to freedom of opinion and expression. He included a plea to decriminalize defamation.[23]
  • April 23: The movie Of Gods and Men, based on the book The Monks of Tibhirine by John W. Kiser, tells the story of seven French monks who were violently murdered. Their severed heads were found on a road near Medea, Algeria, on May 30, 1996. The film is directed by Xavier Beauvois.[24]
  • April 24: Police used truncheons to beat down pro-reform activists outside parliament. Organizers noted that the police action prevented an anti-government rally. Among the protesters were hundreds of teachers who had assembled in central Algiers. Only 2 kilometers away was a protest called by the National Coordination for Democracy and Change (CNDC).[25]
  • April 26: The current protests in Algeria are similar to those in other North African nations, i.e. in their demands for democratic reforms, freedom from corruption, and civil rights. The last election, in which President Bouteflika took 90.2% of the vote, was boycotted by opposition parties which charged widespread fraud.[26]
  • April 28: Two Algerian paramilitary police were killed during a bomb attack near Bordj Menaiel. The site is approximately 80 kilometers east of Algiers. The attack occurred in the mountainous Kabylie region, an area which Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb use as a base.[27]

May
  • May 16: President Bouteflika plans a release of several thousand Islamist prisoners to help ease memories of a conflict which killed an estimated 200,000 people.[28]
  • May 19: One million Algerians will receive training in information and communications technologies. This was announced by Moussa Benhamadi, the Minister of Post and Information and Communication Technologies.[29]
  • May 24: Alistair Burt, English Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, commended the beginning of negotiations for political reform in Algeria.[30]
  • International Christian Concern has discovered that Algerian authorities ordered the closing of seven Protestant churches in the province of Bejaia, in early May.[31]
  • May 31: Siagh Krimo, an Algerian Christian, was sentenced to five years in prison on May 25. The jail term occurred after he disclosed his faith to a neighbor. Algeria has a blasphemy law which outlaws acts which insult the prophet Mohammed, and any messengers of God.[32]

June
  • June 11: 46 women suspected of prostitution were arrested in Tichi, a popular seaside resort. They were charged with incitement to debauchery. Echourouk, a daily newspaper, reported the arrests.[33]
  • June 15: The high commissioner of police in Bejaia ordered all Christian churches closed. This edict includes all places of worship currently under construction. He threatened extreme consequences if the order is not obeyed.[34]
  • June 16: The Algerian parliament passed a budget law which encompassed numerous subsidies. The statute is designed to dispel growing public unrest concerning jobs and high consumer prices.[35]
  • June 23: Two months of talks on the subject of amending Algeria's constitution have concluded. The discussions have made a path for Algeria to institute reforms instead of experiencing the crises which other North African nations have, during a pro-democracy wave.[36]
  • June 26: Two months of meetings regarding how to amend Algeria's constitution have concluded. The consultations have made possible the implementation of reforms designed to prevent an uprising similar to those which have occurred in Tunisia and Libya.[37]

July
  • July 7: Algeria has been more subtle in its reaction against the Bouteflika regime when compared to the revolutions of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, i.e. Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.[38]
  • July 17: A double suicide attack occurred in the small town of Bordj Menail, sixty kilometers east of Algiers. Two people were killed and fourteen injured.[39]
  • July 21: Several Algerian soldiers were wounded, a number of them seriously, during a roadside bomb attack against their convoy southeast of Algiers.[40]
  • July 25: Yahia Douri, the sub-director of the Algiers Religious Affairs Ministry, claimed that 134 foreigners have converted to Islam in Algeria, in 2011.[41]

August
  • August 4: Relatives of seventeen Algerian sailors held by Somali pirates since January 2011, demonstrated, demanding the captives release. They are afraid the men will not survive the famine in Somalia and the Ramadan fast.[42]
  • August 11: Henry Ensher, the new U.S. Ambassador to Algeria, said that he expects Algiers to play a prominent role in the Arab region and Africa. He spoke in Algiers.[43]
  • August 11: Algeria announced that it would provide $10 million in aid for victims of famine and drought in countries in the Horn of Africa region.[44]

September
  • September 1: The Emir of Qatar flew to see President Bouteflika earlier this summer. He came to advise the Algerian president not to give support to the regime of Muammar Gaddafi. Algeria previously supported Gaddafi because it refused to accept orders from abroad.[45]
  • September 27: An escalation in attacks by Al Qaeda is threatening to undermine the political stability of the pro-western Bouteflika regime. After the January 2011 political dissension in Algeria, the government guaranteed reforms. The effort to curtail popular discontent continues.[46]
  • September 27: Algeria and Qatar held talks in Algiers. Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassam bin Jabor Al-Thani and Algeria's prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia, were the principals in the discussions.[47]
  • September 28: Algerian troops killed six militants in an extensive move versus hideouts used by Al-Qaeda's regional franchise, east of Algiers. Elite troops swept the Chouicha forest near Boumerdes, just sixty miles east of the capitol.[48]

October
  • October 6: Hachemi Sanouni, a founder of the Islamic Salvation Front, and Abderazek Zeraoui Hamadache, asked Algerians to demand the closing of all bars and stores where alcoholic beverages are sold.[49]
  • October 8: Total S.A., Gaz de France and Sonatrach announced a joint venture in the oil fields located in southwest Algeria. The gas fields of In-Salah are among the few sites worldwide which use sequestration technology to bury CO2 in deep layers instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.[50]
  • October 12: Somali pirates who have held an Algerian bulk carrier since January 1, 2011, released two of its twenty-seven crewmen.[51]
  • October 31: Construction was completed on the long anticipated metro. Building began twenty-eight years ago but was halted due to an oil crisis, and then a decade of civil unrest.[52]

November
  • November 2: Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Bouteflika on Algeria's public holiday A-Anniversary of the Revolution.[53]
  • November 8: Terrorist activities have escalated in Kabylie since April 2011. The majority of terrorist attacks in Algeria have occurred there. Kabyls make up the largest number of Algerian Berbers.[54]
  • November 17: Algerian crew members, held hostage by Somali pirates since January 2011, were repatriated to Algeria on November 14 . They arrived in Algiers on a special flight from Kenya.[55]
  • November 18: President Bouteflika dismissed Noureddine Cherouati, managing director of Sonatrach. He appointed Abdelhamid Zerguin, head of the Sonatrach subsidiary in Lugano, Switzerland, to take Cherouati's place.[56]
  • November 21: Henry Ensher has been nominated to be the United States ambassador to Algeria. Ensher is a career member of the US senior foreign service.[57]

December
  • December 12: Islamists in Algeria are hoping to triumph in elections in the spring of 2012. They have been encouraged by the successes of other Islamists throughout North Africa.[58]
  • December 15: Bouteflika's health is a concern after the president failed to deliver a traditional speech marking the beginning of the academic year. Instead, a copy of the speech was distributed to journalists.[59]
  • December 16: Algerian lawmakers passed a controversial new media law which opponents believe will restrict journalists' freedom. Specifically, the law imposes sanctions on journalists who attempt to compromise Algeria's national identity, sovereignty, economy, and security. Fines up to $3,900 and prison terms will be levied on offenders.[60]
  • December 29: Scientists in Algeria have identified four poisonous plants native to the Sahara Desert which can be used to kill the fungus which causes Bayoud disease in date palm trees.[61]
  • December 30 : Riots in Algeria in early 2011 were a result of social problems, i.e. poor housing, unemployment, and a paucity of medical services. In contrast to protests in Tunisia and Egypt, in which governments were toppled, Algerian uprisings were not politically motivated. Bouteflika is not despised as were Hosni Mubarek and other Arab leaders, by his own people.[62]

References
  1. Algeria/Riots: Who benefits from the fire of Fitna?, Ennahar online, January 10, 2011, internet article.
  2. Algeria chooses international business law firm to assess Djezzy, Ennahar online, January 10, 2011, Internet article.
  3. "Algeria has imported over one billion dollars of oil and sugar", Ennahar online, January 12, 2011, Internet article.
  4. Renault Algeria: We're not ready to go, Ennahar online, January 13, 2011, Internet article.
  5. Algeria: Third death by self-immolation, Ennahar Online, January 30, 2011, Internet article.
  6. Air Algeria: Discounts up to 50% for students and the unemployed, Ennahar Online, February 1, 2011, Internet article.
  7. Algeria: Lower inflation to 3.9% in 2010, February 1, 2010, Internet article.
  8. An Italian tourist kidnapped in southern Algeria, Ennahar Oniine, February 4, 2011, Internet article.
  9. Amid a Sea of Upheaval Algeria is Still, The New York Times, February 18, 2011, Internet article.
  10. "19 Algeria Post employees divert 16 billion centimes", Ennahar Online, February 6, 2011, Internet article.
  11. Algeria protests loses steam, Algeria News, February 26, 2011, Internet article.
  12. Algeria officially lifts state of emergency, CNN newswire, February 25, 2011, internet article.
  13. Algerian cops mobilize to block protectors, Algeria News, February 27, 2011, Internet article.
  14. New Tunisian PM pays one-day visit to Algeria, Algeria News, March 16, 2011, internet article.
  15. Top Algerian Salafist: Democracy is Un-Islamic, The New Media Journal, March 19, 2011, internet article.
  16. "Algerian president promises political reforms", Algeria News, March 20, 2011, internet article.
  17. "Algeria plans Billion-Dinar Investments In Major Forestry Projects", Algeria News, March 21, 2011, Internet article.
  18. "Algeria's drinking water supply increases by 3 times within a decade: president", People's Daily Online, March 22, 2011, Internet article.
  19. Algeria/Morocco: Fifty Injured in Soccer Ticket Frenzy, Algeria News, March 24, 2011, Internet article.
  20. Doctors in specialty pursue their indefinite strike, Ennahar Online, March 28, 2011, Internet article.
  21. Contract teachers will be integrated, Ennahar Online, March 30, 2011, Internet article.
  22. Bouteflika's reforms called disappointing, Gulf Times, April 17, 2011, Internet article.
  23. UN rights expert urges Algeria to guarantee freedom of expression, JURIST, April 19, 2011, Internet article.
  24. Film Tells Poignant Story Of Monks' Deaths, Knoxville News Sentinel, April 21, 2011, Internet article.
  25. Police beat down Algeria protest, news24.com (South Africa), April 23, 2011, Internet article.
  26. Will Algerians get involved?, The Hindu, April 25, 2011, Internet article.
  27. "Bomb kills two Algerian gendarmes; security source", KTXL TV Sacramento, California, April 27, 2011, Internet article.
  28. Algeria to free jailed militants: Islamist leaders, Algeria News, May 15, 2011, Internet article.
  29. One Million Algerians To Receive ICT Training, Malaysian National News Agency, May 18, 2011, Internet article.
  30. London praises Algerian reform talks, UPI.com, May 23, 2011, Internet article.
  31. Seven Churches Forced To Close in Algerian Province, Persecution.org, May 25, 2011, internet article.
  32. Algerian Christian sentenced to prison after sharing faith with neighbor, CatholicCulture.org., May 30, 2011, Internet article.
  33. Algeria cracks down on prostitutes at resort, In-depth Africa, June 10, 2011, Internet article.
  34. Algerian Christians Continue to Worship Despite Government Order, Worthy News, June 14, 2011, Internet Article.
  35. Algeria passes budget law as public anger grows, In-depth Africa, June 15, 2011, Internet article.
  36. Consultations end for Algeria's new constitution, KWQC News 6, June 22, 2011, internet article.
  37. Consultations end for Algeria's new constitution, KWQC-TV Davenport, Iowa, Internet article.
  38. Algeria Becalmed, Institute For War and Peace Reporting, July 6, 2011, Internet article.
  39. Algerie Plus, July 16, 2011, Internet article.
  40. Troops wounded in Algeria roadside bomb, News 24.com, July 20, 2011, Internet article.
  41. 134 Foreigners Converted To Islam In Algeria In 2011, Malaysian National News Agency, July 24, 2011, Internet article
  42. Famine threat: Algerians held in Somalia, News24.com, August 3, 2011, Internet article.
  43. U.S. Ambassador Praises Algiers as vanguard in Africa and Arab region, People's Daily Online, August 10, 2011, Internet article,
  44. Algeria to deliver aid to famine-struck Horn of Africa countries, People's Daily Online, August 10, 2011, internet article.
  45. Robert Fisk: Algeria Sends Clear Message To The West, Independent.ie, August 31, 2011, internet article.
  46. Aqim escalates the violence in Algeria-helped by Libya's war, Manchester Guardian, September 27, 2011, Internet article
  47. Qatar, Algeria Hold Talks, The Peninsula, September 27, 2011, Internet article.
  48. Algerian army kills 6 militants in anti-Al-Qaeda operation, Daily Star (Lebanon), September 28, 2011, Internet article.
  49. 2 Algerian Islamists call for bars to close, Fort Mill Times, October 5, 2011, Internet article.
  50. CO2 Sequestration to Expand in Algeria's Gas Fields, North African Journal, October 7, 2011, Internet article.
  51. Somali pirates release two hostages from Algerian ship, Agence France Presse, October 11, 2011, Internet article.
  52. Long awaited Algeria metro opens, Algeria News, October 30, 2011, Internet article.
  53. President Ilham Aliyev Congratulates Algerian Counterpart on Country's Public Holiday, Algeria News, November 1, 2011, Internet article.
  54. France tries to dismember Algeria again, Pravda, November 7, 2011, Internet article
  55. MV Blida Crew Members Held Hostage By Somali Pirates Arrive Safely In Algiers, Algeria News, November 16, 2011, Internet article.
  56. "Bouteflika Sacks Head of State Energy Firm", Radio Netherlands, November 17, 2011, Internet article.
  57. "U.S. Ambassador Nominees to Algeria and Kazachstan", Tajikistan News.Net, November 20, 2011, Internet article.
  58. Algeria's Islamists Hope For Election Victory, December 13, 2011, Lake Wylie Pilot, Internet article.
  59. Absent Bouteflika Causes Concern, IOL News Africa, December 14, 2011, internet article.
  60. Algeria lawmakers approve controversial media law, JURIST, December 15, 2011, internet article.
  61. Scientists find desert cure for date disease, Science and Development Network, December 28, 2011, internet article.
  62. Algeria: Exception in Arab Turmoil, ChinaDaily, December 29, 2011, internet article.
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