Algerian protesters again on streets against the ruling gang

Algerian protesters
Algerian protesters

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators returned to Algerian streets on Friday to press demands for wholesale democratic change well beyond former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's resignation, chanting "we do what we want", witnesses said.

Parliament named an interim president and a July 4 election date was set in a transition endorsed by Algeria's powerful military. But Bouteflika's April 2 exit failed to placate many Algerians who want to topple the entire elite that have dominated the country since independence from France in 1962.

Protesters gathered anew in citycentres around Algeria demanding root-and-branch reforms – including politicalpluralism and crackdowns on corruption and cronyism, witnesses said. Numberslater surged after Friday prayers.

There was no official count butReuters reporters at the scene estimated the number of demonstrators in thehundreds of thousands as on previous Fridays since the extraordinary massdissent erupted on Feb. 22.

"We will not give up ourdemands," said Mourad Hamini, standing outside his coffee shop, wherethousands of protesters were waving Algerian flags.

The crowd later chanted: "Thisis our country and we do what we want!"

'B's must Go'

Protesters also called for AbdelkaderBensalah, head of the upper house of parliament, to quit as caretaker presidentand for Noureddine Bedoui to stand down as interim prime minister.

"They must go. The B's mustgo," one banner read, referring to Bensalah, Bedoui and Moad Bouchareb,head of the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) party.

Tayib Belaiz, chairman of Algeria'sConstitutional Council and a fourth senior "B" official, resignedearlier this week.

On Tuesday, armed forces chiefLieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah said the military was considering alloptions to resolve the national political crisis and warned "time isrunning out".

It was a hint the military was losingpatience with the popular upheaval shaking Algeria, a major oil and natural-gasexporter and a key security partner for the West against Islamist militants innorth and west Africa.

Salah did not specify what measuresthe army could take but added: "We have no ambition but to protect ournation."

The army has so far patientlymonitored the mostly peaceful protests that at times swelled to hundreds of thousandsof people. It remains the most powerful institution in Algeria, having swayedpolitics from the shadows for decades.

Protesters want a clean break with"le pouvoir" (the power) – the secretive establishment comprised ofveterans of the war of independence against France, senior FLN figures andassociated oligarchs – and sweeping reforms.

"The ninth Friday is a voteagainst the gang," read a banner held up by protesters on Saturday.

"The system will go sooner orlater," said Mohamed Dali, who was selling sweets to protesters.

Another banner read: "Thecountry is ours and the army is ours."

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