Algeria officials show growing signs of desperation as protests push on
Protests continue in Algeria, where the regime hopes its selective culling of the political elite will appease the demonstrators.
TUNIS, Tunisia — The momentum of the popular demonstrations that have seized Algeria shows no sign of weakening. Faced with a groundswell of public outrage over years of stagnation and the machinations of a self-serving political elite, Algeria’s government and security services have thus far proven themselves unable to placate the tide of protest against them.
As the protests push on — the students packing the streets on Tuesdays, before the full extent of public anger is given voice on Fridays — the government’s reactions have rudely exposed an elite with no answers. However, as the protesters draw closer to the center of the ingrained power structures — known locally as the pouvoir — that have ruled the country for decades, growing signs of desperation and frustration are coming to characterize the official response.
Within the top tiers of Algeria’s state and state-dependent business sectors, there has been a dramatic purge, overseen — at least tacitly — by the army Chief of Staff Gen. Gaid Salah, himself the target of the protesters’ ire.
On April 24, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, the chief of Algeria’s sprawling state-owned energy company Sonatrach, was dismissed from his position, with analysts attributing his departure primarily to his proximity to ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika rather than any particular failing in his role. Over the weekend, five of the country’s leading tycoons, including Algeria’s richest man, Issad Rebrab — all said to enjoy extensive links to the ousted president — were arrested. Beyond the business sector, both former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and current Finance Minister Mohamed Loukal have been summoned for questioning regarding the suspected misuse of public money.
