Inside Africa: Protests In Algeria Continue As Hirak Movement Regains Momentum

RYAD KRAMDI

Cries of “Algeria, free, democratic” are once again being heard across the Maghreb as another round of anti-government protests kicked off in Algeria’s capital city earlier this month. Hundreds, if not thousands of Algerians from all walks of life joined in solidarity against the government of Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the Algerian military, exhibiting an unprecedented show of public opinion considering protests had been prohibited in Algiers.

This anti-government movement, known as the Hirak, began over two years ago. Weekly protests in Algiers even brought down the state’s previous president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in 2019, paving the way for some high-profile corruption prosecutions. Though this progress looked promising, the state still had a long way to go to fix various state-wide issues that have been exacerbating social conflict. 

Algeria is suffering not only from the effects of the global health crisis but also due to the brutal fall in oil prices. To cope with the collapse of its foreign exchange earnings, the state is trying to reduce its import bill as best it can, even if it means creating shortages of certain products in many sectors.

Since the beginning of the year, basic consumer goods such as oil, pasta, and dried vegetables have seen a sharp rise in prices. Long queues to get even a simple carton of milk or can of subsidized oil have become the norm; the lack of cash in postal offices continues to force thousands of pensioners and low-income workers to wait for hours in line to withdraw their meager funds. Drought continues to plague the state, as the supply of safe drinking water is being rationed in many districts of major cities such as Algiers. 

The state’s decision to devalue the dinar further complicates issues. In December 2020, the Cercle d’Action et de Réflexion sur l’Entreprise (CARE) noted that, over the last 10 years, the Algerian currency had already fallen in value by 77%.

Algeria, like its immediate neighbors in the Maghreb and Europe, has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. As public health conditions worsened as the pandemic wore on, President Tebboune announced a ban on all marches and protests, claiming the ban was intended to combat the spread of COVID-19. The decision only further mobilized Hirak militants, who saw the ban as an attempt to put an end to the protest movement.  

The distrust of Algerians towards those in power is so palpable that it highlights their legitimate fear of seeing the movement run out of steam or disappear altogether after a pause, despite everything they have stood for. The Algerian government continued to push back, passing a law banning fake news last year; many activists again believe this was an excuse to crackdown on free speech. As the pandemic lockdowns took on their full effect, a number of collectives from the Hirak migrated online in order to continue to project their platform to the public. "People began discussing ideas on Zoom, Facebook Lives and other platforms," a member of one group, Algerian Detainees, told the BBC. "It kind of gave the movement the time and space to think, plan and organize itself."

As a result, dozens were arrested for making Facebook posts critical of the president and the military, while others were detained after participating in some small-scale protests. Yet these obstacles did not curb opposition forces. On May 7, thousands of Algerians took to the streets again to demand change and the establishment of a “civil and not military state.”

Though the movement took a brief pause over the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, feelings of discontent never truly went away amongst the Algerian population. 

"We called on the president to take strong political measures that would restore the confidence of Algerians and establish a real political will to bring about the desired change," the Socialist Forces Front, traditionally an opposition party in Algeria, said in a statement after meeting the president. But the president, who was once Bouteflika's prime minister, is viewed by many with suspicion. He did not satisfy the demand for change.

"Here, we are talking about mobilizing and returning to the streets, because today the Algerian people cannot go forward with this regime that has been in place since our independence,” noted Mahmoud Bougheriou, a prominent member of the opposition party Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD).

On May 2, unprecedented scenes of rioting recommenced on the streets of Algiers, as tens of thousands blocked streets in the largest street demonstrations since 2019 using non-violence. Protesters chanted and marched, forming human chains while displaying flags and banners. Most of the demands being made mirror the 2019-2020 Algerian protests, alongside calling for new elections to ensure a free and fair Algeria. The peaceful protest movement, which does not have a centralized leadership, continues in reaction to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's decision to campaign for a fifth consecutive term in office. 

Protestors come from all walks of life and are involved in various sectors of the Algerian workforce. Recently, 14 education unions announced a three-day strike, as well as demonstrations in front of education directorates across the country, with the aim of “improving teachers’ purchasing power.” On April 12, the eve of Ramadan, Algérie Poste workers went on strike for a week. They demanded that their bonuses be paid, denounced “their supervisor’s unfulfilled promises” and insisted that their demands, some of which date back to 2003, be met. At the beginning of the month,  a strike led by health workers had already paralyzed all the country’s hospitals. The strikers protested the non-payment of their COVID-19 bonus. They had also demanded better working conditions as well as a salary increase. The Algerian medical profession has been severely affected by the ongoing pandemic, with several hundred medical staff having lost their lives as a result of COVID-19.

Today, the phenomenon of blocked roads has become an integral part of everyday life for Algerians in major cities. Protesters continue to make their demands for social housing, jobs, gas and the end of government corruption known.