Algerian bloggers discuss Cheb Mami, national reconciliation and corruption

15/11/2006

Algerian bloggers talked about Cheb Mami's arrest, the amnesty charter, corruption and hatred based on religious differences.

[Getty Images] Mami's fans are very concerned about the outcome of his trial.

Algerian bloggers are very concerned about the lack of transparency regarding Cheb Mami's arrest on Saturday (October 28th) by French police while preparing for the release of his new album "Layali" two days later.

According to AFP, Mami "was put under investigation by the Bobigny tribunal (Paris) … for premeditated violence, sequestration and a threat against a victim to rescind her complaint," reported Amine Tlemcani.

"The acts apparently took place in Morocco or Algeria and regard an old friend of the singer," continued the Algerian blogger.

"A complaint was filed by one of his old companions. She is accusing him of assaulting her … the violence apparently caused, according to the plaintiff, abortion of their child, the 'victim' has filed a certificate [that] she was on worker's disability for 30 days," explained CIVP blogger.

Citing a report released during a press conference on November 7th by the Algerian Association Against Corruption and Transparency International, Algerian blogger Adel Life blog posted, "Algeria ranked 84th on the corruption rankings. You can tell me that it is not news, everybody knows, yes you are right, but we are 84th, even here we could not get first place, it is impossible … we were sure that we were going to get … the cup… for the most corrupt country in the world, but with the politics we have, it is only postponed for next year".

Tahia Bladi blogged about the reconciliation in Algeria, quoting an article published by Le Soir d'Algerie and what Moroccan lawyer and Equity Reconcilation Committee Maitre Ahmed Chaouqui said during an Algerian Human Rights League conference about the Algerian amnesty charter in Algiers on November 13th. The blogger tried to find what could have been the cause behind the failure of the reconciliation application in his country.

The Algerian blogger argued that "the complexity of the Algerian drama" resides in the fact that most of the Algerian victims express the need to go after the person that have caused them harm, while "the reconciliation [in] Morocco was made with the past and not with the victims' executioners".

Blogger, Islamic scholar and philosopher Mustapha Cherif just returned from a trip to Vatican City, where he met with Pope Benedict XVI. He had requested to see the pope and thank him for all the efforts he has been making to understand Islam.

They both agreed on the need for an "inter-religious colloquium [to] fight against religious hatred" and that "Christians and Muslims should not be rivals, but allies and friends … and [that] Islam respects Christianity".

In light of the recent wave of Islamist violence, the Algerian blogger explained to Pope Benedict XVI "that in the face of adversity, Islam recommends to all believers to forgive, be patient … never be the aggressor … the greatest jihad is the effort towards the control of the self … Muslims in their majority, revoke and criticise religious archaism, intolerance, [and] using religion as an instrument [for political gain]."

"[The pope] said that he shared all our [Muslims] worries and support our noble objectives," reported the blogger.