Child kidnapping sparks concerns in Algeria
2007-05-30
The kidnapping of Yacine Bouchelouh has raised awareness about the high number of child abductions in Algeria.
By Said Jameh for Magharebia in Algiers – 30/05/07
 [Said Jameh] Posters calling for information about Yacine Bouchelouh are all over Algiers. |
Algerians are concerned about the number of children abducted, and the kidnapping of Yacine Bouchelouh has captured the attention of parents throughout the country. Official statistics show the disappearance of 841 children since 2001, ranging in age from 4 to 16.
Recent abduction cases reported in the media have panicked Algerian families, particularly since last month, when Yacine Bouchelouh was abducted in front of his own home in the Bordj El Kiffan district of eastern Algiers. The police have been unable to solve the mystery of the missing child despite a massive search and investigation operation. Yacine’s story turned into a national issue after his parents stepped up their search and issued pleas to citizens and even the kidnappers.
Yacine’s mother has appeared twice on "Everything Is Possible", a television segment devoted to searching missing children, pleading with the kidnappers to release him and stressing she would give them anything they want.
The family also posted pictures of the abducted child in public squares, on major streets, at the entrance to shops, on the pages of most newspapers and on the official website of the Algerian police, in hopes of attaining any information.
Official figures for 2000 show on month with 28 kidnappings reported. In 2002, 117 children were kidnapped, 71 of them girls. The number of abductees rose to 168 children in 2004. Algerian police have already recorded 41 kidnappings of children during the first four months of this year.
Most missing children cases were reported in major cities, with the highest concentration in Algiers, Oran and Annaba.
Some Algerians attribute the trend of child abductions to criminal networks trafficking in human organs, while others feel the disappearances are sexually motivated.
In an effort to dispel hovering doubts about the appearance of networks trafficking human organs, security agencies denied the existence of such networks following Yacine’s abduction, noting that at present no organ trafficking operation had been recorded and the existence of such networks had not been discovered or reported.
Police officer Kheira Messaoudene, head of the Childhood Protection Office at the Police Directorate, said cases of missing children are not only attributable to kidnapping. Rather, there are children who resort to running away from their families for social reasons. She added that in "most cases" children are kidnapped to settle scores with the family and that often the kidnappers are family members. She speculated that Yacine might have been abducted by a family "out of curiosity".
Statements by security officials fail to assuage parents. Last year, 86 missing children were found dead.
Hayat, mother of a 9-year-old girl, told Magharebia she no longer lets her child go to school unaccompanied. She picks her up every day from school. Algiers resident Mouloud said that Yacine's case made him stop his only girl from playing in their building's courtyard.
In comments on local radio regarding the decline in public safety in recent years, former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia called for increased severity in sentencing convicted kidnappers, even including the death penalty. Algeria has historically reserved the death penalty for treason or other "violations of state security".
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chafi mouaadh Posted 2007-05-31
We need to have laws to avoid things like this. –Alirhab.
gcdd Gentil coquelicot défense et dévouement Posted 2007-05-31
Barka! Together, we all can act to have this stop. These children need us. Be vigilant. Unite us with the world to put a stop to this revolting horror
Kay Ram Posted 2007-06-03
I feel the parents need to organise themselves and ask the government for tighter laws in procecuting these evil perverted indivduals and asert tighter controls on thier children , algeria like most countries worldwide is facing decay of society , the schools need to play a bigger role in educating children about the dangers and parents need to be taking the responsibilty of raising their children instead of pushing them out the door as soon as they are able to walk. The government needs to invest more in to recreation for the society better facilites and more of them. Where children can play in a safe environment. algeria has the money so why are they not useing it!!!!! Children are the futre so lets give them what they deserve, : freedom and saftey to GROW into good citizens insha Allah.
MOHAMED IKBAL Posted 2007-06-13
The child is the rose of the society if it's spoilt all the society will be spoilt, what can then be said about kidnapping?
jayen dee Posted 2007-06-16
child abduction and trafficking is a big problem in many countries with many children apparently 'disappearing' off the face of the earth. These children are somewhere and so are the perpetrators, the only way it will stop is if those in power fight for it, unfortunatly it is often those rich in power or wealth who buy and sell these children for their own needs. As some children are worth alot of money in some countries, lobbying governments and raising awarenee of the problem is the only way this cruel abusive trade will be halted. The children are innocent and will have their lives ruined as they end up either dead or drug addicts prostituted out to anyone. innocence lost forever at an age too young to comprehend,
rial Posted 2007-06-20
Hello everyone, I would like to ask all the parents to be vigilant, because children are our future Algerians. Like this poor little one who has just been found, to the grief of his mother and father, God be with them. Please, look after your children.
rafik Posted 2007-06-20
May God have mercy on him
هاجر Posted 2007-06-21
Salam alaikoum...And now that they have found this little child dead, what can we say, may God guide us and guide all believers and Muslims to the right path, may be the hearts of European Christians are more merciful than the hearts of Muslims.
كوثر Posted 2007-06-24
Salam...We ask God's mercy for him and to host him in paradise and make him a key to paradise for his parents...Oh God grant us safety and wellness.
امينة Posted 2007-07-01
The rights of the child have to be implemented.
فاروق مداح Posted 2007-07-04
In the name of God, the least that can be said about these deeds is that they're stupid and are a result of a flaw in the education of these people and that they have grown up in a corrupt environment that have produced for us such bad examples that cannot be taken as idols....As for our sons, we say one thing: God is our mandate, and we ask god to protect them from every evil.
Yassine Posted 2007-07-08
My Algeria is blazing from the absence of the state and public order. Question: who must protect our society?
the patriot Posted 2007-10-05
The country of Miki, country of Tiki, the country where everything is fraudulent, everything is fabricated.
fayçal Posted 2007-10-20
They tell themselves that “all of these kidnappings are due to parents’ carelessness and negligence”, thinking that this only happens to other people. This is wrong. We are all concerned in this. If we do nothing, then tomorrow will see another one of us taken away. Let us act to create a police specialized in the protection of our children.
خالد Posted 2008-01-03
I'm making a research about ransom and kidnapping in Algeria. So please help me with available topics, studies, statistics...Thank you.
Abdou Posted 2008-01-19
I think that there can be only one thing behind this rise in kidnapping: paedophilia. So, stop hiding the sun with behind your veil and attack the roots of this evil. Algerian society has changed a lot, and unfortunately, more so for the worse than for the better.
mida Posted 2008-02-11
What our society is suffering through at this moment is really unfortunate. In my opinion, this is because of the radical change our social and economic lives have undergone. There are a lot of foreigners who are integrating into our society, so we need to find a solution together because their danger is upon our doorstep. We need to stop patronising them so that they cannot work here anymore. And, we do not need to imitate them. Thank you
hicham *oran* Posted 2008-03-13
Stupid people are living in these days. My brothers, mercy is gone (ghouls) the monster will always exist so long as God does not exterminate it, and remove it from our traces forever.
lina-radya Posted 2008-03-14
"What is happening to our society is increasingly disturbing and distressing." Of course this is what everybody is saying. And then, in light of this sad air, they curse the State a thousand times over for having made us powerless without ever having taken a second to think about think about all this. I would say that there is indeed something to this, but why not pose ourselves some questions—and not necessarily good ones? Just ask ourselves where exactly our responsibility is in all of this. All the more so, given that this is all unfolding right before our very eyes and we do nothing about it, except remain spectators. We are far from living in a perfect world—we all understand this—but how long are we going to accept submitting ourselves to scrutiny, which is in fact not scrutiny at all? Where are the descendants of those great heroes who gave their lives because they refused to live in a world without being their own masters, who did no want to resolve themselves to a fate with which they did not agree. Seize these words, which are not aimed at offending anyone: perhaps if you change your point of view, your vision will be clearer.
شهرزاد Posted 2008-04-15
I am a child, I am 16. I ask all prominent figures in society to act before it is too late and intensify efforts to find kidnapped children and execute their kidnappers.
عبد الحميد Posted 2008-05-24
Salam alikoum. The kidnapping acts are disturbing everyone in the absence of measures to stop the progress of this phenomenon. In reality, this has coincided with the emergence of private clinics, it was even worsened by the absence of security and lack of interaction of the civil society with the phenomenon in a positive way. There is also a lack of dissuasive measures such as execution for the kidnaper. What can we expect of someone who dares to violate innocence?
عبدربي Posted 2008-05-24
In the name of God most gracious most merciful. An important observation, maybe the main cause of kidnapping by foreign people is negligence and carelessness in some cases by the parents. Therefore, you must take care of your children and take good care for them especially at entry and exit hours from school.
ferial Posted 2008-06-03
Hi, I am a young man and I have been very traumatised by all the kidnappings. I would very much like that you parents mind your children during their free time up until they go to school. As for you kidnappers, stop! We have been traumatised. In the end, only God can punish them! There you have it, my two cents.
commandant hellal Posted 2008-07-30
Batna belongs to the international terrorist and pimping network, not to mention the kidnapping of children and having them disappear to France. Please, can anybody provide me with any information concerning Abdelmalek Salah Hellal, age 15, and Mehdi Khellil Hellal, age 12. Their mother, betrayed by the lure of dual-citizenship and the paradise that is France, with the higher-ups and magistrates of Batna as her accomplice, disappeared without their father, who has only his home Algerian citizenship, knowing. Then, she proceeded to denunciations and retaliative measures that were extremely violent.
magdalena Posted 2008-09-01
I am French. I love Algeria because my husband is Algerian, but, I admit, that in one month I must leave with my two children, a three-year-old and a four-month-old, and this makes me horribly afraid. My thoughts go out to this little boy and his family; I hope that they guard their hope. God is great!
khouiled rahima Posted 2008-10-29
I am asking for help with regards to my children who were kidnapped in Algeria seven years ago by my ex-husband. Help me, please! If you have any information, please contact me.
نور Posted 2008-12-13
I am 17, I know that all this is the result of shame. Shame of being Muslims and that we respect our religion. For example, a young girl was kidnapped and her organs were sold. One day, your sons will be kidnapped, then you will feel that you are guilty. But until then, kids will have disappeared. I hope that this won’t happen. Thank you.
عبد الهادي Posted 2008-12-20
Salam alikum. I want please a complete research about the phenomenon of kidnapping innocent kids. I study in the fourth year of lower secondary education. Please reply to my request as soon as possible about this phenomenon. Thank you.
yassir Posted 2009-02-13
I think that we must implement firm sanctions against criminals to stop this serious phenomenon. Parents must supervise adequately and firmly their children. Yasser from Morocco.
اسامة عباس Posted 2009-04-01
First, I would like to thank you for this increased interest in this horrible phenomenon. I would like to inform you that the main cause is the house, family and parentes.
algerie Posted 2009-09-06
Regarding the kidnapping of children and human trafficking in Algeria, I personally say that the security services are accomplice to the traffickers. What you do not know is that Algeria's policing body is one of the most corrupt sectors, particularly on the border, where, given their pay, the police, army and customs officials work with all the smugglers and traffickers that come through Algeria, be it the theft of human beings or assault. This is truly cowardly on the part of the security services!
BOUZID Posted 2009-09-18
May God rest the soul of Yassine Bachlouh.
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