Algeria: authorities set to settle self-defense elements' situation

The National Gendarmerie forces started summoning self-defense elements and asked them to prepare administrative files including their identity documents, their social and professional situation, according to corroborating sources.This process comes within the settlement of this category’s situation which suffers from marginalization and poverty, the same sources told Echorouk.According to sources close to the file, authorities have already counted them and investigated in their situations for compensation and professional reintegration.  For his part, president of the national organization of defending self-defense elements, this category have the priority for social care especially the ill ones.

“They are alongside terrorism victims,” he told Echorouk.

 There is no official statistics on the number of self-defense elements but the organization’s estimates say they are 70,000.

Reliable sources said their number has went down for the last three years as many of them resigned, others were deprived of their weapons, others were jailed and dozens of them died of diseases.

 “Their number now is 55,000 deployed in 35 provinces,” the same sources told Echorouk.

Algerian interior minister said the State will not abandon this category and appreciate their sacrifices.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika hailed their sacrifices in the fight against terrorism in many of his speeches.

 The “armed civilians” said their salaries are low and most of them can not meet their families’ needs.