Ali Benflis labels Sellal’s offending remarks as “reckless and irresponsible”

The independent candidate for the April 17 presidential elections in Algeria, Ali Benflis, has firmly castigated the latest offending remarks made by Abdelmalek Sellal about the Chaoui population of the eastern part of the country.

Sellal reportedly made such offensive statements during a meeting Saturday devoted to the official installation of the various local managers in charge of steering the election campaign of Abdellaziz Bouteflika.

Ali Benflis, who is himself of Chaoui origin as he was born in the eastern city of Batna, strongly blasted Sellal’s remarks as “reckless and irresponsible” stressing that such a posture by the current political establishment was the direct outcome of its adopted “divide and rule policy” which has wreaked untold damage within large segments of the Algerian population, as he put it.

Ali Benflis also pointed out that the prevailing policy of cronyism and widespread corruption practices encouraged by the current authorities were part of the lingering scourges which should be stamped out at all levels of governance.

He added that the government-led election campaign in favour of incumbent Bouteflika was marked by despise and a glaring lack of consideration and respect for the Algerian people and its ancestral values.