Benflis: Constitutional Amendment of 2008 behind Algeria's problems

“I will grant the Amazigh identity its real value”, Ali Benflis, candidate for April 17 Presidential Elections, said during his popular gathering in Tizi Ouzou, eastern Algiers.

Benflis promised to solve the problem of the “crisis of Amazigh identity”, without providing further details.

“Algeria is asked to make peace with itself through granting the principles of identity their real place. Those who fear from dealing with this file, are cowards. I want to build the state of citizenship where citizens are free to choose their ways of living and not like those who want to build a pharaonic state. We are Amazigh and Islam made us Arabs”.

Benflis presented a part of his electoral program, including the constitutional amendment, saying that Liamine Zeroual was right when he fixed the terms, and was an example of power change, before this was violated by opening terms in 2008, considering that the last amendment was a cause of Algeria’s current situation.

Benflis also promised of granting parliament the powers that enables monitoring the government and calling it or changing it in case of making mistakes in performing its missions, through destroying oppression.

“I promise to free justice and media. If I will be chosen as Algeria’s future president I will open the way in front of journalists to choose the media order which they think is appropriate for their profession”.

“I think the problems that people live including terrorism and kidnaping is a result of the lack of dialogue with the power, as the state resorts to the security option. Algeria is noticing a dangerous political crisis which aims exclusion. I will not accept exclusion and I will open wide doors for those who think like us”.