Former RCD founder Amara Benyounes opens up to Echourouk
The leader of the Union for Democracy ad Republic, Amara Benyounes, has denied the existence of any link between him and the president Bouteflika, noting that he has never met him in his life; as to his relationship with Said Boutefliak, this has indicated that it goes back to his school years.
- Talking at “ Echourouk Forum” Benyounes has revealed that he withdrew from his previous party the Rally for Culture and Democracy ( RCD) on his intent and was never ousted.
- The former leader has dwelt on the cacophony that’s prevailing ion the Algerian political scene, slashing at the presidential alliance that’s pumping its strength from the president and not the opposite. He staunchly criticised what he billed “ the mafia of the opposition”.
- Amara Benyouness , whose party has not been legalized yet, laid out his political ambitions and asserted that he will take part in the next legislative elections , declaring that if he were in the place of Belkhadem he would run for the residency.
- Said Bouteflika is a schoolmate…
- Amara Benyounes has admitted that he cannot run for presidency o account of his weak political influence, criticizing at the same time the parties of the presidential alliance for not expressing openly their intent to do so. He has also denied allegations that he met the president Bouteflika though he took part in his directory during the 2009 presidential campaign. The leader has indicated that his relationship with the president’s brother and personal advisor Said Bouteflika goes back to the school years.
- Amara Benyounes has asserted that his engagement by the president Bouteflika during the last presidential elections was not driven by any personal ambition and he was not seeking any official post.
- Hannachi’s assessment as president is better than Said Saadi’s
- He was not tender against his former party ( RCD) in the wake of the smear campaign launched against the president of the president of the football club ( JSK) M Hannachi, saying that politics should not interfere in sport “ In my life, I have never seen a political party interfering in the internal affairs of a football club… The General Assembly is sovereign and the members have elected Moh Cherif Hannachi as a president of this club, thus he’s is the head whether we like it or not”.
- Amara Benyounes has vehemently criticized the demolition of a mosque in the region of “Aghrib” under pressure of his former party last year, considering it as an unprecedented act in a region known for its strong bond to the Islamic religion “ In our region, when we talk about a mosque we mention it as “ the God’s house”… I have never seen a mosque demolished in an Islamic country especially in Algeria; I’m against these acts even if the mosque is built by Ousama Bin Laden himself”.
- Benyounes has indicated that the parties of the presidential alliance are hampering the political reforms initiated by the president Bouteflika considering them as a mere extension to the former old party.