Islamists Should Partake In The Reform Consultations, Mehri

The problem of Algeria is not the lack of laws, but rather the non respect of those laws, former secretary general of the National Liberation Front (FLN), Abdelhamid Mehri, said on Sunday.

Following his meeting with political reforms consultations panel Mr Abdelhamid Mehri told reporters “The incumbent regime tends to have practices that are far from any judicial article,” which gives the impression of “the existence of parallel and hidden regime, and this should be changed!”

Mr Mehri further added that the current consultations over the intended political reforms should be open to all parties and in-line with the requirements of the reform itself which has to include the structure and the functioning of the state.

In this regard, the national figure says the adequate solution lies not in the amendment of articles, but rather in the initiation of a clear dialogue that leads into a national conference with the participation of all political forces. He added that this conference should be concluded by a referential declaration determining the road map of the reforms.

 Mr Mehri stressed that all political tendencies and forces, including members of the dissolved Islamist Salvation Front (FIS) should have the right to participate in these consultations, “because excluding a person would deprive the country from a way out to the crisis.”

 “I don’t agree with those Islamists calling for theocratic state, yet I believe it is inadmissible to exclude anybody, one way or the other, from the right that all citizens enjoy, because the state needs all its sons for real reform.”