Municipality Guards Protest: 55 Injuries, 100 Arrested

Interior Minister DAhou Ould Kablia , left his annual holidays and joined his office, at the request of the President Bouteflika to consider the file of the municipality guards, who has been repressed by the security services in Bir Khadem following a peaceful protest, as he received four representatives from the municipality guards to discuss their demands‭ . ‬

• The Four representatives of the municipal guards, who were received by the Minister of Interior told Echorouk, that the municipality Guards have made a petition to the President, containing a list of demands, which are social and professional, while the minister ordered his committee to study these demands.

• Representatives of the municipality guards expressed their suffering, marginalization and differentiation in treatment, as they explained, how they are performing the same tasks of the National People’s Army but do not benefit from any privileges such as medication in the military hospital of Ain Nadja (Algiers), asking the minister to reinstate their sector, especially the agents who were transfered to public institutions, and ‭who were turned to ‭cleaners.

They also called for identifying their functions and the authorities of commandment especially related to their attachement to the National People’s Army, as the interior minister told them that the decision in such file is one of the President’s powers, and in turn he asked them to present a petition to the President to resolve the problem or decide about the sector which they work with. ‬

Coordinated of the municipality guard Hakim Choaib was injured at the level of the head in the clashes between the guards and the security services in Bir Khadem (Algiers). He said that between 50 to 55 were wounded, while 11 were taken to hospital and some others received first aid in the place. The same spokesman called upon the authorities to release the 100 guards who were arrested.