No more mediation in restive Beriane, says minister

Algerian minister delegate in charge of local assemblies and municipalities Dehou Oueld Kablia warned the two conflicting communities in the southern town of Beriane, against triggering further violence in the aftermath of the clashes which left numerous casualties during the course of last year.

• “The reconciliation convention between the two communities in Beriane showed that local notables can not have control on some people from the Ibadite and the Malikite communities,” Dehou Oueld Kablia told Echorouk.
• “The problem is very complex especially that the Ibadite and the Malikite share this town,” he added.
• “The Ibadite community is special and very conservative while the Malikite are totally different.”
• He believes that mediation can play a positive role in calming down the situation but any provocation can lead to violence.
• “This situation pushed the interior ministry to step up security measures in Beriane and stay vigilant to foil any provocation attempt.”
• “I told the two communities, I will withdraw from the mediation if they get involved in clashes once again,” he said.
• “At that time, the only solution would be security intervention,” he added.
• On the other hand, he said the final solutions for the Beriane issue is local development and satisfying people’s aspirations by ending unemployment among them.
• “This would settle the problem which is seen as an inter-community conflict but, in fact there are other main social aspects linked to the troubled situation in the region”, he added.