President Bouteflika: “We must step up initiatives to stop shedding of blood of Muslims”

The President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, stated on Monday that we should be doubling initiatives and political and diplomatic efforts in order to resolve the conflicts that the Arab and Muslim world are witnessing so as to halt the shedding of Muslims’ blood.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stressed that the message of moderation “is the best illustration” of the nobility of Islam and its rejection of any form of violence or excesses.

In a message addressed to the participants in the 18th national week on the holy Quran, read out on his behalf by the Advisor to the Presidency of the Republic, President Bouteflika said “our nation is currently facing the challenge of defense of our religion and preservation of the whole humanity against religious and confessional conflicts, which are very dangerous”.  

“Since Algeria chose Islam as a religion, it has always drawn on the source of this religion to take measured and moderated stands that protect our society today against regional and international friction,” President Bouteflika underlined.

“This Algeria inspired the current generation, for which the spirit of moderation is a point of reference. Besides, this generation has not wavered to back up the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation and make its implementation possible, and adhered to all projects launched by the state to stamp out fundamentalism, extremism and fanaticism,” President Bouteflika argued after referring to the glorious martyrs of Algeria.

President Bouteflika recalled that “the matrix of our historical and cultural reference, imbued with the teachings of moderated Islam and values of patriotism and sacrifice, led to the birth of the “Algeria” school for prevention against extremism, which attracts the interest of all concerned, and whose experience attracts the wise, inspires friends and cultivates pride and self-confidence in society”.

“Over the years, our country has remained attached to its civilizational legacy. Its cultural and scientific potential, about which is boasts today, reflects this firm attachment and constitutes a strong argument to live up to the current challenges in the world, a world faced with disturbing and impressive disruptions, reverberate a worrying reality threatening the existence of humanity,” President Bouteflika underscored.

Moreover, the head of state called “on scholars and live forces of the Muslim nation to work steadfastly for the defense of the true image of Islam, which is intentionally and unfairly targeted by some hostile circles within some societies with little knowledge of this holy religion”.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika also warmly congratulated the organizers of this event for the relevant choice of the theme of moderation, stressing that Algeria can deservedly be proud of the moderation of its religious references and its wise policy, even during the most difficult circumstances”.