US embassy is behind negative reports on Algeria

US embassy in Algeria said it played a major role in making annual reports on Algeria’s general situation in the political, economic and social aspects.US Department of State indicated that human rights in Algeria retreated in 2007.

“Robert Ford, US ambassador to Algeria collects main information for the annual report issued by the US State Department,” Karim Djemjoum, spokesperson for the embassy told Echorouk.

Asked whether the ambassador’s role is positive or negative, Djemjoum said the ambassador does not have neither positive nor negative role. “His mission is to collect what he has through talks with concerned sides.”

“In my opinion, the US report is not negative and it contains a positive part,” he added.

“I believe that there are four positive points: there is no political prisoner, the participation of Kabilyans in political activity, women in Algeria are allowed to study at colleges and work rights are respected.”

Djemjoum said many sources had mentioned the retreat of human rights in Algeria but he did not say whether those sources are associations or unions.

According to the same source, there is no official information regarding the instruction of Algerian interior ministry which prohibits representatives of civil society association from frequenting embassies especially the US one.

“We have no position toward this matter,” said Djemjoum.

In 2007, the United States offered a stay for one month to 100 politicians, associations’ representatives and deputies in five Algerian provinces.

According to well-informed sources, the policy of US embassies in Arab countries aims at studying even the economic situation to contribute in establishing trade corporations for the promotion of their products.

For instance, the US embassy in Algiers has rebuilt its exterior wall for 7 times with different materials on purpose to know supply volume and how much Algeria can produce different materials, said the same sources.