US report gives false information about non Muslims number in Algeria, says minister

Algeria’s religious affairs minister Mohamed Aissa criticized a US report for considering Ibadi adepts as a minority. “Saying 1 percent of Algerians are not Muslims is false,” he told Echorouk in an interview.

A number of legal vacuums exist in the religious affairs statute as some positions can not be promoted such as muezzin and Quran teacher. Is there any plan to change this situation?

I worked with imams and unions to settle the situation but I am afraid that it would have something to do with the public service regulation. At this point, the whole situation will have to be reviewed. I pled to submit proposals to the public service department through the Prime Ministry. I asked two unions to present their proposals as well. The Prime Minister authorized us to open statute workshop. Yet, we can not talk about pay raise due to the crisis.

Some imams say local authorities ask them to calm down angry people who demand houses while they live in shantytowns.

Housing crisis is a national problem. Imams should apply for housing programs as any other citizens. As for official accommodation, the ministry grants money to religious associations to provide houses for imams. We work with prefects to allocate lands next to mosques to build houses for imams.

We contacted all the religious affairs departments to find out the number of imams who applied for houses programs. I will submit a request to the housing minister to offer houses to them.

A call was made to reduce Friday’s Prayer duration to five minutes only. How did you react to that?

It is a joke because there is no imam who says “I will not perform the Prayer if you don’t pay me.”

Concerning religious reference in Algeria, will it be limited in Maliki doctrine?

We committed to open a debate ahead of a legal text. The first point to be discussed will be Algeria’s national religious reference. I am sure an intellectual debate will be triggered in presence of journalists, thinkers, imams, zaouia cheikhs and religious reference-based political parties. We will answer this question: do we have in Algeria a religious mode? In general, religion is a revelation and does not need any reference. Religion practising should, should take in consideration interests and traditions. They are religious references for Algerians.

When will the Fatwa National Institution will be created?

We are waiting to know about the position if the Higher Islamic Council in the Constitution which will be amended. If it is kept as a consulting institution at the President’s Office, we will create an independent institution for fatwa.

Do you expect a reshuffle to religious affairs directors?

We ordered all the provincial directors to receive imams and listen to their concerns once a week. We will propose to dismiss any director who has held his position for a long time.

Regarding Haj and Omra, you said accompany measures would be provided for pilgrims. Yet, they failed as imams were in charge of distributing food and looking for missing pilgrims instead of doing their real job.

Two fire-fighters accompanied each pilgrims’ group to Mecca. Imams are in charge of a religious mission.

Are you satisfied about Haj and Omra Office performance?

We improved performance in terms of Haj but we did not reach all the goals. Pilgrims felt that improvement.  Generally, I am satisfied but we can not judge the experience in its first year.

I believe that the Office should renew its structures. I asked its director to propose young competent executives keen on improving management. Right, we worked with high educated engineers but still much to do. A meeting will be held to assess the Office’s experience.   

Did you give a deadline for the Office’s director to restructure it?

No, I didn’t. It is up to the new general director to make propositions.

You have recently made remarks about extremist ideas in Algeria, saying your ministry is aware of what is happening. Do you really have information about that?

We have names and addresses. As President Bouteflika said, the danger which hit Iraq, Yemen and Syria is sectarian conflicts. We conducted an awareness-raising campaign. The religious affairs ministry set up a national observatory on religious extremism. We do not fight ideas and convictions but wrong behaviours. We talk about ideological movements which spread ideas to change religion mode in Algeria. We want a legal text to organize this situation.

A recent US report said 99 percent of Algerians are Muslim. are 1 percent of them not Muslim? How did they get these information?

A church official in Algeria says most of Christians in the country are guests. Those who converted into Christianity cannot represent 1 percent of Algerians unless the report considered Ibadi adepts as not Muslims. We have to respond to those rumors. Algeria is a Muslim State and shelter non Muslims. They are allowed to practice their rituals but they have to respect the law. Those who converted to Christianity will not be prosecuted. Yet, their family can deprive them from heritage and wives can ask for divorce.