ALGERIA: Angry jobless university graduates take to the streets of Algiers to protest against unemployment ahead of parliamentary poll

Record ID: 574104

  • Title: ALGERIA: Angry jobless university graduates take to the streets of Algiers to protest against unemployment ahead of parliamentary poll
  • Date: 1st May 2012
  • Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (APRIL 29, 2012) (REUTERS) DOZENS OF PROTESTERS DEMONSTRATING AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT OUTSIDE GRANDE POST OFFICE VARIOUS OF POLICE LINE OPPOSITE PROTEST VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING 'ONE, TWO, THREE -- WHERE IS ALGERIA GOING?' WOMEN PROTESTERS CHANTING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING 'ALGERIA IS FREE AND INDEPENDENT' AND OTHER SLOGANS PROTESTERS HOLDING UP BANNERS AND CHANTING PROTEST LEADER, OMAR, CHANTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTEST LEADER, OMAR, SAYING: "This is a clear message to the (Algerian) President (Abdelaziz Bouteflika): we demand permanent jobs in accordance with our university diplomas, and we also send a message to all these political parties that participate in this electoral farce, there are 600,000 of us youths who will boycott the elections along with our families because it is a farce, a farce, a farce." MORE OF PROTESTERS CHANTING WOMEN PROTESTERS HOLDING UP BANNERS READING 'STOP CENTRALISATION' AND 'WE JUST WANT REINTEGRATION' CLOSE OF PROTESTER HOLDING UP A BANNER READING 'OUR RIGHT TO WORK IS LEGITIMATE' VARIOUS OF PROTEST PROTESTER, WAFA, CHANTING SLOGANS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, WAFA, SAYING: "Each year they give us empty promises, and each time before elections they start lying and tell us they will provide jobs for 300 or 1000 people. They give us a one-year contract, then they fire us and sign up another person for another one-year contract and they throw us away." VARIOUS OF POLICE STANDING BEHIND PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, SOFIANE, SAYING: "Every political party wants to fill in its money bag and leave, but what about the future of the youths? The young Algerian suffers in the university, sacrifices a lot, studies hard and when he gets his diploma he finds himself unemployed." POLICE ON FRONT OF PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING
  • Embargoed: 16th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Economy,Politics,Education
  • Reuters ID: LVAA8PS669Y9ZF8CEAWETDSC8W41
  • Story Text: About 70 Algerian protesters staged a demonstration outside Algiers Grande Post Office on Sunday (April 29) to protest against the government and unemployment which affects many across the country.
    Holding up banners and chanting anti-government slogans, the protesters said they represented more than half a million unemployed university graduates, and threatened to boycott an upcoming parliamentary poll.
    "This is a clear message to the (Algerian) President (Abdelaziz Bouteflika): we demand permanent jobs in accordance with our university diplomas, and we also send a message to all these political parties that participate in this electoral farce, there are 600,000 of us youths who will boycott the elections along with our families because it is a farce, a farce, a farce," said 28-year-old Omar who led the demonstration.
    Algeria is a major oil and gas exporter with more than $150 billion (97 billion pounds) in foreign currency reserves accumulated over years of high energy prices. Yet despite its wealth, unemployment rate remained high especially among young people, and the government has been unable to provide jobs for the millions of unemployed.
    Algeria will in May hold a parliamentary election, its first since the Arab Spring, which could act as a catalyst for a nation-wide outpouring of frustration over unemployment, lack of housing and a government many people feel does not listen to them.
    One of the protesters, 32-year-old Wafa, accused the government of exploiting young workers and said the protesters demanded permanent employment contracts.
    "Each year they give us empty promises, and each time before elections they start lying and tell us they will provide jobs for 300 or 1000 people. They give us a one-year contract, then they fire us and sign up another person for another one-year contract and they throw us away," she said.
    "Every political party wants to fill in its money bag and leave, but what about the future of the youths? The young Algerian suffers in the university, sacrifices a lot, studies hard and when he gets his diploma he finds himself unemployed," added 27-year-old Sofiane at the protest.
    Leaders in Algeria, which has many of the same problems as other countries swept up in the upheavals around the Middle East over the past 12 months, worry the same scenario could be repeated in their country.
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