Former algerian President abdelaziz bouteflika dies at the age of 84

[Ghost soldier]

Former President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika died today at the age of 84. The announcement has just been made by national television. Bouteflika had led the country from June 17, 1999 until April 2, 2019. After being the victim of a serious stroke in 2013, he saw his state of health deteriorate.

source (in french) :
https://www.lexpressiondz.com/info-en-continu/abdelaziz-bouteflika-est-decede-328101

 

[Ryder]

@CEZAYIRLI @Chakib larbi

What will his legacy be in Algeria. Positive, Negative or Neutral?

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

@CEZAYIRLI @Chakib larbi

What will his legacy be in Algeria. Positive, Negative or Neutral?

Abdelaziz Bouteflika had participated in the Algerian national liberation war.

He joined the ranks of the National Liberation Army (ALN) in 1956 to assume, for two years, the mission of Controller General of Wilaya V (1957 and 1958).

In 1960, an ALN officer, he was assigned to the southern borders of the country to command the "Mali front", the creation of which was part of the measures aimed at thwarting the enterprise of division of the country on the part of the colonial power and to organize the routing of arms on behalf of the ALN maquis from the south of Algeria

Born from the Algerian war of Independence against France, Algeria became a Third World leader in the 1960's where Bouteflika was its 23 years old !!! Foreign Minister back then.

In 1974 when he became the UN General Assembly President, he set vote to uphold a ruling suspending South African participation. He kicked out the White Apartheid members of South Africa from the assembly. The decision was without precedent in United Nations, which meant that racist Apartheid delegation was not permitted to take its seats, speak, make proposals or vote.

His decision triggered the beginning of the end for Apartheid in South Africa.

South Africa Is Suspended By U.N. Assembly, 91‐22 (Published 1974)

www.nytimes.com

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

@CEZAYIRLI @Chakib larbi

What will his legacy be in Algeria. Positive, Negative or Neutral?

During his 16 years as the nation's chief diplomat, Bouteflika embraced "third-worldism", leading newly independent African nations towards non-alignment in the Cold War.

Boumediene and Bouteflika played pivotal roles in earning Algeria its nickname "the Mecca of revolutionaries".
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Algeria housed and welcomed freedom fighters and separatists from around the world, including Che Guevara.

He is also credited with giving a young Nelson Mandela his first military training.

Bouteflika was named president of the United Nations general assembly in 1974 and invited Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to address the governing body in an unprecedented and ground-breaking move.

 

[Chakib larbi]

@CEZAYIRLI @Chakib larbi

What will his legacy be in Algeria. Positive, Negative or Neutral?

Algeria before him was something else and during his rule, it became something else and then it became something else worse

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

@CEZAYIRLI @Chakib larbi

What will his legacy be in Algeria. Positive, Negative or Neutral?

Bouteflika's legacy today will be negative, unfortunately, because after becoming President of the Republic in 2020, the tide turned, and there were several factors that turned against him, which made the public stop liking him.

 

[Ryder]

Thanks man honestly thats interesting.

To hear what Algerians think of him.

I guess he will always be remembered as a polarising figure. He had his good and his bad.

He ruled too long and Algerians got fed up. There was lots of corruption and cronyism under him right?

 

[Ryder]

Crazy despite his health problems and being on a chair he wanted another term.

Im happy that Algeria did not end up with internal problems or a riot or a civil war.

Good to see the protests achieve something and did not lead to a bloodbath. Algeria is also pretty strong in its region to not allow foreign meddling.

Algerians sure do value their independance a lot.

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

Crazy despite his health problems and being on a chair he wanted another term.

Im happy that Algeria did not end up with internal problems or a riot or a civil war.

Good to see the protests achieve something and did not lead to a bloodbath. Algeria is also pretty strong in its region to not allow foreign meddling.

Algerians sure do value their independance a lot.

Algeria had a glorious past under President Boumediene in the 1970s, but I is re-emerging today as strong as ever before. Its recent rapprochement with Turkey is one of the key positive indicators. Many years were wasted with Arab alliances which in my opinion turned unworthy. Algeria's is against the politics of the "empty chair", it will keep its allotted seat in the Arab League, but we might as well consider today the Arab monarchies as regimes who will continue working toward the instability of all MENA countries who are progressive and ruled by the people and for the people, like for example Turkey and Algeria are today.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
Abraham Lincoln

Boumediene, Kissinger, Bouteflika 1974

 

[Knowledgeseeker]

Despite his credentials both at the domestic and external levels, Bouteflika was unable to assume the presidency following the death of his mentor Houari Boumedien in 1978. The military, who wield the power and have the ultimate say in promoting and demoting political figures, chose then Minister of Defense, Chedli Ben Jdid.

During the following two decades, Bouteflika went into quasi oblivion and embarked into a self-imposed exile which led him to live between France and some Gulf countries. The military approached him in 1999 and asked him to assume the presidency. Since his election the same year, Bouteflika launched several initiatives aimed at healing the wounds of the 10-year long civilian war, which caused the death of 200,000 people.

Bouteflika is credited with having launched the “Civilian Harmony,” initiative which offered amnesty or reduced prison terms to former members of islamist groups in exchange of giving up their arms.

The initiative was a resounding success, allowing Algeria to eventually end the long and grim chapter of violence and rampant insecurity in the country. Throughout his 20-year rule, Bouteflika was regarded by Algerians as the man who brought peace to the country.

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

Thanks man honestly thats interesting.

To hear what Algerians think of him.

I guess he will always be remembered as a polarising figure. He had his good and his bad.

He ruled too long and Algerians got fed up. There was lots of corruption and cronyism under him right?

Algeria's constitution has a limit of two 5-year terms for a Presidential mandate. Some shadowy people around Bouteflika advised him to extend his 2-term mandate to 3 then 4 terms, which was the source of all the problems, by breaking the Constitution in place.

Bouteflika was frankly pretty narcissistic and enjoyed being in power way too much, which led to his downfall.

 

[CEZAYIRLI]

Despite his credentials both at the domestic and external levels, Bouteflika was unable to assume the presidency following the death of his mentor Houari Boumedien in 1978. The military, who wield the power and have the ultimate say in promoting and demoting political figures, chose then Minister of Defense, Chedli Ben Jdid.

During the following two decades, Bouteflika went into quasi oblivion and embarked into a self-imposed exile which led him to live between France and some Gulf countries. The military approached him in 1999 and asked him to assume the presidency. Since his election the same year, Bouteflika launched several initiatives aimed at healing the wounds of the 10-year long civilian war, which caused the death of 200,000 people.

Bouteflika is credited with having launched the “Civilian Harmony,” initiative which offered amnesty or reduced prison terms to former members of islamist groups in exchange of giving up their arms.

The initiative was a resounding success, allowing Algeria to eventually end the long and grim chapter of violence and rampant insecurity in the country. Throughout his 20-year rule, Bouteflika was regarded by Algerians as the man who brought peace to the country.

Despite his credentials both at the domestic and external levels, Bouteflika was unable to assume the presidency following the death of his mentor Houari Boumedien in 1978. The military, who wield the power and have the ultimate say in promoting and demoting political figures, chose then Minister of Defense, Chedli Ben Jdid.

During the following two decades, Bouteflika went into quasi oblivion and embarked into a self-imposed exile which led him to live between France and some Gulf countries. The military approached him in 1999 and asked him to assume the presidency. Since his election the same year, Bouteflika launched several initiatives aimed at healing the wounds of the 10-year long civilian war, which caused the death of 200,000 people.

Bouteflika is credited with having launched the “Civilian Harmony,” initiative which offered amnesty or reduced prison terms to former members of islamist groups in exchange of giving up their arms.

The initiative was a resounding success, allowing Algeria to eventually end the long and grim chapter of violence and rampant insecurity in the country. Throughout his 20-year rule, Bouteflika was regarded by Algerians as the man who brought peace to the country.

Today is a solemn day for our country, we appreciate it if, out of respect for yourself, you kept your opinions and didn't infringe on the death of a foreign leader of a nation with whom your country Morocco has a hostile and unfriendly relation.

Algeria has sealed borders, and no diplomatic ties with your country Morocco. Your opinions and your country's propaganda are of no relevance to Algeria.

Your country is one of the Arab medieval monarchies, agents of Israel and the West, who will continue working toward the instability of all MENA countries who are progressive and ruled by the people and for the people.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
Abraham Lincoln