Desert Dances
July 14, 2008
14 July 2008
Posted to the web 14 July 2008
Zachary Ochieng
Nairobi
VISITING ALGERIA FOR THE first time, one may expect to observe a strict Islamic dress code in force, with women covered from head to toe, and veiled faces. However, this is not the case, as I found out recently.
The national culture is no longer as strict and nothing attests to this better than the rich entertainment that the Algerian National Ballet laid out for the Health ministers and other delegates attending the recently concluded Ministerial Conference on Health Research for the African Region.
Operating under the Ministry of Culture, the Algerian National Ballet aims at promoting the country’s artistic values and diverse heritage in all its forms and styles. Comprising mainly graduates from the National Institute of Dramatic and Choreographic arts, the National Ballet offers unparalleled entertainment in dance.
Boasting 38 years’ experience, the National Ballet has a large repertoire of traditional and modern dance styles and has won various awards in both local and international competitions after performing more than 2,500 shows in over 60 countries.
AMONG THE AWARDS BAG-ged are the Gold Medal at the Mediterranean Folk Dance in Murcie, Spain (1998), and the Gold Medal at the International Festival in Izmir, Turkey, 2003.
In its rich entertainment menu, the ballet troupe offers the dance of the fillies. Based on the folklore of the Ain el Beida region in eastern Algeria, the dance portrays quivering fillies surrounding their mother, the mare. It is performed by female dancers.
Then there is the dance of Goum or Fantasia, a collective equestrian game practised throughout Algeria for great traditional celebrations. In this dance, battle rides are stimulated, interspersed with bursts of rifle shots. The dance highlights the nobility of the horseman and the mount.
Performed by women from the high mountains of Djurdura, the Kabyle dance celebrates the abundant harvest and olive collecting, where women express their joy.
The dance is performed through vigorous moves accompanied by high polyphonies of traditional music. But if you thought Kabyle is the only vigorous dance, you are wrong because the Allaoui dance will leave you asking for more as you swing a long.
THIS IS A DANCE THAT IS virile in temperament and is quite unique for its shoulder movements. It is common throughout the west of Algeria and is performed by men. The stamping of the feet which accompanies the dance expresses a bond with the earth and the capacity to endure.
Also very entertaining is the Zendali dance, an urban dance practiced in eastern Algerian cities. It is performed by elegantly dressed women in traditionally embroidered costumes adorned with gold trimmings.
In Algeria, marriage is also preceded by dance. The Naili marriage dance is popular in the high plains of central Algeria (Ouled Nail).
The dance starts with a solo by the bride in which she expresses her joy and concerns on the eve of her marriage. The solo is then followed by the marriage ceremony during which the men and women dance together, expressing joy for both families.
THE DANCE OF TLEMCEN IS an urban one from the city of Tlemcen, performed by women during celebrations and ceremonies.
The women wear beautiful traditional costumes and display grace, wealth and beauty.
From the northern Tindouf region is the vibrant dance of the Reguibet. It features the movement of the body and hands unique to this region. Moved by the rhythm of the drums, the women dance in a frenzy that culminates in a fully charged ecstasy.
The dance of the Touareg is a war dance that expresses the bravery of the men of Hoggar and Tassilli. Dancers armed with swords and shields enlist in a game of look-out, challenge and cunning. Swords clash in a series of leaps and war cries. A truce is arrived at as the women hope to deliver a message of love and peace.
Then comes the grand finale, the dance of Algiers, performed by beautiful and graceful women bathed in veils and colour. The dance is accompanied by refined instrumental music borrowed from the ancient city repertoire.
The dance ends with an invitation for the men to share the joy and pleasure of the celebration.
Algerian President Urges AU to integrate NEPAD
July 1, 2008
1 July 2008
Posted to the web 1 July 2008
Sharm-El-Sheikh
Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has stressed the urgent need to finalise the integration process of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) into the African Union (AU).
"The finalisation seems to be a priority, considering the coherence and cohesion requirements in the African efforts for the continent’s social and economic development," he told the 9th session of the Heads of State and Government Committee on NEPAD’s implementation.
The session was held in this Egyptian red Sea resort on the eve of the annual summit of Heads of State and government of the AU.
President Bouteflika said the urgency to finalise the NEPAD integration process was also related to the need to take quality into consideration in the implementation of the major regional, restructuring projects that are fully developed.
He added that five years ago Africa launched the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), showing its conviction that good governance provided a plus value to its development efforts and had never been a constraint imposed from the outside.
Since its launch, he added, the APRM had become one of Africa’s substantial assets that should be strengthened by improving its work and refining its goals, to better serve Africa and preserve it from any foreign influence, with a view to keeping the purely African initiative nature.
President Bouteflika put a slant on the importance of addressing the ongoing global food crisis, which is threatening the continent in particular.
Considerable efforts had been made for the development of agriculture, which constituted one of the AU’s main priorities, he stressed, while noting the launch of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme.
However, Africa had no less been affected by global food crisis, "hence the need to have agricultural development in Africa, with all its dimensions, at the heart of our concerns and to make it benefit of an international co-operation," he stressed.
Grand Marabout Receives Algerian Ambassador
June 30, 2008
16 June 2008
Posted to the web 17 June 2008
Sheriff Janko
Abdelhamid Chebchoub, the Algerian ambassador to The Gambia, based in Dakar, Senegal, on Friday paid a visit to Sheriff Kebba Hydara, the grand marabout of Brufut Village, Kombo North.
The visit was meant to strengthen the existing relations between the Tijaniyya brotherhood in The Gambia and Algeria. During the visit, Ambassador Chebchoub presented a cheque for €80,000 and six boxes of the Holy Qur’an for the school in the village.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Chebchoub expressed gratitude on behalf of Tijaniyya brotherhood in Algeria to Sheriff Hydara. According to him, the Tijaniyya movement started in Algeria many years ago, noting that since then, the brotherhood movement later spread to other countries around the world.
The Algerian ambassador added that the cordial relationship between the two countries will continue for the benefit of their citizens.
He recalled that the Algerian President Abdou Aziz Buteflika was among other head of states who attended the AU-Summit in Banjul, which, according to him, showed the understanding between the two countries. "I think with such fruitful understanding, the people of the two nations will enjoy peace and love among themselves. I think with this modest contribution, the relations will be further strengthened and promote the teaching of students about Islamic values and principles," he said.
He commended Sheriff Kebba Hydara for his foresight and the hard work towards the development of Tijaniyya movement in The Gambia.
For his part, Sheriff Hydara, thanked the ambassador for the gesture. According to him, his institution in the recent years has witnessed an increase in students enrolment, noting that the teaching of Islamic values still remains their guiding principles in the school administration.
He extolled the Gambian leader for his continuous support towards the well-being of all Gambians, adding that he is a "president with a vision".
"I came to Brufut in 1929. Few years later, my father died. I later replaced my father, teaching the people in the area about Islamic values. Currently, there are over 500 ‘Talibes’ (students) in this institution," he told the ambassador.
Alasanna Jammeh, the permanent secretary at the Department of State for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, who represented the secretary of state, Ismaila Sambou, expressed gratitude to the Algerian ambassador and his entourage for the support.
PS Jammeh described Sheriff Kebba Hydara as a great marabout in The Gambia, today, noting that his institution has educated many Gambian Islamic scholars.
"I think this kind of visit will further cement the existing bilateral relationship between the Tijaniyya brotherhood movement in The Gambia and the one in Algeria," he said.
Sheikh Tijan Hydara, son of the grand marabout, Habib Jeng, Kebba Musa Manneh, village elders, Shekhna Hydara and Al-Haiba Hydara, also spoke at the ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Tijaniyya Brotherhood and a good number of villagers.
Grand Marabout Receives Algerian Ambassador
June 30, 2008
16 June 2008
Posted to the web 17 June 2008
Sheriff Janko
Abdelhamid Chebchoub, the Algerian ambassador to The Gambia, based in Dakar, Senegal, on Friday paid a visit to Sheriff Kebba Hydara, the grand marabout of Brufut Village, Kombo North.
The visit was meant to strengthen the existing relations between the Tijaniyya brotherhood in The Gambia and Algeria. During the visit, Ambassador Chebchoub presented a cheque for €80,000 and six boxes of the Holy Qur’an for the school in the village.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Chebchoub expressed gratitude on behalf of Tijaniyya brotherhood in Algeria to Sheriff Hydara. According to him, the Tijaniyya movement started in Algeria many years ago, noting that since then, the brotherhood movement later spread to other countries around the world.
The Algerian ambassador added that the cordial relationship between the two countries will continue for the benefit of their citizens.
He recalled that the Algerian President Abdou Aziz Buteflika was among other head of states who attended the AU-Summit in Banjul, which, according to him, showed the understanding between the two countries. "I think with such fruitful understanding, the people of the two nations will enjoy peace and love among themselves. I think with this modest contribution, the relations will be further strengthened and promote the teaching of students about Islamic values and principles," he said.
He commended Sheriff Kebba Hydara for his foresight and the hard work towards the development of Tijaniyya movement in The Gambia.
For his part, Sheriff Hydara, thanked the ambassador for the gesture. According to him, his institution in the recent years has witnessed an increase in students enrolment, noting that the teaching of Islamic values still remains their guiding principles in the school administration.
He extolled the Gambian leader for his continuous support towards the well-being of all Gambians, adding that he is a "president with a vision".
"I came to Brufut in 1929. Few years later, my father died. I later replaced my father, teaching the people in the area about Islamic values. Currently, there are over 500 ‘Talibes’ (students) in this institution," he told the ambassador.
Alasanna Jammeh, the permanent secretary at the Department of State for Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, who represented the secretary of state, Ismaila Sambou, expressed gratitude to the Algerian ambassador and his entourage for the support.
PS Jammeh described Sheriff Kebba Hydara as a great marabout in The Gambia, today, noting that his institution has educated many Gambian Islamic scholars.
"I think this kind of visit will further cement the existing bilateral relationship between the Tijaniyya brotherhood movement in The Gambia and the one in Algeria," he said.
Sheikh Tijan Hydara, son of the grand marabout, Habib Jeng, Kebba Musa Manneh, village elders, Shekhna Hydara and Al-Haiba Hydara, also spoke at the ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by members of the Tijaniyya Brotherhood and a good number of villagers.
AFP Bureau Chief And Reuters Correspondent Have Their Accreditation Withdrawn
June 30, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
17 June 2008
Posted to the web 18 June 2008
Reporters Without Borders has condemned the Algerian government’s inability to tolerate criticism after the communication ministry stripped the Agence France-Presse bureau chief and the Reuters correspondent in Algiers of their accreditation on 10 June 2008, and a court fined the daily "Liberté"’s publisher and editor and one of its cartoonists for defamation on 16 June.
"The lack of tolerance for outspoken journalists has created a climate of mistrust that is having a grave impact on the media," Reporters Without Borders said. "The AFP and Reuters correspondents have paid the price, even if these two agencies are still allowed to operate. This is no longer the case for the Qatar-based satellite TV station Al-Jazeera, which was forced to close its Algiers bureau four years ago as a punitive measure."
AFP’s bureau chief and Reuters’ correspondent had their accreditation withdrawn after reporting on terrorist activity. The authorities said AFP "exaggerated" the toll of two bombings at the station in Béni Amrane, a town 50 km east of Algiers, on 10 June. Reuters was accused of reporting a bombing that did not take place. Both news agencies published the interior ministry’s denials.
Furthermore, on 16 June a court in the municipality of Sidi M’hamed, in Algiers province fined "Liberté" publisher Ali Ouafak, editor Farid Alilat and cartoonist Ali Dilem 20,000 dinars (approx. 200 euros) following the publication of a cartoon of former armed forces chief of staff Lt. Gen. Mohamed Lamari that was held to be defamatory. The lawsuit was brought by the defence ministry.
Al-Jazeera’s activities in Algeria were "temporarily" suspended by the ministry of culture and communication in June 2004 but, four years later, it has still not been allowed to resume operating. Since 2004, Al-Jazeera has been covering Algeria from Morocco.
Group to Probe UN Staff for Deadly Attack
June 30, 2008
24 June 2008
Posted to the web 25 June 2008
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today that he is setting up a group to examine whether any United Nations staff should be held individually accountable over last December’s deadly terrorist attack on the world body’s premises in Algiers.
Mr. Ban told UN staff in a letter that he was establishing the follow-up group in response to a recommendation issued by the Independent Panel on Safety and Security of UN Personnel and Premises Worldwide, itself created in the wake of the Algiers bombings, which killed 17 staff members and targeted UN offices in the Algerian capital.
Ralph Zacklin, a former Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, will head the group, and he will be assisted by Jean Jacques Graisse, Sinha Basanayake, Zelda Holtzman and Marisela Padron. The team will work out of UN Headquarters in New York and is slated to report back to Mr. Ban within six weeks.
In his letter to staff the Secretary-General stressed that he has not forgotten the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in the Algerian capital, or the suffering of the many other victims or their families.
"I would like to reiterate my firm commitment to ensuring full accountability on the part of my senior managers, as well as all those at other levels of responsible decision-making," he said.
"But, combating security threats from terrorists and other detractors of the United Nations and ensuring the safety and well-being of staff and dependents, national or international, makes it incumbent that host governments and Member States also realize their responsibilities more strongly so that fuller and more concrete cooperation of security matters can be elicited from them. This factor cannot remain under-emphasized."
The Independent Panel, led by Lakhdar Brahimi and comprised of international experts in the field, presented its report to Mr. Ban earlier this month, and the report was released today with some redactions to avoid revealing details that may pose further threats to the personnel and premises of the Organization.
Although the report did not identify individual accountabilities, it found "ample evidence that several staff members up and down the hierarchy may have failed to respond adequately to the Algiers attack, both before and after the tragedy."
In a press statement released by the UN spokesperson’s office, the panel said that new security arrangements established after the deadly UN bombing in Baghdad in August 2003 were put to a severe test by the Algiers attacks. Both the system as a whole and individuals in Algiers and in New York were "found wanting."
The seven-member panel recommended an independent accountability procedure to consider the responsibilities of key UN staff and offices, saying such a move would help restore staff confidence and morale.
The report also calls for a review of the size of the UN staff presence and the manner in which the UN system does business given overall security considerations and the opportunities presented by modern information and communication technology.
In addition, it recognizes that different risk mitigation strategies are needed if the UN is to achieve the dual goals of staff safety and effective programme delivery, given that the UN faces distinctly different types of threats and operating environments around the world.
Mr. Ban noted the panel also underlined the importance of reflection on the larger issue of the UN’s public image and what implications this has on staff security, especially in the field.
"If the Organization is targeted on the basis of a perception that is undeserved or unfair, and such a perception is not consciously changed, it is the ordinary individuals working in the field and their families that lay exposed and vulnerable and likely to bear the brunt of the aggressive attention of terrorists and enemies of the United Nations."
Also today, Mr. Ban announced that Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Sir David Veness has resigned, saying he will shoulder full responsibility for any security lapse that may have occurred concerning the Algiers attacks.
Sir David informed the Secretary-General in a meeting yesterday that as the head of the Department of Safety and Security, he was offering to resign in light of his responsibility.
Mr. Ban paid tribute to Sir David’s "high sense of devotion to duty and strong professional motivation" and said he had asked him to stay on until a stable succession can be assured.
Olpec’s Secretary-General Turned Back At Algerian Border
June 30, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
24 June 2008
Posted to the web 25 June 2008
OLPEC Secretary General Sihem Bensedrine was turned back by Algerian border police on 18 June 2008 as she attempted to cross at the Oum Tboul border near Tabarka, in the northwest. She was on a private visit to the country accompanied by her husband, Omar Mestiri.
The couple was held for more than two and a half hours before they were told they would be turned back. No reason was given for the decision.
The two journalists said they noticed an increased police presence on the road, both heading towards the border and on the way back. They also said that they were surprised to see members of the secret police on the Tunisian side of the border post, and that they witnessed a telephone exchange between the two units while they were waiting at the post.
The Observatory for Freedom of the Press, Publishing and Creation:
- Denounces this incident as unjustified and in violation of freedom of movement as prescribed by the Union of the Arab Maghreb (UMA).
- Regrets that Maghreb unity only applies to cooperation for the purposes of security and the harassment of human rights activists and journalists.
Naziha Rjiba
Vice President
OLPEC
MORE INFORMATION:
For further information contact OLPEC, Tunisia see: