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Thursday, February 10, 2000
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Islamic Salvation Front Demands Political Participation In Algeria
ALGERIA (Islam Online) - Sheikh Abdulqader Bukhumkhum stated that the Islamic Salvation Front (known by its French acronym, FIS) would continue its efforts to regain its political rights, vowing that the FIS leadership would not give up its struggle. A member of the FIS steering committee, Bukhumkhum declared political participation a constitutional right that cannot be denied by anyone, regardless if they are the president or anyone else, since there has been no court decision barring FIS from taking part in politics.
FIS was poised to win 1992 elections with a majority of 92 percent of the voters, when the army - with the approval of the Arab countries and the west, who feared the rise of Islam in Algeria -decided to cancel the vote and take over the country, leading to a bloody, eight-year civil war.
Bukhumkhum added, "If we are free citizens, then no one should deny us our rights. Our rights can't be taken away from us except by an independent judicial system and under just laws, not emergency laws." Bukhumkhum added that the mere suggestion that the FIS is banned from politics by the president is an attempt from him to run away from the real problems of Algerian society.
The Islamic scholar stated that FIS still believes in the Islamic project and the establishment of an Islamic state in Algeria. He holds that those who overthrew the elections are responsible for the civil war and the situation in the country. On the other hand, Bukhumkhum admitted the existence of some differences among the leadership of FIS. However, he also stated, "As long as we are human, differences are natural. The issues we are debating are based on differing opinions."
Bukhumkhum affirmed that FIS's leadership believes the key to Algeria getting out of its mess is to stop the killings and implement the agreement reached by the military and the Islamic Army. He said that the government and the media intentionally misread the latest message of Sheikh Abassi Madani. He defended the Sheikh, saying that he still believes in the political solution, and not in confrontation, as the government and west accused.
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