2011 Algerian self-immolations

In 2011, as the widely reported protests sparked off by Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation in Tunisia began to have a clear impact on the Tunisian government, a wave of self-immolations swept Algeria. These individual acts of protest mostly took place in front of a government building following an unsuccessful approach to the authorities. Four self-immolators have died of their burns so far.[1][2]

It began on 12 January, when 26-year-old Mohamed Aouichia set himself on fire in Bordj Menaiel in the compound of the daira building. He had been sharing a room of 30 square metres with seven other people, including his sister, since 2003; he had repeatedly approached local authorities to get on the social housing list and been rebuffed.[3] He has so far survived.

On 13 January, Mohsen Bouterfif, a 37-year-old father of two, set himself on fire. He had gone with about twenty other youths to protest in front of the town hall of Boukhadra in Tebessa demanding jobs and houses, after the mayor refused to receive them. According to one testimony, the mayor shouted to them: "If you have courage, do like Bouazizi did, set yourself on fire!"[4] His death was reported on 16 January, and about 100 youths protested his death causing the provincial governor to sack the mayor.[5] However, hospital staff the following day claimed he was still alive, though in critical condition.[6] Al Jazeera described the suicide as "echoing the self-immolation that triggered the protests that toppled the leader of neighbouring Tunisia."[5] He finally died on 24 January at a hospital in Annaba.[7]

These suicides were followed by dozens more attempted or successful self-immolations across the country, so far without triggering nationwide demonstrations, most of them after the Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled his country on 14 January; cases included:

The Ministry of Religious Affairs responded to this wave of self-immolations by devoting the Friday sermons of 21 January to admonitions of patience and reminders that suicide is forbidden in Islam.[19] However, some cases continued to be reported over coming days:

[28]

See also

References

  1. "Algeria: Third death by self-immolation". Ennahar Online. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  2. 1 2 "Jeune Afrique, 12/01/2011, Quatrième décès par immolation en Algérie, à la veille de la marche du 12 février". Jeune Afrique. Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  3. 1 2 "Courrier International, 21/01/2011, ''Je brûle donc je suis''". Courrierinternational.com. 2011-01-21. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  4. "Le maire à Mohcin Bouterfif : " Si tu as du courage, fais comme Bouazizi, immole-toi par le feu "".
  5. 1 2 "Algerian dies from self-immolation".
  6. "''Vague de tentatives de suicide par le feu en Algérie''". Jeune Afrique. 2001-01-17. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  7. Xinhua (2011-01-25). "Algeria reports 2nd death of self-immolation". China Daily. Retrieved 2011-02-22.
  8. AFP, 17/01/2011, Un Algérien s'immole par le feu, El Watan, 17/01/2011, Jijel : Le jeune Saïd évacué à Aïn Naâdja, Jijel.info, 19/11/2011, "Prions pour Saïd"
  9. "El Watan, 18/01/2011, ''Une vingtaine de harraga brûlent leur embarcation''". Elwatan.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  10. "DNA, 16/01/2011, ''ALGERIE : 5 tentatives de suicide par immolation en moins d’une semaine : Le feu du désespoir''". Dna-algerie.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  11. El Watan, 19/01/2011, Une quinquagénaire tente de s’immoler par le feu, El Watan, 21/01/2011, Immolation : Je brûle, donc je suis
  12. "El Watan, 17/01/2011, Un jeune a tenté de s'immoler par le feu au siège de l'APW d’El Oued". Elwatan.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  13. AFP, 19/01/2011, Algérie: 7e tentative d'immolation par le feu dans l'est du pays; Le Temps, 19/01/2011, 3 personnes s’immolent par le feu à Dellys, Sidi Bel Abbès et El Oued
  14. "El Watan, 23/01/2011, ''Boumerdès : le citoyen qui s’est immolé par le feu à Dellys succombe à ses blessures''". Elwatan.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  15. "Monde-Press, ''Dellys,Berriane et El-Oued, Trois autres cas d’immolation''". Monde-presse.com. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  16. "Le Parisien, 19/01/2011, ''En Algérie, un vendeur à la sauvette tente de s'immoler par le feu". Leparisien.fr. 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  17. "Immolation : Je brûle, donc je suis". El Watan (in French). 2011-01-21.; "Pour se plaindre de ses conditions de vie à M’Sila: Un père de famille tente de s’immoler avec ses deux enfants". Liberté (in French). 2011-01-22.; "Un père et ses deux enfants tentent de s'immoler à M'sila !". El Watan (in French). 2011-01-20.
  18. "Immolation : Je brûle, donc je suis". El Watan (in French). 2011-01-21.
  19. "Les imams déclarent "illicite" l’immolation par le feu". Liberté (in French). 2011-01-22.
  20. "''Un adolescent tente de se suicider en s’immolant par le feu à Oued Taourrira (Sidi Bel Abbès)''". El Watan. 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
  21. Benslimane, Mehdi (2011-01-25). "Tentative d'immolation dans une caserne à Oum El Bouaghi : L’acte désespéré d’un pompier". DNA. Retrieved 2011-01-25.
  22. Semmar, Abderrahmane (2011-01-26). "Un jeune s'immole à Djelfa". El Watan. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  23. B., A. (2011-01-29). "Un jeune décède après s’être immolé par le feu à Bordj Bou Arréridj". El Watan. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  24. Yacine, A. (2011-01-29). "Une seconde tentative d'immolation à Mostaganem". El Watan. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
  25. Aber, Imen (2011-01-30). "Un travailleur de la BDL tente de s’immoler par le feu à Staoueli". El Watan. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  26. Azzouzi, Hafid (2011-01-30). "Tizi Ouzou : Tentative d’immolation devant le siège de l’ADE". El Watan. Retrieved 2011-01-30.
  27. A., Samira (2011-02-06). "Au moment où les chômeurs manifestaient leur ras-le-bol devant le ministère du Travail Un jeune homme tente de s'immoler". Le Temps DZ. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  28. "Algerian sets self on fire over police "disdain"". AFP. 2011-02-09. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
  29. "Sidi M’hamed (Alger) : Un homme tente de s’immoler au siège de la daïra". El Watan. 2011-02-18. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  30. "Issers (Boumerdès) : Trois pères de famille tentent de s’immoler par le feu". El Watan. 2011-02-21. Retrieved 2011-02-21.
  31. http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20111004-student-not-allowed-re-sit-baccalaureat-sets-himself-fire
  32. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Oct-08/150804-homeless-algerian-mother-sets-herself-child-on-fire.ashx#ixzz1aDkuvqZw
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