For more than 10 years, Algeria has been torn by religious and political conflict. In 1988 there were violent protests against food shortages. In 1992 the result of country’s first multi-party elections since independence favoured the FIS (Islamic Salvation Front), a hardline Islamic party. Many people were alarmed by this result, and 100,000 demonstrated in the Algerian capital. Soon afterwards the government, backed by the army, overturned the election result. In 1996 violence escalated after the government banned all religious political parties. As many as 80,000 people – mostly civilians – have been killed in the conflict between militants and the authorities, and thousands imprisoned without trial.

The present government, elected in 1999, has released some political prisoners and held a peace referendum, offering Algerians the chance to vote for peace talks with Islamic militants. The result was an overwhelming yes-vote, which already seems to have brought about a positive change in the day-to-day atmosphere of Algeria’s cities and towns.

On December 24th 1999 Ahmed Benbitour, who is not a member of any political party, was appointed as Algeria’s new prime minister, and began forming a government made up of ministers belonging to several different political parties.

In the first week of the new millennium, the armed wing of the Islamic Salvation Front called a truce. Killings and bombings have continued in Algiers and other Algerian cities, but it is not clear who is behind these acts. Many Algerians blame rogue elements within either Islamic or anti-Islamic groups, while others blame organised criminals posing as political militants.

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