HOME | north-of-africa.com

On the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, December 10, 2009, Ferhat Mehenni, Kabyle MAK (Movement for the autonomy of Kabylia ) leader has been held back at the Tunisian airport Tunis-Carthage, and escorted back to the same plane to fly back to France. The Tunisian authorities stated that they don’t want to get in troubles with the Algerian government in allowing the M.A.K leader Ferhat Mehenni accessing the Tunisian land, and that’s not the first time those North African dictators violate the human rights .

At the age of 84, Ferhat’s mother who wanted to see him at least one more time before dying, the son had agreed with her to meet in Tunisia. The choice of this country is due to the closeness or nearness to Tizi ouzou the hometown of the leader, and the other reason is the no way to obtain the Schengen visa. Mr. Mehenni could fly straight to Kabylia his birth place but because of the arrest warrant issued by the Algerian government for a political reason, so he chose a different country, In Algeria his freedom and most likely his life will be seriously threatened. Arrived to Tunis on flight AF 2584, around 15h 15 ’, he presented himself at the counter for passport control. The name introduced in the computer file of the border police revealed information that he is wanted in Algeria.

After police talks on the phone during which Mehenni heard "We do not want problems with Algeria!”He was immediately placed in the same plane he arrived and took him back to Paris on AF 2585, preventing his mother that was supposed to arrive the next day to finally see her exiled son. Bouteflika, not only happy to prohibit a citizen from returning home, but working to ban him to go even in other countries.

This episode could have been ended even worst for the victim and this entire scene reminds us on the hegemonic and dictatorial temptations of Algeria on neighboring people. Once again this enforces our determination on how important and vital to build a Kabyle state for our future generations of kabyles. MAK outraged by this anti-freedom act against a democrat, a solemn protest against Tunisia and Algeria is to be considered at the UN, EU and NGOs including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, FIDH...

At this symbolic day of the celebration of Human Rights during which the President of the United States, Mr. Barak Obama was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, the fear is the future with the dictators of Algiers, not the freedom-loving democrats.

M.A.K

Kabylia 12/11/2009