Algeria acts in wake of riots

The Algerian government has announced a series of measures to counter growing unrest in the country after violent riots killed dozens of youths in ethnic Berber areas.

The clashes were sparked by the death of a teenager in police custody, but escalated as people vented frustration over poverty, unemployment and government policies in the Berber areas.

Interior Minister Noureddine Zerhouni told CNN the dire state of Algeria's economy was the main problem behind protesters' concerns over social justice and unemployment.

More than 1,000 public enterprises had gone bankrupt and 50 percent of industrial jobs had disappeared during 20 years of disinvestments in Algeria, he added.

But Zerhouni said the government was launching a $26 billion programme for massive public works to curb unemployment and improve Algeria's infrastructure.

The move would "make up for investment delays and create jobs, essentially for young people" he said. "We also hope it will help diminish the social pressure at the root of this explosion."

He said the project's main goal was to attract foreign investment, which has declined in recent years as investors remain sceptical over Algeria's stability as it struggles to over come violent civil unrest linked to Islamic extremist groups.

Zerhouni said: "If there are investors out there who want to make money, now is the moment. Otherwise, we will go ahead and do it without them."

Berbers have also been calling for their Tamazight language to be included alongside Arabic as one of Algeria's national and official languages.

"There is no objection to that. It is not a new idea. It is a question of constitution. The constitution would have to be changed, but even that is not really an issue," Zerhouni said.

A national commission on education created by President Bouteflika would also be bringing forward the issue of teaching Tamazight.

Regarding a commission of inquiry announced by President Bouteflika on Monday night to investigate the deaths that occurred in the past week of rioting, Zerhouni specified it would be a commission open to the civil society.

"The administration will be required to put all its facilities at the disposal of the commission," Zerhouni said. "That commission will include personalities, political parties, local citizens and members of the civil society at large".

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