Montreal’s Algerian community gathered to protest the country’s current leadership
Two years into the Hirak movement, the Algerian diaspora continues to fight for democracy
Montreal’s Algerian community protested for the removal of the current political leaders and the replacement of the military state with a new civil state comprehensive of all different classes and sects of Algerian society.
Organized by Tous unis pour notre Algerie, dozens of demonstrators gathered at Place du Canada on March 14 to promote a citizen-driven democratic transition in Algeria.
Protests denouncing the Algerian government have been ongoing since 2019, following Abdelaziz Bouteflika announcing his candidacy for a fifth presidential term. The protests are called the Revolution of Smiles or the Hirak movement. The Hirak movement is a peaceful revolution against the military dictatorship, and a promoter for a democratic society where citizens of all different ideologies, ethnicities and practices are equal and free.
“We don’t see them as legitimate, we don’t see them as real leaders that represent the people so we want them to leave,” said Hadjer Dahel, a protester.
This comes in accordance with the demands of protesters. Brahim Benmirat, a volunteer in the Hirak movement, explained that nothing is working economically and socially in Algeria because of the current corrupt regime. Algeria is one of Africa’s largest oil and gas producers, but corruption and inefficient subsidies have squandered much of its wealth.
“This Algeria is not feeding its citizens economically or culturally,” added Karima Esses, one of the speakers at the protest.
According to protest organizer Azeddine Shiri, Algerians are dealing with a corrupt regime that doesn't want to invest in the country.
“We can see that the political class of the regime is scared of the revolution, and that’s what’s making them try to break it,” said Dahel. She thinks the governing system is trying to create a dissension between the Algerian people in order to weaken the Hirak movement.
“Algerians are trying to make a revolution that is as Algerian as possible,” she added. “We don’t want international intervention, maybe a symbolic one, but nothing more than that.”
Other Hirakists like blogger Imed Lakhdara, an active member of the Algerian community in Montreal, finds the movement is working. “The regime is starting to break down and lose its credibility,” he said.
“The battle will be long, but we will do it. At some point we will change the system,” said Sahel. “The Hirak is like the seed that got planted and we will see a tree at some point.”
