A chara, - Your newspaper reported widespread allegations of fraud in the run-up to Algeria's elections (The Irish Times, April 17th) and the subsequent withdrawal in protest of six of the seven candidates. Since then the international press has accepted a turn-out figure of 23 per cent as opposed to the 60 per cent claimed by "president elect" Bouteflika, the sole candidate in the poll.
Less than a month ago our own Minister for Foreign Affairs said, in response to a Dail question on Algeria: "The best way of securing an end to the conflict is the rapid development of a democratic and pluralist Algeria, based on the rule of law, with an accountable government ruling in an open and transparent manner. I am hopeful that the presidential election campaign, which is currently under way, will pave the way for further reform."
Clearly it has not. Rather the true source of power in Algeria - the army - has been unveiled. The forces of democracy, represented by the six withdrawn candidates, now stand in stark and resolute opposition to le pouvoir. If Minister Andrews wants to support real democracy in Algeria, he should start by condemning the electoral fraud and by calling for fresh elections based on fairness and transparency. - Is mise,
Donnacha O'Brien,
Waterloo Road,
Dublin 4.