Sir, - The Irish Times has been fearless in its coverage of the recent Algerian massacres. As a result many people, including myself, have been at a loss to know how to respond to the massive violations of human rights occurring there.
There is a need to express our solidarity with the Algerian people in their hour of horror and to demand an immediate end to insurgent and state-sponsored terrorism. The Algerian people suffered incredible cruelty in their struggle for liberation with over a million people killed. The democratically elected President Benjedid was forced out of power in 1992 by a military dominated junta when it became apparent after the first round of assembly elections that the Islamic Salvation Front would be the majority party in Parliament.
Why did the Western world accept such an affront to democracy? Has it something to do with Algeria's vast wealth of oil, gas and other minerals? Has the EU's lack of action to promote democracy in Algerian something to do with it being Algeria's main trading partner?
All right-minded people are invited to express their solidarity with the Algerian people by attending a rally outside the Department of Foreign Affairs, St Stephen's Green, next Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. The rally will be peaceful, family-friendly and non-party-political. - Yours, etc.,
From Brendan Butler
Swords, Co Dublin.