We met former leading member of Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), Anouar Haddam, in Washington, at a conference staged by the US-based nongovernmental organization “Freedom House” on freedoms in Algeria and Tunisia. He seemed older but his beliefs haven’t changed. He thinks he should be allowed to enjoy his political rights. Haddam raised the issue of the mistakes made by the FIS, the mistakes Abassi Madani and Ali Benhadj (respectively number FIS’s number one and his deputy) have to be held responsible for, he said.The first question was about his meeting with the Prime Minister, Abdelaziz Belkhadem, to prepare his comeback to Algeria and contribute in the national reconciliation project. Anouar Haddam said he met Belkhadem as representative of president of the Republic, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. He told us he interrupted all his tasks for that, including his teaching in the University of Washington. He expressed his astonishment as to the postponement of his return to Algeria, and affirmed he knew some spheres within the regime are impeding that step.
Asked if he still had a role to play in Algeria, Haddam says he has his own perception for the settlement of the crisis Algeria is facing, and affirms he is convinced he still has a part to play in the political life in Algeria. “I do not intend to create a political party, for political work is useless under state of emergency”, explains Haddam adding he yet thinks he should be allowed to partake in the national reconciliation project and to help to set up a citizenship charter project and defining strategic interests since it is the only way to help Algeria getting out of the crisis. “We claim the truth be known for the Algerian people”, he says. “Those who had declared war have been set free, why shouldn’t I be allowed to go back home since I was a politician and didn’t order any assassination. We want to get a different frame than that of Islamic Salvation Front, we are not waiting a green light from it to move, and we don’t seek to hold a FIS convention, but if we are invited we will take part in”, he pointed out.
Anouar Haddam told us he had been sentenced to death for creation of data network via fax and arms smuggling, he explained he subscribed to benefit from national reconciliation and presented a file explaining he had not been implicated in genocides and was not incitating terrorist acts, but had received no reply. He points out he is against re-launching Islamic Salvation Front from which he dismissed in 2004.
To question on the interruption of the electoral process, in January 1992, Haddam said the authorities provoked the Islamic Salvation Front by the decision to interrupt electoral process, he affirmed if parliament electionsÂ’ second round was not cancelled and pollÂ’s outcome was approved for the other political parties, FIS would have accepted the situation. Admitting some FISÂ’s members adopted armed fighting as a way to express their opposition to the regimeÂ’s steps then, he however explained that they only fought between May 1994 and Summer 1995. But things became complicated afterwardsÂ… the Islamic Armed Group (GIA) disappeared and the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) appeared, he noted. The Salafist Group is now affiliated to Al-Qaeeda, and is needed by the United States to justify the set up of military bases in Algeria, he adds.