Dokument #1213940
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
Information on the specific subject of a
re-call to military service in 1990-1991 could not be found among
the sources available to the DIRB. However, Robert A. Mortimer
makes a brief reference to the Algerian military for those same
years in his article "Algeria: The Clash Between Islam, Democracy,
and the Military":
The [Algerian] military high command, however, was stung during the Persian Gulf crisis of 1990-1991, when the FIS [Islamic Salvation Front] criticized the army for not training and dispatching "volunteers" to defend Iraq" (Current History Jan. 1993, 38).
The following material is provided for general information.
The obligatory national military service
was legally reduced from 2 years to 18 months on 6 December 1989 by
the Algerian National People's Assembly (Algiers Television Service
6 Dec. 1989; The Reuter Library Report 6 Dec. 1989; BBC 1 Nov.
1989). This measure went into effect on 1 January 1990. According
to a July 1990 article in Le Monde, however, the duration of
military and civilian service in Algeria varies between 6 and 18
months (16 July 1990, 2).
According to a representative for War
Resisters' International in London, once the 18 months of military
service is completed, soldiers are "liable for a further six months
service as reservists" (26 Aug. 1994). A researcher from the
Maghreb Team, Middle East Program, at Amnesty International in
London stated that although there were "talks of reserve duty
earlier this year . . . no one has been called back to do duty
until now" (5 Sept. 1994).
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find attached the list of
sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Algiers Television Service [Algiers,
in Arabic]. 6 December 1989. "Assembly Reduces Military Service to
18 Months." (FBIS-NES-89-235 8 December 1989, p. 7)
Amnesty International, London. 5
September 1994. Faxed letter from a researcher, Maghreb Team,
Middle East Program.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 1
November 1989. "Algerian Cabinet Discusses Reduction of Military
Service, Amnesty." (NEXIS)
Current History. January 1993.
Robert A. Mortimer. "Algeria: The Clash Between Islam, Democracy,
and the Military."
Le Monde. 16 July 1990. "Selon un
rapport de l'armée de terre les jeunes Beurs sont mal
integrés au cours de leur service militaire." (NEXIS)
The Reuter Library Report. 6
December 1989. BC Cycle. "Algeria Cuts Mandatory Military Service."
(NEXIS)
War Resisters' International, London. 26
August 1994. Faxed letter from a representative.
Algiers Television Service [Algiers, in
Arabic]. 6 December 1989. "Assembly Reduces Military Service to 18
Months." (FBIS-NES-89-235 8 December 1989, p. 7)
Amnesty International, London. 5
September 1994. Faxed letter from a researcher, Maghreb Team,
Middle East Program.
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 1
November 1989. "Algerian Cabinet Discusses Reduction of Military
Service, Amnesty." (NEXIS)
Current History. January 1993.
Robert A. Mortimer. "Algeria: The Clash Between Islam, Democracy,
and the Military," p. 37-41.
Le Monde. 16 July 1990. "Selon un
rapport de l'armée de terre les jeunes Beurs sont mal
integrés au cours de leur service militaire," p. 1-2
(NEXIS)
The Reuter Library Report. 6
December 1989. BC Cycle. "Algeria Cuts Mandatory Military Service,"
p. 2 (NEXIS)
War Resisters' International, London. 26
August 1994. Faxed letter from a representative.
Amnesty International. January 1991.
Conscientious Objection to Military Service.
Constitutiones Africae. 1992.
Constitutions of the Countries of the
World. 1990.
Country files (Algeria)
Current History
The Europa World Year Book 1990,
1991, 1992.
L'Express [Paris]
Foreign Broadcast Information Service
(FBIS) Reports
Jeune Afrique [Paris]
Libération [Paris]
The Middle East [London]
New Internationalist
[Toronto]
News from Middle East Watch [New
York]
ODR. Bulletin d'information.
"Algerie"
Le Point [Paris]
On-line searches
Oral sources