Rachad takes note of the statement made today by the Algerian regime, read by its foreign Affairs Minister, in which he announced the severance of diplomatic ties with Morocco. This statement included a number of flimsy charges against our movement, Rachad.
Rachad considers that cutting ties, which were already fraught, is harmful to the interests of both brotherly people, neighbouring countries and to the whole Maghreb region. Rachad considers that whatever the contending issues between the Algerian and Moroccan regimes, the solution is not through a total breakup, but through dialogue and negotiation in such a way as to guarantee the interests of both countries.
Rachad believes that this decision amounts to a headlong rush by a military regime facing a multidimensional internal crisis, which it seeks to elude by worsening relations with its Moroccan neighbour.
Rachad has previously denounced statements by Moroccan officials, especially those threatening Algeria’s national unity and security through calling for the separation of the Kabyle region. Rachad has also repeatedly criticized the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel.
In his arguments for severing ties with Morocco, Lamamra claimed that Rachad is a terrorist organization used by Morocco to harm Algerian national security through burning forests and the killing of Djamel Bensmain. This is nothing but a rehash of old baseless accusations that are now expediently linked to Morocco.
Rachad rejects totally the slur of terrorism. Rachad was founded in 2007 on non-violence and peacefulness in any political or social change. Its intellectual and audio-visual productions on non-violent resistance and change over the years is evidence of this conviction and commitment. The unimpeachable discourse and behaviour of Rachad and its members over the years put to the lie the falsehood that Rachad may be related to terrorism or violence.
We also firmly reject the claim that Rachad entertains relations with the Moroccan regime. Rachad categorically denies this charge, as it defies any one to substantiate the existence of relations, whatever their nature, with any external official bodies, be they governments, agencies or organisations, under any circumstance. It should not be forgotten that in the first year of the hirak, the military regime accused Rachad of serving a Franco-Atlantic agenda, in its second year of the hirak its propaganda depicted Rachad as puppets of Qatar and Turkey, and now, in the third year of the hirak, it weaves a new web of lies linking it to Morocco and Israel.
As for the ludicrous allegations linking Rachad to this summer’s forest fires in the country, or to the heinous lynching of the martyr Djamel Bensmain, we previously refuted them and considered them to be of a vengeful political nature with no factual or legal basis.
Rachad warns the two regimes against a further escalation of tensions, which may get out of control and see a war break out, resulting in bloodshed, the weakening the two countries and opening the way for the intervention of regional and international powers.
Rachad calls on the military regime to abandon the logic of coercion and to pursue dialogue and negotiation to address the escalating crises within our country, as well as with neighbouring countries.
Rachad renews here its pledge to pursue non-violence as the only means to change the nature of the military regime, which is what the Algerian people have been calling for and practising since the beginning of the Hirak movement, on 22 February 2019, in order to establish the rule of law and a democratic civil order in the country.
Rachad Movement,
August 24th, 2021
