Algeria's national reconciliation law, ten years on

Tuesday marks the tenth anniversary of Algeria's national reconciliation law, which was passed on 29 September 2005, bringing security and stability back to the country, and allowing hundreds of armed fighters to hand over their weapons and be reintegrated into society.

But issues remain unresolved, despite the time that has passed.

More than a decade ago, Algerians could not travel between cities during the hours of darkness, and people in most towns would retire to their homes at nightfall.

With more than 120,000 deaths, the security situation had reached its nadir, exacerbated by serious economic conditions.

The national reconciliation law, however, a result of the 1999 civil concord law, came to resolve some of Algeria's unfinished business regarding the security situation, at least.

At first, more than 15,000 armed fighters were pardoned and allowed to return to their families and be reintegrated into public life. Other issues resolved by the law included helping victims of terrorism and the families of fighters killed in anti-terrorism operations.

Nearly 2,400 detained fighters were also released and pardoned.

The most prominent issues that have emerged recently are still related to the security crisis and political situation of a decade ago

In addition, the law has dealt with 41 of around 500 children, aged between five and 15, born to Islamist fighters and mostly kidnapped women in the mountains.

Human rights advocates consider the issue of these children extremely complicated due to the absence or death of either of their parents, and the lack of official civil documents for the parents' relationship, which meant that the authorities have had to resort to DNA tests.

Marwan Azzi, the head of the National Reconciliation Commission, said the children of the mountains and women raped by fighters remained one of the most overlooked issues that needed immediate measures.

"The commission will submit a comprehensive report this week to President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika," Azzi told reporters.

"The report includes a number of suggestions to improve the tools used in the implementation of the national reconciliation law.

"The report also suggests compensating those who were imprisoned in the south and forming a follow-up committee for issues relating to victims of terrorism."

Nonetheless, the most prominent issues that have emerged recently are still related to the security crisis and political situation of a decade ago.

Members of the banned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) and the dissolved Islamic Salvation Army (ISA) demand the right to take part in politics.

Some of them have launched campaigns to establish political parties, including the Free Awakening Front party, led by Abdel Fattah Hamadache, and the peace and reconciliation party, led by Madanu Mizraq, the former commander of the ISA.

The Algerian authorities do not stop members of the banned FIS from unofficial activities. However, they have shut the doors on any serious attempts to return to the political scene under an official party.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.