Algerian Journalist: “Shame upon you, Bouteflika!”

Rabat - A few days after the Algerian journalist Hafid Deraji addressed an open letter to the Algerian President Boutaflika in which he harshly criticizes the President’s intention to run for reelection, another well-known journalist, Kamel Daoud, tells Boutaflika, “shame on you!”

There is growing anger and derision in Algeria over Bouteflika’s decision to run, and some journalists are careful of what they say for fear of the powerful president and his army generals.

But there are others who vent their anger, such Kamel Daoud - one of the best-known journalists in Algeria - who harshly criticized Boutaflika.

The Independent reports that Kamal wrote for the online publication Algerie Focus an article in which he says: "Shame on you, Bouteflika! You have no shame for our martyrs, for your age, for your own sickness, for what you have done to this country… You have humiliated us… You push us into exile by taking our country from us… What do you want? More money? More gold?.. More praise? More glory? We will give them to you. Just name your price… Why do you want to carry your country into your grave? To bury our nation alive with you?"

"When the world is desperate for freedom, you reduce us to slavery with your insanity," he added.

The Independent described Bouteflika as a “bureaucrat”, rather than a National Liberation Front war hero. On Bouteflika’s involvement in the Algerian battle for independence led by the National Liberation Front, The Independent said that “his ‘independence’ battle was that of an official on the Moroccan border, not a fighter in the field.”

"You are like all tyrants, Arab or not," Daoud wrote. "One day, you will all be lynched, dead, sick or alive.” Bouteflika!”

Earlier last month, after the 77-year-old Bouteflika said that he would run again, Algerian newspaper El Watan published an article titled "He dared!" in which it suggests that Bouteflika should win an Oscar for a new movie called "The Fourth Term."