Civil Forum for Change
The Civil Forum for Change[1] (French: Forum civil pour le changement, FCC or FCPC[1]) is an alliance of 70 citizens' groups created on 9 March 2019 during the "Hirak" 2019 Algerian protests.[2] As of October 2019, the FCC is headed by Abderrahmane Arar. The FCC supported the holding of the 12 December 2019 presidential election.[3][2]
| Types | voluntary association  |
|---|---|
| Established | 9 March 2019 (2 years ago) |
| Country | Algeria |
| Aim | regime change |
Creation
The FCC was created on 9 March 2019 during the "Hirak" 2019 Algerian protests, coordinated by Abderrahmane Arar. It claimed to consist of 70 national and local citizens' associations.[2]
June/July meetings and the Instance de dialogue
The FCC participated[3] in a meeting on 15 June 2019 at which the Dynamiques de la société civile, an alliance of trade unions, civil society groups and individuals who aim to coordinate their Hirak actions of reorganising the political structure of the Algerian state,[4][5] from which the Wasilla network had withdrawn on the grounds of the lack of a clear support for equality between women and men.[6] In July, Jeune Afrique saw "three forces" emerging from the numerous debates among civil society actors: the FCC, the Dynamiques, and the Initiative politique globale/Forces du changement coordoniated by Abdelaziz Rahabi.[3]
On 6 July, a national conference was held by the FCC and the Forces du changement. The main outcome of the meeting was a plan to create a panel of well-respected people for discussions with the government and for the holding of a presidential election.[3][7]
On 17 July, the FCC proposed a 13-member dialogue panel, including Karim Younes, Mouloud Hamrouche, Mokdad Sifi, Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, Djamila Bouhired, Fatiha Benabou, Nacer Djabi, Mustapha Bouchachi, Islam Benattia, Lyes Merabet, Nafissa Lahrèche, Smaaïl Lalmas and Aïcha Zenaï.[8][9] Abderrahmane Arar stated in a press conference that all thirteen had agreed to participate in the panel. Djamila Bouhired, a well-known freedom fighter in the Algerian War for liberation from French occupation, replied that she was unaware of having been proposed for the panel and that she "could not be a member of a group of people that included some who had been in the [ruling clique]".[9] The dialogue panel, that later became known as the Instance nationale de dialogue et de médiation, was widely criticised by the Hirak protestors. The FCC responded to criticisms by saying that the panel "doesn't represent either Hirak or the people is not speak in their name".[10]
Towards the 12 December presidential election
In September 2019, Arar, on behalf of the FCC, denounced the arrests of Hirak activists and called for the government to "prepare a calm climate to help the electoral operation succeed".[11] In early October, the FCC organised its "national constitutional assembly" with 400 participants, electing Arar as its president. Arar declared his intention to be a candidate in the presidential election.[2]
References
- "Political crisis: Civil Forum for Change proposes figures to lead mediation, dialogue". Algeria Press Service. 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- "Le FCC en congrès pour porter appui à l'élection présidentielle : Son coordonnateur, et désormais président, Abderrahmane Arar se porte candidat au scrutin" [The FCC meets in support of the presidential election: its coordinator, and now its president, Abderrahmane Arar, runs for election]. Reporters (in French). 6 October 2019. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- Poletti, Arianne (26 July 2019). "Algérie : comprendre les différentes propositions de sortie de crise en une infographie" [Algeria: a diagram for understanding the different proposals for solving the crisis]. Jeune Afrique (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- "Dynamiques de la Société civile: la rencontre du 24 août, une "solution salutaire"" [Dynamiques de la Société civile: the 24 August meeting, "a good solution"]. Le Matin d'Algérie (in French). 19 August 2019. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
- Iddir, Nadir (17 November 2019). "Dynamiques de la société civile : Cap sur la conférence nationale" [Dynamiques de la société civile: towards a national meeting]. El Watan (in French). Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- Ouitis, Leïla (6 September 2019). "Feminists on the front lines of the Algerian uprising". ROAR Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- Kebir, Karim (20 July 2019). "Multiplication des initiatives pour une sortie de crise" [Multiple initiatives to solve the crisis]. Liberté (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- Lyes, Sonia (17 July 2019). "Forum civil pour le changement : 13 personnalités pour mener le dialogue et la médiation" [Forum civil pour le changement: 13 eminent people for leading dialogue and mediation]. TSA (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- Daou, Marc (18 July 2019). "En Algérie, le mouvement populaire cherche toujours sa voix" [In Algeria, the grassroots movement il still searching for its voice]. France 24 (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.}
- Aimeur, Karim (29 July 2019). "Le Forum civil pour le changement s'explique" [The Forum civil pour le changement explains]. Le Soir d'Algérie (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.
- Djama, Younès (19 September 2019). "Arrestations des activistes du Hirak : Arar dénonce des " décisions abusives "" [Arrests of Hirak activists: Arar denounces "unjust decisions"]. TSA (in French). Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.