Self-Immolation Kills Four in Ongoing Algeria Riots

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110213/us_ac/7843900_selfimmolation_kills_four_in_ongoing_algeria_riots

Self-Immolation Kills Four in Ongoing Algeria Riots

Sylvia Cochran – Sun Feb 13, 5:34 pm ET

Inspired by the end of Egypt's Mubarak regime, current events in Algeria show an increase in impromptu and planned protests. Increasingly desperate Algerians march and demonstrate for adequate housing, cheaper food and a regime change. Self-immolation is a disturbing protest tool that the most desperate demonstrators fall back on; this practice has so far killed four in Algeria.

Attempted Self-Immolation -- Mohamed Aouichia, 26

Without a job and a home, the young man doused himself with gasoline and lit a fire. He did not die from the injuries sustained during the attempted self-immolation. It is noteworthy that he does not regret his actions. His complaint is simple: he has lived since 2003 in a 30 square meter home with seven others.

Having applied for alternate housing, he found out that he was excluded from the list. Aouichia describes his desperate act of deadly protests as a matter of "victory or suicide" against the backdrop of squalid living conditions for the people, but luxury accommodations for government officials.

Jan. 15: Mohsen Bouterfif, 37

Sparking a 100-person protest in Boukhadra, this self-immolation followed in the wake of a meeting between the deceased and the town's mayor. Requesting work and a home, government officials turned away Bouterfif who set himself on fire in front of the town hall. In a cruel twist, the mayor taunted the father of two and suggested that if Bouterfif didn't like the treatment he received from officials, and if he indeed did "have courage, do as Bouazizi, immolate yourself by the fire." The man complied.

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Yet with almost 30,000 police officers taking to the streets to end protests and demonstrations, it is unclear if Algerians will succeed in their efforts for change.

This is non-violent protest. These people, who are no better or worse than you are I, are expressing the agony they feel in the situations they are in. I for one hear them. These are people who feel they have no other choice.

Algeria:
http://cryptome.org/info/algeria-protest/algeria-protest.htm

Yemen:
http://cryptome.org/info/yemen-protest/yemen-protest.htm