Algeria Watch International

Statement of purpose and strategy

        Algeria Watch International is a non-governmental, non-partisan, non-profit, US-based organization 
devoted to creating greater awareness around the world of the tragic conflict in Algeria.  

        Algeria Watch International's mission statement may be read at:

        Algeria Watch International publicly announced its establishment on December 9th, 1997.   The establishment 
of Algeria Watch International was motivated by the following two observations: (1) many Algerians living abroad 
and friends of Algeria around the world, in the face of the terrible crisis Algeria has been undergoing for the last five 
years — and especially since last summer — have expressed the necessity, indeed the duty, of acting in a 
concerted way in an effort to positively contribute to a lasting solution to the crisis in Algeria; and (2) the various 
efforts that have been undertaken towards that end have, to varying degrees, fallen short of expectations.  We 
attribute the limited success of past efforts not to a lack of good will or energy on the part of those who have 
contributed to those efforts, but rather to the absence of a permanent organizational structure upon which long-term 
efforts may be progressively built.  Algeria  Watch International has been established precisely to provide Algerians 
and friends of Algeria wishing to positively contribute to a lasting solution to the Algerian crisis with such a permanent  
organizational structure.

        Algeria Watch International (AWI) is a purely volunteer driven organization established with the following 
premise in mind: the long-term success of AWI's endeavor will depend on the extent to which people concerned with 
the Algerian crisis will participate in its efforts. Towards that end, we have: (1) articulated a well-defined mission, 
(2) established an organizational structure specifying  the ground rules of this organization's operations, and 
(3) provided  a detailed division of labor that takes into account the fact that, as volunteers with other life commitments, 
members of AWI will have limited time to devote to AWI activities.

        Algeria Watch International's goal is to involve  "ordinary" people who would like to do something 
about the Algerian crisis.  Algeria Watch International does not want to turn into yet another professional organization, 
run by a few devoted activists.  On the contrary, AWI wishes to be a vehicle for the many concerned Algerians who would 
like to contribute something, no matter how little, towards a resolution of the conflict.  But the "ordinary" person 
might ask — and justifiably so — what is there that we, people who live outside of Algeria, can do for Algeria? Indeed, the 
few negative comments that were directed against AWI have been along those lines: "it is the Algerians within Algeria 
that solve Algeria's problems, not some exiles, immigrants, and students, comfortably living in the first world."  While 
it is certainly true that the problems of Algeria can be solved only by those who are within the country itself, it is also true 
that those who live outside of Algeria need not necessarily forfeit their duties as citizens, patriots, and  friends of Algeria.  
But more concretely, Algerians living abroad, and friends of Algeria, are ideally situated to engage in a crucial activity: 
bringing attention to a long-drawn conflict that desperately needs the world's attention.  It goes without saying that the 
reaction of the world to the horrific violence in Algeria and the string of barbaric massacres since last summer has been 
stunningly irresponsible.   Aside cries of condemnation and limp calls for greater transparency of what is taking place in 
Algeria, the international community has done very little by way of attempting to initiate an effort towards finding a lasting 
solution to the Algerian crisis.  In a world of global relationships and responsibilities, we find the detachment of the 
international community unacceptable.  It is our mission to help in the effort of forcing the Algerian issue onto world 
consciousness with the aim of contributing towards starting a process that will eventually lead Algeria out of 
its present tragic state.  

        AWI's mission of bringing the Algerian crisis to world attention is carried out along two parallel activities:

         (1) Making important information on the Algerian crisis readily available for anyone wishing to learn more 
        about the crisis;  

        (2) Actively bringing attention — through our public statements, action calls, and alerts— to important 
        events and actions that pertain to the Algeria crisis.

        
        The first goal is promoted by the information we gather in our web site; the second through our 
        position statements.


        Algeria Watch International's official Web site is located at:

        The site has been designed to promote both aspects of AWI's mission: (1) providing people with useful 
information on the crisis in Algeria, and (2) empowering people to engage in actions that contribute to the resolution 
of the Algerian crisis.  The AWI library will provide visitors with a host of information on the Algerian crisis: from articles 
on the Algerian conflict, to a detailed chronology of the crisis since 1991, to reports from human rights organization, 
perspectives from various parties to the conflict, to key documents since 1991, to an extensive bibliography on Algeria, 
and more.  The library may be visited at

        The visitor to AWI's site will also find information useful to those who would like to engage in concrete 
action.  A section concentrates on providing contact information in Algeria: newspapers, associations, institutions, 
government agencies, etc.  A second section provides information crucial for the activist: email and snail mail addresses, 
URLs, telephone and fax numbers of Human Rights, Women's rights, Children's  organizations, Free speech and civil 
liberties associations, labor unions, and more.

        Algeria Watch International issues four types of public statements.

                 (i) Position Statements: these are statements that express a position that AWI
                 takes regarding some issue or action (i.e., that we applaud someone, or we
                 deplore something, etc.).

                 (ii) Action Calls: these are statements where we urge our reader to act in some
                 way.

                 (iii) Alert Calls: these are statements where we would like to bring to the attention
                 of people some event, without taking a position.

                 (iv) Public Comments: these are statements that AWI issues in response to
                 inquiries, questions.

        An archive of official public statements issued by AWI since its inception can be found at:

        Algeria Watch International is always open for any kind of suggestions, feedback, comments, etc.  
The aim of this organization is to give a voice to the "average" Algerian and to enable her or him to do something 
more than merely express frustration.

        With this, I invite you to join our effort.   You  may join AWI either by filling the application form on our site, or by sending a 
message to the address below, stating your name and e-mail address:

                        awi@afn.org


        Yours,
        Ahmed Bouzid
        AWI President