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Algeria: “Thirst Riots” Organized by Residents of a Region Lacking Water for Months

Demonstrations took place on Sunday and Monday in Tiaret, a town in central Algeria, to protest a serious shortage of drinking water in the region. A problem that the president had promised to resolve before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Despite promises from Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, residents of Tiaret did not have water for several days, from the start of Eid al-Adha, a period of high water consumption. This situation angered citizens, who took to the streets to express their discontent.

Images circulating on social networks show roads blocked by stones and improvised barricades in the town of less than 200,000 inhabitants, but also in neighboring towns. In Rahouia, about 40 km from Tiaret, residents prevented the prefect from leaving the district headquarters until he listened to their demands.

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A SITUATION THAT HAS LASTED FOR MONTHS

The shortage of drinking water in Tiaret is a problem that has been going on for months. The waterways of the semi-desert region and the Bakhedda dam, the area’s only source of supply, have been dry since May.

Faced with the anger of residents, President Tebboune convened a council of ministers on June 2 and ordered the ministers of Interior and Water Resources to develop an urgent program to resolve the problem, within 48 hours.

The next day, the two ministers Brahim Merad and Taha Derbal visited Tiaret and presented a plan to resolve the problem “before Eid al-Adha.”

The commissioning of the drilled well supply system apparently solved the problem in Tiaret town centre. However, other neighborhoods continue to suffer from water shortages.

Since the election of Mr. Tebboune in December 2019, after the resignation of his predecessor Abdelaziz Bouteflika, chased out by the pro-democracy Hirak movement, demonstrations have been very rare in Algeria.

These protests take place in a particular context, a few months before the early presidential election of September 7. President Tebboune has not yet announced his candidacy, but he is very present in the media.

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