Ever Ready
ALGIERS/BERLIN (Own Report) - The dispatching of a German submarine to the port of Algiers underscores the German government's military interest in Algeria. Berlin permits the training of Algerian soldiers in Germany and would like to incorporate this North African country into the NATO through so-called anti-terror measures. Germany is also supplying its military partner, Algeria, with large quantities of arms. Cooperation at the level of the intelligence services and police should soon be formalized and sealed in a treaty. The government of Algeria, predominated by the military, has been waging a so-called war on terror against Islamist rebels for the past 15 years. Algeria's repressive organs are accused of serious crimes. In a conversation with german-foreign-policy.com, Salima Mellah, of the Algeria Watch human rights organization, reported that at the beginning of this year, for example, an Algerian prisoner was tortured to death, even in July, people were disappearing. "The 'death machine' that began to be set up in 1992, has not been dismantled" says Ms. Mellah: "Though it is no longer as intensively applied, as it had been ten years ago, it is ever ready to be put into action again."
Unrivaled
The highlight of the recent submarine visit was a demonstration of the German navy off the Algerian coast. The 212 A class submarine is internationally considered to be the most modern of the non-nuclear submersibles with offensive weapons technology. Commissioned in 2006, it is equipped with an unrivaled hybrid propulsion system and can remain submerged for several weeks without needing to replenish the air supply. Eight Algerian officers were taken onboard to witness that these capabilities predestines the 212 A class submarine for surveillance operations in enemy waters.[1]
Military Training
According to Algerian military personnel, the visit rendered by the German submarine is part of a gradual upgrading of military cooperation.[2] The official objective is an "exchange of experiences" and the training of soldiers, particularly navy personnel. Following the first visit by a German warship to Algiers in 2002, the visits have become more numerous since 2006. Most recently, in mid-July, the Frigate "Lubeck" made a stopover in Algiers on its way to its Lebanese theater of operations. Soon afterwards Algerian naval cadets participated in the swearing in ceremonies of German cadets at the Muerwik Naval School in Flensburg. "They are receiving their military training in Germany," explains the German military.[3] The Commander and Chief of the Algerian armed forces, Maj. Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, visited the military's Leadership Academy in Hamburg already last year. The subject of his talks, at the time, was the training of field officers.
Earth Surveillance
The intensification of military cooperation is accompanied by the export of German armament. Even though Berlin's arms exports to Algeria "when compared internationally (...) are rather meager" [4] explains the specialized press, still exports requiring clearance permits have reached into the double-digit millions over the past few years. According to official German government statements, German enterprises have delivered, above all, radio and other communications equipment, surveillance systems as well as a mobile hospital to this Maghrebian country. The German/French arms corporation, EADS, has concluded a contract for the joint development of satellites for earth surveillance (ALSAT-2) with the Algerian Space Technological Center (CNTS - Centre National des Techniques Spatiales). ALSAT-2 therefore provides EADS with "multiple applications," among them "crisis management during natural catastrophes" and other activities of so-called "intelligence gathering." According to the arms corporation, which, in the meantime, is predominated by Germans, within the framework of the development of the ALSAT-2, Algerian engineers will receive "an intensive training in space technology." That project lays the groundwork "for a long-term cooperation (...) in the domain of space-based earth surveillance" [5] with orbital intelligence about enemy movements in difficult to reach mountainous and desert regions of Algeria.
In the Wake
The cooperation in the military and arms sectors is complementary to Berlin's planned cooperation between the police and intelligence services of the two countries, due to be finalized with an accord this fall.[6] This comprehensive package deal is to incorporate Algeria into the "War on Terror" western hegemonic alliance. Plans to this effect date back to the 1990s. Already in 2000, Algeria joined NATO's Mediterranean Dialog, in January 2002 the Algerian armed forces carried out joint maneuvers with NATO's leading power, the USA. Two years later Washington confirmed US military actions in Southern Algeria, which according to observers was a joint operation with Algerian armed forces.[7] In the wake of these US operations, officially undertaken under the auspices of NATO, regardless of the serious accusations raised against the Algerian armed forces and repressive organs, Berlin has intensified its presence within the military and police sectors of this Maghrebian country.
Not Dismantled
As Salima Mellah of the Algeria Watch human rights organization reports, Algerian officials are not only responsible for arbitrary arrests, torture and numerous murders during the civil war in the '90s. Even today, people are being tortured in Algeria particularly in secret service institutions, members of the opposition are still being abducted. The relevant power structures, that had been erected by the military intelligence services in the '90s are still in place: "The 'death machine' (...) has not been dismantled."[8] As Ms. Mellah sees it, the "death machine" accompanies the western industrial nations' demands to open up the Algerian economy. Because of the disastrous social consequences, the privatization programs of the 90's, would hardly have been able to have been imposed, "without the fear of repression, that since 1992 has been systematically instilled". Still today, the "catastrophic social situation" accompanying the incorporation of Algeria into the western dominated world economy, leads to revolts. Ms. Mellah reports that, "as soon as the people begin to organize themselves, the repression is unleashed."
Please read also: Tragende Säule, Zweite Säule, Verstoß gegen das Völkerrecht, Das Land der Aufklärung, Ergänzungsraum and Folterpartner.
[1], [2] Le sous-marin allemand S 183 a accosté hier au port d'Alger; Le Jeune Indépendant 26.08.2007
[3] Vereidigung der Crew VII/2007; Presse- und Informationszentrum Marine 09.08.2007
[4] Bonn International Center for Conversion: Länderbericht Algerien; Bonn, Januar 2007
[5] EADS Astrium liefert optisches Erdbeobachtungssystem ALSAT-2 an Algerien; Pressemitteilung von EADS 01.02.2006
[6] see also Verstoß gegen das Völkerrecht and Folterpartner
[7] Bonn International Center for Conversion: Länderbericht Algerien; Bonn, Januar 2007
[8] see also Die Todesmaschine. See also Die Mordmaschine: Bericht über Folter, geheime Haftzentren und Befehlsstrukturen; www.algeria-watch.org/pdf/pdf_de/mordmaschine.pdf
